Parvati's lost earring

While I was researching my forthcoming trip to India, I came across this wonderful story about lost earrings in Varanasi, India. I will try to locate a more detailed story - both are about lost earrings...

Manikarnika Ghat
Two legends are associated with Manikarnika Ghat. According to one, it is believed to be the place where Lord Vishnu dug a pit with his Chakra and filled it with his perspiration while performing various penances. While Lord Shiva was watching Lord Vishnu at that time, the latter's earring ("manikarnika") fell into the pit. According to the second legend, in order to keep Lord Shiva from moving around with his devotees, his consort Goddess Parvati hid her earrings, and asked him to find them, saying that they had been lost on the banks of the Ganges. Goddess Parvati's idea behind the lie was that Lord Shiva would then stay, searching forever for the lost earrings. In this legend, whenever a body gets cremated at the Manikarnika Ghat, Lord Shiva asks the soul whether it has seen the earrings.

Another version on the theme...

Manikaran
Manikaran is a pilgrimage centre for Hindus and Sikhs. The Hindus believe that Manu recreated human life in Manikaran after the flood, making it a sacred area. It has many temples and a gurudwara. There are temples of Lord Rama, Krishna, and Vishnu. The area is well-known for its hot springs and its beautiful landscape.

According to legend, when Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati were walking in the valley, Parvati dropped one of her earrings. The jewel was seized by Shesha, the serpent deity, who then disappeared into the earth with it. Shesha only surrendered the jewel when Shiva performed the cosmic dance, the Tandava and shot the jewel up through the water. Apparently, jewels continued to be thrown up in the waters at Manikaran until the earthquake of 1905.

Both stories were found on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/manikaran

Arianne's lost Tiffany & Co earrings...

My lost earrings read like a graveyard for treasured Tiffany & Co. collections. Sadly, I have kept one of each of the pair, to which I have unfortunately misplaced their mate. I’ve even considered buying fake Tiffany jewellery, just so I can wear them again! However, I know they would be fake and they probably wouldn’t match. One day, when I have a spare & lazy $1,500, I will buy them again.



These open heart earrings were given to me by three of my best girlfriends for my 30th birthday. I can’t remember when or where I lost it, but I’m now 35 and I still haven’t told them! I keep thinking I’m going to find it somewhere.



I was given the beans as a thank you for organising a big event at my former work. I just love them so much, and when I lost one, again, I couldn’t help but think I might find it again.



These X earrings were given to me as a farewell present from my former company. One day I wore them to work, when I got home, one was missing. Sigh.

Arianne
Sydney
Australia

Linde's story...

I love these jangly earrings but after a get-together with friends, a few bottles of sav blanc, good tunes and dancing on tables - god knows where the other one ended up???

Linde
Gisbourne
New Zealand

Jane's lost earring

This dangly little earring was the first 'adult' pair of earrings I was allowed to wear. Given as a gift by my mother, in some ways the earrings represented 'coming of age' - I loved wearing them and felt quite sophisticated. I guess this is why I have kept them in my jewellery box for so long.

My mother didn't like girls and young teenagers wearing big earrings - I guess in her conservative but sweet way she didn't want me to look like a tarty adolescent. At the time I might not have agreed with my mother's conservative ways but now as a mother myself it is easier to understand.

Jane
Brisbane
Australia

Another one bites the dust...

Who would have thought I would lose more single earrings during the one lost earring project??

I loved these little lavendar and white button studs...

Zara
Sydney
Australia

Michelle's lost earrings...

Both of these earrings were given to me for my 30th birthday by two of my closest friends.

The owl earring was made by my friend out of rose anodised aluminium. She chose the owl as a symbol of wisdom to make me feel good about my milestone. I took it out to do yoga and lost it somewhere on my journey home.

The silver earring was picked out by my other friend at a trade fair. It shows how much she knows me because the stone is my favourite colour (I often wear it) and the design is my style (small and delicate). It was lost while I was pashing a boy in the rain.

I don't own that many earrings, so I was happy to receive them and was proudly wearing them. They were versatile to wear with many outfits.

I was so disappointed when I lost them - both within a couple of weeks of my birthday! So annoyed by my carelessness and recklessness, I spent a long time trying to find them in the places where I knew they'd been lost.

They remind me of several lessons. To accept loss and let go. To forgive myself. To be careful. To treasure meaningful things. The kinds of things you finally realise in your 3rd decade.

They also remind me of my friends. They hang next to my bed so I often look at them and remember their thoughtfulness and times that we've shared together.

As I prepared this, I realised... They've become a pair with one another in my mind now - which is a nice ending! I like to think that they are not lonely.

Sydney
Australia