Leaving India

I have now packed up and I’m ready to leave for Sri Lanka. These four weeks in Pune has been amazing and it has gone too quickly. I have learnt so much but I feel like I have only just started and it would have been good to have another two weeks here to really get into a routine with daily practice. This is where the hard part comes in; I have to keep practicing and pushing myself on my own!

Some days ago I had just had my after-yoga nap when I read an article where a Norwegian professor was expressing her worry about how more and more women only are doing ”relaxing” exercises such as yoga and pilates. She said she had nothing against yoga but she was worried women doesn’t build the muscles they need by not lifting weights or running and yoga is not enough. She clearly can never have done yoga!

I can tell you I have been to countless body pump classes, spinning classes and running but I have never felt as strong as I do now after practicing yoga for 1,5 year. It really strengthens the whole body from your little toe to your little finger, this especially in Iyengar yoga. You will notice this as you start practicing because you will get sore muscles where you didn’t even realize you had muscles. So I think we need to get this professor to do a yoga class before she gets sick of worrying about all the women who doesn’t do any other exercise than yoga. 

Of course there is different types of yoga and some classes will be more restorative than others, and that is the good thing too; you can decide whether you want to go hard or take it easier with a slower class (or in your home practice).

Best way to start the morning: 7am yoga class and then fresh coconut!

 Last week a lovely German girl joined the class and it has been so nice to have someone to discuss the classes with. It is actually quite funny because we’re exactly the opposite from each other; she comes from a background as a professional dancer and is super flexible and overdoing the poses so in that way she has to work really hard to hold herself back, whereas I come from a background with playing football and other physical sports and have to push myself so hard to even be able to half get into some of the postures. In that way we have been able to learn how to work with different bodies as Gulnaaz has showed us techniques how to solve the different challenges we have and it has been very interesting. Being over flexible can be quite a challenge, as you have to work extremely hard to hold back and to control your muscles. I was saying to Niloufar (the German girl) it looks much better when she does yoga because from the outside it looks like she goes perfect into the postures compared to me who is trembling, shaking and struggling to get into some of the postures. Gulnaaz said I will learn how the body work through pushing myself and working through the postures, but Niloufar has to hold back to build muscles to control her body so in many ways this is actually harder than what I have to do (even though it looks much better!).

The one thing I am working very hard on is getting my knees and calf muscles together. I have to use so much strength to get them together but it is working, and after practicing with belts around my legs for two weeks to ”show” the muscles how they should be working I can see so much improvement; getting my knees together while standing straight or sitting with legs straight used to be an impossible task for me. I also have to practice with the belts when I’m doing headstands and shoulder stands because then I can’t see my legs so I have no control of what my calf muscles are doing. (Gulnaaz showed me how to put the belts on for my legs so if you think you have the same problem it would be a good idea to talk with a yoga teacher before trying the same thing.)

 I have definitely gone through a few ups and downs in my yoga practice over the last month and there was a few days where I could easily have walked out and never done yoga again. Especially the forward bends can be quite challenging and confronting in a way. I don’t know but to me it seems like a lot of things, both emotional and physical, come up in some of the postures and I have gone through a couple of panic attacks and not so few moments of anxiety in the classes. The classes have only been one hour but they’ve been very intense and I’ve been sleeping a lot after so I must have worked through a lot of stuff with myself.

Although I feel like I have improved a lot I could have stayed here for another month, or even a year; it is an ongoing learning process and as soon as I get one thing right I have to correct the next thing. I was finally starting to get confident in Sirsasana (headstand) and when I told Gulnaaz this, she tells me that everything I have learned standing, I now have to learn upside down!

Handstand has always been my weak point for me; I was never able to do this as a child and I used to fall on my face. I remember going to school with cuts and bruises on my chin from attempting handstands.

Last week I had to face my childhood fears when Gulnaaz made me do handstands next to a wall; the first day she made me try to jump up for 10 minutes with no success what so ever. This was a little embarrassing because it was in the general class and everyone else got straight up and she told me to keep trying even though I didn’t have a chance. The second day she made me jump for 10 minutes before she finally helped me to get my legs up so I could feel how it is to get up, and then on the third day I managed to get up myself! That was such a great feeling; it is so cool when all of the sudden I manage to do things I’ve always thought as impossible for me.

