Kumbhmela

Godha was a small girl in Nashik Town of Panchvati area. She used to sell flowers outside the kapaleshwar mandir on the banks of Godawari River the Dakshin Ganga of India.

All the hawkers on the banks of the river were extremely joyous as the peak of their business was to take off from the next day. It was the pious Parvani day when the sadhus, mahants, akhadas would come for the "snan" (bathing in godawari on the auspicious mahurat).

The crowds would come in huge nos. So large that this crowd they say can be seen from space after the China Wall of the man-made things.

Godha had made friends with the baba (sadhu) who was standing on one leg since last kumbh. People would gather for his Darshan and Godha can earn from selling small articles like the Shriram ring, bholes "डमरू",and बासुरी or flute to them with blessings of langda baba.

Next day people like ants came for this snana.

The langda baba arrived and godha immediately stood near him shouting... Anguthi... basuri.... Diya.... all sprinkled with babas holy water. A mother carrying a child on her waist purchased a holy basuri (flute), the baby dropped the flute and it rolled to babas feet. The woman was enthralled what a blessing!! Her child will blow into the basuri which carried the dust on babas feet! "Baba ki charran oki dhul"

Godha bent down to pick the flute and exclaimed "babaji your nail of both the thumbs of the toes have broken"

The woman looked down and said, "no girl only one nail, true because he is standing on that leg for years"!

Baba shooed both of them away. But Godha was confused as yesterday when she had visited babas 'purana akhada' for prasad and Arti, the nail of other lifted left leg was broken!

But like a practical intelligent girl, Godha held her tongue.

So long as her things got sold due to babas blessings... so long as she could have a stomach filled with delicious Prasad...

Which nail was broken... on which foot the baba was standing or interchanging his legs were matters of negligible importance for Godha.