Letters from Shanti Ashram, India

7. Picnic Month & A Cottage for Me!

Picnic Month

November 20, 1994

Dear Parents,

Divya conveys her namaskars. Here all is well as usual. I hope that you are all fine also.

I have some free time at the moment, and being in the library I'm writing on some nearby paper, my writing paper being in the room.

It is only two more days until Sai’s Birthday, a really big event that will be celebrated grandly all over India and especially in Puttaparthi, needless to say! Here, the children will wear new clothes made from money donated by a Sai devotee. There will be bhajans and of course, a feast for all. One devotee here possessing a VCR cassette of Swami, wants to show it on His birthday. But to find and get a VCR and TV here will be difficult. Anyway, they will try.

Now we are in the midst of “Kartik Masam,” famous as the “Picnic month” in India (maybe due to pleasant weather this time of year). Every Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Monday in Kartik month is a super-special day for Siva worship), the ashram is filled with big groups of families, children and college students. For some ashramites it is a matter of disturbance of the peace. For others (like Jnaneswari & me), it is just another form of the play accepted as “That”. All the Telugu people here describe the visitors as “PICNIC” using the English word! These happy groups wander through the ashram talking and laughing at high pitch, playing badminton & tennis & Frisbee and eating everywhere. A distraught resident reported to me that there were piles of chicken bones left by some people! Some people attempt to inform these guests that this is an ashram meant for prayer but the blank stares or laughs indicate that the picnic people are not interested in having their fun ruined by spirituality. This is India! Yes, Modern India. The rich go on picnics like these and the poor stay in their straw hovels devotedly doing Siva puja. Sad to say the Indians are becoming more modern.

Now there is a little chill in the air and I am remembering how freezing it got last year, how cold the ice-water baths were at 5 AM. So I have indulged in buying an aluminum pot so I can heat water for baths on cold days. What do you say! Failing in tapas?? My immersion heating coil has remained unused for nearly a year.

Days go on as usual, the body doing various things but the mind striving to feel all as One and enjoy that Peace and Joy that comes with realizing Oneness. A long journey in imaginary time, to remember ourselves.

Every day I am finding only about ten or 15 minutes to practice harmonium; I do not have enough interest to seriously undertake learning it. Anyway, even half heartedly I have learned several Indian classic songs, taught as first practices for anyone in this country learning singing or how to play an instrument. I remember Dad playing Yogananda chants on the electric “piano”. Does he still do it?

Well – all for now. The mind feels drawn to be thoughtless, enjoying the vibration of the Name and Silence. May He Bless us all to attain that stay for which we strive & crave!

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu!

Love,

Divya

_________________

This Kutir Will Be Yours

November 22, 1994

Dear Parents,

Here I am, borrowing the ancient ashram typewriting and typing my first letter in about 15 years!

Here all is well. They are doing a lot of arrangements for the celebrations to be held here in the entire month of January. They are building a few small room/cottages (kutirs) to be used by some of the important guests that will be coming. This is because there are not a lot of cottages and they expect big crowds for this 100th birthday celebration.

The other day, Jnaneswari pointed out one small room (a little building with one room and a bathroom, at a distance from the next cottage over) and smiling said, “This will be your home after the Birthday! I’ve made my decision, this will be yours - a permanent place to experience this Full Realization of God.” Yes, a room all for Divya, right near the Mandir! I was happily amazed! Of course, she never asked for money for it. She just wants me to stay and be near the Mandir. I inquired from the helper girl Aruna, and she said the cost of the house was a mere Rs 5,000 (about $175!).

Well it is late now so I will end and go home. Jnaneswari said she will send someone with me, as she dos not want me to traverse the forest in the dark alone. Seeing me type so fast, she is joking, “From tomorrow we will give typing duties to Divya.” Oh dear! But the atmosphere around her is so full of light and love that it is OK. Now, the typewriter is God, the table and chair is full of light, the night is calm, and the moon is laughing! So all is well.

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

Love,

Divya