This is how he descends - Aye maayi ahi vidhi - nachari

Shiva descends from Kailash

Culture is defined set of beliefs and practices, people who follow them are part of it, while others are excluded. Cultural practices are ways to create an order among people and establish dharma. Dharma enables humans to outgrow the beast within while being fruitful members of society. Thieves, murderers, and criminals have no place in society as their actions don’t align with that of dharma, they are discarded and excluded from all cultures and society.

Shiva believes in vairagya, renunciation of society itself. He believes in controlling beast within through wisdom and enlightenment. For Shiva, culture is delusion that distracts human from outgrowing beast within. Society discriminates, while Shiva doesn’t, for him every creature is alike, no matter what beliefs they practice. Shiva doesn’t seek to defy or deny the values of cultural rules, rites and rituals, he finds them un-necessary and remains ignorant to them. As Shiva does not discriminate, every creature excluded by culture finds refuge with him. Hence, he is surrounded by creatures that society sees as demons and ghosts.

Human mind is restless by nature, it yearns to be occupied. If not controlled, the mind wanders and loses focus. Thus, human mind is also called markata (monkey like), as mind is restless like a monkey. Shiva rattles his damru (drum) to attract attention of this monkey mind and bring it back to focus. Hence, Shiva is shown holding a damru in his hand.

In intoxication, one refuses to accept reality and assumes oneself to be the master of the world. Shiva mocks such a mind by appearing in a state of intoxication. He is shown drinking or smoking narcotic hemp, bhang, dhatura, etc.

Shiva is the god of all three worlds, me, mine, and not-mine. Me represents ego, mine represents what belongs to us, signifies attachment, whereas not-mine represents everything which is out of one’s control, everything that scares us. We make rules to protect me and mine from not-mine. Shiva is also called Tripurantaka (Tri – three, Pura – world, Antaka – destroyer), he destroys these three worlds, ego, attachment, and fear. Hence, he is often shown holding a trident.

Auspicious day of Shiva and Parvati’s wedding is set, Parvati insists that Shiva must come to her house like a groom and ask her father for her hand in marriage, Shiva agrees. To participate in the wedding rituals, he descends from Kailash (where is resides). Poet Vidyapati has tried to capture this entire scene in a nachari named “Aye maayi ahi vidhi” (This is how he descends). In this nachari, Vidyapati has mentioned about how Shiva starts his descent to arrive at the doors of Himavat (Parvati’s father) to asks for Parvati’s hand in marriage.

Vidyapati writes, unlike normal prince grooms who come on a mare, Shiva starts from Kailash riding a wild and raging bull. Every footstep of the bull is shrill, and loud. Normal grooms hold a sword, but Shiva holds a trident. Shiva wears a garland made from skulls of all the demons he has killed. This garland is called rund-maal, rund means skull and maal means garland. He holds a damru (drum) in one hand while bhaang (cannabis) in other. He is intoxicated on bhaang, his bloodshot eye looks very daunting. Following him is an endless ocean of creatures which society views as demons, ghosts, goblins, witches, Ganas, Pramathas, Yakshas, and Bhutas. The music is not created by flutes, but by rattling of Shiva’s drum, bull’s hoof, rund-maal clang, screams of ghosts. This noise is haunting and is saturating the entire atmosphere with depression and fear.

In Hindu weddings, the spot where a marriage ceremony is conducted, is first cleaned and purified. A temporary structure is erected on four pillars and is often decorated with flowers and other adornments, this is called a mandap. Bamboo is often used for pillars as it signifies fertility. At kingdom of Himavat, the most beautiful mandap ever is erected. All around the mandap, different types of aripan is drawn. Aripan is a type of Rangoli art practiced primarily in Bihar. Rice flour is mixed with water to form a white watery paste which is used as paint to draw intricate designs on walls and on the floor. Often turmeric and vermilion is added to this paste to add colors to designs. Mandap and the entire kingdom is glittering with numerous deeps (oil lamps).

Parvati is dressed in fine cloths, wearing many types of jewelry, each made of precious gems casted in precious metals. Her beauty can only be admired, no language is rich enough to describe it. In the mandap, sits Parvati, waiting for Shiva’s arrival. Musicians are playing different instruments, because of which the entire atmosphere is in a very celebratory mood. Ladies and friends of Parvati are sitting behind her, singing folk songs to celebrate this wedding ceremony. Universe anxiously awaits to witness this marriage. A wedding ceremony of such a kind had never happened before and will never happen again till the end of time. Parvati’s mother Mena is waiting at the doorsteps to welcome Shiva.

Himavat, son of Daksha – one who is skilled at mastering human instincts, custodian of civilizations and protector of dharma, awaits to receive Shiva, the master of animal instincts, one who does not even acknowledge the existence of civilization. It appears that an immovable will meet an unstoppable. Will the entire universe obliterate or will they both co-exist in harmony?

Vidyapati has his own doubts and hence he is trying to hammer the fact in everyone’s mind that Shiva is god of three worlds, and encourages everyone to look beyond his appearance.