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Travels

A Fortuitous Meeting with the Hugging Amma

October 28, 2023

A view of Amritapuri Ashram from the 9th floor of the residential building. You can see the Kali temple on the left and the ocean in the horizon.

Over a long brunch last Sunday my friend Sowmya told me she was heading to Trivandrum to meet her guru. “Who’s your guru?” I asked her. “Amritanandi Maa,” she said, as though to have the world famous Hugging Amma as your guru is the most natural thing possible.

Decades ago I read a fun and entertaining book called Holy Cow, where I first came across the Hugging Amma. I didn’t think then that one day I’d actually get a chance to meet the saint. I rescheduled/cancelled a bunch of classes and on a sunny Wednesday afternoon Sowmya and I were on our way to Amritapuri. The countryside was lush and the glimpses of the ocean made the journey enjoyable.

Amritapuri Ashram – What to Expect

The Amritapuri Ashram is built at the birthplace of Amritanandi Maa. When she had the means she decided that her ashram should be near the backwaters where she spent her childhood. She also wanted to use her increasing popularity to uplift the people of her hometown.

The Ashram has several gates – all very easy to miss when you’re driving. The best way to find the ashram is to ask a local – almost every local knows where it is. Once you find parking head over to the reception. You’ll be given detailed forms to fill. As with all other ashrams in India, these forms are shared with the police for security reasons. As an Indian I didn’t need any passport and visa details, but foreigners have to list out all their previous trips to India along with a bunch of other details.

Once you submit your form you’ll be allotted a room. We went back and forth a few times until we found ourselves in a clean room with a much needed and appreciated AC. There are two or three canteens on the premises as well, but they run on specific timings. Sowmya and I drove to a small local joint next to the ashram for some dosas, appams and Malabar parottas.

We were there only for a night, but during that time we saw:

The Kali temple – a huge temple in the centre of the ashram. We could can see the spires of this temple rising up and out of the trees from our room on the 15th floor of the residential building.
The gowshala.
The beach – the ashram has it’s own stretch of the beach. However, the entire beach is a rocky beach and you’re not allowed to go into the water.
The daily evening program.

No photography is allowed in the ashram.

The Daily Evening Program

We were lucky that Amritanandi Maa was in the ashram the day we visited. Because of her various philanthropic activities she spends a lot of time in different states in India and considerable time abroad. Luckily because of her close association with Amritanandi Maa, Sowmya knew she would be in residence.

I had done a bit of research prior to the trip. Amritanandi Maa believes in selfless love and compassion towards all and gives hugs to spread this love. It’s believed she has hugged more than 32 million people around the world, and that’s why she’s known as the Hugging Amma.

Every evening the ashram has the same routine – a sermon by a devotee, followed by bhajans and kirtans. This can go on for half an hour or into the wee hours of the morning, depending on Amma’s mood. After this all the attendees eligible for a hug get in line for a hugging token. If you live in the ashram you’re eligible only once a month or so. Visitors are eligible only once during their entire stay. We were lucky to get one of the first few tokens and were pushed ahead in the line. It took us less than twenty minutes to meet Amma.

Meeting the Hugging Amma

There is a quality of peace around Amritanandi Maa. Although she’s constantly surrounded by devotees and helpers she is unruffled as she focuses on the person who has come for darshan. We were told that she doesn’t speak English or Hindi very well, so if there was something we wanted to convey one of the helpers would do so. “Amma doesn’t like pregnant women kneeling down on the floor,” one of the helpers told me, “So you’ll be sitting on a stool.”

As we got closer to Amma I observed the deep reverence everyone has for her. People had come from far and wide and were looking up at her with expressions of pure love, trust and belief. With so many devotees waiting for their turn on stage and so many more in the audience, there was no frenzy in the whole process. I felt a strange sense of blankness.

What do you say to a saint revered for her powers and healing abilities? If you’re only meeting her once in your lifetime – what do you ask or say to her?

I didn’t have to be so worried. The moment I sat in front of her and said ‘Namaste’, she wrapped me in her arms and started rocking me back and forth, saying something three times in Malayalam in my ear. Unlike the brief, fleeting, barely-there hugs I had read about, mine was long and I remember gradually relaxing into her embrace. When she let me go she looked at me with her open and friendly smile and passed her hand over my belly.

I have come to the conclusion that when you meet a saint of this stature it’s important to live the moment, instead of becoming anxious about what to ask for. When she released me from the embrace I had a strange sense of peace and stillness.

The prasad consisted of a packet of chocolate chip biscuits, a small 5-star chocolate and a candy.

At the Lalith Kala Akademi of Art in Trivandrum.

While in Trivandrum we had the opportunity of looking at some art work by the renowned artists Suresh K Nair. His latest work deals with his interpretation of the yoginis. The exhibition was at the Lalith Kala Akademi of Art.

A few years ago I visited the Isha Yoga Ashram. You can read my experience here.

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Books

7 Books to Read if You’re Headed to Vietnam

October 4, 2023

[The above is one of my favorite pictures from Vietnam. Not only for its colors and huge red heart – but also because it’s at the Book Street in Hanoi – a surprise discovery we made while walking around the city.]

