So, I made it through the ocean after a quick stop to get my connecting flight in Cairo and then waiting for another connecting flight in Mumbai for Indore. I got to Indore's ashram and immediately saw Captain playing tabla in Ma's temple. Ah.... I cannot describe the joy and all mixed emotions when I walked in. So many memories and so many changes. I was quite nervous before I arrived and I still am actually. I never really go to the same place twice because experience has taught me that when you go to the same place again you somehow get disappointed. But I could not avoid coming here again for such a silly reason. I HAD to come and there are various reasons why.
So here I am. I spent the first couple of days in Indore running errands and registering my visa and passport with the local police. I got to see Baba, beautiful.
The third day though, after another night of no sleep because of the excitement and jet-lag, I got up itching to go to Omkareshwar and see the children again. I was restless, I had to go and see them. I was all packed and ready to go by bus when I got a phone call from Swamiji saying that he would go after a couple of hours by car with Sharat and Omkari, a lovely German lady who is here for a couple of weeks. So I waited and it seemed like the longest wait ever (but it wasn't, it was just my mind playing tricks and feeling the urge to hug the kids again).
So we finally went and I told him not to tell the children, I wanted to surprise them.
As the car got into Omkareshwar I started feeling so excited and emotional. It's something that I only experienced when I used to live in London and would be on my way back to Italy to see my little brother. I would cry just by thinking of him. As I went up the stairs from the river I saw a bunch of children coming our way to greet us so I stayed a bit behind and waited..... then the first one that looked towards my direction was Gopal, my sweet Gopal. His smile was worth all the gold in the world. We hugged like there was no tomorrow. We were too happy.
It was funny how as every kid realised I had arrived they would say out loud 'Bharti??' 'Bharti??' 'Jai Maaaaa Bharti!'. Ah my sweeties, I missed them so much.
It was great also seeing Tam, Narayani and meet her fiance', Chandra, Margot and Gerald. All guests that were here last year for Xmas too. Oh and Hasmukh, loveliest grin. It was like an instant continuation to last year... as if no time had passed.
Needless to say I spent the following days playing with the kids and pruning tulsi plants. I also had a very good Parikrama walk around the island with superb guide Hasmukh, Chandra, Narayani and Matt. We visited Radika (?), a very inspiring lady from Germany who is in charge of an ashram here in Omkareshwar. Oh and we also took a day trip to see Narmada Shankar, the Austrian Guru where the lovely wedding took place last year.
I am now on my way to Tiruvannamalai, all the way south in Tamil Nadu, towards the end of India, where I will stay until the end of February probably. I am still jet lagged and am having the infamous Indian toilet problem, but it's not severe, it's just a reminder of where I am. : )
Love
So here I am. I spent the first couple of days in Indore running errands and registering my visa and passport with the local police. I got to see Baba, beautiful.
The third day though, after another night of no sleep because of the excitement and jet-lag, I got up itching to go to Omkareshwar and see the children again. I was restless, I had to go and see them. I was all packed and ready to go by bus when I got a phone call from Swamiji saying that he would go after a couple of hours by car with Sharat and Omkari, a lovely German lady who is here for a couple of weeks. So I waited and it seemed like the longest wait ever (but it wasn't, it was just my mind playing tricks and feeling the urge to hug the kids again).
So we finally went and I told him not to tell the children, I wanted to surprise them.
As the car got into Omkareshwar I started feeling so excited and emotional. It's something that I only experienced when I used to live in London and would be on my way back to Italy to see my little brother. I would cry just by thinking of him. As I went up the stairs from the river I saw a bunch of children coming our way to greet us so I stayed a bit behind and waited..... then the first one that looked towards my direction was Gopal, my sweet Gopal. His smile was worth all the gold in the world. We hugged like there was no tomorrow. We were too happy.
It was funny how as every kid realised I had arrived they would say out loud 'Bharti??' 'Bharti??' 'Jai Maaaaa Bharti!'. Ah my sweeties, I missed them so much.
It was great also seeing Tam, Narayani and meet her fiance', Chandra, Margot and Gerald. All guests that were here last year for Xmas too. Oh and Hasmukh, loveliest grin. It was like an instant continuation to last year... as if no time had passed.
Needless to say I spent the following days playing with the kids and pruning tulsi plants. I also had a very good Parikrama walk around the island with superb guide Hasmukh, Chandra, Narayani and Matt. We visited Radika (?), a very inspiring lady from Germany who is in charge of an ashram here in Omkareshwar. Oh and we also took a day trip to see Narmada Shankar, the Austrian Guru where the lovely wedding took place last year.
I am now on my way to Tiruvannamalai, all the way south in Tamil Nadu, towards the end of India, where I will stay until the end of February probably. I am still jet lagged and am having the infamous Indian toilet problem, but it's not severe, it's just a reminder of where I am. : )
Love
So what's the plan for Southern India, I'm sure the greenery us far more appealing that then dusty north of India, but then comes the humility, sorry humidity ;)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if your passion has been rejuvenated, it's good and must be a boost that the people and places you've come to love remember your name, just to hear your name 'Bharti' must be so rewarding in itself :)
This adventure has become our adventures now, so for all the remaining souls who are on the rat race, please keep us engaged in your journey, to where you are going sounds intriguing, though the reason why you want to go there eludes me, so I hope to hear a nice tale soon.
Keep on writing, it's good for the soul and one that allows you to reflect on your exploits and your ability to write and spell when you want to re-read your tales when you're 80 years old and want to tell your students/children your tales of India...
So is this more of a spiritual journey now, is where you are your long term home, after all I realise that a visa dictates how long of a journey you can have, but hopefully it's easy to get stamps for longer stays, will you plan on working there to earn a few rupees to lengthen your stay, surely being a teacher pays for itself, in monetary and non-monetary rewards...
I must work out how to subscribe to this blog so I can get an email to notify me to any future update, as these writings of yours are fun and it's amazing to see the world through your eyes, the fingers are just an extension of our ability to express ourselves, after all without words we could not tell the world how wonderful it is to those who are blind to it or those who have not yet travelled.
Hope to hear from you soon, after all this last update was in 2011, we're now well into 2012, well 17days as I type this :D
Still I will now listen to some tibetan monk chants on my cd, has Dharmasala in the north ever sparked your interest at all, as that's where the Dalai Lama lives I believe.
Take care, write soon!!
Carlos :)