Travels in California
Sadhaka Jayanatha sends a final note from the road before flying back to Kauai:
In the morning following the Interfaith event, the Patels drove Acharya and I to the airport. Texas hospitality did seem to exist in abundance, even the TSA officers were very relaxed and friendly. Instead of funny looks about our unique travel attire, we received pleasant comments, such as: "What comfortable looking clothes you've got there." We watched the red sunrise over the flat horizon while our slightly late plane was prepared for its flight to a larger airport. We then walked along the tarmac and boarded our flight. A quick transfer to a bigger plane in our next location and we were off to San Jose, California!
We touched down midday and got into our rental car. We drove to our hotel, which is an Embassy Suites, minutes from the area's Hindu cultural center. It is a hotel structured with four walls of rooms enclosing a large open center, with a garden area, restaurant and koi pond in the middle, so that when people are down there enjoying the hotel's happy-hour after 5pm (seems to be bit of a party hotel), everyone else in the hotel can enjoy their noisy and inebriated incoherence. We had a free afternoon, with which we got a few food items and then found a place to walk. A thin strip of "park" stretched several blocks close to our hotel. It has a walking path and interestingly about 80% of the people you see there are indian in full kurtas and saris.
The next morning we took another walk on our pathway, and then were picked up by Easvan Param from the hotel to attend a satsang at his home in Walnut Creek. It was a nice peaceful place with a beautiful garden. Acharya presented his Textbook keynote and we talked a bit about the interfaith event, all followed by a wonderful lunch. After returning to our hotel, we readied for the HAF dinner that evening at the aforementioned Hindu cultural center.
We were picked up and upon arrival Acharya was interviewed by two TV channels and one radio channel. He was basically questioned about the information he was about to give in his presentation. The night then began with HAF setting their fundraising goal, followed by several important presentations about what HAF was doing. It also included other talks, such Acharya's presentation of the textbook issue, which apparently really spoke to some people. We then spent a few hours talking to those who approached us with greetings or further questions.
The next day we visited the Local BAPS Swaminarayan center. It was previously a very large warehouse-like building which BAPS had successfully turned into a thriving and well-kept center. There they had classrooms, kitchens, halls, a store, residences for their pujari and for their Sadhus, as well as a central shrine area. It was the 8th annual celebration of the center's opening, so several other Sadhus flew in. That including Chaitanyamurti Swami who had visited the Aadheenam a few years ago, and who gave us a warm welcome. On arrival we had a tour and a meeting with Pujya Doctor Swamiji who is one of the most senior members of their order. After the main events and a talk by Doctor Swami, Acharya gave his presentation to a small group there. More photos from BAPS coming soon.
Aum Namah Sivaya!
One Response to “Travels in California”
From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
September 16th, 2015 at 11:39 am
Well done Swamijis ! Happy Vinayaka Chadhurthi! Om GAM Ganapathaye Namaha….. C.P.KUMARESAN Tirupur India