Um... another day in Pondy.

Pretty boring stuff lately.  Mostly sitting around reading, and then scurrying back and forth around town on my bike trying to make travel plans, eat, etc.  I did find a health food store today, so that was pretty cool.  At least that means I can eat some snacks without sugar in them.  (plain figs! yay! plain raisins! yay! plain cashews! yay!... yeah, it's the simple things sometimes.)
But something interesting did happen.  I got an email from this person in Holland saying that she met this amazing person and we should meet if I was going to be in Southern India.  I figured there was no chance, but I emailed the guy and it turns out he lives just outside of Pondicherry.  So, we just met and had tea.  His name is Ranvir and is a spiritual healer that works at this really posh spa/resort outside of town.  His energy was beautiful and really uplifting - we had a great talk and an instant connection.  It totally made my day.  If I get stuck here for longer, I will connect again and maybe go out there for the day or something - I can't afford the place for a night, it is seriously expensive (not like my 150Rs/night place...).
blessings to you all.
Wish me luck securing this blasted train ticket tomorrow morning!  I have to go to the agent at 8am to try to get a 'tatkal' ticket - last minute rush!

“Auroville – City of the Dawn” is still asleep

neat tree at Auroville

So, this morning I took a taxi to Auroville, the experimental intentional community based on Aurobindo and the Mother’s philosophy.  The taxi driver had been waiting around the corner for me for almost 15 minutes, until I called his dispatch again and they got him to pull up to my place. How weird is that?  I am just supposed to know that he is going to be waiting for me around the corner?  Why did you ask for my name and room number at my guest house?  Right. 
So Auroville is pretty spread out and I went to the Visitor’s Centre first, of course.  They claim in their literature that they are not supposed to be a tourist attraction so they don’t really cater towards brief visitors – but they do have this big info centre with an expensive café and shops etc.  I got my free pass to go see the Matrimandir, and would have to be content with just seeing it from a distance, since you have to book at least the day before if you actually want to enter it.  That rule is designed so that it remains peaceful and does not become too touristy.  Auroville has a city plan that is laid out in the shape of a spiral galaxy.  It is really cool on paper.  The “soul” and centre of it all is the Matrimandir, which took from 1968 (Auroville’s birth) to 2008 to complete.  I have to say that it is particularly gorgeous, and is one of the most beautiful man-made structures I have ever seen.

It is set apart, alone, in a vast field, shining like sun, and it is not a tomb or a temple – the only thing that it houses is a room, made entirely of white marble, with the largest crystal sphere in its centre which catches a single stream of natural light for the room.

Model of Matrimandir in visitor's centre

It is made for ‘concentration’ (read: meditation) only.  You have to watch a video the day before and right before entering.  It is meant to be a symbol and a testament to divine consciousness, and this I find enormously refreshing.

inside matrimandir: web

I wandered around some other buildings there, and the whole place smacks of Star Wars.  Designed in the 70’s, trying to be ultra-futuristic, it looks like some of it’s buildings or spaces could easily have been found on Tattooeen (sp?).

Her desk is below this object on the bottom floor.

The Tamil girl sitting at the reception in the main administrative building had this funky round cockpit to work from.   I asked her if I needed to buy a guest bank account in order to buy food from the famous Solar Kitchen.  She didn’t know (turns out I did).  So then I couldn’t resist asking her how the rebel alliance was doing against the Empire.  She didn’t know that either.  “Yeah, they never tell us little people.” 
It is a commune, really, and most of the stuff is members only.  But as I looked and looked, I realized that the place, for all its fame, is not doing that great.  Proposed as a living space for “up to 50,000” , it is a permanent home to just less than 2,000 members, and an additional 900 locals.  Their original city plans are no where close to being realized – only a few of the intended main buildings were built.

One of the original plans.  cool eh?

Current layout.  You can see - black spots are buildings.  Not exactly the vision yet...largest object is the visitors centre...

I am guessing that the matrimandir took all their money for a long, long time.  Plans calling for bodies of water and light rail are clearly out of the picture.  In fact, as I ventured into places I probably should not have been, I saw city design specs which belied the fact that current structures are terribly sparse and barely indicated any kind of cosmic design that may have been intended.  What is the problem?  Well, maybe for them, there isn’t one – they just figure it is a futuristic vision and will have to wait for the future. 
But by noon literally bus-loads of tourists were piling in.  The cafeteria was insane for lunch, I saw at least 5 classes of school kids coming through.  Surely they could harness greater income from this.  I think that as much as they don’t want to call it a tourist spot, it clearly is, and they might as well cash in.  
It is a shame, really.  I mean, I gues the people living there enjoy it enough.  But as a visitor, I could barely wring information out of people.  Maps of the place cost 12R – not a big deal but they should be free – and there is no offering of tours or general information about the place.  The Visitor’s Centre just has more pictures of the Mother and Aurobindo and talks about how glorious their vision for the place was fifty years ago.
Honestly, this whole Aurobindo and Mother thing is really getting to me.  I am not sure why, exactly, but I am thinking about it.  There are continually these enormous photos of them everywhere – and it bugs me for some reason that they particularly like the 4 by 5 foot photos of the decrepit, drooping and tired looking Mother – who is much revered in all manner of other semblances.  Now, clearly these two had some great ideas, and yes, they were visionaries, but so are a lot of people.  They certainly weren’t saints – though they did good works and helped people live better.  I dunno.  The whole thing just hits me the wrong way.  The say they didn’t want a religion, but it sure as hell seems like people treat it as such.  And it would be one thing if they were magical, divine creatures accredited with miracles or divinity.  But even that is not true – they were just writers and philosophers who managed to get a following.  Hmm.  Something is still not fitting here for me.  Not sure what it is. But, I can tell you I am pretty tired of seeing them everywhere. 

