Modern Lives, Sacred Hills

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For a moment on these hills, I allow myself to believe in something bigger than myself. To believe that somehow by performing this ritual I can defy all logic and compel this inexplicable universal power to transform my world, answer my prayers. That somehow at the end of this path there is a chance for liberation and a merger, perhaps, with God and the universe.

The ancient sages believed that shaving one's head is an act of complete surrender of ego at the feet of the Lord. It is also my final step in a pilgrimage that has taken me from my hometown of La Ronge to this transcendental plane. The blade scrapes my scalp, stroking away the weight of my thoughts. We are all tired, it has been a long road, but this moment is so simple, so absolute.

And regardless of whether I believe in my mother's God or not, I respect her faith. She has been coming here since she was a child. And I do believe that this act of pilgrimage is real for her, that God exists in this temple and that the act of the pilgrimage itself has fulfilled all of her wishes.

For now, that's all I need.

Anand Ramayya has been working in the film business since the age of 15. His producing credits include feature films, animation, and documentaries. His directorial debut, Cosmic Current (on which this article is based), recently premiered on Canadian television. To view a video clip, visit www.ascentmagazine.com. Reprinted from Ascent magazine (#22). Subscriptions: $15.95/yr. (4 issues) from 837 Rue Gilford, Montreal, Quebec H2J 1P1, Canada.

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