Continuing the extracts from pre-blog newsletters
from Sandeepany Sadhanalaya.
From ANL9 -
Feb.2012 - 36 HOURS...
the ashram
accepts 'passers by' as paying guests (around $20/day) as long as they are
prepared in return to accept ashram etiquette and join in some of the
activities. Three young(er than me) ladies have been here recently who actually
are having spiritual training from a fellow over at Hiranandani who recommends
them to CM.
They have
all been delightful, M from USA who lives in a wee cottage in the forests north
of Boston, E from Spain who lives in a caravan in the woods on a hill in Ibiza
and D, who lives in - - - Dalgety Bay (near Edinburgh for those who don't
know)! All these beaut gals from around the globe all with common interests,
favouring a particular living style, congregating by spiritual pull.... Close
Encounters, anyone …??
E
confounded me by having a Scottish accent; she spent 9 years in Edinburgh and
calls it 2nd home! Lived in Marchmont/Meadows area. Then to meet D also from
Auld Reekie.... hhhmmmm. Spookier and spookier.
Anyhoo. Had
a surprise visit also from 'M and M', a couple from the Sydney CM who had made
a 3-day dash here family reasons; they chose to spend 24 hours on the ashram to
restore their balance. A delight for me, albeit difficult circumstances for
them. This pic was taken at Sunday Brekky with the sun acting like a halo.
Now, you
don't think you're getting a letter without any reference to a festival do
you??! Feb 20th was Maha Sivratri, b'day of Lord Siva. For four days prior we
were preparing prasadams, (making, dividing, packing sweetmeats), the mandir of course had
to be spruced to the nines and there was even a lick of paint put around all
the external surfaces. The place is looking pretty swish.
This is an
enormous event with some 100,000 folk passing through the doors over a 24hour
period. They queue forever outside, down the hill and along Saki Vihar Road,
gates open at 4am and they stream steadily up the steps to the main entry, into
the mandir and gently around, getting perhaps a 60-80second darsana (vision) of
the Lord, then progress around to honour Ganesha and back to the east side, out
the side door, back down the steps, along the side of the building to the rear
drive and going down there, collect prasadam, visit stalls and at the bottom
the Publications Stall is all set up… (are you tired yet?!) Crowd is controlled by paid security and
police as well as CM volunteers.
This pic
was taken at 5:30am when the place was already buzzing with atmosphere. At 6am,
"Om Namaya Sivaya" chant (on loud speakers) is begun and doesn't
cease until Midnight when the main aarti is performed. I was impressed with how smooth-running the whole event was. Most of
the day for me, however, was spent on
the money-counting team and a lot of the impact passed me by. Counting cont'd
next morning also, so was pretty darned exhausted – there were about 15 on the
team altogether and it was a tedious, dirty task.
One thing
particularly impressive was this rangoli picture. One of the Mumbai CHYKs is
very skilled with the powder... rangoli is the traditional decoration placed on
the ground at the entrance to a home or hall for any special occasion. It is
normally made with white powder (cornflour-like) but can be colour also;
generally the powder is run through the hand and fingers into knots and
geometrics, but this takes the art to a whole new level! Truly stunning.
Hari Om, Dear Reader, hope you are enjoying this
little flashback to highlights of my time here at Sandeepany… Just another
couple to complete the week then I will be back with you "live"
YAM xx `
Well you just will NOT believes dis but I has been tolded I needs some spiritual trainin'. Heck, if it would work than I would be mores than happy to go theres.
ReplyDeleteThose lades is so purties withs their sunlight halo surroundin' them.
I is so happies to be back to leave comments.
Puddles
Hehehehe, I just gotted your comment, you already feels like a second mom to me. I prolly could use a few more to keeps me out of trubles.
ReplyDeletePuddles
Hari Om
ReplyDeletePuddles my darling, I am ssoooo honoured to feel your love! You know what? This training here has only come about because I started where you are... {:-> Lord is looking after you anyways - see how loved and famous you are!!!
Now go hug mum... YAM-aunty xx
Would one of the women pictured here happen you be yourownself, Yam?
ReplyDeleteI am feeling much in need of a good dose of spiritual reminding right about now. I have been physically ill for a long time, and unable to do anything useful for almost as long.
If you weren't so many zillion miles away by plane, I would join you for $20 a day.
I am unlikely to run into people with Canadian accents, but Scottish accents are my favourite.
K
Hari om Kay,
ReplyDelete...and yes it would! Left of course. I could've put a caption I s'pose...
Spiritual reminding is all around you Kay - seeing and hearing it can sometimes be a challenge when getting lost in the physical. It is a battle I too have faced. Slowly, slowly that will 'out' here!
Meanwhile, in keeping with your own blog aspirations, there's always the 4xhop - first NY, then London, then Dubai... next comes Mumbai!!! Hugs as always, YAM xxxx
Hari Om, Yamm! Thisis lovely stuff, so many new words and intriguing concepts to add to my vocabulary. Tho of course, Lords Siva and Ganesha are known to me. They even get a mention in an old tale of mine, tho this is the fourth part of a story that starts here. Enjoy! Indigo x
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteIndigo-bhai, so glad you are finding things to enjoy! Much of the world is familiar with the names, but of course few understand the concepts behind them. Keep your keen mind akimber - bit by bit will be the reveal!!