Mani Mahesh : The significance of Half cresent Moon

Passim my Exploration to Mani Mahesh I have heard of the providentially or Magically Lucky Mani Darshan and throughout my way I have been dead reckoning over my chances of it happening to us. But what I perceived by sight was far beyond that, the half crescent moon over the almighty Mani Mahesh.

Further more I made some more inquiring on reaching my home from some scholars and pandits. Lord Shiva represents the destructive aspect of Nature. He is one of the most popular Gods of Hinduism and can be easily identified by His looks. He wears a tiger skin, holds a trident in His hand, wears a snake around his neck and the moon on His matted hair. These ornaments may sound quite uncanny to most of us. These are some very unusual ornaments to be worn by a God. All of these ornaments have their own significance. The trident in His hand represents the three 'gunas' present in a human being and He wields the power over all these gunas. His 'damru' represents the beginning of sound. The snake around His neck signifies the Lord's justice towards each and every being on the Earth. Have you ever wondered why Lord Shiva wears the crescent or the waning moon on his matted hair? Like every other ornament on His body, the moon also has its own significance and story.

Let's find out about the significance of the crescent of Lord Shiva.

Story Behind The Crescent:

According to the mythology, Daksha Prajapati, one of the sons of Lord Brahma had 27 stars as his daughters. All of these stars were married to the moon. However the moon had a special attraction towards one of the daughters called Rohini. So, all the other wives of the moon complained to their father that the moon was not treating them well. So, Daksha got angry and he cursed the moon that it will loose its shine day by day. Soon the moon started loosing one part of its light with every passing day. 

Afraid of the curse, the moon disappeared into the ocean. Without the moon the balance of Nature was disturbed and many lives dependent on the light of the moon started suffering. To end the problem, all the deities requested Lord Shiva to do something. With only one part of its light left, the moon took refuge in Lord Shiva's matted hair. Hence Shiva wore the moon crescent on His head, making the moon grow in size for 15 days and then wane for another 15 days causing the full moon and the new moon.

Significance Of The Crescent:

 Lord Shiva is known by the name of 'Chandrashekhara' or the one who holds the moon on His head. The crescent worn by Lord Shiva is actually the moon in its fifth day phase and symbolizes the cycle of time through which the process of creation evolves, the beginning till the end. Hence the moon is the measure of time and the crescent on Lord Shiva's head signifies His control over time. It shows that Lord Shiva is beyond the measure of time and is the eternal reality. Therefore the moon is only His ornament and not an integral part of the Lord. Thus, the crescent moon on Lord Shiva's head signifies His control over time and the fact that He is the beginning and the end of all things in the universe.

Leave your sins not you underwear

This is what a very expected scenario in most of places where the word "Yatra" gets attached to a pure and serene place, I am heading on an excursion yeah of course the Mani Mahesh Lake Yatra 2014 and for that I am going to share some of the do's and don'ts which one must adhere to not because of that its a code but because of common sense. Atleast the people known to me should know

Environment

Tread softly  stick to trails and recognized camping areas. Avoid creating new tracks, or damaging the environment in any way. Follow the adage: take only photos ( if you must shoot use a camera), leave only footprints.
Pack it in, pack it out  avoid taking tins, glass, or plastic containers and bags unless you plan to carry them back to a major city. 
Conserve water quality  wash away from water sources, and always use local toilet facilities when available. Bury all organic waste at least 30cm below the ground and 50m away from water sources.

Conserve natural resources  what few resources there are belong by right to the locals. Always ask permission before using anything along the trail. It is illegal to disturb wildlife, remove animals or plants, or buy wildlife products.

Safety

1. Beware of altitude sickness  use the buddy system to watch for symptoms of altitude sickness. Make sure everyone remains fully hydrated by drinking water throughout the day, everyday. Stay together along the trail, and communicate frequently with everyone.

2. Be safe  carry an extensive first-aid kit and know how to use it. Have multiple plans for emergency evacuation and designated decision makers. Leave your itinerary details with someone responsible at home. 

3. Be self-reliant  don’t assume you will receive help or assistance. Ensure your group has extensive field-craft and navigation skills. Research thoroughly, is your route appropriate for your party? Do you have the necessary skills, experience, resources and equipment?

4. Remain hydrated  drinking between two and four litres of water per day will help prevent altitude sickness and improve your body’s recovery time.

5. Don’t rush  there are no prizes for coming first on the trail and rushing will probably over-stress your body and may increase your chances of suffering from altitude sickness. Frequent stops to drink water and rest often become photo opportunities and a chance to chat with locals.

6. Trekking poles  that more people aren’t impaled by absent-minded trekkers swinging their poles is amazing. Be aware of the pole tips, especially when crossing bridges or negotiating narrow or steep trails.

7. iPod use  rather than listening to the noise of life along the trail some people prefer to plug in to an iPod. Doing so puts you at greater risk from animals and rock fall.

8. Common courtesy  the trail is often busy, especially at steep or difficult sections. A common courtesy is to give way to people walking up-hill, or to those who are obviously struggling or carrying a very large load.

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