Most people who have been on HP for a while know that I usually spend part of each winter in South India. This year I am going to be based in an unashamedly touristy and commercialised beach resort in Kerala. This will make a change from the hot and dusty temple town of Tiruvannamalai in the state of Tamil Nadu which has been my home from home for the past 12 years. I wrote last year of how Tiru is changing and becoming very much a centre for spiritual pilgrimages and western 'gurus' leading their followers on retreats. Anyway, last winter I decided that I'd had enough - although Tiru and the sacred mountain Arunachala will always have a place in my heart. So I'm going to be renting a little house (the same one I rented 12 years ago) on top of the cliff at Kovalam. As there is no traffic to speak of, my lungs will benefit from the lack of pollution but climbing the hill is going to be an ongoing challenge. Luckily one of my 'boys' - a group of young men in their early 20s whom I have known since they were children - is now an auto rickshaw driver and will, I'm sure, come to my rescue if needed.
Anyway, the purpose of this post is to ask whether or not you'd be interested in reading a few bloggy posts from time to time, as I will have my laptop with me and plenty of time to write. I don't want to bore anyone and will try to find new subjects to write about. For newcomers to HP there are some old threads of mine on this forum if you'd like to catch up... last year's.
BTW - I see that I've chosen the same thread title - how unoriginal. Mods could you change the heading of this thread by any chance. Let's see....How about Sunanda's Indian Sojourn.
xxx
Time doesn't pass - it flies! Three months very nearly gone and just over a week until I return to the joys of an English Spring. (Please!) This stay has been interesting to say the least, somewhere between a retreat and a recharging of the batteries. As I implied above, it's not always been an easy time and there have been some unpleasant moments. I've loved, though, being in this house above and away from the beach and the tourists...Spending more time here has meant that I've got to know some of my acquaintances more intimately; to tell the truth it's been a bit of an eye opener and I have struggled against my natural inclination to get involved with people's stories. For example, the young man whose marriage took place in the temple turns out not to be happy with his lot and his new young wife, far from her home and her family, is looking so sad and lost and lonely that it breaks my heart. And this is her life forever now....(I really didn't know that in the 21st century, a young husband would still expect his new wife to stand up when he enters the room. Presumably he has the option of telling her not to do this, but the young man in question is obviously enjoying his ascendancy. The girl also is not allowed to go anywhere alone - even to go to the shop she must be accompanied by her mother in law.)
Anyway, let me just mention two recent festivals: one was a Muslim procession, only men and boys celebrating the martyrdom of the prophet's son in law, Hussein. I watched the procession from the roadside but didn't follow it to see what happened when it arrived at its destination; women were so obviously not permitted. The second was the beginning of a Hindu festival called Kavadi, in honour of Lord Murugan, Lord Shiva's second son. This particular festival always starts in the Kali temple in Pachalloor, a village some 6km from Kovalam. Devotees, always men and boys, who have followed a programme of austerities and denial for some 45 days before the festival, dance themselves into a trance and are then pierced, usually through the cheeks, sometimes through the tongue and occasionally with large hooks in their backs and the backs of their legs by which they are suspended from wooden beams so that they hang horizontally in the air. Others carry heavy wooden 'yokes' across their shoulders and they all go in procession to the main Murugan temple where some participate in a firewalk. I have seen the whole thing before and find the energy quite disturbing, so this time I just saw the preliminaries. Here, if they will load, are two photos I took.
And now it's time for me to get on with being present to the remarkable fact that I am in this beautiful place - and to go and wash up my breakfast dishes!!!
Thank you again Sunanda for an interesting insight into some different ways of living. As you say, things can be somewhat disturbing, and it's certainly not a way I'd like to be involved in myself - but then there are always compensations. It is nevertheless important to observe what other do in order to get some perspective on our own lives.
The weather seems to be turning cold again this week but by the time you get back it might be warmer. We are all cheered by the appearance of snowdrops and crocuses - and round here, the little yellow aconites. All harbingers of spring.
Thank you Sunanda for the stories of you life at the moment. It does sound wonderful although I don't like the thought of the men with the piercings. I hope you continue to have a wonderful time over the coming week and will look forward to any pictures or videos.
Time to put this thread to bed, I think. I've been back in the cold old UK for a week now (though it was lovely and sunny today!) Have picked up a nasty cold and cough, probably on the plane coming home, and I'm still waking up far too early. But apart from that being here is absolutely fine...and I'm astonished to discover that I've lost a stone in weight (over 10kg actually.) In the garden my camellia has flower buds for the first time ever so that's something to look forward to and to set against all the poor shrubs and plants that succumbed to the snow and cold. Now all that's needed is a victory for Arsenal tonight against Barcelona and all will be very well in my world!
Thanks to everyone who read my scribblings.
Hi Sunanda and welcome back. Thank you again for taking the time to share your wonderful journey with us. I loved your postings. Hope the cold clears up soon.
Love and Light
Linda
Welcome home Sunanda - thank you for your musings - they enrich our lives too!
Welcome back from me too Sunanda - I will have to catch up with your last posts as I too have just got back from being away for a about 10 days. The flight was endless - 24 hours in a plane (21 of which were in the dark) and an 11 hour time change. Australia. I went down to give a talk to a church conference and it was worth it, but I will never ever go all the way in one go again, but will break my journey in either Singapore or Bangkok and have a night's (or two) sleep in a bed!
It was good to be there, but nice to be home. Sounds like you feel the same.
Love
Judy
Welcome back Sunanda and thank you for your lovely posts. Hope your cold clears up quickly.
Time to put this thread to bed, I think. I've been back in the cold old UK for a week now (though it was lovely and sunny today!) Have picked up a nasty cold and cough, probably on the plane coming home, and I'm still waking up far too early. But apart from that being here is absolutely fine...and I'm astonished to discover that I've lost a stone in weight (over 10kg actually.) In the garden my camellia has flower buds for the first time ever so that's something to look forward to and to set against all the poor shrubs and plants that succumbed to the snow and cold. Now all that's needed is a victory for Arsenal tonight against Barcelona and all will be very well in my world!
Thanks to everyone who read my scribblings.
Yeah, well less said about that the better.:( Great reading your journal though Sunny, especially as my daughter and her boyfriend were in Kerala for 10 days (they got back last Sunday) and they absolutely loved it. They stayed at some friends who have a retreat there called Soul and Surf.