I fell asleep briefly after lunch, under the epic banyan tree that has a radius of 50 metres.

This is all one tree!  Banyans drop new growth from their outstretched branches that reach down to the ground and grow roots, eventually looking like new trees growing into the rest.  But, all of this is one tree, and that is pretty cool.  It is over 100 years old and it is the physical centre of Auroville that they chose when Mother put her finger on a map somewhere close to it when choosing the site for the town. 
Leaving, I was waiting for a taxi again which really didn’t seem to be showing up.  These guys really suck at this.   I mean, the first time I called the guy said sure, a taxi to Auroville Visitors Centre, and then hung up.  He didn’t tell me where to wait, which entrance, or what kind of car.  So I called him back and asked.  I also mentioned that these things may be valuable to future customers.  Well, after waiting almost 20 minutes again, an auto-rickshaw driver came to me and started haggling with me.  And at this point I was ready for a deal – so we agreed on 150R (car would have been 170).  Well, it was a noisier ride, and he was mistaken on where he was taking me – though not by much.  I told him to go to “Mother’s Guest House” which is right across from where I am staying.  He took me to the “Mother’s Seaside View Resort”.  When I directed him another 5 minutes to my place and got out, offering 150 – he got really mad.  He wanted 200 because it was further.  I told him that was B.S., since we agreed on a price to this place and he made the mistake.  He told me it was not his problem but mine, and refused to take any money below 200.  This was quite bizarre.  I tried to talk him down.  I offered him 170 to be nice.  But he was making a scene.  People came out to see what was going on.   A Polish lady came to my side and only made things worse.  In the end, I left 170 on his seat while he was ranting to another guy, and just walked away.  Didn’t feel great, but I wasn’t going to give in.  I’ve been in Pondicherry for what, 3 days, and I know the difference.  He has lived here all his life.
So, that was my little eye-opener before dinner.  Not looking forward to ashram food again tonight, but I don’t have the energy to go searching. 
update:  didn't eat at the ashram and am resolved not to!  happened across a place that I had heard recommended 'surbuda' and though noisy, it was decent.  had dessert - so there! pistachio and saffron ice cream. sometimes....

--
Sunday,

Man, I feel like utter crap this morning.  Yeah, I know - sugar.  But it's not Just that.  It is 10, and I have yet to garner enough energy to leave my room – let alone stand up for a long time.  And I slept from just before 10 to just past 7am.  I don’t know what is going on, but something has to change.  It is almost a full week that I have felt mildly sick, and this is no way to spend my precious days in India.  I am not enjoying this in a healthy way.  I have a hard decision to make, I believe.  It is possible that the Malaria medication is doing at least some of this – the energy sapping anyway, which could influence my immunity.  I have asked many people during before, and during my stay, and I have only come across 1 other person taking the medication, and from I can gather, Malaria essentially does not exist in the places I am going to, or if it does, it is very very rare.  So, I have to decide if I should stop taking it to see what happens.  I know, I can hear my mother’s voice now – but if it is making this big a difference, then it is a question of whether I want enjoy India or be safe and and unhappily stuck in my room.  This area, Pondicherry, is extremely safe, so I think I will stop taking it for the next few days.  I can always start again later.  Frankly, if it makes a difference, it will be very much worth it.  I have had zero energy the last few days, even though my sinus cold has largely cleared up – and this is way past the excuse of acclimatization.  The only other thing could be some wicked allergy that I did not know of before – so I suppose an alternate strategy could be to take some anti-histamines and see if anything changes then.  We’ll see. I have things that need doing today – I want to rent a new bike, find a phone to call home, confirm my train bookings through an agent, and find a post office to possibly send some books and gifts home.  I haven’t really bought any gifts yet, though –since I just haven’t done too much shopping.  I think I am just going to wait and buy everything in Kashmir.  I saw some cool teas and treats I would love to send home, but it just has not been realistic.  OK!  I think I am going to try to nap before noon.

Another model of proposed Auroville.  Still about 100 years away, I'd say. 

Puducheri/ Pondicherry/ Etc.