Gulnaaz, Nilooufar and me

This month has been amazing and I have learnt a lot about yoga and also about myself. To make the last week even better, Niloufar and I were allowed to watch 20 minutes of a class at the Iyengar Institute. Gulnaaz and B.K.S Iyengar’s granddaughter were teaching a women’s class together and at first I didn’t see him but after five minutes I saw someone’s head upside down; guruji was on a ”whale” doing a passive backbend! After he had finished his yoga practice he got up and started correcting the students (and Gulnaaz), and he definitely takes yoga very serious. I heard him shout, ”If you don’t want to understand, get out!” Gulnaaz told me this was nothing; when Western teachers come to practice at the institute he is on fire, as he wants all the Iyengar yoga teachers to be as good as possible. Seeing guruji practice and then ”assisting” the class made the month perfect; it would have been such a shame leaving without getting a glimpse of him.

As we left the institute we saw him laughing from the window so I don’t really think he was angry, he seems to have a lot of humour, but he does take yoga serious. It is the same with Gulnaaz; she is such an open person always laughing and smiling, but as soon as the class has started she is suddenly like a strict army officer and there is no dear mum anymore. But I guess if you’re not there to do your best you can might as well go home. 

On my last night in India I went to a Persian Jazz restaurant with Niloufar and her friend Anna; it was such a cool place with amazing food and music. Next stop is Sri Lanka to visit the beautiful family I met earlier this year when Ben and I stayed at their little guesthouse for almost two months. I am so excited to see them again!

A different birthday

Friday was my birthday and since I’m here on my own I decided to check out Osho Meditation Resort for something different. After a bumpy start in the morning with a misunderstanding with a rickshaw driver, I made it to the centre around noon. I guess I should know by now that when someone say "yes, yes!" it doesn't necessary mean they know where you're talking about, but I figured I was close when I saw a lot of maroon dressed people walking around. According to Osho everyone wearing the colour maroon will increase ”the collective meditative energy” levels and it will help to put focus on the inner instead of the outer, so everyone who wants to enter at the centre has to wear maroon robes.

Osho was one of those who brought spirituality to the West in the 80’s, but he had a different approach than many others as he encouraged sex as a way to enlightenment, hence also the reason why he earned the nickname ”sex guru”. As we all know AIDS was becoming an issue at this time and on his website you can read that Osho was soon sure that this was ”not just any disease” and he encouraged people to get tested regularly. Today you still have to get tested before entering the resort and you will not be allowed in if it is positive. 

After getting my test approved and buying my three-day pass I could finally enter to get my ”amazing” maroon robe! Many of the people there had obviously been there for a long time or been coming back many times as their maroon robes were washed out and they had all kinds of accessories in the colour of maroon. It felt like everyone noticed I was a newcomer. It didn’t take more than 10 minutes before one guy asked if it was my first day. He told me he’d been there for more than 3000 days now and when I asked if he worked there or what, he said ” No, no! Never work! Only enjoying life!”. I guess that goes with Osho’s teachings that life is meant to be about play, celebration and dance.

A sneaky photo with my Ipod

My birthday was spent next to the pool, which was really the reason why I went there at all, and all of the sudden some people said they wanted to organize a birthday party for me. An unexpected birthday party can never be a bad thing so I thought why not. The party was a weird mix of about 9-10 people from India, New Zealand and Germany. I even got a birthday cake so it turned out to be a great day. 

And guess what?! They had ice-cold CANS of coke at the centre. I was so happy about this and said to someone that this would have to be the only place in Pune where they sell cans of coke; either they didn’t get it or they just didn’t care.

Yesterday I had to join the compulsory Welcome Morning, which is a three-hour introduction about Osho and his three main meditations; Dynamic mediation, Kundalini meditation and the evening meeting; the last one is supposed to be ”the highlight” of the day. The first thing they told us is that Osho encouraged people to dance and celebrate so we started the Welcome Morning with some dancing! Some people are just natural born dancer, but for others it doesn’t come that easy, such as me for example. But I joined in and it definitely got me out of every comfort zone I have ever known.