1. Faith of my Fathers by John McCain

Growing up the only thing I knew about Vietnam was the Vietnam War. ‘Faith of my Fathers’, is about a soldier’s first hand experience as a PoW. The book is an autobiography and the first half is about John McCain’s father and grandfather – both highly decorated officers in the US armed forces. The book is well-written, but I’m not particularly interested in the US army and how it functions so the first half of the book was a bit dull for me. It gets more interesting when McCain writes about the 6 long years as a PoW in the Hanoi Hilton. The horrors he recounts make me recoil – and I feel the larger message of the book is about the strength of the human spirit and the value of courage and dignity. McCain spends a lot of time making fun of his Vietnamese jailers and Ho Chi Minh, and a lot of time glorifying America – I think it’s justified and it in no way detracts from the book.

“…For I have learned the truth: there are greater pursuits than self-seeking. Glory is not a conceit. It is not a decoration for valor. It is not a prize for being the most clever, the strongest, or the boldest. Glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than yourself, to a cause, to your principles, to the people on whom you rely, and who rely on you in return. No misfortune, no injury, no humiliation can destroy it.”

2. The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh

“If a cluster of napalm bombs were dropped, the jungle would turn into a sea of fire. Can you imagine a sea of fire?”

Bao Ninh joined the Vietnamese army at the age of 17. He served in the Glorious 27th Youth Brigade. In 1969 he joined the Vietnamese war against the Americans, and of the five hundred soldiers who went to war, Bao Ninh was one of the ten who survived. ‘The Sorrow of War‘ is based on his experience of the war and was initially banned in Vietnam. It contextualised history that was until now only facts and figures for me. More than that, this book is about what happens when people are denied basic rights, and the cost of freedom. The book is hard hitting, honest, brutal, depressing and frightening. And I can’t recommend it enough.

3. Hanoi, adieu by Mandaley Perkins

It’s easy to find books about the Vietnam War (or the American War as it’s called in Vietnam), but it’s hard to come across books about the French colonial part of Vietnamese history. This book bridges that gap. It follows the coming of age of Michel L’Herpiniere (the writer’s grandfather) in French Indo-China. Michel grows up in the rich and privileged French community of Vietnam and lived through the downfall of the French Empire. He enlists in the army as a young man and fights in the various skirmishes and uprisings that occur during the last few year of the French rule in Vietnam. The story is alive with descriptions of

Hanoi in the 40s, such as the markets and bazaars, daily life for the French and the Vietnamese, Michel’s deep friendship with the Vietnamese and French alike, along with his deep understanding of both cultures. There are several themes that I found fascinating, the main one being that of identity and how the places we grow up in and call home form our identity, sometimes even more than our nationalities do. The book covers the period between September 1940 to May 1954, which is when the French finally withdrew from Vietnam. Because we hardly study Vietnamese history in school, what really helped me put the history in context was thinking in terms of what was happening in India during this time.

If you’re traveling to Hanoi you should definitely read this book for it’s vivid descriptions of the Old Quarter – which is where we stayed while in Hanoi. When I look through photos my photos of Hanoi now, I don’t think only of what I saw and experienced, but also the rich, varied and decidedly bloody history of this quaint country.

I often go to local bookshops when I’m traveling to a new place to hunt for books by local authors. Vietnam has a vibrant culture of literature (Hanoi even has a Temple of Literature!) and a Book Street (a serendipitous find). While looking for a stall selling books in English we ran into a young book lover who told us he’s attended a lecture by Bao Ninh and then told us to head over to the Bookworm where we would have better luck finding books in English. Sure enough, I found ‘Hanoi, adieu’ in their well-stocked racks.

Always happy exploring bookstores.

At the temple of Literature in Hanoi, also known as the Confucius Temple.

4. In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason

‘In Country’ looks at what happened to American soldiers after their return from Vietnam. It’s an honest look from the point of a view of a young girl called Samantha Hughes, whose father dies in the Vietnam War. She’s trying to piece together what happened to him in Vietnam – and she’s just not satisfied with what she hears from others. Her uncle Emmett has also been in the war and its changed him and all his friends. The depiction of veterans and their struggle is raw and visceral. In Ho Chi Minh City we spent some time at the War Remnants Museum and saw the destruction from the Vietnamese point of view. Through ‘In Country’ we see that no one is spared the horrors of war.

This is another book I bought at the Book Worm bookstore in Hanoi. I’m looking forward to watching the movie – unfortunately I haven’t found it on any of the streaming platforms in India.

5. She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

Horror is my favorite genre and this book didn’t disappoint. This is Tran’s debut novel, and I think the reason it’s so well written is because the author herself enjoys the horror genre. The main character is a Vietnamese American girl and Tran undoubtedly uses her personal experiences to bring the character to life.

I will say though that it helps to be familiar with the landscape of Vietnam and a little of its history to really connect to the book. A little familiarity with the Vietnamese culture would also help. That said, I really liked the writing. This is one living, breathing, pulsating book. It has all the elements of the classic gothic novel and the rich, florid descriptions of man vs nature gives it a Guillermo Del Toro-ish feel. I also appreciated that this book referred to the French colonial history of Vietnam, which is relatively lesser known but also very interesting.

