The best part about being sick...

I am sick again. This time with fevers and stuff. Flu. maybe... I don't know.

ANyways, back on subject. The best part about being sick in India is the devotees. They care, it is amazing. The lady next door is from Russia, and speaks about three words of English but she came and made sure I was ok, speaking slowly and loudly in Russian. Saraswati didi is in and out, incredibly busy with her seva to His Devine Grace, but still finds the time to treat me and bring tea and other forms of medicine (homeopathic, herbal, love). Radharani didi brings tea and has been cooking. Bhakti Lalita didi stopped by and talked to me for ages. Ranjit prabhu even told Saraswati that I need to be wearing socks, a hat, and a scarf. LOL

I have a request for anyone who can: Lavender Oil and vitamin C. I can pay someone when they get here if anyone can take/send.

Did you know that Halls was Ayurvedic??? Come on now, Halls? Really?

From the makers of Appy Fizz: Grappo Fizz!!!



Wow... dat is like so, cool, Man! :-D

what a trip

Saraswati didi. Vishakha Didi, Radharani didi and me all went to ePark Street yesterday to go to the homeopathic shop, Murli Homeopathics, for Bach Flowers and homeopathic (duh). I think we have selective amnesia when it comes to getting stuff done in India. We actually think we will be able to be back in a couple of hours.
So... we got an auto rickshaw to the Metro, Belgachia station... strait forward... NOT SO MUCH. So there were several of them there and we were told to go to the third one. It was actually nice and clean, obviously brand spanking new. The rickshaw man said 10 rps each. Vishakha didi said, wait I paid 6 rps yesterday. So we argued a little, and it turns out that it is true.. overnight the price changed because of traffic. Soooo on we go.
And there WAS traffic and really bad smells. There is road construction and piles of bricks in the middle of the road. The "traffic cop" was a guy with normal pants and a 'white' t-shirt with the word traffic on the back. SO, after about a half hour we get to the station. The metro in Kolkata is actually nice(ish), marble floors and clean (ish). The cost is 6 rps to get to Park Street station... there was standing room only, but that is normal for the subway in any major city. The only difference is I am the tallest person on said train. The devotees I am with, lucky them, are all short and ethnic, so there is a little more blending. So the whole train is starring at me. .... I guess I would too, really if some giant got on the train at home.
At Park Street, Vishakha didi had to take over and show us where we were going, as we hadn't been there before.
OK, so I haven't been downtown Kolkata for about 10 years... and NOTHING has changed. It is crowded and filthy. There are young people who are trying to be excessively modern in their jeans and fancy hair talking in English, "hey man, you have 100 bucks [btw, the little moron is talking about rupees] for a ice cream, man?" There are middle class people on their breaks from work, beggars, street vendors, westerners that look so out of place that I'm staring... and they are staring at me. There are western businessmen with looks on their faces that scream, "what the he!! am I doing here?", hippie kids who are too stoned to notice, middle age tourists with big cameras thinking how many pictures they can show Bob and Jill, and how fantastically open they are to come to Kolkata, and then there are the young backpackers... who Know how fantastically open they are and are only a little stoned so still notice and inside are wondering when the he!! they are doing here.
So we get to the Homeo shop which is only a min from the train station... nice place with a vaisnava behind the counter... get my stuff... no worries...

Visakha didi leaves us to go do some other business, her saffron cloth aglow.

the adventure begins again... we need to find an ATM... why isn't this easy? It should be easy... long story short, after walking for about 20 min we are told to go back to where we come from and there was one right there. :-I Don't get angry... breath... oh wait, I can't.

The rest of us decide to go to Govinda's, the ISKCON restaurant... strait forward, right??

NOT............................................

Servant

"The disciple's life is a valuable property of his Guru Maharaja's, not merely his own. He's not to be concerned with only his interest, but he should live in the interest of his Gurudeva"

" A servant has no independent position - his position is always on command of the master. He's always situated withing infinite possibility... But he is humble to his Master, not to the goondas (rogues). His humility must be chiefly towards whom? Towards my Master. I am humble towards the Lord's own, the Vaisnava. I am humble there."

-- Srila BR Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaja. Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion volume 2.