We also had to practice the three main meditations. Normally they last for 1-2 hours with different stages, but we got a taste of it with two minutes of each stage. The stages includes for example shaking the whole body, dancing, screaming your brains out, talking ”gibberish”, jumping up and down while shouting ’hoo, hoo!’, laughing hysterically and being still. It is pretty much about letting your body do what ever it needs to and letting go of whatever comes up.

The one part I liked was screaming! It actually felt really good and we were a big group so I couldn’t even hear my own voice. The dancing part was hard but in a weird way I did feel good after it, but I still don’t think it is for me. I will stick to Iyengar yoga for sure.

I’m glad I went to the Welcome Morning because it gave me an introduction about what it is but I didn’t join any of the meditations after that. I was planning to go to at least one since I was already there but I just couldn’t make myself go. I can understand people like the place because it is really easy to meet people there and everyone is very open and dancing around talking to people, but it just got too intense for me. It says on the webpage and information brochure that you are not required to join any of the meditations; it is actually written many places that you can come and do nothing, just relax and be present, but it didn’t feel like that was acceptable. I had people asking me all the time what meditations I’d been to and which ones I wanted to go to and a lot of talk about energies and all that. I sort of got over it after one day and thought about buying one of those ”in silence” badgers you could get if you’re doing a silent meditation to stop people from talking to me.

Everyone seemed to be crazy about it; one girl said she was only there for three days so she wanted to go to as many meditations as she could, and when I told them I was there for three days but wanted to do as little as possible they all looked at me like I’d just killed a cow! But I guess when many of them have been there for a while and working really intensely on themselves through meditations they would be very in to it and focused on only that.

One girl told me everyone at home thought the centre is so commercial and she wished they could understand that it is not. But really, even though you’re into the meditations there is no way you can possibly defy that it is not commercial; everything about it is commercial. You have to pay for everything from registration fee, your daily pass, the maroon robe and a white robe for the evening meeting, and if you don’t have a mat with you, you also need to buy this or a meditation chair. And of course if you want to use the swimming pool or gym you have to pay extra for this and also get maroon swimwear and gym wear. If you want any one-on-one sessions to learn more about the meditations or any other courses this also cost extra. Photography is strictly not allowed but it is of course possible to buy postcards; that’s what they said at the Welcome Morning. And the whole place is just like a 5 star resort so I don’t understand how someone can say it is not commercial no matter how much they enjoy the meditations.

I got one of the security guards to take a photo of me outside Osho's teeth park. How is that for todays outfit?? 

Another thing I don’t like is the way Osho used to criticize other religions and gurus. Maybe I just don’t know enough about it but I don’t get why people should listen to him when he criticize those who follow any kind of religion or any other master/guru. He did say he didn’t want people to ”follow” him, but it seems to be what is happening anyway. I even heard one guy saying he’s in love with Osho and if that is not following him I don’t know. I find it strange and I get sceptical when someone justifies their teachings by criticizing others.

In the Welcome Morning they were pretty much making fun out of other ashrams saying Osho’s centre is different because they don’t have the co-operative smiles and seriousness of other ashrams. Osho didn’t actually call the centre for an ashram but to me it doesn’t seem any different than that and many of the people staying there call it for an ashram.

I was tempted not to go back today but I just really wanted to use that swimming pool one last time so I went for a couple of hours. I met one guy who seemed normal and I admitted to him that I thought it was all a little too much, and he said: ”A little too much?? They’re fanatics!!”. As for the highlight of the day, the evening meeting, he actually pointed it in that way that if you’re a smart person you will find it interesting but you will definitely not like it. He said it is almost like hypnoses because in one of the stages they put on a speech by Osho and no one can really understand it because of his English and the quality of the sound, but they just want you to listen to his voice and the way he talks and meditate on this. The first stage is a 20 minutes dance and celebration, as they say, and at the end everyone shouts Osho! three times. I didn’t go to the evening meeting and I don’t regret it.