February 11, 2011

Pondicherry, TN.
I have been in India now for 12 days, and I have yet to see a cloudy day, let alone rain.  However, I am not feeling very well.  A few days after arriving in Tiru I got rid of the cold I obtained in London, but then Monday night I got sick again during my first night in the tapas room.  Still not feeling great – definitely have some kind of cold I am fighting, and I have very little energy both mentally and physically, and basically I just want to hide in my hotel room.  So that is what I am mostly doing. 
I found the recommended book shop yesterday and bought a neat little novel about Indian classical music – right up my alley.  I also bought some tea and treats at a store, and am sitting here enjoying these things as I look out my window to the crashing waves.  It sounds rather delightful, but I am still feeling crumby.  Travelling, as wonderful as it is, takes a lot of effort and energy and preparation.  Because I left this early part of my journey largely flexible, it has also meant that I am often concerned with where I am going to be staying – and my mind has often been occupied with how the hell to fill my days leading up to Varanasi.  I can’t seem to figure out  how to secure or confirm my 2nd class train ticket going there either.  And, Pondicherry, though situated on the obvious beauty of a beach, is a tremendous let down as far as the Aurobindo ashram goes.  It is unspeakably poor in its user-friendliness to visitors, it is spread out over a vast area, and it seems in most ways completely stuck in the past.  I was expecting a modernized (well at least semi-modern) institution but the librarians did not even know where I could find an internet connection – let alone have one – and I have been here for almost 2 full days and have yet to find one of the three contacts that I was directed towards. 
I had hoped to have this time as a truly scholarly period in my travels, and figured that this ashram would be a good place to do some research, write and get some feedback.  It has not.  I am doing some reading and studying, but my Kindle is not functioning properly (please, just don’t ask) so that is also a bit of a kick in the pants. Well – I truly believe all things happen as they need to.  So given these conditions, I am just relaxing and recuperating and enjoying the fresh air.
Last night I went for a stroll on the beach, and found a sandy spot near the pier where I joined some locals for a wade in the sea water.  It was surprisingly warm water to me.  I also saw some ridiculous wooden planks tied together that are apparently used by some men as boats to go fishing.  Un-frickin-believable that they go into the sea with these things!  Holy crap do they have courage! 
Also, after the pier, on the beach front, when the business district is cut off – the rest of the beach front property is basically slums.  WTF??  What is going on here?  Why the hell is this – which in the Western world would be considered by far the most coveted property in the city, covered over by derelict shacks and the unemployed?  It is literally a km from the heart of the tourist area, too.  Crazy.  Where the hell do the rich people live, then?
OK – it is time for the ashram lunch.  Hope it is better than yesterdays, which was bland and crappy.

-0-

OK - better afternoon. I was able, finally, to connect with two Aurobindo scholars here who had intelligents things to say about what I am writing about - and perhaps more importantly showed me some striking books that I was not aware that will help a lot.

also, a major relief is that I very haphazardly found my way to a cheap guest house further down the beach - (150R) which will take my booking for as many days as I want.  phew!  so, with that security, I have planned a day trip to /Auroville tomorrow (google it, it is a very cool place) and hopefully eat some good hippy food there.

Lots of love to everyone!  The last few days I have really been missing some people, places, pets (pet) and other home comforts.  honestly, I would have loved to stroll into Full Circle today for work, and come home for a quiet dinner.  Seriously.  some days, eh?

ok.  Namaste, i guess. 

Leaving Tiru

Sunday, February 6, 2011

 Last night was better, but not much.  Still hacking, coughing, awfulness.  But I slept better.  Had two interesting dreams – one was an amazing song that I had to hum and record, the other was a dream that I was leaving Tiru – today.   

So, following that strong inner prompting, when  I woke up I used Amarjit’s phone to call Aurobindo’s ashram in Pondicherry – and they had rooms available.  Amarjit and his friend John were going to be taking a taxi with a couple other ladies to have darshan with this saint who lives in Auroville, and I figured I would pack up and go for the ride – so I did!

It was a bit rushed, but it felt right.  I needed to get out of TV.  So, for 170R I came in this minivan cab with them, and am now sitting in a mango grove in the lawn of a home in Auroville, waiting for the saint – Aum Amma they call her.  Pictures indicate a delirious, blessed out woman not aware of reality as we know it.  She is the type that needs to be fed and taken care of apparently.  At any rate, they were into paying all this money to come here and see her, I am just here for the ride.  But it is gorgeous so far, and as much as I loved Ramana’s ashram, I really disliked most of Tv.  It was just so unbelievably polluted, I didn’t want to breathe, let alone go anywhere.  And of course my room was dismal. I’d had enough, I guess.  At any rate, here we are.  After darshan, hopefully I will get a decent room in Pondicherry! 

Aurovillian House where Aum Amma stays

OK – that darshan was an incredible experience.  We waited for well over an hour, then were guided into a tiny room at the back of the house.  She was sitting there, eyes rolled back, hands in mudra, seemingly oblivious, with this giddy grin.   