6. The House on Dream Street by Dana Sachs

This book is set in 1992 and is a sort of travelogue. Dana Sachs lived in Vietnam on Dream Street in 1992 for six months. This book chronicles her time trying to learn the language, make friends, eke out a living, fall recklessly in love and realise just how crazy that was and quickly fall out of love. Although the book is well written and interesting, I found it superficial at times. I felt that for someone claiming to be in love and deeply interested in a country and its culture – the author seemed to at times look down on the culture and even come across as ignorant. I think direct comparisons between her life in the US and life in Vietnam, or comparisons between the American thought process and the Vietnamese thought process happened a bit too much – maybe she was trying to contextualise her experience for American readers, but explaining the same thing without using comparison would have made her sound more well informed. Also – the part where she visualises herself marrying the motorcycle mechanic she is in love with and actually living in his makeshift hut with the rest of his family was exasperating. I think readers from South East Asian countries would understand why I was rolling my eyes during that bit.

7. Prison Diary by Ho Chi Minh

I bought this book at the gift shop in the Hỏa Lò Prison (the Hanoi Hilton). It’s published by The GIOI Publishers (of Hanoi) and is a collection of poetry by Ho Chi Minh. The poetry was originally written in Chinese and has been translated into Vietnamese and English (all the translations are in the book). It’s said that history is written by the victors. But with access to information like never before, we have the luxury of exploring different sides of an issue. Was Ho Chi Minh a despot who would use any and all means at his disposal to get what he wanted? Or was he a patriot who sacrificed everything he had for a free and independent Vietnam? This book gives an intimate insight into a man considered one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. This collection contains poetry on his observation about the human condition, his beliefs about freedom and nationhood and also his experiences as a prisoner in various Chinese jails.

Thinking of a Friend

That day you went with me to the edge of the river.

“When will you be back?” – “When you see the rice ripen.”

But now that the fields have been ploughed for the next season,

In a foreign land I still remain a prisoner.

Animesh claims I spent 5 hours here with the audio guide. I’d have to disagree (at least it didn’t feel that long).

It’s great to research travel blogs and forums whenever you’re about to travel to a new country. But I find reading books about the place gives you a deeper understanding and contextualises the country a lot more for travellers.

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Travels

Goa, Off the Beaten Track

September 23, 2023

Koti Tirth Tali. There are supposed to be 108 niches carved in the walls.

I’ve been to Goa so many times I feel I should be awarded a honorary PhD on it. Goa exists in our collective psyche as the ultimate vacation destination – a coming of age for young people, an exciting place to have your bachelorette or long awaited girls’ trip and an opportunity to gaze at the vast blue sea for those of us landlocked.

Things changed a bit during the pandemic when everyone decided to work from Goa. In fact, we contemplated it too and found ourselves in Goa scouting for viable villas to move into. That’s a story for another blog. Suffice it to say that because tourism to Goa is an unprecedented high, travellers now look for activities off the beaten track. My last trip to Goa was certainly that.

We formed an assorted mix of four – my mother in law, her sister, a dear friend of her’s, and me. We were game for an adventure.

Divar & Chorão Island

The first day we decided to go to Divar Island. The Mandovi River around Goa is home to many islands, all of which have and mangrove forests, churches, temples and grand old Portuguese villas. The night before I’d looked up how to get to the island and found that we had to take the ferry to Ribandar port. Unfortunately Google directed us to a port slightly before Ribandar, and not knowing any better, we took the wrong ferry and ended up in Chorão Island. We decided to make the most of it and drove around the island for a while. The island is lush, green and largely uninhabited. However, there are several churches and chapels dotting the greenery. The most significant one I spotted was the chapel for St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa). A surprise find was The Yoga Institute, a swanky residential yoga centre. (Something to keep in mind for my next yoga retreat.)

Divar island proved to be a bit more eventful. We spent some time at Our Lady of Piety Church (Nossa Senhora de Piedade). The church and it’s adjacent graveyard lie atop a hill. The church was under renovation, so we spent some time walking around and taking in the panoramic view of the island from that vantage point. You can see the Mandovi river and the mangrove forests around it. You can also see a Hindu temple, with its distinct Goan architecture, close to the church.

Hindu temple from the hillock of Our Lady of Piety Church. you can see the Mandovi in the distance. Note the unique temple design.

After a sumptuous lunch at the Rock Inn Restaurant, we decided to head to the Koti Tirth Tali – an ancient site that used to be a significant pilgrimage point once upon a time. It is said that this used to be the Saptakoteshwara Temple, the kul devta of the Kadamba kings. It is now protected by the ASI. It was a peaceful place and we found the ancient architecture very beautiful. Just a little further down the road from the Koti Tirth Tali is a beautiful Shiva temple. When we visited it was calm and clean, and right on the banks of the Mandovi. We spent some time gazing at the beautiful lake surrounded by mangroves, and even spotted a snake swimming in the water!

All the islands in Goa are connected by ferries and I think it would be interesting to spend a day island hopping on a future trip.

CIPA – Center for Indo Portuguese Arts

We stumbled upon CIPA during a three-week stay in Goa during the second lockdown. The place had just opened up and we spent some time browsing through the 200-year old heritage building, looking at the books, the hand painted tiles and other art. We also spoke to Orlando, the owner who told us about the Portuguese connection and his work to keep the Portuguese heritage alive in Goa. Incidentally, he has learned the traditional art of tile painting in Portugal and can customise tiles on order.

On the way to CIPA.

