My birthday cake

Eggless cake made by ashram canteen. :) turning old. . .

Jam with sam

Knock knock knockin on heavens door was the song

Look at the sky

Sun set view from Ashram

Ganga kutir

Had to record guruji's message for the global campaign against poverty. Was in ganga kutir for more than an hour. Guruji gave me a very special birthday gift as well.

ashram boys

Guruji has adopted them and everythin is taken care including education. Saw them outside the ashram today. They are crazy about football. . .

Little elephant

She is indrani. Walks around trumpeting, pulling blades of grass along the way. Sometimes she carries a mouth organ, playin, random harmony. Its gestures are cute. She is hardly chained and in her morning walks to the kitchen is such a delight to see her walking without any chains. . .

Sam chandy

Sam is my new room mate, he religiously wakes up every one in the room, rightly making him the ' father' ly character. Now a art of living, yes plus teacher, he was working as bartender in a cruise ship. :) .

She . . .

I see a mystery in her very being. It is this super unknown that makes her a magnet. She carries with her, a dimpled smile, piercing eyes, and a breezy feel. Her surprises and happy stories trans ponds her to her latent hidden persona which will take anyone back to their childhood. She can take any character. From Calvin to Garfield to heath cliff; this little cat has given me lots of smiles and happiness without her not even knowing about it. Her callousness is her attitude and she has made a comfortable blanket of it. To the beauty queen . . She.

What Guruji said:

Only the poor people of india can protect the country as they are the only one who are bold. I don expect things to change from the rich. They live a life full of doubts and don have a strong spine. I am proud of that vegetable vendor who dropped everythin for the welfare of the country. . . ( the story of the guy who donated all his earnings for ashram which Guruji obviously politely denied)

Satsang in amphi. .

Maharashtra amc participants in silence. About five thousand people at the venue.

The ghost. .

Sometimes ashramites looks scary in white . . . :)

Nishant, software tester

This is the guy who is in charge of monitoring and checking of the latest software developed for housing department in the ashram. He is my roommate too. Sumeru solution was started by guruji to give seva opportunity to IIT graduates and other qualified professionals.

Ashish. Event guy

He decides the event venues for courses, material coordination for courses, video sessions, transport organisor and other special events in the ashram like marriages and more. . . Www.artofliving.org

Satsang in amphitheatre

Sat sang today is jam packed with maharashtra amc with all other courses for the state including yes. Yes 2, art excel and apart from it yes plus advance, and advance and otherwise regular course participants. About ten thousand people are gathered here.

My advance course teacher. Pankaj gupta

He is amazing! :)

Surreal. . .

I couldn't believe my eyes. Was walking along the path which leads to Vishalakshi mantap, and i see this coloured beauty flipping though the hibiscus plant. I simply felt like stretching my hand towards it and to my suprise, it just gently perched on to my fingers. I was observing silence for the past 2 days and i thought may be today, i have actually become part of it today. . . It stayed on till i picked my phone, switched it on, and then a few moments later after i clicked a snap. It gently flew of to a flower. Its a miracle! :)

The last session in advance course.

The course went unbelievably fast. One meditation after the other and 2 days of silence added to it was a really out of the world experience. I realised, we can get most of our work done, in silence. I feel as light as a feather. No words could describe it. I realise how blessed i am. Not many will get such a gift.

Vishalakshi mantap

This is the meditation hall of the art of living ashram in bangalore. Isn't it beautiful? Picture taken before going to silence.

My Advance course

Advance course is going to start in few minutes. Pankaj ji is the teacher. Number of participants 135. silence starts tomorrow till sunday.

Yes plus advance course participants waiting for accomodation.

At 11 in the night also yes plus advance course participants have started coming in. Gettin them place to stay is a big arrangement. Buses after buses, young adults are being taken to their abode. Bawa just told them to eat in kitchen and come back and complete the registration formalities.

Guruji's talk

Excerpts of the talk of sri sri ravi shankar. ( Please excuse me as i couldn't type it fast from my mobile) guruji : you need to think first what you can do for the world? That thought is the right path. You want to go to delhi but if you take a train to trivandrum it doesn't help. Many companies go down because of this because all partners think how much money they can take out from it. Try as much to fulfill others wishes. In the process of taking, people will run away from you. You only trust people who is ready to help you out when you required. And not someone who always keeps asking for things. But don go out of your way. The society doesn't expect you to do everythin. If you are not a doctor, do not try to treat people. Even that is a mistake. Whaterer you can do in your level, you should be ready to do. The society always expect you to do what you are capable. The goodness in you get reflected manifold in the society. . . but of course There are some people whom you can never impress in society. Don worry about such people and their opinions... Question: i am thirty now. I don know if i should do my business or get married? Answer: about love, you should do with your heart and business with your brain. Lock your heart in your house when you do business and vice versa. . . I missed one question. Everyone takes sankalpa but how does it realise? Guruji: you need to surrender after you take intention and not cling on to it. Question: does god also get tired? Guruji: in india you play the song which tells gods to wake up. Its called suprabatham. The idea is to wake up the dead to human and then the next process is to awaken the divinity in you. . . This is the most highest philosophy. Every woman in india can make tea easily without giving much attention. In the same way don think divine is sleepin. Vishnu is lying down in that pose being aware of what is happening around. . . Question: what can spiritual leaders do for society? What are you doin in this regard? guruji: see, we are working, but also remember you also should involve and don expect only us to do. Somebody asked why so much work was done in bihar and the same not done in orrisa? And i asked him, brother, where were you? (Laughs) six years back, the ltte leader spoke and i had advised him, now that you are very strong, its time to come to negotiating table. Else you willend like saddam. They never considered themselves terrorist and i told them except you, all the countries look at you as terrorist. I assured them, i will do the negotiation. But they never listened and told me to mind my job and let them handle politics. THEY NEVER LISTENED TO ME. i also advised the prime minister, you can fight the war but never win it fully until and unless you stop the war and give the chance to weaker side. . . . Why didn't bangaladesh give the corridor which can save a lot of distance to go to tripura. It didn't happen because we indians don have the quality of track door diplomacy. We need to bring people of all segments like corporates, industries, trade unions and politicians . together only we can make a difference.