Web Photo of Aum Amma

Three devotees chanted, fanned, and offered her the flowers we had brought in huge bins.  We wondered why we needed so many flowers,  but she would reach out and grab a bunch and rub them on her, or throw them around all the time.  Each of us, in turn, were told to approach her and kneel at her feet.  When we did so, she would take us in her arms, kiss our cheeks, lovingly caress our hair, and look into our eyes with a distant joy.  It was amazing fun, really.  One of the ladies totally lost it and cried all over the saint – we wondered if we would have to pull her off or something.  But, she got cheap therapy I guess – maybe getting rid of some early childhood issues in the embrace of unconditional love we all felt from her.  At any rate, it was kind of embarrassing.  Then, the saint hand fed us all some rice – it was hilarious.  When she finally was guided out of the room, she threw flowers at us with remarkable aim – bang!  Right in the nose for me. 

All in all, it was a remarkable experience of India, I felt.  Five of us getting crazy interactions in close quarters with a remarkable guru – it was utterly bizarre and thoroughly embodying the spirit of this place.  I can’t say that I was spiritually ignited or anything, but I had a great time.

Afterwards, we drove into Pondicherry for dinner.  The traffic was the kind that I had read about occurring in places like Delhi.  This was real, big city, multi-lane insanity – the honking thunder storm or vehicles that a will make a pedestrian pray.  The driver was good enough to take me directly to the guest house I was hoping to stay at – although we had to ask directions about 6 times on the way.  But, we found it, and thank god, they still had a room!

Aurobindo ashram Park Guest House

enormous Gandhi monument on beach

Thursday.

Pondicherry!  What a glorious contrast to the dismal squalidness of TV.  My guest house is right on the beach of the ocean!!!  My balcony looks out over the Bay of Bengal, and I stroll the shore as the sun sets.  Wow.  Now that’s more like it.  Fresh air.  Man - that makes all the difference in the world.  My throat is still sore from Tiru, and is better already. I wake up having had an amazing sleep, and I watch the sun rise over the water.  Sometimes it is hard to imagine that there is anything good in the world – but sometimes it is hard to imagine that there is anything wrong at all.

View from my balcony ($8/day room)

Current score after 4 days:

Mosquitos = 50

Rob = 6

OK – so mosquitos here are a little different from back home.  They are a manifestation of evil itself.  They are like ninjas, sneaking up behind you, vanishing into thin air as soon as you swat.  I swear to god they know how to approach from the rear.  And their bites don’t itch – they swell up red and hard and just irritate.  In my first week I had none in my ashram room – so I was ok.  I only had 22 bites restricted to the feet where the sandals didn’t cover. 

But after the hell of that cheap room in TV – I managed to count a dazzling 16 bites on the left side of my face alone, and due to the shirt I slept in, another dozen or so on each hand.  The worst is a patch of about 4 bites all on my lower left thumb.  It is red and angry and won’t go away.  I saw myself in the mirror for  the first time in days last night, and it is pretty funny.  The big one on my nose is particularly attractive. 

At least I am in a proper hotel-type room now.  Hopefully it can remain solitary.

Aurobindo ashram old reading room.

  

 

 

Elephant with star of david on his forehead at downtown temple

 In the beach section - the old French Colony section of Pondicherry - it is interesting to see the odd person speak some French, as well as seeing road signs in French and English.  makes things confusing, though, as every road has an old French name, plus another English name.  Which one they use, you never know.  I looked for Mission street for a while until I realized it was actually the street I was on:  Rue de Cathedral.  

Sri Aurboindo and the MNother have their names and images plastered over every building here - like good old Hindu gods.  It is kind of bizarre, though - when he was more a scholar than a guru.  But they are literally worshipped. This is India of course.

Aurobindo Shrine - a crowd was here praying when I saw it.

I am a bit dissappointed so far - I was hoping to get some serious studying done here -  but the libraries are atrocious.  No, really.  I don't think there is a volume here later than 1955.  I checked the ashram lending library, and it is like this.  Then i sought out the public library - even worse.  It is just a musty old place where half the volumes have bindings falling off.  It is awful!

The motto in Pondicherry is "Take a break from Time."  I like that - it makes you feel like you are going to get away from worry or something.  But based on the ashram and library, this place is frozen  in time - like at the moment Aurobindo died.  crazy.  Well, it is beautiful anyway.  It has an old-world European charm to it and the prices are good.  So, if I just hang out and read and write by myself for a while - so be it.  

 Oh, I have figured out that if you are staying in an ashram guesthouse you can get a meal pass which entitles you to 3 meals a day at the ashram (about 1 km away from the guest house - it is all spread out everywhere) and it is only 30R a day!  yeah, that is like 60 cents or so.  Not bad.  So, I am going to try to stay in my guest house for a week - although they say that this is not allowed.  I may be able to bounce from the 4 or so different guest houses - we'll see!

Tiru Trash

Awesome 'Health Food Shop' directly across from ashram and targeted to foreigners.  Honestly, it was great.

Well, all things come to pass, not to stay.  I asked, but the room is already booked, so I cannot stay at the Ramanasraman any longer.  I have to look for another place to stay if I want to stay in TV, so I will do that in the morning.  I am disappointed for sure – I have really fallen in love with this place – it is a sanctuary not only from the world but from the rest of the craziness that is TV. Hopefully I can find something decent that is not too expensive, where I can get to the ashram easily and be comfortable.   A Western style toilet would be a real bonus, too.  I guess it depends on how much I want to spend on a room.  Some are actually free, offered  by religious groups that promote their gurus, who want to do service to the world.  I think will let those pass, though.  I saw one and it was not exactly appealing.  No bed, no furniture, just a room. 