We met Orlando again and just as we were about to leave he told us about the Serenate concert they were having in the evening. We ended up returning to CIPA that evening for an eventful night of music and homemade Portuguese snacks. Serenading was very common in Fontainhas, where a boy would attempt to woo a girl by singing outside her balcony in the night. If she appreciated the gesture him and his entourage might be invited inside for some snacks. The night was full of revelry as the musicians asked the audience to join in the music and even asked for requests from the crowd. This was the cultural aspect of Goa, and I feel this should be on everyone’s itinerary.

An illustration of serenading in Fontainhas by celebrated Goan artist Mario de’Miranda.

Below are a few images from our wonderful vacation.

On the ferry to Chorao island – turned out to be the wrong ferry!

After a hot day of walking around – ice cream was indeed therapy.

The ancient site of Koti Tirth Tali was too beautiful not to take a few yoga shots.

I realise I’ve written another ‘Off the Beaten Track’ blog before. It’s about Coonoor and you can find it here.

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Travels

Contextualising Yoga Day

June 22, 2023

The International Day of Yoga is now a part of our collective psyche. As I prepped for my session for Suta this past weekend, I thought about how this came to be – how this practice which is our parampara came to be celebrated all over the world.

Yoga has become omnipotent and so laying claim to it seems almost presumptuous. But we aren’t laying claim to this ancient practice based on hearsay, or because a few yoga texts are in Sanskrit. We lay claim to it because we have evidence of yoga existing in this region (present day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan) as far back as 2350-2000 BCE. The Pashupati Seal was found in present day Mohenjo Daro. Today it sits in the National Museum in Delhi.

Around 1500 BC we find a reference to yoga in the form of the Sanskrit root yuj in the Rig Veda. The shloka which uses the word describes Indra yoking his horses and drawing them together. The horses represent the rays of the sun, and when the rays of the sun are drawn back to the source, a dawn happens. This dawn symbolises the dawn of enlightenment and knowledge. The Bhagavad Gita is an important yogic text from this time, which gives definitions or descriptions of yoga, such as yogah karmasu kaushalam. This period is considered the pre-classical period of yoga history.

And after this there is a lull of about 500 years and then some time between 500-400 BC Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are published – arguably the most recognised yoga text today. This text talks about the eight-limbed or ashtanga path of yoga and for practitioners today, drives home the point that yoga is not just asana. This period is also called the classical period of yoga history.

After this we have what is known as the Modern Age of yoga. T. Krishnamacharya is considered to be the Father of Modern Yoga, a befitting title as he is the teacher to stalwarts like BKS Iyengar, TKV Desikachar, Indra Devi, Pattabi Jois and AG Mohan. Other notable teachers of this time are:

- Swami Kuvalyananda – established Kaivalyadham in 1924.
- Swami Sivananda – established the Divine Life Society in 1936 and Sivananda Ashrams.
- Shri Aurobindo – established Auroville near Pondicherry in 1926.
- TKV Desikachar – established the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai.
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi – founder of Transcendental Meditation
- BKS Iyengar – founder of the Iyengar style of yoga.

The Story of the International Day of Yoga

So when Modi ji addressed the UN in Dec 2014, he came with this context. And much in the ethos of yoga in his speech he spoke about three things:

He emphasised collective action. Said developed countries must help the developing countries financially as well as technologically. This reflects the Gita’s teaching of yoga karmasu kaushalam which can be loosely translated as yoga is skill in action.
Next he spoke about India’s responsibility – that India will also participate in sharing our technologies and capabilities with the SAARC countries. He cited examples of where India is already doing this.
Finally he spoke about the importance of mindful development. He said that reckless consumption is not mandatory for development. This is where he brought yoga in and said that if we change our lifestyle and cultivate mindfulness and consciousness, we can deal with the crisis of climate change.

A year later, on June 21, 2015, we celebrated the first International Day of Yoga.

Yoga – An Intangible Cultural Heritage

In 2016 the Indian govt petitioned UNESCO to include yoga in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Intangible cultural heritage are practices, expression, knowledge or skill – folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions and even languages. This brought even more awareness to the place yoga holds in India’s culture and traditions.

The Relevance and Importance of Yoga for Us

During my MSc. a professor once spoke to us about the challenges humanity faces for survival. Historically our biggest threats have been natural calamities such as floods, draught, famine, pandemics (cholera, Bubonic Plague, Black Death etc.)

However, today humans are human beings’ biggest threat. We lack of empathy & sympathy. We criticise too much, accept too little. There is too much conflict, too little tolerance. Our collective mental health is at an all time low.

A resilient person is a person who has a strong mind and a strong body. Through the practice of yoga we can become more resilient. Yoga is a holistic solution to the issues and at the risk of sounding fanatical, I’d even say that yoga is important for us to survive as a species.

The amazing group who came from all corners of Bangalore to celebrate Yoga Day with us.

The Suta crew – who made the event seamless and fun.

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Travels

Two and a Half Days in Ho Chi Minh

May 18, 2023

Ho Chi Minh City is named after a former President of Vietnam, considered one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. The city is the most populated city of Vietnam and has French colonial architecture everywhere. The French buildings stand out and you can see them behind the facades of the new construction.

