Travels

Auroville: Off the Beaten Track

July 17, 2022

After our trip to the Koti Lingeshwara temple, a bunch of us were itching to go exploring again.  We decided to go to Auroville, as  Pondicherry is (frankly) too commercial, and Auroville is still largely unexplored.  And when you’re traveling with a fashion designer, a yoga teacher, a biker and a couple of spirit junkies you’re sure to have an interesting time.

Kalarigram

Kalarigram is perhaps the best kept secret of Auroville.  Established in 2010, it is a centre for imparting traditional Kalaripayattu training.  Kalari = space for training; payattu = practice.  It’s a martial art that originated in Kerala and is over 3000 years old.  Like yoga, Kalari is taught in the guru-shishya parampara and also draws heavily from rituals and myths found in Hinduism.  Along with movement, kalari artists also learn Ayurvedic methods of healing the body.  What drew me to kalaripayattu was the similarity with yogasana.  I enjoy the dynamic movements that seem to tell a story in motion.  Kalarigram conducts regular online and offline kalari classes, and also offers Ayurveda, Yoga and meditation classes and workshops.

Beaming after an invigorating kalari session.

The institute allows people to come and watch the classes.  A class was already in session when we arrived, and we sat watching the expert students practicing in synchrony on the damp red earth.  Once the class was over, we also joined them.  It was a treat for me to practice in the traditional style; and for the rest of us, it was the best possible intro to kalari.

 

Very happy for the experience and looking forward to going back.

Mason & Co.

Mason & Co. is a chocolate brand founded by two chocolate lovers settled in Auroville.  They work directly with framers in South India to source and harvest the best quality cacao.  Their focus is on education and giving back to society, and they employ an all-women team to handcraft their delicious products.  I discovered this brand on my first trip to Auroville a couple of years ago.  Since then they’ve expanded their range of chocolates to include several unique flavors.  You can also find this brand on Amazon and Flipkart, and I highly recommended it!

Reflexology

On the way back from Kalarigram, Sowmya took us to visit a talented sidhar she had met on her previous visit.  He practices in a small tin hut next to a nondescript road in Auroville.  All of us were interested in his therapy and we arranged for him to visit our guest house.  He uses reflexology as a diagnostic tool, and then prescribes traditional herbal medicine accordingly.

Tools used to activate various points on the foot..  This reflexology massage can be excruciatingly painful, and he uses several wooden tools and oils.

Intrigued by his methodology, I asked him to tell us a little more about his healing practice.  That’s when he told us that this therapy was part of Siddha therapy.  I had studied about Siddha medicine during my Master’s, and was quite excited to meet a true-blue Siddhar in the flesh.

The Siddha system is an ancient system of healing that originated in Tamil Nadu.  It was outlawed by the Indian government for some time, but gained legitimacy again under AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) – an initiative to optimally develop and propagate ancient system of Indian medicine.  Siddha healers believe that disease is caused by an imbalance in the three humours of the body – and a combination of diet, lifestyle, herbs and massage can bring equilibrium back into the body.  I would be remiss if i didn’t mention that he actually diagnosed each of the five of us accurately, which only strengthened our belief in his abilities.

He later gave me his business card!  His name is Senthil, and he speaks very limited English.  If you’re interested in alternative medicine, or would like to experience his massage and healing skills you can contact him on 8526399894.

Painful – but I got it done twice!

The Bookshop & Paper Making Factory at the Aurobindo Ashram

During my last visit to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, I breezed through the entire place, eager to get to the paper making factory down the corner.  This time however, I wanted to take a closer look at the publications.  On my recent Sringeri trip I’d had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of a Kannada translator closely associated with the publishing wing of the ashram.  To my delight, there were several books on yoga and physical culture which piqued my interest.

The Paper Making Factory is closed on account of Covid, but the gift shop was open and I picked up several bookmarks, notebooks and even a visiting card holder!

 

Blessings from Lakshmi the Temple Elephant

While walking through the French Colony in Pondicherry, we were lucky to cross the Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple when Lakshmi, the temple elephant, was on her evening walk.  The Vinayagar Temple is a Ganesha temple and there are several stories about its legend and power.  Getting blessed by Lakshmi is considered super auspicious – it is believed that her blessings will grant you your innermost wishes and remove any obstacles on your path.

In the lanes of the French Colony, happy after receiving all the blessings possible from Lakshmi.

 

After this trip I realise that the best trips are with the most unlikely people.  After all – Sowmya took us to Senthil and Lakshmi and Priti took us to the Hidesign outlet.  It was Ritu who would calm us down when we were cranky and hungry and Animesh who suggested relaxing at the rooftop restaurant (Bay of Buddha) post a sunset walk on the Promenade.  After all, don’t even the mundane places and experiences become special when you’re in the company of someone special?

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Yoga

On Guru Purnima

July 13, 2022

To commemorate Guru Purnima, we had a special Vedanta lecture this morning, focused on the meaning and significance of the day for seekers. Subhadra ma’am started with defining the word guru: remover of the darkness of ignorance. Vedanta is the study of the Self, and the Guru is someone who reveals the glory and magnificence of our Self to us. On Guru Purnima we invoke the essence of the guru parampara. We appreciate and acknowledge the efforts of those who have walked this path before us and made it smooth and easy for us.

