India oh India

Would you like a cart for your luggage?

10,000 Sadhvis versus 2000 Sadhus in on Jain path!


Proof! Jason in Dwarka

Beauty in Nagesvar.


The 20 or so hours of travel from New Jersey to Amhedabad was like having a fever which one is never quite comfortable this way or that way. Air India truly gives the taste of India before you hit the Mother Land. Bollywood erotic films, arguing with the stewards(customer is never right), rushing and pushing rather than lines, and those wonderful accents and pretending to not know english. We definetly looked forward to India and getting off that 6 story aircraft that smelled like tumeric or was that garlic and onions and Bacardi being passed around.

We arrived Amhedabad to what seemed like the New York stock exchange with a little more angst. A little slip of some American cash got us right through customs with little more than a wink.

One day in Ahmedabad sent us to the Large Iskcon temple, brief shopping, and a meeting with a few Jain sadhvis. Tara's neice renounced everything and now walks barefoot through India seeking enlightenment. Once a year she plucks out her own hair as well! This short visit left me great inspiration to be a little renounced while in India. To their level I dont think so. But definetly inspired by their mood.

We left the city and travelled to Dwarka. Here we visited the ancient Dwarkadish temple and stayed in Iskcon center established by HH Mahavisnu Maharaja. Their is one devotee taking care of everything. Cooking, cleaning, dressing, morning program, Bhagavatam class etc. Amazing soul. (Kind of like some places in America? India may not be that much difffernt.Bhakti is rare.) A great inspiration. He cooked for us for two days and placed us in the guest house with the most of care and attention. Our first holy dhama was reached on Ekadasi so our first stop of the India tour was most auspicious. One of the Pujaris at Dwarkadish temple took a fondness to me and left me with a maha garland right off the diety. A few prayers to Balarama and Dwarkadish sent us off to Bet dwaraka, which is an island in the Arabian sea. A most wonderful place to see and remember. The diety there is said to be very dear to Meerabhai and some say she merged into that diety. We bought some Gopi Chandan at Gopitila and returned to Dwarka city. The next day we left and headed to Nagaesvar and Chorwad.

Jason Tolerated the driving and learned about the signifigance of constant chanting and prayer while in India. The first few days were most amazing and appreciated. A lot more has happened but well leave that for later..... sick days-zero!