Well, you get what you pay for!

Today I was a bit wiped out – I think from my epic hike yesterday.  My left leg feels bruised in the muscle, and I just felt sleepy all day.  I still walked up the hill to Skandashram just to get myself moving,   but it took significant caffeine for the rest of the day.  It is just so damn noisy at night!  Maybe Saturdays especially so, but it is crazy.  Those damn horns going all the time, then the packs of wild dogs howling and fighting, firecrackers, and then those beautiful peacocks go off at frigging four o’clock in the morning, sounding like a cross between a cat crying in pain, a goose, and a steam whistle.  And loud!  I need earplugs all night long here, and I don’t expect anywhere in town is going to be much quieter.  We’ll see.  I still love the ashram, so I will stay in town for at least a few more days, and then try to sort things out for Pondicherry and Auroville. If I can secure a good place to stay there, then that may change my length of stay here.

             It has been such bliss, this last week.  Not a worry or care in the world – meals provided, silence and sanctity everywhere, perfect weather every day.  I really would never ask for more.  It is just divine.  I realize now that this place was the ideal place to spend one’s first week in India.  It is Indian enough to let you get settled, but still has a lot of comfort and security so as to not jar you too much.  Then you can venture out into the crazy world of TV in small bits and not get overwhelmed. 

OK – off to my last dinner here!

--

Wednesday.

So, Monday morning I rented a bike and made my way around to find a new place to stay.  I really thought, at first, that anyone who would cycle or drive in TV was on a suicide mission, but it is funny the way one adjusts to a place.  The bike was a pile of crap – but what do you expect for 25R (50cents) a day? 

I wish I could show it to the guys back home at Recycle Cycle – they would have gotten a kick out of it.

Things were pretty full – this is busy season and the place is a hotspot for westerners doing the spiritual tourism thing.  Amarjit has his daily schedule revolving around attending 3 or so satsangs with various guru-types that cash in on the white folk.  There are dozens to attend every day if that is what you want.   The biggest one here right now is a guy named Mooji – in the Papaji lineage.  Every day a crowd of 400 or so non-Indians go to see him speak.  But there are too many to list.  Amarjit’s favourite is a Mataji (one of the many – the name is basically mother) and she walks into a crowded room, looks silently at people for about 15 minutes, and then leaves.  She draws quite the crowd.  I went one day with him for the heck of it, and I felt a kindly soul, but nothing transformative.  But to each his own. 

I decided in the end to stay where Amarjit was staying because it is a pay-by donation type of thing put on by this quasi-ashram of devotees of a certain Vallalar.  They claim that Vallalar ( d. 1874) was transformed into light – he could walk through walls, he did not eat or sleep, and photos could not be taken of him.  Instead of dying, he locked himself in a room – and when they checked it a few days later (3, maybe?) there was nothing there but a note saying something to the effect that he was now everywhere and always with them.  At any rate, these people were quite nice, and they are really big on offering free meals and doing service for others.  The meals we had with them were fantastic and they just stood there and waited to pile on more and more food.  Possibly the best curry-roasted potatoes ever.  However, the room was the opposite -  appalling.  There was no mesh over the windows, and one ‘window’ was just a hole high up on the wall.  The bathroom was hilarious, and water sprayed out of a crack in the wall constantly.  We joked that it was a luxury suite because you got a shower while you peed.  Yeah, a bit of a dive, we would say.   But for about a $1.50 a day – meals included – I guess we wouldn’t complain.\

La Room

However, the rooms had not been in much use lately, and there was something in the place that we were reacting to – mould or something.  The first night was truly miserable.  I got this wicked sore throat and was bringing up mucous like I smoked a pack of beadies before bed.  I thought that it was because I had biked downtown (which it still could have been ) to buy mattresses (I wish I had a photo of me biking with two mattresses tied to the back of the bike – there was nothing in the rooms and we figured it would be a donation when we left) but Amarjit was reacting too.  It was terrible.  Barely slept.  

View from building of my room - cow foraging in garbage. yep.

Staying in TV, leaving the ashram

Sadly, I could not stay at the ashram - this is busy season for everything here, and they already had my room booked to somebody else.  I had a hair-pulling morning trying to find a new place, but have succeeded (much is full) and it should be ok for a few days. 
The pollution here is unbelievably bad. I've heard that it is even worse than Delhi -which I 've heard is one of the worst in the world.  It's the people burning trash, mixed with what amounts to streets packed with driving gas-lawnmowers.  One minute out there and you get this vengeful, vile, acrid burning in your throat that just sticks.  Hacking and coughing at common morning sounds.  yay. 
I will stay for a few days, or however long it takes to figure out my accommodation in Pondicherry, which I've heard is cleaner.  We'll see.
I didn't know the temperature, but apparently it is about 30 C right now - and it is 7 in the evening.  I guess it was hot today, eh?  Well as you may know - I loved it.
My love goes out to everyone.  Stay warm there ... even in the store!
(I hope the Liberte deliveries have been going smoother... I guess that is your day today)

Ramanasraman, Tiruvanamalai

My friends, this, this makes all the rest of it so much more bearable.