As said before, I do understand a lot of people will like the place, it allows you to be exactly as you want (as long as you participate in the dancing and meditations) and it is beautifully designed almost like a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city (with a massive swimming pool), but for me it was just too much. I don't even think I like Osho; the only thing I agree with him on is that you should forget the past, don't worry about the future and live in the moment. But he is not special for saying that, I think every spiritual teacher, master or guru would say that.

All in all it was an interesting experience, but one thing I know for sure is that I’m definitely not going back there to celebrate my 27th birthday! 

Mission Coconut

What do you do when someone gives you a coconut and you don't have a proper knife?? 

Get the screwdriver out!! 

 

I made such a mess, but it would have been a shame to throw away a gift! 

Cool down...

Today I've been out exploring the city in spite of the heat. In the middle of shopping street Lakshmi road I found a tiny little temple where they were performing some kind of a ritual. The god statues were first washed (the godly bath) and then covered by a sandalwood mud; sandalwood is meant to have a cooling effect and I was told: "The gods are having a cool down". I guess I'm not the only one who struggles with the heat at the moment. Apparently this happens only once a year so I was pretty lucky I walked up on this today!

 

Shopping and temples

Fairy floss 

Jewelry

Lord Ganesh

I asked this guy if I could take a picture of him...

And all of the sudden I had a group of boys lining up to have their photo taken...

Fresh Coconuts for 40cents/2.50kroner

My India

I’m now half way through my one month yoga course and I am seeing a lot of improvement although it doesn't get any easier; my legs are still shaking like the first time I did yoga. But they say the postures do get tougher when you start to get all the corrections right and all the muscles activated, so I blame it on that.

Summer is coming for full and the days are getting very hot, it is reaching 40 degrees. Never have I wanted an ice cold can of coke and a swimming pool more.

Because of the heat I can’t really do much during the day and Pune is inlands so there’s no beach (poor me) and for some reason all the nice hotels don’t let non-guests use their swimming pools. So daytime is mostly spent inside next to my dear friend the fan!

I’m not normally a morning person but as I’ve been getting up at 5.50 for yoga class I’ve come to like it; first of all it is so nice and cool, and second it is the only time you will have a chance to find some peace and quiet in India before all the honking starts; at least as quiet as it can get in a country with more than a billion people.

There’s a tiny little park next to where I live and every morning it is full of people doing their daily exercises; some is meditating or doing yoga, others doing their daily sit-ups and push-ups and others walking round and round in the little park. I love how the women are wearing the most beautiful saris together with massive chunky trainers for their morning walk. Maybe I will bring my camera one morning.

I’ve decided to get out of my comfort zones. I find it too easy to always take the simple solution, such as getting into a rickshaw to take me straight where I want to go or just order whatever I know is safe on the menu. So now I have decided to always ask people for advice! It really makes a difference to the whole travel experience; I get to talk to more people as well as I learn more about the culture. And maybe most important, if I want to take someone’s photograph I simply ask! There are so many times I’ve regretted not getting a picture of someone so now I ask every time I have the opportunity. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no or the photo turns out crap but at least I have tried.

One thing I’ve realized is that my sense of direction is even worse than I thought, or that would say I’ve got none. I keep thinking that this is the right street but I always end up coming out from exactly the opposite direction of what I thought I would. Or I am 100% sure I’m walking in a straight line for only to end up at the same place as I started and realize I have walked in a circle. Although my mission is to ask people for help, asking for directions are not always the simplest thing to do over here; in most cases I find myself being directed up and down the street a few times before I finally meet someone who knows where I’m talking about (and speaks English). It is funny because most people seem to want to help so instead of telling you they don’t know they will just point in one direction, but I have plenty of time anyway and no need to rush. In a way it makes it all a bit fun because I never know where I end up.

It seem to me that a lot of people have a love-hate relationship with India; some come here once and say they’re happy to have seen it but they would never go back, while others just keep coming back and back. I’m not sure what it really is about India, but I like to say you never know what to expect around the next corner; it always seem to be some kind of religious ceremony or festival on, a random wedding invitation, and of course there’s the odd cow with two extra legs (we asked and it was a gift from the gods, obviously).