I have been reading Sermons 2 and writing down instructions that I feel I need to meditate on. I have so many needs and wants, but I need to treat my body as His property and act accordingly. This is really hard for me because basically I am a selfish person :-) Anywho, sadhu sanga and kirtan will eventually, in a couple of million lifetimes, clear the cob-webs.

“You are not created for this land where you are always suffering from uncertainty and apprehension. Apprehension and uncertainty are always troubling you; you must cross beyond tem, go up, and you will find sivam – no apprehension, but the positive life. If you really like to have it, you will have to enter into the area of Goloka, the land of beauty and love. No consideration of calculation, no necessity of calculation or anything else. There, no fraud or deception can ever be dreamed of, so calculation and reasoning have no place at all. Automatically, all is good, all is fulfillment. This is the general conception”

office (offish)

The Office




Me... Just look at my posture Mata!

Bhakti Lalita Didi and I working hard...
well.... she is.

another day... another .......

Bhakti Lalita Didi, Saraswati Didi, and I went out for dinner last night at the favorite South Indian place, Suk Sagar. We got a taxi there. I got a cheese masala dosha, Lalita didi got a Masala Dosha and Saraswati didi got a plain dosha. We also shared a lassi and a plate of Utapam and a plate of paneer pakoras. We ended up bringing a lot back and sharing with the devotees here, Ashram Maharaja, Vaidehi didi, and Narasimha Chaitanya Prabhu.

On the way back, we couldn't get a taxi. Dum Dum Park is too close to Lake Town, I guess, so it isn't worth taking a fare. So, after about 20 min, Lalita didi found us one and begged him to take us. It was dark and not only smoggy, but because of the winter coming and there being loads more mosquitoes, people were burning stuff... so the air was thick.

Gotta love it :-D

So I didn't sleep last night... there was sooo much noise and for some reason my earplugs are not expanding... it is like the black filth and ear wax is building up and keeping them squished... :-)

So I need to wash-em.

It is looking good for Nabadwip... fingers crossed.

thats it... brain dead.

second post of the day... just a little story

Saraswati didi took me to NagaBazar yesterday to get a little table... it was an adventure. We took a rickshaw on the main road... amazing how many times you can almost die in 10 min. Then we went from wood shop to wood shop looking and asking for two little simple wooden desks with a shelf or so.... see the thing is, wood is not very "modern" so there was loads of prefab plastic crap (which was very expensive) but not what we were looking for... Until we saw one shop down an alley. The man said to follow him to his storage place. We had the rickshaw man follow us. The alley smelled like old urine and currey (btw, a very bad combination) We got two tables for 750 rps (about 15 dollars). They are unstained but well made... the adventure part was the way back:

So we came back to the Math in two rickshaws, each of us carrying a table on our legs. Saraswati's kinda fit in front of her, but she is tiny. SO I had this table digging into my legs... and I had to hold it with both hands, so I couldn't brace myself with my feet or hold on to the rickshaw. We were swerving in and out of main road traffic (there was construction, did I mention that?) So there was buses, taxis, carts... a tractor... stopping on a dime and me trying to stay on this rickshaw... and to look dignified. HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
And, to make matters worse... I am huge for a Bengali...so was attracting a lot of attention... and looking the way I described above... just imagine it, folks.

View from my bedroom window

Morning outside the veranda.

Manasa Krishna Prabhu and Narasimha Chaitanya Prabhu doing guard work/computer work outside the veranda.

Jamuna Priya Didi. 10 years in India serving our beloved Gurudeva!

Govinda Govinda.... anybody home??? Mahananda Prabhu is always sooooo BUSY.

Ramsundar Prabhu, MD. Graduated from medical school in Russia recently and is studying for his Indian Exams. No service is to menial for this doctor.

From the roof of the Sevak Bhavan. Illustrates a post from a few days ago... Jungle in Kolkata!

The house next door. I wasn't kidding about having to work to keep trees from growing out of the house.

Someone washing their fancy Honda by "teen number tank"

The Mandir From the roof of the Ladies Ashram.

Last night Srila Gurudeva was in a very happy mood. He was joking and even sang a little along with a Bengali song. He is showing a little strength in His health, and I think the trip to Nabadwip may be on. We will see.

