We have ventured on a self-guided yatra after closing down the apartment in the beautiful temple where we lived in Vrindavan. We cooked all meals on our gas stove. I would purchase veggies daily from Radha, or her son if she was not there. We had an extensive Pranayama Sadana and I did lots of Yajna on the roof in the company of monkeys, squirrels and parrots. I also worked on my Devanagari for Sanskrit and Hindi. I am reading and writing but slowly. Time here was also spent absorbing healing knowledge. Several people needed healing on this leg of the trip. I have friends here so some socializing also happened.

We then moved to attend a workshop with Sadguru on Shambhavi. It was two days at a huge event center in Bangalore with 8000 other people. How he manages to attract that many people is impressive. To chant AUM with that many people was so special. Some of class and workshop was recorded previously and there was some time with Sadguru himself. We were quite far. I am taking on this practice twice a day for 40 days. I already have Shambhavi training from my guru for healing but that training from Pranashakthi Mastership is for healing purposes so I will see how this goes.

Inspired by this event and being very close to his ashram in Coimbatore we decided to venture by train there. The Isha Center is beautiful. I spent two days there. There is a Suraya and Chandra Kund, (women bathe in the Chandra Kund), a Bharavi Temple, the huge Adiyogi bust, as well as a meditation hall with Shiva Lingam. On the last day there I wanted to dip in the Chandra Kund and went right before it closed as we were making offerings in the day to each temple. I was the only woman there! That was an inspiring highlight! The tall roof has a magnificent mural. There is a water fall and a Shiva Lingam in the kund. When I went earlier in the day there were many many women.

The next stop was Kanyakumari the Southern-most tip of India where three seas meet and the sun rises and sets in the same place. We took a train and were fortunate to find a booking on the seaside. The cab from the train whose license plate ended in 3333 (meaning angels are present) found us the place. It was only available for 3 nights so we later moved to an even better location outside of the hustle and bustle near the Viveckananda Kendra which was a shanti campus with exhibits, Ekanathji Ranade the Kendra and Viveckananda Memorial’s founder’s memorial Samadi and a private beach. Ekanath enabled the Viveckananda memorial to be built through his persistence and creativity. There was an exhibit on how he achieved this which was amazing! There was a Bose nursery there I am not sure if he had been at the Kendra during his lifetime but he was the soul who found that plants feel pain. I am inspired to read more about him.

The hotel we stayed at was crazy but because of the city being booked we didn’t have a huge choice. The manager was a drinker and the toilet and sink was not connected to running water with no toilet seat. We had to wait for hours to check in even though we came way after check in time. It was a blessing nevertheless to be able to stay. It isn’t everywhere that you can have ripe mangoes in December.

We bathed in the holy waters, watched sunsets and sunrises, went twice to the Amman temple and had a lovely time! I went to an exhibit on the Ramayanaa and was able to read it all. At the end there is a larger than life murti of Matabharata or “Mother India” this moved me almost to tears it was so magnificent!

Gandhi’s ashes were housed in Kanyakumari and there is a memorial there. The spot where his ashes were held lights with the sun on his birthday each year and water never comes through the hole in he ceiling.

I am resting now in the very air conditioned train headed for Amma’s Ashram for New Years Eve! Looking forward to that! More travels to come.