Letters from India

89. Arrive Anandashram - August 1988

Ashram Chucked Me Out; Arrive Anandashram

August 19, 1988

Anandashram

Dear Peoples!

The ashram managed to chuck me out, first time in three years! And I had only been there two months and one week, since Sai returned from Kodai/Ooty/Whitefield.

What happened was, the accommodation office finally refused to accept my card until it was updated by Public Relations office. No one in PR office would renew it, and even my Immortal friend said I better go, because Sai had not given any specific order about me (and they will not initiate asking Him). Sooo, on August 17th morning after bhajans I left Prasanthi Nilayam to Bangalore, that night I caught the night bus to Kerala, and arrived at Anandashram morning of August 18th. It was quite coincidental when Venkamma gave me a beautiful picture of herself just before I left, which was dated May 1985 on the back - the very month I was chucked three years ago!! Hmmm!

Anyway, I had very nice goodbyes. Venkamma told me to come back for Dasara (starting October 10th) - she said 5th – 6th - 7th October are good days for travel. So I plan to return then, with prayers that the affectionate office staff will let me return that early!

One friend is here – Satyananda the sanyasi. She’s originally from Walnut Creek (!) and has a relative by name of “Weed”. She’s about 35-40 years old and has been a sanyasi here in India about 8 or 10 years. I met her several times in Prasanthi Nilayam/Whitefield (she’s the one who had given me cave addresses three years ago, when we were both here then). Some past life connections, maybe.

Anyway, it is so nice and peaceful and quiet here, with constant chanting/bhajans, etc., in the Mandir - I can't help wondering how I survive actually living in distracted, noisy “Prasanthi Nilayam”! I suppose I simply must play my part and in my script it says, “Prasanthi Nilayam is Home, for better or for worse.” Thus I live.

Mother Krishnabai is here as usual. It seems she hasn’t come out for years – but she came out on the 17th night, Ramdas’ Mahasamadhi day, to sit in the main hall. It seems she gave very, very special long Darshan. I came the next morning. But that night also, she came out (carried in a chair) and sat in the main hall. She’s very, very pale and weak-looking, but spiritual radiance is definitely there. I was the only one in the Mandir when they brought her out (except for four residents – all others were at dinner). She stayed for two hours. At the end, all did namaskar and left. Here I'm doing much meditation - environment is very good for it.

Otherwise, Mother Krishnabai’s Darshan is only once a day, in the morning we go into her room just to do namaskar (she’s in the bed only).

There are few people here, maybe 30 or so Indians and 20 foreigners. I'm in a room with nice Greek lady, studying Indian dance in Madras. In room are beds, table, chair, fan, cups & water pots & tiffin carriers.

Rains are a lot here. All is green: trees, bushes, flowers; and there is chanting of Ram Nam always. I'm feeling mostly unattached about being away from Prasanthi Nilayam, although I think more progress is there - more tests to distract from peace! Here it feels like a nice vacation.

Love,

Divya