War Remnants Museum

Having spent some time in the US, I was aware of the Vietnam War and its importance in US history. During this trip I understood the importance of the war for Vietnam. Out of the three books I read in preparation for our holiday, two were about this war. One was ‘Faith of Our Fathers‘ by John McCain and the other was ‘The Sorrow of War‘ by Bảo Nin. So I was eager to visit this museum. I’d recommend it to everyone. It gives context, and gory details about the war. There are photographs, army tanks and weaponry and even two foetuses inside a glass case (to show the impact of Agent Orange). If you had just one day in Ho Chi Minh City – I’d suggest working this into your itinerary.

Memorial to Thích Quảng Đức

Thích Quảng Đức was a Buddhist monk who set himself on fire to protest the oppression of the Buddhists in South Vietnam, in 1963. I’d read about this incident and seen the photo too, and a few days before our visit, I read that this happened in Ho Chi Minh City. So we had to go. This is a memorial not only to the monk, but a tribute to satya and ahimsa. It’s not very crowded, because I think many tourists aren’t aware of this part of Saigon’s history.

A temple in honor of Thích Quảng Đức at the intersection where he self-immolated himself.

This memorial has been constructed at the junction where the monk set himself on fire. You can walk around the statue and there is a wall that depicts the treatment of the Buddhists by the then Roman Catholic government behind this statue. There’s some incense that you can burn to pay your respects to the monk who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Majestic Hotel

I love dining at historical/legendary/iconic spaces. I feel like you can really soak in the vibe, instead of just walking through it. It’s like Koshy’s or the Airlines Hotel in Bangalore. So when I heard that the Majestic Hotel was one of the oldest hotels and has the best view of the Saigon river, I decided we had to go. The food was good, but I really liked their Saigon-themed cocktails. I had a Happy Saigon.

It’s nice that you can eat largely healthy food in Ho Chi Minh City, and I love their soups! Plus because of the heat, you’re going to be drinking more than eating.

Happy with my Happy Saigon and some friends!

Besides this we also at the 22z10 Bar, which had some great pizza. The walking street was also fun, but very loud, so if that’s not your thing, then you can avoid it. The egg coffee is great, but fills you up! Ho Chi Minh City’s local market is called Ben Thanh Market, and it’s a great place to pick up souvenirs.

We’re all set to fly out from Ho Chi Minh City tomorrow afternoon. But I’ve had a great time. We’ve stuck to District 1, but there’s so much to do here and we didn’t feel we missed anything.

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RIMYI Experiences Yoga Philosophy

The Ultimate Surrender – Intersection of Yoga & Vedanta

May 10, 2023

At the beautiful temples of Belur & Halebidu.

The philosophy of yoga and Vedanta sometimes intersect, and I love spotting this overlap in different classes.

During the last RIMYI class I took, Raya spoke about letting go. When we talk about letting go of something, there is an assumption that you’re holding on to something. It’s important to analyse this something. How are you holding on to it? Why are you holding on to it? Once we analyse it, can we let it go?

To make it relevant to the asana practice Raya asked us to ask ourselves what we were feeling in the asana we were holding (Uttanasana). What were we truly feeling? Were we feeling our hamstrings hurting, or was the back hurting, or were we holding the abdomen too tight? When you can identify what you are holding – you can begin to let it go. “I let go of my back, I let go of my abdomen, I let go of….” He asked us to do the same in Sirsasana, but focus on mental conditions/conditionings. He asked: Can letting go be voluntary? Can we actively let go?

He gave us the example of how he came across a ratty old t-shirt when he was cleaning his cupboard. Everyone tells you to let go of this old tee that you don’t even use anymore, but you can’t. We need to understand that it’s not the object that we can’t let go – it’s the memories associated with it that we’re unable to let go.

What are we actually holding on to? Can we analyse that similar to how we analysed Uttansana? Mentioning yoga sutra 1.11 he asked us to ponder over what is the role of memory and cleansing the memory. Can we actively identify and do something about? Letting go of an old t-shirt is easier than letting go of memories. Memories can be good, troublesome, traumatic, ecstatic. How do we deal with this baggage of memories and how does it impact us? Can we let go of attachment to the memory? Can we actively let go of sad memories? Going into parsva sirsasana he asked us to contemplate looking at the memory from a different angle.

अनुभूतविषयासंप्रमोषः स्मृतिः PYS 1.11

Memory is the unmodified recollection of words and experiences.

He spoke about two sutras that he would frequently speak to Guruji about:

सुखानुशयी रागः PYS 2.7

Pleasure leads to desire and emotional attachment.

दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः PYS 2.8

Unhappiness leads to hatred.

A person with a sense of discrimination should strive a balance between sukha and dukha instead of living a the mercy of these two. There are so many triggers in life today – we are all used to certain manners, ways and customs. But can we let go of getting triggered? Raya told us that us to actively open our drawers and pull things out and look at everything that comes out and ask ourselves if we are using it. Have we been keeping certain memories in the cupboard, maybe even in the freezer. And even in the freezer have they become rotten and started stinking? Can we actively bring these memories out, clean them up and throw them away?

How do we throw these memories away? By turning it from klista to aklista.

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः PYS 1.5

The movement of consciousness are fivefold. They may be cognizable or non-cognizable, painful (klista) or non-painful (aklista).

The fact that it happened remains, but the feeling associated with it goes. Raya also stressed that we all want happiness, but we remember the sad things more – happiness has a shorter shelf life. Happiness is like camphor or mercury – you can’t hold it, it evaporates.