Well, I call them 'mohawk monkeys' but I'm sure that's not the latin name

Gateway to Arunachala temple (base 740 AD) from street

Birds!  Damn birds are everywhere. Damn! (for Erin Hatton) (This was taken from my doorway.)

So, I spent the last few days largely alone and in silence.  Well, there were loads of people around, of course, but I wasn't talking much.  It was wonderful.  I can't believe it is Sunday already!

It seems so amazing that this is only my 6^th day in India.  I have been here for so long!

This is my account of the last bunch of days:

February 2, 2011.  happy Groundhog day!  

On my first day, when I went up the mountain for the first time, I encourntered this sadhu who has been living on the hill for just over 10 years.  He smiled and we locked eyes. Then he said, “I have seen you before.”  I just smiled.  What was I supposed to say?  I sat with him for a while and tried to chat in broken English.  He gave me a photo of Ramana as a blessing – it was a nice gesture and I was on my way again.

It is Wednesday, and it is the end of my third day in India.

One thing you don’t really think of  on your first visit to India is how much time you are going to be spending in bare feet.  You have to take off your shoes before entering just about every establishment, store, restaurant and especially, temples and ashrams.  Right at the street here there is a gate for visitors to check in their shoes you can’t wear them basically anywhere on the premises.  Even on the sacred hill are you supposed to be barefoot.  My first day, it took me probably less than 2 hours for my winter-boot-soft pale feet to be raw and sore and threatening.  The guide on the hill at least gave me his chappals (slip on sandals) to wear or else I would have had to turn back.  But no wonder no body here has good shoes – they are at constant risk for being stolen.  Yes, sure, I saw Slumdog Millionaire.  But sandals are strewn about everywhere.  Viiu, I am sorry – I should have brought those crappy Birkenstocks I made you send home!  I need to buy a cheap pair of flip-flops or something pronto, since my Keen’s are worth way more than their price to me – they are, if you have never owned a pair, the greatest all-purpose warm weather shoes ever made.  Sure, I get pointed at by Indians and Westerners alike,  but man, are they comfy!  And those covered toes!  A Godsend. 

 I am sharing my room with a sweet british/ Punjabi guy named Amarjit.  I met him because I thought that he was Canadian as he was carrying his stuff in a President’s Choice bag.   Turns out he has only lived in Canada for a year.  He is a devotee of Adi Da, and has spent time living in Fiji at his ashram there.  He needed a place to stay for the night so he is sleeping on the floor of my little room.  That is ok – I still get my peace, but I will be glad when he is gone too.  He is a super nice guy, though, and he makes me laugh with his simplicity.  It doesn’t really bother me that he swears by the curative properties of drinking one’s own urine.  He is not pushy about that, Adi Da, or anything else.  Pretty easy going.  The plus side is that he knows the town well and has given me the tour, helping me adjust and to know where there is good cheap food, who sells the best coconuts (for 10r!) and where the internet is in town.  There are a lot of westerners here but nobody really talks in the Ashram. You kind of keep to yourself, you know?   There is a lot of chanting, a lot of meditation, but not much social.  Of course, I just don’t know anybody, that is all.  I heard a girl speaking about being Estonian today, and every European language is well represnted here, for sure.  Seems to be a rather large number of Russians, though.  Way more than any other.  If a sign has any other language on it besides Tamil or English, it is going to be Russian. But I guess that this is a cheap Winter getaway for them.  Not sure.  Ramana Maharshi must be a big shot there.

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Amar eating coconut outside the Ashram walls

Neato bug on the mountain

That's it: Arunachala!

I tried to find my way to walk around Arunachala today.  I got about 2 hours into it, and then was in danger of getting lost – the trail was disappearing and I had no idea where it was heading.  I didn’t think that getting lost in the wilderness of Arunachala was the best idea. I mean, it might be interesting – meet some ancient sadhus perhaps – but generally I was not up for it.  The landscape is interesting – it reminds me more of Africa than what I have seen of India, what with the blasted red rock desert and spiky bushes everywhere.  I turned back, and will get hopefully better directions tomorrow.  

I have been eating rice for two meals a day the last days, and I think all the probiotics and food enzymes have been doing the trick – I feel just fine.  I have to say that I love the food here.  We gather at set times (7am, 11:30, 7:30) for meals, and we sit on the ground with a big palm leaf in front of us and cup of water.  We wash the palm leaves with the water, then the volunteers come around and scoop on our leaves a pretty standard mix: first rice, then some curry sauce, some side-dish type of thing (spicy potatoes), then a dollop of hot chutney, perhaps a second round of rice, maybe another curry-type sauce, and finally something sweet – either a small banana or a cup of coconut milk.  All in all it is a really satisfying.  I am trying not to snack and this is doing the trick for the most part.  The breakfast is, believe it or not, basically the same thing but they offer milky coffee too. I am going to avoid breakfast and go down the street to get some fresh fruit into my system while I can.  Plus I can get good chai across the street for 8r a cup.  This place is awesome. 

