Walking bare foot in Kerela
29.3.2012
Airport, Larnaca, Cyprus.
Leaving for a trip to India. Releasing unnecessary ideas. I can be whatever I choose to be.
Flight Larnaca-Bahrain, Bahrain-Cochin. Cochin is the main travelling point of the southern state of Kerela. And there my so far craziest drive begins…
I arrived round 3 am. I managed to exchange some money at the airport and arrange a prepaid taxi to the Cochin railway station. When I walked out of the airport facilities I realized a strong to me unnatural smell that can be described as a mix of traffic exhalations, sewage and smoke. Incredible India experience n. 1.
I heard a lot about the driving habits of Indians but could not imagine it. I was wandering how the taxi driver could maneuver his vehicle with such a negligence and boldness at the same time. I witnessed a Kamikaze drive, was grateful that we did not hit anyone, that I was still alive and somehow I knew that it is not the last time that I had Incredible India driving experience. From the Cochin railway station I had to take a train which departed at 7 am to Kozhikode where I wanted to join a small group of my friends. I did not realize that the train service is in use by countless number of Indians and reservation would definitely be in place but I did not manage to make a reservation. While waiting on the train station I saw people sleeping all over the place, on pavements, if they were awake at that hour they gazed at me with to me undefined vigor. If am going to survive this I am to survive everything!
Without a reservation the train journey become very uncomfortable but what I minded utmost was that ever present smell a la Incredible India which vanished only when the train was in movement. As the scenery passed in front of my eyes I saw beautiful countryside of unknown beauty of tropical weather and on the other hand also very poor conditions of living at some places. I understood that India might be the most contrasting place I will ever get to know and that was just the beginning of my journey.
Tired and amazed I arrived in Kozhikode. Maya, Acharya, Tasos and his wife Maria become my companions for the following next week or so. They picked me up at the station. Here I could exchange with my friends the perceptions and experience which were more repulsive than pleasant. I learned that we are the only foreigners in this part of Kerela.
Living with acharya
4.3. 2012
I woke up and walked out of my room. Guys were having a theory class with acharya. His place is located in jungle near to the city of Kozhikode on the banks of a river which is near to the sea and therefore is partly salty. The incredible India smell was not present instead the jungle was offering a moist and pleasing smell of plants and river hence I could relax my lungs.
I joined the theory class after which we went on the roof to practice yoga. To me already known asanas, pranayama, mantra chanting and meditations techniques were added new aspects. The following days were divided between the city and the jungle. In the city I visited acharya`s Patanjali Yoga Research Centre. Although I have known acharya since Cyprus and I had considerable respect towards him I did not know that in his home environment in India he is a very reputable person with people kissing his feet. He is 61 years old and still can do even very advanced asanas. His phone is ringing almost all the time with requests for yogic diagnosis and treatments. In the centre he sees the people personally. According to his day structure we usually woke up at 5:30 and started the day with mantra chanting and meditations. Then when the sun was coming up we went on the roof to practice asanas including sun salutation. The food prepared by acharya`s wife Saudamini was quite spicy despite the fact that she considerably reduced the use of chilli. It was very interesting food based on rice and plants that were growing in our environment. I tasted coconut milk and the milky white inside of a young coconut as well as nutty taste of rape coconut. The coconut trees in Kerela are almost everywhere. I love coconut! The jack fruit was one of the most intriguing sweet tastes I have ever experienced.
We become an attraction everywhere we went. We have visited 2 or 3 festivals characteristic for this time of a year and Kerela. People here were not used to see white people wondering around. On the demand of acharya we introduced ourselves each time that there was an opportunity and connected it to yoga practice…good marketing technique J We even posed in few asanas for a local newspaper.
Now I find myself in Ayurvedic hospital , Payyanur, where acharya has a collaborator, an ayurvedic doctor. Patanjali yoga Research Centre had a big event here in the city on which we actively participated by meditation and then dancing on the podium J Today evening at 8 pm I leave for Goa. The train is reserved in advance in order to travel decently.
In this few past days I thought of how simply the people in the jungle live, it is unimaginable to the western culture. Except the Incredible India smell the big problem is that people do not know what trash bin is. In western language I could call it littering but it is not so simple. Before they experienced the plastic products they were using only natural tools and products (mainly the quickly consumed) and so when they finished using it they could simply throw it into the nature. For instance they use palm leaves to at from and when they throw it wherever they want it does not cause problem. It decompose easily. However now if I buy a bottle of water which is necessity here afterwards I need to throw it, throw it anywhere which does not feel good to me as I am conscious of polluting. It is consumerism vs. simple way of life. It is obvious that the consumerism is not the local way of life.
Chillum in Vagator
9.3.2012
Sitting in Liliput café bar in the morning just next to the beach and slowly sipping my masala. Today the Holly Festival starts. Locals put already prepared doses of colorful powders to passing by people`s faces. I guess that at the end of the day everyone will be covered in rainbows made out of turmeric, chilly and other spices.
