Now Gadadhar had become more closer to his mother and was spending more time with her. He would take part in pooja with his mother and helped her in other household chores. He was becoming more understanding kid and knew that his presence gave great comfort to his mother. Gadadhar was no more demanding or was adamant. Whatever Chandra said he would accept it without question.
Gadadhar was no more attending school regularly. He listened to religious recitals and attended prayers. His another obsession was making idols of gods and goddesses.
There was a Dharamshala in the village on the road to Jagannathpuri. It was constructed by Zamindar, Lal Babu. Sadhus and ascetics or holymen used to stay in that Dharamshala. They often came to the village to beg for alms or food. Once in a religious discourse Gadadhar was told that the world and everything in it was mortal. In the death of his father he had realised the truth of it.
He also had heard that the ascetics renounce the mortal world to search the ways to meet the creator and they spent their time in God’s work.
Gadadhar started going to the Dharamshala to see the ascetics and listen to their sermons. He had been told that the company of those holymen gave one mental peace and spiritual knowledge.
He saw that the holymen made fire every morning, evening and at noon to offer prayers. Then they chanted mantras or songs. Whatever food they got in alms was offered to gods and then consumed by them as the blessing of gods.
Whenever they fell sick they let the nature cure them and left it to the care of gods. All the pains and miseries were born by them with stoicism and extreme patience. That was their life.
Gadadhar took to heart all those facts. He began to respect the holymen and felt pleasure in serving them.
For the holymen Gadadhar would collect fire wood, sweep the floor and ran small errands. He liked their company and listened to their sermons carefully. The sweet nature of the boy pleased the holymen who in turn taught Gadadhar prayer singing, reciting couplets or quartets. Some sadhus narrated holy tales to him and sometimes gave the kid share in the food offerings to gods.
In the beginning the members of the family took no notice of Gadadhar’s activities. When he began to go to them several times a day for longer periods they became aware of the fact.
Whenever sadhus gave Gadadhar food to eat he would come home and announce that he was not hungry. Chandra thought that there was no harm in his eating holy food. But when Gadadhar started coming back dressed as an ascetic she began to worry.
What if sadhus induced him to join their group and took him away? The thought shook her.
One day Gadadhar came home in sadhu robes with tilak on his forehead saying, “Ma, look how sadhus have beautified me!”
The overwhelmed mother took her son in a tight embrace and sobbed, “Son, I am getting scared, I fear that those sadhus will take you away from me.”
The son tried to allay the fears of his mother. But Chandra was not at peace. She looked very unhappy and worried.
It pained Gadadhar.
He said, “Alright ma, you need not worry so. I will not go to Dharamshala if it scares you. Now, please come on and smile.”
Chandra smiled with her eyes still moist. She was no more worrying.
That evening Gadadhar went to Dharamshala to revealed the holymen that he would not be coming to run errands for them any more.
When asked to explain he told them the truth which pained the sadhus. Sadhus went to Gadadhar’s house and met his mother to say, “Lady, we have no evil designs on your son. We are men of God who have renounced the worldly ties. Even if your son insists upon coming with us we will come to you to seek your consent. Stealing a kid is unthinkable sin for us. You need not worry about your son. We like him because of his sweet and religious nature.”
It had desired effect on Chandra. She no more suspected any foul play and allowed her son to go to Dharamshala whenever he liked.
One day another incident took place. There was Vishaladevi temple in Anur village. A visit to that temple was supposed to fulfil one’s wishes. A group of women was going to that temple including the widow sister of Dharamdas Laha.
Gadadhar said, “I will also come with you.”
The women tried to dissuade him as Anur was at quite some distance and the journey was tiresome. Gadadhar would not listen. Then, the women took him along.
He walked with the women singing prayers to the Vishala goddess.
Suddenly Gadadhar stopped singing. The women noticed that the tears were pouring out of the eyes of the kid. His face appeared flushed. Then, he swayed and fell down. It shocked the women.
They tried to revive him.
The widow sister of Laha thought that devi (goddess) had possessed the kid. She asked the other women to sing the prayers of devi.
The women prayed.
All of a sudden, Gadadhar sat up. He looked alright physically. There was no visible trace of his having suffered a fit and showed no sign of weakness. It convinced the women that devi indeed had possessed the kid.
On their return they revealed the entire incident to Chandra. It worried Chandra. She believed that some spirit had indeed possessed her son.
She prayed to Lord Rama and Vishala to protect he child from the spirit.
Gadadhar had now completely emerged out of the grief of his father’s death. Gaya Vishnu had become his friend. Gaya was the son of Dharamdas Laha. The two friends were always seen together.
It pleased the family because it was a sign that the kid was growing up in normal way like any other kid.
Father’s death or blank spells had not affected the child mentally or physically.
Gadadhar was now nine years old.
His sacred thread ceremony was performed. After that ceremony he became qualified to perform any religious rite or ritual in the capacity of a priest. The ceremony included a ritual in which the newly qualified priest sought his first alms from the person of his choice. Gadadhar had decided that he would seek his first alms from Dhani, the wife of ironsmith because she had acted as nurse at the time of his birth.
His brother did not approve of it because she was from the lower caste and Chatterjee clan did not have the tradition of the first alms ritual.
Gadadhar was adamant about it.
The elder brother had to yield. After qualifying for priesthood Gadadhar spent most of his time in worship and recitation of holy scriptures. Already a devoted kid he became more spiritual. His heart was pious. Meditation amplified his spiritual power. He began to see spectacles during worship. He believed that several gods revealed themselves to him or it was his hyper-active devotional imagination.
