Maha Shivarathri of 2000, the year which changed the century and millennium, is truly the most auspicious and magnificent Shivarathri of my life. But it began as a challenge for me. I was in a bit of a pickle, having angered my hostel warden who refused to give me the permission slip to carry the camera with me to the mandir. Meanwhile, Swami had accepted a letter from me in which I had stated, "If you accept this letter from me it means that I will get a photo of the Lingodbhavam (emergence of Lingam) with the Lingam in Your mouth."

The reason I wanted that photo was because Swami had said that anyone witnessing the Lingodbhavam completely would get MOKSHA or LIBERATION! I felt that if I could take a photo of that, maybe it would help all the future devotees also to get Moksha because Swami never mentioned that it has to be seen 'live'! How was I to get the photo without a camera?

Even after Swami, through a series of 'coincidences' ensured that I had the camera with me, I was wondering whether I would miss Moksha because when a photo is clicked, the shutter closes and the photographer is unable to see through for a fraction of a second! What happened next is nothing but Swami's love and blessings.

In case you wish to print this photo for your altars, here is the link to download:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16nPi...