I arrived to Arjuna, Goa at 5 am 3 days ago and the small community was still fast asleep. People here obviously wake up later than Kerela state which as a matter of fact wakes up at around 4 o`clock in the morning. After few hours of sleep in a friend`s hut I had to take care of my accommodation. The next morning was stepping into the Goa world. After finding a place to crash for one night I went with my friend to see what the place can offer. At this point of time I still do discover. Goa however small it might seem on the map is big enough to see variety of places. I am staying at Arjuna beach and it is a beautiful spot on this planet. It is full of huts and narrow streets covered by stands selling local culture styled things from clothing to jewelry. And beaches are filled with bars. On Wednesday, I passed by the weekly market event where thousands of stands sold all the different stuff.
Goa is also cleaner than Kerela state. It is because of the influence of tourism that is significant. The food is great and if you find a nice hut you will find yourself on a different planet.
If you wanna buy anything like alibaba-trousers the goods are way overcharged by measures of Indian standards. The prices can come up to level of European resorts. That is why I had to pick up bargaining. I mean heavy bargaining with the sales people, returning three times to the stand because they might have screamed a better offer again.
Yesterday, I went to take a bath to the Vagator beach. In the nearby restaurant bar is a chillum place. I met there an Argentinian person travelling full time. The first time he came to Goa was in 1989. He told me a story of a sailor who was once travelling to India on a boat. The sailor went to the deck of his ship and smelled something different in the air rather funny. It was a week till the arrival of the ship into the Indian docs. He asked what is this funny smell` Next to him standing co-sailor answered him that it is India. That much the discussion on the Incredible India smells. (At the end of the story the sailor stayed in Goa and still lives here, some English person.)
I was sitting on the same place where many life long travellers are coming to gather for a chillum. It was nice to encounter this mojo place.
Thumbs up for Arjuna because I can relax here. In a place like this you have no other choice than to be yourself and enjoy it. This is the Incredible India experience n. 2 and a big like for it.
I leave from Goa in about
3 days. Till then still plenty of time to go(a) :)
Leaving the beach huts in Goa.
8.3. 2012 Sitting in Tantra which can be described as a micro forest made of vertical huts for staying in or just to visit and get food or a drink. I leave in 20 min. Goa was such a great vibe for me, everyone is just chilled and relaxed in contrast to the aggressive selling procedures of the locals. Hopefully, my pics from Goa at least little bit imply the heterogeneous atmosphere here. You know, if I was bored of snow at home in the Christmas time, I would know where to go.
On the other hand, I leave Goa behind in order to reveal to myself the Palm Leaves Library`s confession, of course if there is anything to reveal. Taking a train from Thivim to Kozhikode. The ride will take me approximately 9 hrs. I reserved a ticket in sleepers` class. It should be as I call it decent travel joining in Kozhikode acharya, Maria and Tasos.
In search for Palm Leave Library
After a talk with acharya I figured out that there might be a possibility to get the palm libraries reading also in Kozhikode. After few phone calls we managed to locate a small office that was providing in collaboration with the original. I arranged a meeting and went there. I got a leaflet that you can see below.
The woman who welcomed us explained how it works and what is required. She told me that the headquarters is in Tamil Nadu in a place called Vaideeswaran Koil, there`temple consecrated to Shiva. She also claimed that the palm leaves library was established by Agasthiar and the leaves were written by 18 saints. The original palm leaves files we translated from Sanskrit to ancient Tamil language. The Nadi reading is attributed to ancient Indian astrology however it does not have very astrological character to me. Whatever it is I wish they would find my file in order to see if the stories are right or wrong. By the way, many of the files are already gone thanks to British occupation and the tooth of time too. Cross your fingers for me.
But, so far good...I gave them everything they asked for, my thumb imprint and my exact name including variations like nick names. I have to wait....price: 500 rupees for the basic info, plus 500 rupees for each extra info that might be required. For instance, if you liked to hear about your past, present and future in terms of health problems, love and money for each category you would need to pay extra 500. In our case it comes up to 2000 rupees, this equals to 30 Euro.
I went to the office with Maria and Tasos who got also interested in this small miracle and provided their info too. Everyone of our group have to wait to find our leaves in Tamil Nadu but Maria is maybe lucky and her file might have been found in the back rooms of this local office. The Nadu reader came from the back with words that he maybe found her file. So he started to ask Maria (via a translator, our common friend, as the Nadu reader did not speak any English) many question starting with her name going on with names of her parents important points of her life and so on. And result? We found out that this is not her file, maybe it can be still found in Tamil Nadu. At least I had the opportunity to see how these palm leaves look like and s'il vous plaît, silence now, voilà :)
..still waiting. I am not loosing time and tonight I leave for Bangalore, the city of gardens. I heard it is really great place and I am looking forward to new experience.
Next time I would like to share with you my meditation and yoga experience. I will tell you something about So Ham meditation which is pretty special. Take care.
