Chennai Gatherings

Yoginathaswami and Sadasivanathaswami are deeply impressed with the scale of development in India. Here in Chennai there is a massive rapid transit train initiative underway that goes for miles and miles, something that will transform the landscape (traffic) here.

Having settled in for a few days, we were able to catch up with our reporting from the road and to sit with many good souls, begin some projects, end others and just spend friendly time with families in the area.

We are in the Chennai airport, online due to our Airtel modem which works everywhere (something that is priced beyond reach for the monks in the US). Swami and I will sleep on the banks of the Ganga tonight, a fact that would certainly have confounded the early sadhus and sannyasins who explored Bharat on foot in those early days. Not to mention that not that many decades ago it would have been unthinkable that this report, replete with photos, could be in your hands within moments of completion.

With infinite blessings from Bharat Mata to the many who are, in fact, but part of the One...

This is today\

s traffic...'

And this

Sure, and this too.

But Chennai is looking more and more like Los Angeles. This is a new overpass.

Thiru T. Sivayogapathy of Toronto is visiting family and came to be with us one morning

He told some great Yogaswami stories, which we captured on tape, stories never heard before and which we will transcribe at home.

L. Nellaiappan, who has worked with us for some 35 years, brought his family

His daughter lives in the US

All engineers and IT specialists

Daughter Divya was asked in school to invent her own religion, which she called Hawaiism. If you belong, you must be a vegetarian and you can\

t smoke.'

Kauai County engineer and Kadavul Temple devotee Venkatesan is also visiting Chennai and brought his family, including twin four-year-old granddaughters.

For many years, A. Manivelu created important art for Gurudeva\

s books. He illustrated Merging with Siva and Living with Siva. Son Arumugam, in black shirt, works for DreamWorks in India as an artist. '

Artist Kesav came to share his amazing paintings with us. He was inspired by S. Rajam who gave him brushes just days before his Great Departure.

A gifted bhaktar with a wide range of artistic styles

Abdullah came to be with us. He has been the monastery tailor for many years now.

And dear Sheela Venkatakrishnan saw us off at the airport. Thank you, Sheela, for being our eyes and ears in Chennai.

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