Subhadra ma’am then delved into the reasons why we study Vedanta. She explained that the study of Vedanta results in self transformation. Through our study, contemplation and understanding, we hope to remove the obstacles that stand between us and this transformation. These obstacles are both emotional and intellectual. She reminded us that as students we must remember that removing these obstacles is a gradual effort that requires constant sadhana and dedication. It is a time consuming process, and transformation doesn’t happen over night or even in the course of a few weeks. This process is also known as the atma katha – the story/journey of our innermost self.

With Shriram, learning kalaripayattu and Acro yoga.

Next ma’am spoke about the greatness of the Guru. The Guru is great is because he has been blessed by the shastras. A Guru’s greatness can be conditional but the shastra’s greatness is ever existent, unconditional; it is this unconditional greatness that is transferred from guru to shishya. The Guru can be likened to a celebrity promoting Brahma vidya/sukha vidya/atma vidya/ananda vidya. Which is why the teachings are always in the form of a dialogue – the seeker has questions and is given answers. In the Bhagawad Gita (the second Vedanta text we’re studying), Arjuna frequently repeats his questions, and the Lord answers him patiently. This is symbolic of how, as seekers, we might not understand an idea or a concept at the first go, but Vedanta is patient and will support our endeavours.

To commemorate Guru Purnima, we worship and pay homage to the entire guru parampara – the parampara commencing directly from Lord Narayana, Lord Dakshinamurthy and the Adigurus, so that we can learn from the shastras. We look at ourselves in the mirror of the scriptures and see the beauty that lies there. We salute the entire lineage we’ve become a part of.

Thankful to my dance guru, Honey Unnikrishnan, for teaching me more than just dance, and being there to answer all my questions with honesty, openness and humbleness.

The guru-shishya parampara pervades all Indian art forms, perhaps because art is a discovery and exploration of Self. My dance teacher, Honey Unnikrishnan took some time out today to discuss the guru shlokas we recite in the beginning of class. The Guru is someone who holds your hand (metaphorically) and leads you to the light, never letting go of your hand on this journey. So the Guru is God in disguise and we must appreciate that. Guru is equal to God, if not above Him. Both my Vedanta and Mohiniyattam teachers emphasised transformation and change and stressed the importance of saluting not only your direct guru but the entire parampara

As I listened to these talks by two of my gurus, I thought about my own transformation. About how this past weekend in Auroville, I easily prostrated myself in front of Ramesan Lakshman, the guru at Kalarigram. A decade ago I believed the practice of touching anyone’s feet was regressive, a tribute to chauvinism, a ritual that had no place in this century. But over the years I’ve searched for and found wisdom, guidance, support and (dare I say?) enlightenment from gurus of classical dance, literature, kalari and yoga. And when I bow down before a guru today, I do so with a comforting sense of surrender and trust in this age old pramapara.

To meet a student where they are is a characteristic of a good teacher. I’ve attend classes with numerous teachers and have been lucky to gain insight and inspiration from the best. @Kalarigram

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Travels

The Temple of One Crore (10 Million!!!) Lingas

July 5, 2022

A picture that perfectly encapsulates our biking trips – open skies, lots of nature and jazzy outfits.

After becoming owners of a majestic Triumph Tiger 900 cc recently, Animesh has been on the lookout for weekend trips from Bangalore.  Every once in a while, I also accompany him.  I’m not a fan of speed or big bikes – but I love me a short trip .  So when my friend Sowmya added us to a WhatsApp group to plan a weekend trip, we immediately jumped at the chance. We packed a small backpack for our day trip to the Kotilingeshwara Temple.

 

The Kotilingeshwara Temple

The temple is in a small town called Kammasandra in the Kolar district of Karnataka.  Kolar is about 2.5 hours from Bangalore and the route is scenic and beautiful.  Riding a bike certainly has an element of adventure, and literally gives you a different view than in a car.

Animesh and I had never heard of the temple, but a quick Google search showed us that the temple is the site of the largest shivalinga in Asia.  The linga measures about 108 ft and there’s a huge Nandi bull installed in front of it.  A 108 ft shivalinga is hard to imagine…until you’re about a kilometre away from the site and can see it looming above everything else in the vicinity.  As we approached the temple, it was clear that they were used to tourists.  They ushered us in to the ticket counter – where we purchased tickets for Rs. 20/- each.

 

 

 

 

The temple is also believed to be the site of the most number of shivalingas in the world. ‘Koti’ is the Kannada word for 1 crore.  1 crore = 10 million.  We didn’t know this when we visited the temple.  We thought the temple contained 10,000 shivalingas.  But as we walked around and saw that there were shivalingas as far as the eyes could see, we realised that there must be more.  Animesh did a quick calculation and determined that there were at least 50,000 lingas.  Now we know that there were 10 million of them, in all sizes and one was even white.