Next in Sarvangasana, Raya asked us to finally consider what we can let of of intellectually. He spoke of fear and how we’re all fearful of something. But some are able to face their fear because they have practiced handling this fear. Practice analysing your fears and insecurities – once analysed can we let them go? After giving daanam in a temple, we pour water over our hands symbolically ‘washing away’ our attachment with what we’ve given. We need to let go of claiming things – ‘I’ did this, ‘I’ own this etc. The most difficult thing is to let go of this claim. After letting go of these claims, can I let go of the ‘I’ itself?

When one moves from the grossest to the subtlest, neither the beginning is seen nor the end.

My Vedanta teacher always stresses the importance of balance in life. It is important for us to seek pleasure, but also to accept that pleasure and pain come together. As seekers we are encouraged to go after our dreams and desires, but we need to remember that the result of our pursuit depends on many factors. Therefore, we can’t be swayed by victory or defeat, sukham or dukham. We should pursue life according to dharma, and with the best of our physical, emotional and intellectual intent. And surrender the results, fruits, fear and even happiness to a higher purpose.

What is left to surrender when I have surrendered everything?

My teacher explained the idea of surrender using verse 18.66 of the Bhagawad Gita.

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज |
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच: ||

In this shloka Lord Krishna is asking Arjuna for the ultimate surrender – the surrender of the ‘I’ or the ego. Letting go of the ‘I’ in all the claims that I make. Once I have surrendered everything, I surrender the ‘I’ too. And in that way I merge with the One, the universal consciousness.

At the Blue Temple, Chiang Rai.

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Books

Book Review: The Heart of the World

February 3, 2023

I read the pdf version of the book, but here’s the cover.

“How we view the world is a strange alchemy of cultural conditioning and personal choice. One could cautiously avoid all geomorphic speculations or, like the Tibetans, allow the configurations of rock and water to guide one into more exalted thoughts and alternate ways of seeing. As the Victorian poet Robert Browning wrote: “…a man’s reach should exceed his grasp. Or what’s a heaven for?” – The Heart of the World by Ian Baker

I spent the last couple of days stealing bits of time here and there to finish reading ‘The Heart of the World’ by Ian Baker. The book was on my radar for a while and was happy when my book club decided to read it.

‘The Heart of the World’ is really really long, but well written. I felt the book took time to gain momentum. It’s also challenging if you’re unfamiliar with the setting or the cultural context, because it makes it difficult to get immersed in the story.

I admit I hadn’t finished the book by the time the book club meeting happened. But I’m glad I attended the meeting because I read the remainder of the book more intentionally.

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Travels

The Divine Feminine in Belur & Halebidu

January 30, 2023

Virbhadrasana with Garudasana arms on the jagati of the Halebidu temple.

It’s impossible to quantify or even qualify the impact of the divine feminine on our lives. The blurb for ‘In the Womb of the Goddess’ begins with: In our culture, we honour the feminine energy with music and with dance, with poetry and with song. It all started in the Womb of the Goddess.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to observe the feminine energy, symbolism and reverence depicted in the temples of Belur and Halebidu. Those of you who follow me on Instagram might have seen a few of these highlights already. I’m adding a lot more here.

Narasimha and the Intestines

Carvings of Narasimha are everywhere. Many in which he’s tearing Hiranyakshipu’s intestines out. What he does with those intestines differ depending on your source. Some say he wore them like a garland, others (like my guidebook) say he ate them.

Note the attention to detail in the jewellery. It actually looks like Hiranyakshipu’s necklace is draped over Narasimha’s leg. Also the facial expressions are uncanny – it actually appears he’s dead!

Here we see a lot more of Hiranyakshipu’s jewellery – like his waist belt and his earrings. Note the expression on his face – he’s looking at Narasimha with unadulterated fear.

In this carving you can see Garuda under Narasimha. Here the intestines aren’t draped around the neck – in fact there’s only one strand which seems to be going into Narasimha’s mouth. This sculpture also inspired my Garudasana arms with Virbhadra legs – you can see Garuda has his legs in Virbhadrasana.

Trivikramasana

Vishnu is also known as Trivikrama – He of The Three Strides. This avatar is mentioned in a story in the Rig Veda, where Vishnu measures out the three worlds. He took three giant strides for the Earth, the heavens and the space between them. This sculpture shows him with his leg raised – presumably mid-stride.

Here we see a different story. Here Vishnu is in his avatar as Vamana. Vamana comes to earth to overthrow the demon Bali – who has gained control over Earth after defeating Indra. Bali is devout and conducts lots of rituals and pujas. Vamana attends on of these and asks Bali to grant him three feet of land to conduct his own puja. Bali agrees and Vamana grows into a giant. His first step is on Earth, the other on the Heavens and his final step is on Bali – with which he pushes Bali down into the netherworld. And order is restored to Earth once again.

Symbolism in Trivikramasana – are the steps we take bringing order into to our worlds or are we busy running haywire?

Noteworthy Sculptures

Last year I visited the Sun Temple in Konark and was struck by the explicit carvings depicting the Kamasutra. I spotted a few of those in the temples at Belur and Halebidu too, but this section is for carvings I found more noteworthy.

