Shiva and Nandi - Travel to the future: What time is it? Adithyan What time is it? In His case the answer to that could be anything possible from any history book ever written; Who knew of His travels and travails through the portals of that enigmatic thing we called Time? Caves, fire, herds, kings, wars, success, empires, tyranny, spirituality, generosity; He had seen it all. Now, He just had to ask who was the King, or who was the Godman, and by these two parameters He could place Himself in an “Era”. Also, He had developed a rather fine sense of being able to tell what part of day it was by ‘listening’ intently to Sun rays, He could tell what season it was by ’smelling’ the sky! And so, in no time at all, He would become quite well anchored in what time it really was. What time was it? Though it was Parvati who was His inseparable Self, another being also loved being by His side, at all times. Nandi the Bull. Nandi was Shiva’s faithful guard, and also His ride rolled into one. All the gods had carefully chosen their mode of transport, Vahan as it was called. In Shiva’s case, a bull was His alter ego, and He was often called the bull bannered Lord. When they rode together it was indeed a sight. Not only did they traverse lands and meet peoples of different geographies, but also they travelled through the annals of time itself, witnessing history as a dynamic of the now. And so it was with gratitude that Shiva looked at His watch which Nandi gifted to Him on one of their travels to the future. They did that often, Shiva and Nandi: Travel to the future. A TO Z INDIA ● MAY 2023 ● PAGE 5