Someone I once met said there’s no place she is happier than in India. To put it on the extreme she felt like she always had to be 100% present just to be able to survive; no time to think of anything else than just being. You always need your head with you and simple things such as crossing the road can be quite an art. No matter what you do don’t panic! My instinct tells me to run but after looking at locals I’ve found out the best way to do it is to walk slowly so the cars know what you’re doing and then crisscross in-between the cars and the scooters. Easy!

For some reason things do seem to be a little more complicated in India than other places. One example is the mall close to where I live; the grocery shop is on the top floor at the mall and before entering you have to get your bag checked and then put inside a see-through bag that will be sealed until you leave. There is two people at the cash counter; one who scans your items and the other asking if you would like a carry bag. After paying you have to see one security guard who will stamp your receipt and seal your carry bag, and when you get downstairs your receipt will again be stamped with an EXIT stamp by another security guard. I don’t understand why they do this as they do not check what is on the receipt or what is in your bag, I think it might be just to create workplaces. The first time I went there it got me on the wrong day; I was pretty moody about all the hassle and just wanted to get out of there, but I got myself together and they always smile when I go there and welcome me with a namaste so I can’t have been too bad.

Another one of my favourites is when I tell a rickshaw driver where I want to go and he says ”Baner road?”, I say yes. He says ”OK, Baner road” and I get into his rickshaw. Then he will say ”Baner road?!”, I say yes Baner road. “Baner road, Baner road, Baner road. Baneeeer road???” And I say yes (still) Baner road. And this goes on for a while before he says ”Ok, Baner road” and off we go.

I have seen a lot of misery and poverty travelling in countries such as India and Nepal and it is not always easy; it can be quite disturbing and depressing at times. There is constantly a lot of old and young beggars asking for your money, especially around the big cities and tourist places and it can be difficult not to give when you clearly see they are in need of it. But it isn’t encouraged to give to the beggars, especially not to children. You never know who actually ends up with the money and some of the beggars could actually go to school or work and being given money is encouraging them to keep on with the begging. The best thing to do if anyone wants to help is to give to a school, orphanage or a NGO for example; someone you know will use the money in a proper way to help as there is plenty of organisations that are working with for example getting street children into schools.

Because of the begging it is easy to start thinking that everybody wants money from you when you travel in India. But this is really a trap; if you start thinking like that you easily miss out on so many conversations and beautiful moments. The other day someone bought me an ice-cream and a bracelet just after talking to me for a couple of minutes; I keep reminding myself of this all the time because the majority of the people really just want a couple of minutes or even just say hello. I’m doing my best to meet everyone with a belief that they just want some of my time, which they can have plenty of, and I soon enough realize who’s only after money. I’m not saying I always manage this, but at least I do my best. There’s been many times I’ve caught myself in thinking “I need to get away from this person because he/she will ask me for money” and all he or she wanted was just to say ”Hello! What is your name?” or shake my hand.

 

But even though there is a lot of poverty in India there seem to be even more happiness and life; even inside of the Dharavi slum in Mumbai (where Slumdog Millionaire was filmed) there was so much laughter! They really do seem to appreciate what they have more than what we ”westerners” do. And I have never been to a country as colourful, charismatic and fascinating as India. I would say you get a long way with a big dose of patience and some humour. I love little things such as being greeted with a big smile and a ”Good morning, sir!!” at 5pm. 

(all these photos are taken on my last year's trip to India)

Sorry Dog, but I'm not scared of you...

Yoga

I have to admit I got a little nervous on arrival in Pune when the driver didn’t turn up and I didn’t have a contact number or knew the address of where I was going - standard me! But somehow everything seems to work out and it turned out the driver was just 10 minutes late so I arrived safe in Pune and I’m now on my 8th day of the yoga course.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to write anything about yoga as I’m still fairly new to it, but I thought it is a part of what I’m doing here and I’m learning so I might as well share some of it.

