Letters from India

82. Back in Whitefield & Compassionate Venkamma - May 1988

Back in Whitefield

May 15, 1988

Whitefield, Karnataka

Sai Rama,

Swami left Kodai Kanal as expected, on May 8th. Although I was offered accommodation free in Ooty, as well as food free, I didn’t feel so adventuresome (tromping after Swami), so I turned down the offer and left the same day Sai left, but to Whitefield (Sai went to Ooty). Turned out there was no direct buses to Bangalore, so I had an all day and a half-night bus adventure, talking five buses to get to Bangalore, arriving at 1:30 AM. I slept in the railroad station (no one was allowed in the bus depot after hours), then caught a bus to Whitefield at 6:30 AM.

They wouldn’t let anyone in the Guest House till Sai came, so I stayed in SH's room outside (she’s away right now).

Sai left Ooty and arrived in Whitefield on May 12th evening. Happily, they granted me accommodation in the Guest House without any abuse or complaint. We’re five in the room C-14: Ingrid, two young girls from Canada (Indian decent) and one lady from London (also Indian decent). How they put me with Indians!

Parvatamma isn’t here – she already went back to Prasanthi Nilayam, says the watchman. Simply I’ll have to wait to see what my fate is. (I wrote her a letter.)

All is well. I am so, so healthy (didn’t get sick in Kodai!), content but wanting Prasanthi Nilayam.

Love,

Divya

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Compassionate Venkamma

May 20, 1988

Whitefield, Karnataka

Dear Peoples,

Well I am pretty fine – still. Healthy, spending my time with Darshan and Telugu, not much else. I’ve started to use Swami’s Ramayana as my textbook. I have 40%-70% comprehension, and write new words, learn them, then slowly understand 100% of each page. It’s like a sadhana. I usually understand 80%-100% of conversation when Telugu people talk to me.

Venkamma came for a day on the 17th here (I still have not seen Parvatamma). She looked extremely concerned and compassionately at me – I have to laugh because whenever I'm down, I think she’s the only one who’ll give me compassion. One day in Kodai I decided all was lost, so I’ll run to Prasanthi Nilayam, touch Venkamma’s feet, get some kind words from her, then leave to retire forever in Anandashram. And here I am, settled in Sai's Guest House! She asked all – where I was, where I’d go, where I'm staying, will I came to Prasanthi Nilayam, how is Parvatamma, and did she give back my Rs 1,000 (I think I wrote you of that, Parvatamma said she would "store safely" my cash supply but was always changing the subject whenever I said I needed it and asked her to please give it back). Venkamma said she came for one day only, with her granddaughter Neeraja and her baby VijayaSree, the first words Venkamma said to me were, “How are you?” but she said it in such a soft, kind, loving voice oozing sweetness, I had to catch my breath because it was not her voice, but Swami’s! Sigh.

I did not tell her anything of what happened in Madras. Venkamma looked so incredible concerned that I wonder if she somehow KNOWS.

Love,

Divya