Mannequins, Kathmandu
Mannequins, Kathmandu
On the farm.
Pashupatinath & Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Nepal
“Farming” in the hills of Begnas, Kaski District, Nepal.
Sketches of our hosts Surya Prasad Adhikari and his wife Saraswoti by Miguel :)
Holy Holi in Kathmandu
We left India on the last day of our visas (coincidentally mine and Miguel’s both expired on the same day). We arrived in Lumbini to be greeted by Miguel’s friend Thomas, a beautiful puja, bike rides and smiling children.
After 3 days on trains, surviving on samosas and copious amounts of chai we arrived close the India/Nepal border. Before crossing over to Lumbini (the birthplace of Lord Buddha) we spent 2 nights in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh where the Buddha died and was cremated.
2 weeks ago I left Mysore with Miguel to head north by train to the Nepal border. After 16 months it seems a bit like leaving a life behind, but I am in good company and looking forward to a change of pace.
Misc Mysorians…
angelarabideau asked: Christine - this: Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya was amazing. I listened to the entire thing & loved every minute of it. I hope you're awesome. I love every time I get to see a new post from you. xo
Ang! So nice to hear from you! Hope love and life are treating you well. xoxo
at the dentist (my love, Miguel)
Journey to the Kumbh Mela
The Kumbh Mela in Allahabd India takes place every 12 years and is the largest gathering of humans on earth. There was a recorded 40 million pilgrims in 2001 and estimates put the 2013 gathering at 100 million participants over a 2 month period.
My friend Sarah and I made the 3 day journey from Mysore to Allahabad to join in the first days of the gathering. We were kindly hosted by the lovely Swami Nardanand at his Siddha Ashram camp.
The photos we took on Sarah’s point & shoot cannot convey the immense energy that this sacred site at the confluence of 2 holy rivers produces. This was a truly magical and unforgettable part of my Indian journey, well worth the freezing temperatures and the delayed trains in an arduous cross country journey.
Train waitings…12 hour delays, missed connections, keeping the spirit alive.
For 2 north Americans spoiled by living in the sub-tropics we were pathetically unprepared for the freezing weather in the North. Wearing everything I brought with me all at one time had me mistaken for a Baba on more that one occasional.
An incredible 30 square km makeshift tent city on the banks of the holy Ganga. Bridges, water, sewage, electricity exisitng only for this holiest of holy events.
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I went to a Kirtan put on by a class mate of mine the other night and I would like to share with you the recorded version of one of the chants she performed. It is one of the most moving and beautiful renditions I have experienced.
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya performed by Radha Rajani
Kirtan is a form of devotional chanting that is done in a group, in call and response and accompanied by a harmonium, tabla and other instruments. For me Kirtan has become a powerful and sacred tool for getting closer to the divine. It is not uncommon for me to be, at times, completely over taken and moved to tears by the energy that is travelling through me during the chanting.
This specific chant that I have fallen in love with, Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya is known as a Mukti, or liberation mantra. It is a potent spiritual formula for attaining freedom from the cycle of rebirth. Consistent use of this manta, even over many lifetimes, mitigates our karma so we are free to make true choices, choices beyond aversion or reaction to desire.
If you have yet to experience a kirtan in this life I bless upon your the opportunity to do so, and to become engulfed in the incredible power that it holds.
A beautiful movie with grass roots solutions for the food revolution.
