I realized in the last day or so that there are so many things that I could share with you that it would fill volumes rather than a blog posting every week or so. It's interesting isn't it what catches our eye? I wonder if when I return to the U.S. each day will be filled with the same wonderment. But for now, this is what's recently caught my eye or got me thinking.
The Camino continues in another way for me--I get to wash out my underwear every day! I have a person who cleans my room and washes my clothes but according to Indian tradition apparently, I wash my own underwear but I did notice one day she did wash some of my underwear--interesting breaking of barriers!
We had 1000 people here, mostly from the Chennai area, for 9 days for Atmajnadhara: A week of divine contemplation on the banks of Mother Ganga. Other than for more people than usual milling around during their breaks, one hardly knew the population had increased by that number! It also gave me the opportunity to taste southern Indian food. It's a little more sweet and not as many potatoes! The food servers also were shirtless--yes, men. Such an interesting dichotomy. I guess women don't look at men's bodies!
The donkeys have arrived--oops, they are horses! They are assisting with the renovation and carrying the unused bricks/cement blocks out. I noticed they ate all the greenery off the plants that circle one of the big trees in the courtyard. Small payment for heavy work.
One morning I saw a kitten in a bush outside my office. Next thing I know, there's a gathering of men watching the kitten. Never in the U.S. would this happen! The kitten fell out of the bush and climbed back up and then got her reward--a lizard! The kitten looked pretty healthy so I think it wasn't her first catch!
I got a cold or something related a couple of weeks ago. I got tired of hosting it so I went to see the doctor in the ashram clinic. I have to say it's the first time that I've been in a doctor's office and an argument ensued between two of the employees! I wanted to say, "Excuse me, can this wait until my appointment is finished?!"
I've been feeling like I want to celebrate Thanksgiving in some way come the fourth Thursday in November here at the ashram. I'm happy to say that I found some yummy sounding recommendations on Sub Rosa. I won't mention, since this is a dry city, that I think Sub Rosa actually makes designer alcohol!
I've been noticing a lot of baby monkeys recently. They're very cute.
I also have never seen as much spitting as is done here. Just sayin'. Or nose picking! Or perhaps they're just more open about it.
I decided to take photos of some of the places that I frequent in the market.
The weather is really delightful. Now is a great time to come visit! But the little bugs are very attracted to the light, particularly fluorescent bulbs and one night when I went to my room, outside my door in the hall way there was a blanket of dead bugs!
I met the former ambassador from India to Hungary this past week. He has a house here in Rishikesh, was visiting and came to aarti one night. We have such an interesting, eclectic flow of humanity that comes through here.
One of the highlights for me thus far was going to our ashram in Haridwar and to our "farm" in Veerpur this past week. The energy at both places is really lovely but I particularly loved the energy at the ashram in Haridwar. The Ganga flows right by both places but is such that you can just go wading at the Haridwar location. Both properties have little to no development across the river and apparently, at the right time of day, one can see all sorts of animals come down to drink from the Ganga--like elephants, tigers, etc. We just saw a lot of cows but if I was a cow in India--that is where I would be--forget the market and city streets!
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| I think OSHA would have a field day with this ladder! |
We had 1000 people here, mostly from the Chennai area, for 9 days for Atmajnadhara: A week of divine contemplation on the banks of Mother Ganga. Other than for more people than usual milling around during their breaks, one hardly knew the population had increased by that number! It also gave me the opportunity to taste southern Indian food. It's a little more sweet and not as many potatoes! The food servers also were shirtless--yes, men. Such an interesting dichotomy. I guess women don't look at men's bodies!
The donkeys have arrived--oops, they are horses! They are assisting with the renovation and carrying the unused bricks/cement blocks out. I noticed they ate all the greenery off the plants that circle one of the big trees in the courtyard. Small payment for heavy work.
One morning I saw a kitten in a bush outside my office. Next thing I know, there's a gathering of men watching the kitten. Never in the U.S. would this happen! The kitten fell out of the bush and climbed back up and then got her reward--a lizard! The kitten looked pretty healthy so I think it wasn't her first catch!
I got a cold or something related a couple of weeks ago. I got tired of hosting it so I went to see the doctor in the ashram clinic. I have to say it's the first time that I've been in a doctor's office and an argument ensued between two of the employees! I wanted to say, "Excuse me, can this wait until my appointment is finished?!"
I've been feeling like I want to celebrate Thanksgiving in some way come the fourth Thursday in November here at the ashram. I'm happy to say that I found some yummy sounding recommendations on Sub Rosa. I won't mention, since this is a dry city, that I think Sub Rosa actually makes designer alcohol!
I've been noticing a lot of baby monkeys recently. They're very cute.
I also have never seen as much spitting as is done here. Just sayin'. Or nose picking! Or perhaps they're just more open about it.
I decided to take photos of some of the places that I frequent in the market.
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| He sells great smelly things and is a beautiful spirit! |
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| Son & Dad where I get my cell phone minutes and general provisions |
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| Has a good restaurant where I got my infamous Coke! |
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| Trees got a hair cut |
The weather is really delightful. Now is a great time to come visit! But the little bugs are very attracted to the light, particularly fluorescent bulbs and one night when I went to my room, outside my door in the hall way there was a blanket of dead bugs!
I met the former ambassador from India to Hungary this past week. He has a house here in Rishikesh, was visiting and came to aarti one night. We have such an interesting, eclectic flow of humanity that comes through here.
One of the highlights for me thus far was going to our ashram in Haridwar and to our "farm" in Veerpur this past week. The energy at both places is really lovely but I particularly loved the energy at the ashram in Haridwar. The Ganga flows right by both places but is such that you can just go wading at the Haridwar location. Both properties have little to no development across the river and apparently, at the right time of day, one can see all sorts of animals come down to drink from the Ganga--like elephants, tigers, etc. We just saw a lot of cows but if I was a cow in India--that is where I would be--forget the market and city streets!
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| Eggplants |
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| Papaya |
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| Washing clothes on the Ganga |
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| Ganga |
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| Lemons |
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| Bottle brush tree |
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| Don't know what this is but this captured the essence of Haridwar ashram and Veerpur |
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| Sunil's sweet daughter with an offering for us |
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| Sunil and his daughter |
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