Satsang

Today satsang is electrifying. The kerala advance participants broke their three day silence. There were close to 700 participants. Many of them have already left and the remaining are leaving tomorrow evening. Yes plus advance course starts day after and youngsters have also started flocking in. maharashtra state advance course is also starting day after and a whopping 2500 plus people have registered for the course. Will get the Exact figures tomorrow. Reporting live from vishalakshi mantap, Aswin nandakumar with w 350 i camera phone. ;)

Mandakini

She didn't have a name. I have named her so. Most cows in kerala have such funny names. :)

Road to goshala

The 4 days continuous rains have raised the water level of the lake near radha kunj. Going to goshala is a nice break from ashram work. If you want to get inspiration to be lazy, just watch the cows. Nothin can beat them! The way they keep chewing the same food over and over for hours actually makes you peaceful. The only activity they need to do is to just chew chew and chew and give some gobar and milk. My next post will feature some bohemes .

Mystic morning

Today, the mist and the fog adorned the hill ranges that you see from the meditation hall. This is the view that you see just before you enter the hall from the west entrance. Had a lovely meditation today!

Dancing uncle number 1 in satsang

The cartoon dancer! Nothing else to say! :)

Light in darkness

Guruji in satsang when there was no power.

Knowledge session with vinod menon

Vinod menon is one of the most dymanic teacher of the art of living. He takes the divya samaj nirman course across the world. While leavin office, he found me and instructed me to come home. Later he made me read the knowledge sheet of guruji called ' the real success. ' that too, three times. Until 3 others who were there with him also were clear. Later he made me ask questions about the knowledge sheet read. As it progressed, one of us asked, the mind is interesting to which he reverted by saying no; it is the quality inside you that makes you feel that the mind is interesting and not be the virtue of the mind. One can find it boring, if he wishes and can get bored. So the things that you feel is interesting or not is not actually what the thing is really. It is about your interest! Now as i walk back to the kitchen for my dinner, i feel the evening was really special. This is the place! Time for dinner . . Www.Artofliving.Org

Colleague shona's son

This guy keeps jumping around in the office. As in any office, you will know its summer vacation when you see school kids in office! By the way we call him nandu.

It rained again!

In the midst of work, rain comes as a breathe. All work halts when thunder and lightening strikes. My colleagues have made it an excuse to take a break, to share their experience of how people got fried by thunderbolts like these. Its truly mesmerising and i am loving it! Ashram looks even more beautiful when you are completely jobless!

Ashram canteen

This is the art of living ashram canteen where they serve organic fruit juice.

Guruji with bangalore university vice chancellor

Today guruji was conferred with an honorary doctorate from the vice chancellor of bangalore university. The award was conferred for the outstanding social service activity that the art of living foundation has been doing to create a violence free and stress free society.

Its raining!

Everyday evening, in the art of living ashram it has become a routine for rain god to pay a visit. Bucket full of rain comes down cooling the hot earth in no time! Guruji had said, water element is not angry, it is just in abundance. Rain always takes me back to best times in my life. To think about people whom i have personified it with, to recollect those days of losing umbrellas after raincoats in school to every positive thing that has happenned in life. I don remember a day, where i have cursed the rain. It charming beyond words and i would like to get now to be with it.

Pradeep sebastian

The one man army. I would call him the idea man. Its in bounty with this Aquarian thinker. The man behind starting Act Now Trust and the driving force behind Aranyam film festival। A prolific yet humble designer who creates magic in every thing that he creates, right from book publishing, web designing using the most latest of technology what designers or even companies in india dare to experiment wit; this man has been my teacher and guide who encouraged me to learn graphic designing. I remember, the day he had said, ' if you know microsoft word, you can learn even photoshop '. And that was in 2006 and now i can fairly do well in most graphic tools. Adventure and camping is his type of blood and travellin with him is sheer craziness. Wildlife is his passion and is walking encyclopedia on wildlife in india. He now runs witness media, an advocacy media agency based in Bangalore. Thats pradeep for you!

Vasundhara award . . Down memory lane

While i was at pradeep's place today, saw the award that act now trust received from kirloskar at pune for our contribution towards environment conservation program through aranyam film festival. Now it has gathered dust. . Do check www. Aranyam.org for details.

Bus travel

I love travelling by bus even if it means sliding and slithering past hundreds of people. The people who travel by bus are the real people of the place. You will get to understand to some extent, even the culture of the place. I love travellin in it as you get to see a glimpse of the society that you live in. If you are in india, i recommend bus travel, no matter how crowded or battered the bus is.

Kashi bhaiya in satsang

Kashi bhaiya talkin about good company and teaching's of buddha.

Events office in ashram

There are just 4 people working in the events department and they take care of every single program that takes place in art of living for more details visit www.artofliving.org

Ashram meditation session

Today ashram is filled with advance course participants from kerala. Thought i will share this in the blog