THE SCENIC ATTRACTION OF RAKIRAKI
The Nakauvandra Mountain Range & The Caves
One of the regular scenic attractions from our farm was the Nakauvandra Mountain Range that gave us the feeling that nature was our guide and inspiration. This range has special significance for the indigenous Fijians but it has deeper connection for Indians as well. Our family charished the mountain range and at times paid their appropriate tributes to the place.
Nakauvandra Mountain Range
The Nakauvadra Mountain Range in Ra Fiji is a megalithic site near the village of Narara. No one yet knows the significance of the thirteen standing stones hidden in the caves of Narara. However, researchers say that many standing stones located at megalithic sites around the world align with planets and major stars of the skies. Whether the same is true of the thirteen stones of Narara is not known. 'Nakauvandra' is a slightly distorted form of the Sanskrit 'Naku' and 'vadra. .'Naku' means 'mountain' and 'vadra' means 'large'. So it all means Nakauvadra, a large mountain.
In the mythology of Fiji Island, in one of the more popular creation stories, the Serpent God is not only an important God but the first and ever living god that created the first humans. His name is the Great Serpent Degei, the supreme God. He is believed to be the creator of the Fiji islands and all men related to the islands. He is the one that judges the souls when they die and decides where they move onto in the afterlife.
According to the legend, in the beginning it was only water and twilight everywhere and only an island existed, the island of the Gods which floated somewhere at the edge of the world and could be visible during sunrise. Interestingly, Indians have a similar story. According to Hindu mythology, Kaliya, a poisonous snake lived in the river in Vrindavan where Sri Krishna spent his childhood among the cowherds. The water of the river became poisoned and when the cattle drank it they died. People lived in fear of Kaliya. So Sri Krishna decided to solve the problem.
One day he climbed a big tree on the bank of the river, jumped in and started swimming. When Kaliya heard the noise he came up to check and saw what was happening. He told Sri Krishna to get out at once. But Sri Krishna ignored the warning and continued to swim. Incensed, Kaliya came up to Sri Krishna and started to bite him but his bites had no effect on the little boy.
Lord Krishna Dancing on the Hood of Kalia
Soon Sri Krishna jumped on to the hood of Kaliya and started to dance. The rhythmic pounding with the feet caused Kaliya to vomit out all his poison. Still Sri Krishna did not stop. As he continued Kaliya became thoroughly exhausted. Then Kaliya’s wives came and pleaded with Sri Krishna to spare their husband’s life to which Sri Krishna agreed on one condition. The condition was that Kaliya should leave the river at once and go to a beautiful island, in the middle of the ocean, called Ramaneek Dweep (dweep means island).
When Indians first came to Fiji they believed that was the Ramaneek Dweep where Sri Krishna had sent Kaliya. In commemoration of this belief the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) better known as the Hare Krishna Movement, when they built their first temple in Fiji, they made it the Krishna Kaliya Temple in Lautoka where the deity is Sri Krishna dancing on Kaliya.
Hindus believe that the snake that the Fijians call Degei is actually Kaliya. Perhaps this was the reason that the Native Fijians did not look down upon Hindu religious practices as they could relate themselves to many of the Indian beliefs and customs. So there were hardly any religious conflicts between Fijians and Indians until 1987. Our early upbringing took us to interact with the native Fijians and exchange some of our cultural and traditional aspects. These interactions made us appreciate the way of life of each other and co-exist in harmony.
Vaileka Town Rakiraki in 1975