He called me in this morning, as soon as I got here at about 5:15 to do an assessment and some breathing exercises. I usually have to wait a bit... then the devotees call me. I am kinda blissed out. As I was leaving, Sripad Ashram Maharaja was giving Srila Gurudeva a massage.... amazing... on so many levels.above: from the rikshaw on Bangor ave. I needed to buy some slips because I only brought two... silly
Below: From the roof of the ladies ashram-a empty lot with a jungle and flowers... and garbage.

morning run

Hard time yet again waking up this morning. My phone came back on at about 2 am... with a text from vodafone... so nice. So... after so many days, I think since saturday, my phone is finally working again. It took about 6 trips to the vodafone sales office down the road and a whole lot of "no problem"s and finally :-) yay!

So I would either walk or take a 5 rps rikshaw down the road go to the office... give the address of Saraswati Didi in England... go back and give something, wait for a call, no call, go back.... like that. And the shop is across from the More Store (the little "supermarket") so I have to buy appy fizz everytime... not my fault... it is because of the phone.... :-)


Now Radharani dasi can have her phone back. She was kind enough to lend me hers because of my on-call status.

Srila Gurudeva is showing a little more energy in the last few days. He even talked a little yesterday... which was amazing for those who happened to be around. There were some Australian devotees and Jagadananda Prabhu, the veranda folks, myself, and Vaidehi didi...
and Ashram Maharaja.
Didn't say much just asking how the devotees are and how was the village preaching. Like that, very simple.
Anywho... that is my news this morning.

I can hear the birds from the offish... songbirds and crows, parrots. One thing that always strikes me here in bengal is that anywhere you are Nature is taking over. At home we have to pamper our plants to keep them growing... beg and plead. Here they have to work hard for trees NOT to grow out of the houses and sidewalks. There are birds... loads of birds... and.. nature. Even in Kolkata. On the taxi ride to Kaikhali Math two days ago...

Srila Gurudeva went there for a little festival.... first time in years... really nice. I haven't been there since there was just a house and a little playground... that was where Tulasi devi is now... anywho I digress

.... all along VIP Road there are trees. In the ditches are huge tropical flowers and other plants.... banana trees, coconuts.... and banyan trees... so awesome.

I was just dismissed to take some breakfast... bye

I have been sick but writing in diary on microsoft word, but now I can't find it. Boo. It disappeared... it was funny too because I wrote it yesterday when I was sick and not making much sense... ha
Oh well. I will try to find it or play catch up some other time.

pollution

think I am getting a little "pollution sickness" as Lalita didi calles it. Body is wondering where the oxygen is. I had a really hard time waking up this morning... it WAS 4 am, but I went to sleep about 9... so I should have been just fine.
So I have snot, coughing, sneezing, and black boogers. MMMMMMM, yum.



Srila Gurudeva has been in weak but stable health since I got here. He has been going out in the afternoons, which makes everyone happy to see. He is not talking much, but the devotees have been coming in to pay dandavats after atotik in the morning, which gives them some nourishment and Gurudeva some as well.

Devotees are starting to arrive for the festival. There are a few new faces, but next week the herds start to arrive. :-)

We actually may go to Nabadwip for Vyas Puja... which would totally rock... but we are in wait-and-see mode. I would like to breath a little. I do like Kolkata, no really! I am comfortable here in the filth and chaos... but Nabadwip is HOME. It is where the soul wants to be.

OK... enough potification for now.... dandavats all!

Hotel gin-gear in delhi

Pictures of the hotel Ginger in Deli... nice hotel : hot running water clean sheets... bislari bottled water in the fridge... but it is still india... look at the fan! Ha... love it.

a day in the life

Today was a good day... I didn't even have to use my AK... ok kidding. I am a bit tired and kinda slap happy because I am sitting here with Manasa Krishna Prabhu, and he is crazy.



Life here is interesting... as I said before. In some ways it is so hot and dirty. My lungs are protesting against the massive amounts of pollution by producing copious amounts of mucus... which is not embarrassing at all when talking to Gurudeva
.... kill me now.
But in other ways life is amazing. I am sitting in the offish eating a banana and drinking a cup of tea, Srila Gurudeva is a door away, sitting with Ashram Maharaja...