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Yesterday I hiked up to the caves where Ramana Maharshi spent the first 20 years or so of his time here, back when he mostly didn’t speak at all (years 1900 – 1922 I think).  The lower cave, his first one, is incredible.  I went in and had a long meditation, and the energy there is tangible.  At first I wasn’t sure if my legs were vibrating from the walk, but after sitting still for a long time I realized that it was just that there was tremendous energy flowing through me. Not since Sedona have I felt it like that.  I felt like I was a kind of Aeolian life-harp, being strummed by some cosmic wind.  When I got out of the cave, I had to sit down, and I just couldn’t get up for the longest time.  All I could do was sit there and feel tremendous peace and connection for a long time.  I’m sure I had a totally dippy and spaced out smile on my face – but that would just make me blend in even more. 

(Amarjit calls all the hippy types here “granola” and he is sure that despite my

reformations, I am still a major granola.  Believe me, I felt more out of place in London than I do here.  I don’t want to turn anybody off of the place, but seriously it is full of thoughtful hippies.  Yeah, there are some spaced-out loonies – you can tell pretty quickly which ones they are.  But most of these people look pretty clear.)

  Eventually, a French couple came by and when he had trouble getting a clear photo of the together, I stood up and offered to do it for them.  I guess that got me moving and then I was OK to go soon after.   It was amazing though.  I am definitely going back tomorrow.  My days of being a tourist are, thankfully, on hold.  There is a lot to see in TV (the local abbreviation of Tiruvanamalai) and I am so glad to barely go as far as the end of the block that the Ashram is on.  I have my meditation halls, a book store with advaita books for 45-80r each, a mountain to hike, and free meals prepared for me.  Hallelujah!  God, I love this place. 

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Steps down from the holy man’s shrine,

The sacred hill is the slum’s garbage heap.

Rummaged by wild pigs -

A flag of India, contrast and extremes.

Farting their burnt baseness

Up the hill like incense.

I walk the holy ground barefoot,

With beggars who too have no shoes,

Only trinkets for sale on the path to the divine.

And all the while, staccato songs from city throngs

Blast beat to heaven hunting hymns

Of thousand year temples, right now alive –

And worth the price to see.

And birds too, and the padding of my soft feet,

And the noise of someone’s thoughts,

Louder and quieter,

Rushing no where with India.

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Thursday

Holy moly, what a great day.

Woke up early, and had a great meditation before daybreak in the ‘old hall’ of the ashram.  Made some tea, shared a huge papaya with Amarjit, and went up the mountain to meditate up at Skandashram.  I was trying to decide whether I should try to go around the mountain again today, or if I should go shopping with Amarjit, when on my way up the mountain that tour guide/beggar says, “Friend, where are you going?”

Me:  “I’m not sure”

“Walking around the mountain today, friend, very special - remove all karma today. Many peoples doing today.”

“Well OK then.”

So before lunch I got a second set of directions, which were basically the same as the first, and I set out.  This time, it was simple and the path was totally clearly marked – not sure why I couldn’t figure it out yesterday, besides the fact that I wasn‘t meant to go around yesterday.  It was gorgeous.  I met a wandering sadhu who did a prayer for me, smeared my forehead with white ash (in the Saivite tradition – which is what everyone is around here… and no surprise based on Arunachala of course) and told me in choppy english that all is God and that I should meditate everyday.  Check!  Thanks!

But, about 2.5 hours in, I reached this temple and the markings totally disappeared.  I could not, for the life of me, find the path.  I walked around and around, and asked a bunch of locals – but none of them spoke English. They kept pointing me in the direction of the ashram, but I wanted the path.  After almost an hour, I was getting a bit desperate.  I was hot, thirsty, and on the other side of Arunachala and there was no way out that I could find.  After the second bunch of guys tried to get me to get down a street, I figured that would have to suffice. (I really have to talk to someone about this…) So I made it down from the temple to a side street, and just walked in the right direction.  Well, it was an adventure, anyways!  I was tired as all heck (at this point, it was almost 4 hours after setting out) but I refused the auto-rickshaws that offered me a way home. I set out to walk around the mountain, and gosh darn it, that was what I was going to do.

            Well, it took me a while,  but I got to see an interesting part of town!  I knew I was heading in the right direction, so I just kept turning towards home.  When I got back to the ashram, I was so happy - it was great.  I had 2 coconuts for their water, and had a really satisfying shower back in my room. 

You know, I like nature.  I like being active outdoors. I like warmth.  I like spiritual stuff.  How about a hike around a sacred hill in India?  OK! 

I really like this place.

Temple on the other side of the mountain where I got lost

Friday, February 4, 2011

So, apparently, it is true that about ¾ of the way around the hill, the path ends and you have to take the streets back to where you started.  Great.  Thanks for mentioning it!

Well, it was just part of the experience now, wasn’t it? 