People keep saying to me that I must be really flexible since I’m doing yoga, but believe me I’m not. After playing soccer for 10 years, horse riding for a few years and tried everything from basketball to karate and never stretched properly, I probably don’t have to tell you how stiff I am. But now, after just over a year with regular practice I’m finally seeing improvements in myself; I’ve gone from not being able to touch the floor while standing with straight legs to suddenly put my whole hand on the floor! Of course it doesn’t have to take that long time as we’re all different. But even so it doesn’t really matter because it takes exactly how long it has to take.

The yoga they are teaching here is called Iyengar yoga, and after trying a few different styles I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the way to go (for me anyway). B.K.S Iyengar developed this form of yoga from the classical yoga described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The special thing about Iyengar yoga is that they are very focused on the technical parts to prevent injuries and to correct body alignment. They use props such as bolsters, blocks, belts, ropes and blankets for you to go in to the positions in the safest possible way; it is designed so anyone can practice, regardless of age, physical strength and flexibility, as every position can be adjusted to your own body. And that’s the whole thing; you really don’t have to be flexible to practice yoga! In fact I remember one of the instructors at the studio at home said that balance, strength and stability are all a lot more important than being flexible, which suits me very well.

I’ve been to classes in India where they pretty much sit on you to get your hip-bones opened, but it seems like in Iyengar yoga you get flexible through building strength and from there you can push your knees down etc. For us who hasn’t grown up sitting cross-legged it will probably not come natural to put our legs in lotus position straight away; it takes time and patience. But then again it feels so much better when you finally can.

My teacher here, Gulnaaz, teaches daily at the Iyengar institute as well as running her own studio (the studio in the pictures above, this is also where I’m having classes with her). Most days it is one-on-one classes but I’ve also been joining the general class and it is so cool because there are people from the age of 12 to around 70. Age really doesn’t matter in yoga!

The great thing about having one-on-one classes is that I really get to work on the things that are specific for my body. Gulnaaz has been practicing yoga for about 20 years and having been trained by B.K.S Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar and Prashant Iyengar she is an absolute perfectionist (in a good way)!  She knows exactly what to look for and she is a fantastic teacher; I have learnt so much in the week I've been here. After my first class I was told I have ‘de-formed’ calf muscles (ha-ha) and uneven shoulders; the way I’ve used my muscles when playing soccer and everything else is apparently the reason for this. Especially my left leg will not do what I want and Gulnaaz is pretty much punching my calf muscles to help me use the muscles in a controlled and correct way. And she notices every single thing I do; if I loose focus on something she is there straight away; “Tighten your calf muscles, roll your thighs in, tailbone down, shoulders down, head in the centre, lengthen your spine!!” Who said yoga is all about stretching and incense?

The Iyengar institute is only 5 min down the road from where I’m staying, and yes I have been walking up and down the road quite a few times in hope of getting a glimpse of the man himself. Not looking creepy at all walking around with my camera….

B.K.S Iyengar will be 94 years old at the end of this year and he’s still doing headstands, shoulder stands and backbends. And he is of course still teaching! The best of all is that he is supposed to be a great person.

This is the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. This guy told me I couldn't take photos, but it was ok as long as he got to be in it. I ended up leaving with his address and a promise of sending him the photo.

It is funny how things sometime turn out; I used to be anti-yoga (and anti-sushi) and thought it was boring and only for wannabes, but after two of my very good friends convinced me to join them for a class it has become one of the things I love the most. I could go on and on about how good yoga is for you, but as many of the yoga teachers I have met say; yoga will come to you when you’re ready for it. 

I've been playing around with some pictures I took earlier this year in Sri Lanka:

My apartment in Pune

Here's some pictures of where I live at the moment. Pretty cool, huh?

Being original

Last week my favourite author Paulo Coelho posted this beautiful quote on his facebook page:

The best way to be original is to be yourself.

It made me think of this photo I took last year in Jaisalmer, India.

The Golden Temple

   The Golden Temple was amazing! It is also know as the Harmandir Sahih, which I think mean the temple of God, and it is the holiest temple for the Sikhs. The temple itself lies in the middle of a holy pool with a walkway around it surrounded by big white marble buildings. A local told me that the temple is covered in 300kgs gold; it really stands out in the middle of the white buildings. Before entering one of the four gates you need to leave your shoes, wash your feet and cover your head as a way of showing respect.