 

As usual, Sowmya and I tried to find information about the temple from any priest who would deign to talk to us.  One of them told us that the number of lingams grows every day as people make votive offerings to the temple in the form of shivalingas.  The cost of getting a shivalinga installed is Rs. 6000/-.  As we walked around we saw that many of the lingas were covered with haldi and kumkum, which means many people return to pay obeisance to the shivalingas.

The temple itself is quite modern in its outlook.  There are neat lines to get into the main building, and the priest will ask you your name, your family name and names of anyone you want to pray for; and proceed to chant a few shlokas for your wellbeing and for your wishes to come true.  For Rs. 100/- you can do a special puja for Goddess Annapurna as well.

 

 

Something riveting about a white Shivalinga in a sea of black ones.

 

Shivalingas as far as the eye can see.

 

You’ll find shivalingas of all sizes in the Kotilingeshwara temple.

 

Happy Tourists

                                   

 

 

The beautiful scenery you encounter on road trips in Karnataka.

 

Here’s another blog you might enjoy, from my trip to the ancient Perur Pateeshwara temple in Coimbatore.

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Travels

A Temple That Keeps Time – The Vidyashankara Temple of Sringeri

June 27, 2022

[The beautiful gopuram early in the morning. Gopura means the light of knowledge, according to Mr. Sharma.]

Yoga yoga everywhere!

 

A couple of weeks ago I had the good luck and privilege of being a part of a group of scholars for a trip to the Vidyashankar temple in Sringeri.  The group consisted of various intellectuals involved in the study of the Indic culture.  We had writers, scholars, professors, dancers etc amongst us.  We were to be led by Mr. Viswa N Sharma, author of ‘Sringeri Vidyasankara Temple Astronomical Theater’, a book where he has chronicled his decade long study of the temple.  Of particular interest to us were the pillars of the zodiac found in the mandapam of the temple.

Lately I’ve started to appreciate the art, architecture and history enshrined in the temples of India and elsewhere.  As my yoga studies deepen, I have started to appreciate the interconnectedness between spirituality, worship, history, yoga, dance and Life.  Sometimes I catch myself wondering if this is perhaps an indication of a natural deepening of my interest in yoga – after all, from the gross we move to the subtle – from our asana practice on the mat we move towards the yoga found in our worlds.

The research center was inaugurated in the year 2000 and has over 10,000 books. It also has a vast collection of about 3000 manuscripts, and there are ongoing efforts to preserve and translate these.

The Ancient Town of Sringeri

Sringeri is a quaint temple town nestled in the Western Ghats.  Its location ensures a moderate temperature year round.  This is a boon to devotees coming to visit the numerous ancient and splendid temples in this place.  A boon too for scholars of Advaita Vedanta doing research at the Sri Shankara Advaita Research Center.  The center is off limits to visitors, but we were lucky (and connected).  We spent time in their library, looking at rare manuscripts and speaking to the scholars.

This town is also popular on the pilgrim route because Adi Shankaracharya chose to establish the first of his four mathas in this location.  Legend has it that he meditated across from the site of the Vidyashankara temple.  One day, as his meditations ended, he saw a frog giving birth and a cobra using its hood to protect it from the sun. He sensed something holy and peaceful about the land and decided to make it the site of the temple.

The temple promotes learning, knowledge, debate and supports study and scholarly pursuits.  We were granted an audience with the current Shankaracharya, my first experience of this kind.  The Shankaracharya exudes an aura of learning, peace and quietude that is relatable.  The faith and belief here is not blind, but based on reasoning and study.  When the temple learned that we were a group of scholars, they felicitated us with books, prasadam and saris.  There are many interesting books in the bookstore – I’d highly recommend a visit if you’re at the temple.

The Sun Temple at Sringeri

The Vidyashankara Temple is a 14th century temple.  It represents an era when Indian temples were also used to keep time.  This temple is unique because the navaranga (the hall inside a temple sometimes used as a dance platform or a stage) contains 12 pillars dedicated to the signs of the zodiac.  As we circumambulated the temple Mr. Sharma told us this represents breaking free of our entanglements with the world.  We walk barefoot in temples and other places of worship to allow the sacred energy  to permeate our bodies.  He also told us the structure of the temple represents our movement from the gross to the subtle to reach moksha.  The act of going to a temple is symbolic of our journey from this realm to the next.

The intricate carvings on the temple walls. We spent substantial time studying the workmanship of these carvings.

 

The divine feminine – worshipped here and in all temples. This is on the outer walls of the temple.

 

The best thing about staying in the temple complex was getting to see it all lit up in the night.

 

The Yoga Connection

As usual, I focused on the yoga connection.  I found many carvings on the temple walls depicting yogasanas.

Look closely – arm balance with one leg behind the head.

 

Looks like a yogi with long hair/dreadlocks worshiping Shiva (Adiyogi).

 

Asanas found in dance as well as yoga.

 

Natrajasana for my dance teacher.

 

If you want to learn more about this temple, here’s an interesting paper I found about the temple: Aspects of Observational Astronomy in India: The Vidyasankara Temple at Sringeri.  Another temple I had a wonderful time at was the Perur Pateeshwara temple, check out that blog too.

 

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