Peace in Punjab

We've been on the move, and aside from some REALLY uncomfortable bus rides, it feels great. In the beginning of our time in India, traveling around was challenging. India was just so thick, overwhelmingly layered. Now, I feel more capable of navigating her layers. This feeling of capability is necessary because India is Non-stop!

We enjoyed a beautiful week in Manali full of snow and long walks. Some highlights are morning tea and paranthas with the village women of Old Manali, long walks through the snow along the Beas River, hanging out with Till and Lisa from Germany, and going to the hot springs inside the Manu temple of Vashist. It was peacefull and endlessly beautiful. The whole place is surrounded by icey peaks of the Himalayas poking up at the clouds. Manali kept us longer than we expected, but if this trip is about anything, it is about letting go of expectations over and over and over again.

After one week we moved on to the Himachal Pradesh capital, Shimla and from there to Chandigarh. After much persistance at the airport in Chandigarh, (which I will tell you has no pay phones, no atm, and the customer service is the opposite of what you'd expect from "customer service"... but again, letting go of expectations ..), we got new plane tickets made for April 8th. I'll appear in NC with the flowers and showers of Spring!

On the train down the mountains from Shimla I decided that we needed to visit the Golden Temple of Amritsar. I hadn't planned to go here, but it was just calling me clearly and could not be avoided. The temple is a sort of Mecca for Sikhs and is the home of their holy book. We took a bus from Chandigarh and it was more than worth it. Upon first glance of the Golden Temple I was struck by the immense beauty held in the entire temple grounds. I can best describe the experience, that is truly beyond words and photography, by offering some writing I did while I was there.

"We walk in, shoes off, bathing our feet in a small pool of water. Our heads are covered with scarves. The grounds of the complex are cool, smooth marble. I feel grounded and levetating at the same time, and this is just how the temple appears, hovering on top of the pool of AmritSar, the nectar-pool of immortality. The reflection of the Golden Temple shimmers like glitter in the water. Taking my eyes up to meet the actual building reveals an unwavering, majestic, staunch building- the beauty of the reflection amplified by thousands. I see a hundred pigeons flying to rest on the inverted lotus roof.
The sounds filling the temple are what touch me most. There is continuous live Kirtan, day and night, performed inside and transmitted clearly on Bose speakers surrounding the whole complex. I awake at 5 am to this sound and go to sleep to this sound. I saw it created before my eyes last night, and felt as though my heart was bathing in cleansing, warm water - at once I was relaxed and excited. Now I sit at the marble edge of the pool and am surrounded by chants and music. Of course, Phillip is enthralled by the sound system that carries the Kirtan so clearly to all corners of the temple.
Inside the temple 2 Sikh men perform the chanting and play on golden harmoniums. Another man plays tablas. Women sit on one side and men on another mediating to the music. Another Sikh fans the holy book with a long feather. On the second floor the holy book is kept in a special section and Sikh men take 1 hour shifts of reciting the text. This is done continuously and takes 48 hours to read the whole thing, then the cycle starts over.
The atmosphere of the temple is all about equality. There are 4 entrances, implying that God can enter from all directions, as well as all people regardless of caste, religion and nationality. Rooms and food are given for free to anyone who comes here. When you eat in the free kitchen thousands of people at a time sit on the floor together sharing food. "There is one God: True is his name and Creative his personality" is a chant sung in Kirtan. I was told the first lines of the Sikh holy book are "One God. God's name is True. God is everywhere". This is a spirituality that permeates everything. I love this religion of equality."

This experience has touched me deeply and may remain the highlight of the trip. The beauty of the temple is genuine, something I have not found to be true at other "sacred" places on this trip. I was also pleasantly surprised by the sincere help and friendship offered to us by the Punjabis there and in Chandigarh. I think it is the most friendly state we have been to so far. We must give a big shout-out to Mr. Narinder Singh, an elderly Sikh man, who, among so many other feats, saved us from hostile beggars and offered us refuge in the form of tea in a treadmill showroom. He offers a kind "Hello" to Lis's pepaw, Jimmy Peacock, aka Mr. Feathers.

Now, we are in Rishikesh and enjoying life at the banks of the Ganges River. The breeze is cooling and the sun is hot, allways a complimentary couple.