    I spent hours just walking around looking at people and taking everything in before I actually went into the temple. I am fascinated over how engaged they are in their religion; everyone is doing something, either it is to take a bath in the holy lake, take a sip from it and put water over their heads while they pray, or just simply sweeping the floor to help keeping the temple grounds clean. I love watching little kids kneeling down together with their parents to put their heads on the ground in prayer.

    I remember once in Nepal I was walking behind a woman and her two children; suddenly the little boy let go of her hand and stopped in front of a small temple next to the road and said a prayer before he ran after his mother to grab her hand again. I don’t think he could have been more than 5-6 years old. You don’t see things like that often in the “western” world.

    To enter the temple you have to line up, or that will say, the second time on my way in a foreigner told me that foreigners can enter through the exit and skip the que, but it just didn’t feel right walking to walk past everyone else.

    Walking around inside the temple someone grabbed me by my shoulder and introduced me to an old man sweeping the floor dressed in white. I was told I had to bow down and touch his feet. I couldn’t really understand who he was, all I understood was “good man, good man”. And I guess that is all that matters so I bowed down to touch his feet. It was probably to the amusement of the 40 or so Indians watching.

 

  The temple is covered in beautiful golden patterns on the inside walls and carpeted floors, and in the middle of the first floor is where they keep their holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, which contains writings and hymns about how to best live your life and how to follow God. I’m not sure what the Sikhs call their priests, but I guess they are some sorts of holy men; and the first floor is where the holy men sit reading and singing from the book; this is played continuously all day over the speakers around the walkway outside. It is almost like a magical experience being inside the temple; there’s people sitting around on the floor; some with their eyes shut, smiling and listening to the prayers by the holy men, and others holding their own little example of the book and following the readings.

   Every evening the Guru Granth Sahib is brought from the temple to put inside one of the white buildings and it is brought out again in the morning. I went to see the evening ceremony when they carry it out from the temple. When I got inside the temple everyone had to sit down to listen to a reading before they started wrapping the book up in what I assume was silk covers. It was even carried out on a stool like a queen would have been carried!

    The stool was decorated with flowers, which I think was offerings from the same day, before they carried the holy book out. When Guru Granth Sahib was placed safe inside the building for the night, they passed around the pillows it had been lying on so everyone could touch it.

    Unfortunately I didn’t manage to get up for the morning ceremony (it is at 4.30am!!), but I guess that leaves me with an excuse to go back… 

I had them all posing for me!

    Even though the evening ceremony and everything else was beautiful I would have to say my favourite part was the Free Kitchen! This is a community kitchen were you can eat as much as you want, whenever you want, by a small donation (or for nothing if you don’t want to leave a donation).

   Last year in India I had a lot of stomach problems so it totally put my off Indian food for a loooong time, but I’ve decided to get over it and start eating Indian food again. I manned up and went to the free kitchen to eat like a local and I loved it. The difficult thing was to sit on the concrete floor cross-legged and eat with my hands without spilling! And at the same time trying to do this I had a bunch of people watching me while I ate. At the end someone told me I could put my plate on my lap instead of putting it on the floor like everyone else, but it was sort of too late then; I had already spilt a third of the green curry stuff over my pants. But who cares? The food was wicked and I did go back a second time. 

    The Sikh people have to be some of the most welcoming and accepting people there are; both the temple and the kitchen is open to everyone, it doesn’t matter what religion you believe in or not believe in. I read somewhere that the four gates surrounding the temple also symbolize this; people from all walks of life are welcome. And I did find them as very friendly and helpful people!

Nice street vendor outside the temple

Me at the Golden Temple!

    Last night I arrived in Pune, which is going to be my home for the next month while I have daily classes with an amazing Iyengar yoga teacher. I will post some photos of my apartment later this week; it is wicked! I have to get up at 6am tomorrow for my first yoga class so it will be an early night for me...