Zoom in and take a look at the ornate jewellery. You can almost feel the weight of the long necklaces. Also the majestic postures – they are upright, but comfortable. Straight without being rigid. The way we’re supposed to be in our yogasanas.

My guidebook actually said this sculpture shows us that love is blind. The man is in love with a woman with an animal’s head. According to the author this is a depiction of young love. I think we can come up with better interpretations.

Naga couple – divine or semi-divine beings with bodies that are half snake half human. Typical motifs in Hoysala architecture.

Kill an elephant and then dance on its head – some of the sculptures are quite gory.

Vishnu pushing Bali into the netherworld. I love the details of the beads in the hand.

Ganesh Sculptures

A sculpture on the outside of the Halebidu temple. It depicts Ganesh wearing ornate jewellery. I like the prayer beads in his right hand – and you can see the attention given to the fingers.

This sculpture is at the entrance of the temple. Temple goers first get his darshan and then move on to the sanctum sanctorum.

This sculpture was in sharp contrast to the others – it seems unfinished (or perhaps chipped?). It has little or no ornamentation.

Note the mouse under Ganesh’s feet – it appears to be having a hard time standing under the weight on him.

Scenes of War & Destruction

Wars are hugely significant in Indian mythology and provide symbolism through which many valuable teachings are exemplified. Because of their importance, a lot of Indian art depicts war scenes.

Indra and Vishnu at war. Indra rides Airavat – his white elephant. Vishnu rides Garuda.

Vishnu in his 10th incarnation as Varaha (boar). Note the figures he’s trampling on – his stance is Virbhadra stance. His face shows the fierceness of an angry boar.

Sculptures of the Female

The difference between the male and female sculptures is always interesting. Apart from the full breasts, the female sculptures seem to have more graceful lines and fluid motions.

Fluidity in stone.

Kali - one of the most intriguing icons.

Kali – the icon I find most intriguing. Note the skull necklace and the severed head in her left hand. Look closely and you can see blood dripping from the sides of her mouth. Her helpers are emaciated with their bones visible – a contrast to her full, voluptuous figure. She is the dark avatar of the Divine Feminine.

This might be Andal. She is depicted as one of Vishnu’s three wives and is called Ranganayaki. Here’s a carving of Andal I saw in the Perur Pateeshwara in Coimbatore. As a manifestation of the Divine Feminine, she is a Bhakti Yogi.

A female figure in siddhasana – the austerity of the carving (no elaborate ornamentation) making me think that perhaps this was a female sage or teacher. As a manifestation of the Divine Feminine she would be a jnana yogi.

A dancer in tribhanga position – the line of beauty clearly depicted by the sculptor.

A female deity, perhaps Mohini. However, she has a damru in one hand and a Nandi at her feet, which are markings of Shiva.

Boarding and Lodging

I can’t recommend the Hotel Mayura Velapuri Belur (A KSTDC) hotel enough. It’s the best hotel in the area. It’s clean, within walking distance of the temple, the staff is great and they have a restaurant which serves good food.

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Travels

The Yogini Temple of Varanasi

December 12, 2022

“What foolish person, having reached Kashi – the very vessel in which the treasure of liberation is stored – would wish to go elsewhere in search of some trifling wealth?”

Little did I know that the Yoginis would find me in Varanasi as well.

Our next stop was the Chausanthi Ghat. We had heard about the Yogini Temple there, but had also heard that it contained only one shrine, instead of 64 (like in Hirapur and Ranipur Jhariyal).

Shiva’s Exile From Kashi

There was a time when the Earth was in tatters. There was lawlessness and disorder everywhere and the Gods simply couldn’t control the chaos. Finally, Lord Brahma decided that he would ask King Divodasa for help. In addition to being an effective ruler, he was also honest and kind. He agreed to rule from Kashi and restore order back to Earth, but he had a condition. He wanted no interference from the Gods. During his rule the Gods were to remain in their world. Lord Shiva would have to leave Kashi for the duration of his rule.

With King Divodasa on the throne, the Earth thrived. After many years Lord Shiva found that he missed his beloved Kashi. He decided to send emissaries on his behalf to plead his case with King Divodasa. Amongst the many entities he sent were the Yoginis – all 64 of them.

The Yoginis came to Kashi and soon found themselves assimilating into city life. They found work amongst the city dwellers and were soon embedded in the fabric of the city. However, they were unable to find an opportunity to plead Lord Shiva’s case with King Divodasa. Unable to face Shiva with this defeat, they decided to remain in Varanasi.

Some scholars have even liked the city of Varanasi to a goddess, saying that it is an embodiment of Shiva’s Shakti. Which is why he yearned to come back to Kashi, he was suffering like a lover separated from his beloved.

It is believed that once upon a time all 64 yoginis had temples in Varanasi, but today there exists only this one. “All of them, all that energy, is contained in this one Devi,” the priest explained. I looked at him uncertainly. The temple wasn’t hypaethral, which is what we popularly believe Yogini temples to be.

It was great that the pujari let us take a closer look at the statue of the Chausathi Yogini, and he answered all our questions.

An interesting depiction of the Devi – note the third eye and the animal crushed under the feet. My favorite detail is the ornate nose pin.

The temple has a very small courtyard, where natural light streams in. The space between the temple walls and the sanctum sanctorum (where the parikrama is done) is dark (but not damp). And, interestingly, is filled with ancient shivalingas of different sizes!