So today I go up early, did a meditation, ate my superlative papaya, and hiked up the hill so I could meditate early in Virupaksha.  It was wonderful. When I got down I saw Amarjit, and we had chai across the street before I headed for lunch.  After, we had matcha and I explained to him that I really need to be in solitude and this time I think he got it – I haven’t seen him the whole rest of the day.  In the afternoon I took a walk into the busy city centre and bought new chappals (Sandals), a padlock, and a metal cup, then an immersion heater so I could make tea in my own room (150r)

As if Rob would go without fresh tea...

 Brillaint idea, Amar!

After, I headed up the hill again and read and meditated and listened to music as the sunset. It was incredibly beautiful and I hope to do that again and again while I am here.  I was reading the Flower of Life book to re-learn the Merkabah meditation, and finally did that and practised it on top of the hill – right at the summit of one of its lesser mounds, most Westerly. It really made me feel high. It was incredibly nice.  Dinner was not filling enough so I went to the other ashram that Amar mentioned and got a good Dosa for 20r that filled me up good.  Only 2 more nights here?  Not a chance!

Sunset from Arunachala

Listening to Watermark

And Dayvan Cowboy

As a red Indian sun

Burns out another day.

With tears for ink,

Joy is a warm breeze

Carrying me from this summit – Arunachala,

To yet another

Saturday Feb 5

It is amazing that all of this was possible.  All this time, it has been possible.  All I had to do was buy a ticket and get on the plane.  Really, not much else is very necessary.  All these long years that is all I had to do.  It seemed so huge, so unlikely (so expensive). 

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So today, after breakfast, I went for a walk up the hill.  I had not intended to do anything more than look for the way to get to the very top, should I choose to do that another day.  I asked the man who lives on the hill, and he gave me a pointer on how to find the path, and it was pretty easy.  At 9am I was already very near the top – I thought.  But then that summit gave view to another summit, and again and again.  It was very deceiving!  Every time I thought I was close, there was another peak looming before me.  Distances are strange to me here, and I’m not sure why.  It seems like just a 3 minute walk up the hil and already you have this vista before you, the whole town and countryside spread out.  But then the hill itself took way longer to cap then I figured.  I was just worried that I was going to run out of time and be later for the 11:30 lunch.  But I hoped that it would take shorter going down.

When I got to the top, it had been a tough hike, with lots of scrambling and guessing.  I saw no one else on the way, and I figured I would be the only one up there.  However, nearing the top I found a couple men meditating behind a rock, and then at the very top, there were about 4 others.  Some swami or caretaker of some kind has built a little shelter up there and I think he was living there with a few dogs.  Man!  That would be quite the trek just to get food and water!  It took me about 2.5 hours to get there.  The very, very top of the hill was neat – right in the clouds.  

from the very top! Notice the temple complex that is in other pictures from the hill

 I could actually see the wisps skirting over the edges around me, and the view down to town was obscured by the cloud.  It was breezy, and many degrees cooler – which was OK by me, since I was sweating like mad.  The top is very flat, and it is terribly black, charred and greasy since every full moon they smother it with ghee and light the whole thing up like a torch which you can see for about a hundred miles.  Pilgrims come at this time, and tourists are warned to forget about getting a room in town during this full moon period.  Hindus come from all around India to walk around the sacred Arunachala, since it is considered the physical embodiment of Shiva.  At any rate, you gotta be careful at the top of this mountain.  It was very slippery with all that coating of hundreds of years worth of burnt butter. 

I didn’t linger,  but started back to catch lunch.  A few minutes down I realized that I was not at all going back the way I came.  However, there were pretty clear arrows painted in the rock (something lacking on the way up) and I passed others going this way.  It was a breeze compared to the way that I had gone up, and this path came down to connect with Skandashram, from which point you can take its smooth and easy path. 

Lesser-seen view of Skandashram

I got home with plenty of time to spare, so I figured I had time to shower and clean up.  The water in my room wasn’t working, so I cleaned my face and feet down at the faucets they have around the dining hall and shrine (to clean as you come and go from dinner and to clean your feet before going into the shrine). 

Pretty exhausted at this point.  I went up to watch the sunset again, though, and it was just a pretty today.  Man, this is all so wonderful!

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My head waggles, yes and no, and I feel

The crowded, noisy streets in my veins,

The sadhu, orange-clothed in my mind,

The blue bright day breaking

On a clean meditation hall in my heart.

Kate:  thanks so much for the bed sheet and towel – they are both perfect!  I bought this ‘Frost Tea’ at the store across the street – it looked intriguing and I was curious of course.  It tastes amazing, it has this mild sweet flavour that I have never encountered in a black tea.  It was 120r for 50g.  I looked it up and apparently it is a very precious oolong that is cultivated after a frost and has this coveted sweetness to it.  120r!  I sure got a good price on that, eh?  The website that I read was selling it for $11 for 50g.  I wonder if they sell it in Canada?

I love this tree - I have a book with it on it's cover, always wanted to see it.

Tomorrow I supplicate myself to the management here to see if they will let me stay on for a few more days.  If not, I will just have to find a cheap room to rent nearby – I do not want to leave this place!