But, remember:
India is so austere, you know... we have to take, like, a 20 min taxi to get our pizza hut pizza in the air conditioned mall. :-) So hard... In the old days we

Life is really funny, especially in the company of the devotees. Nothing can and does go according to one's personal plans. There is a lesson in there someplace. :-)

I am sitting in Bhakti Lalita's "offish" waiting for my call to come to the veranda. Today is day 2 of who-knows-how-long. I am a little lost and confused, but I know I was asked here for a reason and that will manifest. Maybe my job is to hold down this chair... you know --- in case it wants to fly away. hahahaaaa

I got my indian phone number... the bureaucracy in unbelievable here. stamps and forms and letters and passport... for a sim card.... anyways if anyone wants the number. Kesavananda Prabhu pati has it.

TTFN

I will try to upload some pictures today...

trip

From 11/10

14 hours 40 min flight from Chicago. The flight is completely full… chaos. There is pushing and a complete lack of personal space… hahahahaaaaa I am going to India!!!!!

The girl who sits next to me is wearing tulasi beads. She looks like a professional Indian young woman and her English is excellent. Neither of us bring up the tulasi at first… mostly the usual India questions. Why are you going to Inida? Are you married? How many years? How many children? No children????????????????????????? She is on her way back to Jaipur after a business trip… something to do with computers. She told me, but it was way over my head. I told her my Gurudeva asked me to come… so I am coming. It is then we stated talking about the tulasi beads. She was raised in Gujarat in ISKCON and at first really couldn’t understand that I was raised in THIS too… she asked questions like, “In the west do you follow eating vegetarian with no eggs??? How do you do this??? Do you use onions and garlic….” When I said that sometimes it is impossible to avoid but I never use at home, she was flabbergasted. The lady across the aisle jumped in and asked if I go to Vrindavan. When I said I had, but I didn’t know if I would this time she was very happy. Turns out she is also from Rajasthan and a Vaisnava who was in America for her brother’s wedding. She said I should visit (I think it was Udaipur) because there was a ‘very merciful’ deity of Sri “Krishan” there. We all talked a long time… they were wondering why and how I was “strict” :-O in my following when so many other “young people” (thanks) were not following in India… I said that I thought it was easier, in a way, for me because I, although raised with this ideal, cannot just call in my parent’s culture. I don’t look to the west for my ideal as so many young people do here… I look to the east… so in that way I am fortunate. They were both shocked and in agreement about this. I told them that Swami Maharaj Prabhupada also said that, that the west would bring religion back to India.

When the meal came and there was basically an onion salad and I didn’t eat it (ewwww)… again they were shocked… funny really…

We all tuned out and slept or watched movies for the rest of the flight.

The flight was an hour early, thank God. I didn’t really sleep on the flight.

Customs were quick and easy. I had to fill out a H1N1 flu card saying if I had come into contact with it or had been to a hospital where it was treated… I chose to tell the truth-yes- thinking that I may get held up, but the health inspectors didn’t even look at it and just stamped my immigration form. LOL

I grabbed my baggage and got in like to change money. There was an Indian guy ahead of me who changed 2 thousand dollars… the stack of rupees was HUGE. I changed 100 J and the stack was still big.

Government police prepaid taxi stand to pahar ganja is 260 rps. The taxi I got was the smallest in Inida and may bag took up the whole back seat. The driver spoke very little English, and I speak tora tora hindi… BUT it turns out he lived in Kolkata for 2 years so our common language turned out to be choto choto bangala. He is from Bihar and his name is Naratoma. He also asked the Indian questions about marriage and family. I told him all the names in the family and he was very happy. I am actually surprised how much Bengali I remembered… and could understand… funny. We got a bit lost as he went to the wrong end of the train station, but it turned out well in the end. I gave him 20 rps tip for being good conversation and making me feel safe at night in India. J

The hotel Ginger (pronounced Gin – gear) is clean and nice. I took a surprise shower as soon as I walked in. My plan was to drop my things and run to the restaurant to get something to eat, but when I walked in the room I stripped and got in the shower without a thought… ended up eating M&Ms and going to sleep instead of getting dressed and going down.

Woke up this morning at 5:30… don’t know why. Ended up watching Fiddler on the Roof on TV.