Ancient collection of Shivalingas in the temple.

An interesting collection of Shivalingas. However, it was really dark and we had to use our phones to see them.

This was carved into the wall, and reminded me a bit of the carvings in the Yogini temples in Orissa.

The Other Devi in the Chausanthi Yogini Temple

Standing opposite the Chausanthi Devi is another devi. From the face we could tell it was Kali Ma and we asked the pujari about the history of the statue. According to him, a King from Bengal once had a dream in which he was instructed to take the Devi to Banaras and make a home for her there. He is said to have sailed the Ganges and carried the statue up the steps of the Chausanthi Ghat and placed it here. The priest was unable to give us any specifics such as dates and names, relegating the story to the stuff of legends, but the story was compelling. I’ve tried to track down references to the story in multiple sources, but was unable to find anything.

As we turned to leave the Yogini temple, I asked the punditji his name. Pointing to the Chausanthi Yogini and Kala Ma he said “I serve two mas (mothers) so I’m known as ‘Ma-Ma’.”

We boarded our boat again to head to a temple particularly revered by the South Indians – the Vishalakshmi temple.

A Note on the Vishalakshi Temple

‘Vishalakshi’ is the ‘Wide Eyed Goddess’. The Vishalakshi temple was renovated in 1971 with a large contribution from the Tamil fraternity, and it has a completely different vibe from the Yogini temple. For starters, it is jam-packed.

Inside the temple it’s dim and the smoke from the large clusters of incense makes it difficult to see. The main deity is visible from the entrance. It’s enveloped in hundreds of saris that devotees have offered to her. In fact, there is a stall selling saris inside the already crowded temple, and you can purchase one for the goddess if you want to. We elbowed our way through the enthusiastic devotees to get to the other side of the temple. The main deities are encased in glass boxes and the smoke and lack of light makes it difficult to see anything. There are numerous shivalingas here that you can offer your prayers to.

It’s dim inside the temple and the smoke from the large clusters of incense makes it difficult to see. You can see the main deity as soon as you enter. It’s enveloped in hundreds of saris that devotees have offered to her. In fact, there’s a stall selling saris inside the already crowded temple, and you can purchase one for the goddess if you want to. We elbowed our way through the enthusiastic devotees to get to the other side of the temple. The main deities are encased in glass boxes and the smoke and lack of light make it difficult to see anything. There are numerous shivalingas here that you can offer your prayers to.

The Vishalakshi temple finds a permanent place as one of the shakti peethas. Some say Sati’s eye fell at this location, while others say it was her earring. (For a background on this story see the “Natrajasana” chapter in my book Beyond Asanas.) This temple is also connected to two other goddesses – Kamakshi (Love-Eyed) from Assam and Meenakshi (Fish-Eyed) from Madurai.

Picture from 'Banaras City of Light' by Diana L. Eck.

An old picture of the Chausanthi Ghat.

Instagraming at the Chausanthi Ghat in 2022.

[This blog is the final part of a series of blogs about my time in Varanasi. Click here for the previous one.]

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Travels

A Day in Varanasi – The Ghats & Death

November 22, 2022

Boats anchored at Assi Ghat. We were there on the day of Chhath Puja, and all the ghats were festive.

“Oh Agastya, One should not be amazed at the notion that this Ganges is really Power, for is she not the Supreme Shakti or the Eternal Shiva, taken the form of water?”

The Ghats of Varanasi are legendary. Originally all the ghats were clay, but today many of them have been rebuilt with concrete steps. The ghats here that infuse the city with a certain air of romance. Walking along any of the ghats (which remain largely unchanged for the last 3000 years), it’s possible to imagine the wooden ferries transporting goods from other kingdoms to Kashi. Yogis, brahmins, travellers, kings, servants, artists, philosophers…all came to Varanasi on these ferries. And like visitors today, they were also on a quest…

And the most poignant quest for a living being is a peaceful death. Drifting along the Ganges, the bustling life at Assi ghat contrasts strikingly with the burning pyres at Manikarnika Ghat. There is a saying that goes ‘Kashyam maranam muktih‘ which means ‘Death in Kashi is Liberation’. It is believed that if you die here, you’re sure to attain moksha. According to legend, this is because Yama has no power in Kashi, and it’s Shiva that presides over your death. So this city finds itself the receptacle of the old and the sick.

The Ganga aarti, a part of the Subah-e-Banaras program at Assi Ghat.

A boat ride on the Ganges is a mandatory part of any itinerary. Watch my video about Varanasi (including boat rides) here. Our boatman led us to the Hanuman Ghat, from where we were to board our boat. It’s unclear why or how this ghat gets its name. A large number of South Indians inhabit this ghat today, including Mr. K. Venkat Raman. The next ghat is the Chausathi Yogini Ghat – which was our first destination for the day.

The Chausathi Ghat – You can still see the domes of the old building and a new board in English is placed right under the old one written in Hindi and painted on the wall of the buildling.

It is said that once upon a time Holi used to be celebrated on this Ghat in honour of the 64 yoginis. Legend goes that when Shiva wanted to come back to Kashi, he sent many emissaries to King Divodasa. Amongst these were the 64 yoginis…

The Leaning Temple of Varanasi. It tilts at an angle of 9 degrees!

On a rickshaw after ages! Near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

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