more pictures of Guruji's birthday

Guruji's 92nd Birthday, Monday 30th July.

What a beautiful day it was! It was a day of celebration for the life of this amazing man. Over the past week old students have been arriving in Mysore to honour Guruji on his birthday. Close to 400 people (locals and foreigners) filled the shala floor wanting to participate in the celebrations. Space was hard to find and sitting cross leg in a sari trying to take up as little space as possible is a difficult thing!!



The day began with traditional homa (fire) puja and chanting of mantras by the Brahmin priests, blessing Guruji with long life and good health. Following this a few students did performances in honour of Guruji, which were very well received. We even sang "Happy Birthday" in Kannada, much to Guruji's delight. A long line was formed around around the shala as we all the waited to personally greet Guruji, give him flowers, have a photo taken with him and just be close to this teacher who has given so much to each one of us and the yoga world in general.

I have been thinking of what Guruji means to me....he means so much that it is difficult to put it into words. But one thing came to mind, I was fortunate to learn from Guruji 10months after I started practicing Ashtanga yoga, since then it has just been normal for me to return to continue my learning with him and Sharath. He firmly established me in this practice, his faith, strength, dedication and compassion continue to inspire me everyday when I get on my mat. Practice may be hard some days and I may be a long way from Mysore, but he has given me a passion for Yoga (just as he has given many others) that keeps me wanting to learn, practice and share what I've been taught.



What is remarkable is that 3 months ago Guruji was critically ill, but now he is here and he is strong. He is not going anywhere yet! His recovery made Monday all the more a celebration.
As Sharath said "May he live for many more years to come!"

Of course a Brahmin feast followed. So many things appeared on my banana leaf.....as well as some birthday cake.

Blessings to Guruji and his family.
Hari Om.

Harry Potter in India

Harry Potter has opened in Mysore. Mary, Sarai and I lined up with the school kiddies for our chance to see Harry in action.



But, sadly Harry Potter is not much chop when it comes to pulling film crowds here in Karnataka, and is unlikely to last more than one week on the big screen. The local film heroes are much more appreciated and attract much more attention!!

beginning of 4th week.

I'm finally feeling better after a couple of days of lying low with a stomach bug. I don't know what it was, but during my first 5am led primary practice on Friday my abdomen did not want to twist or bend forward!!! I thought it may have been my 3.15am wake up and my bad night sleep.....but no. Anyway, the good thing about being in Mysore is that there really is nowhere you have to be after you have finished your yoga practice. So I spent the day horizontal, only managing to eat a few idli (steamed rice cakes) with vegemite! Whatever it was it didn't hang about, so I was back on my mat 5am on Sunday morning feeling much better and lighter. Internal cleasing is always good.
So, yes, Sharath has moved me up to 5am, which really means 4.45am as this is what time the shala doors open. Working backwards, this means that my alarm goes off at 3.30am giving me enough time for a cup of tea, showering, stretching and a little sitting prior to my walk to the shala. This time of the morning is so peaceful, starting practice when it is still dark and finishing when the sun has come up is a very sweet way to start the day. Everything is less frantic, the energy in the shala is clear and there is a touch of night coolness. I roll out of the shala about 7.30am ready to accept my first coconut of the day from Bck (pronounced Beck), the forever smiling coconut man.


...and maybe buy some jasmine.

a trip down to Lakshmipuram

Yes, I've been taking a trip down memory lane remembering what it used to be like when there was only 12 people in the shala at any one time....and maybe 20 waiting on the stairs. The old shala was situated in Guruji's house (just as the new one is located in his new home in Gokulam) and was located in Lakshmipuram. This property was given to Guruji by the last Maharaja of Mysore as Guruji was one of his employees, he taught him yoga.

This first picture is of Caroline, Tania and myself outside the front door of the Guruji's old home. In the afternoons Guruji would leave the door open and we were welcome to come ask a question or just sit with him whilst he read the paper. On entry he most commonly asked "What news?"


Yesterday Charlie, Alice, Alan, Sarai and myself went to BB's canteen for chai and many coconut biscuits. In the days of the old shala we used to sit here after practice (sometimes as early as 6.30am if you were in the first batch!) drink chai, eat biscuits and watch Mysore slowly wake up. You knew you'd been there too long if students from the second batch started to arrive, it was time to go home and rest. Very peaceful mornings indeed.

Climbing Chamundi Hill

Saturday is the usual "day off" practice at the shala here in Mysore, but this month the new moon holiday falls on Sunday (today) so we have had a long weekend - 2 days of sleep ins! So my suggestion was to climb the 1000 steps up Chamundi Hill on Saturday morning, giving us Sunday to recover if need be. Chamundi Hill overlooks Mysore, at the top stands the Chamundeswari Temple, home of Chamundeswari the incarnation of the goddess Kali who slained the demons threatening Mysore. It is always a good idea to pay your repects to the goddess on arrival in Mysore ensuring yourself an enlightened stay!

Tania, Nick, Denise (a friend from Singapore) Sarah and myself made the climb from the bottom. Our rickshaw driver told us that a Cheetah had been spotted in the Chamundi forest a month back, but assured us we had nothing to fear....we just had to make sure the monkeys didn't snatch our bags. One aspect of living in India which I find difficult is the pollution, it seeps into my lungs and before long I can produce a pretty good smokers cough without going anywhere near a beedie. Anyway, yesterday I felt my lungs expand as I made my way up the steps, the sounds of the traffic where left behind and I was able to smell the scent of the plants. The steps were laid in another time, uneven slabs of granite, worn by the feet of many pilgrams.

Shade is ample (thankfully), especially at this time of the year when the rains are giving the forest full opportunity to grow to its thickest and greenest. Small shrines are located along the way giving the devoted a reason for rest and gratitude. Of course at the beginning of any journey there is always Ganesh (elephant headed, son of Shiva and Parvati) as he is needed to remove obstacles. 700 steps up we came to the 5 metre high Nandi (the bull of Shiva), after circumambulation and blessings from the priest we continued to the top enjoying the spotting the landmarks of Mysore below us.


Ah the breeze! The temple towers above everything and to the western eye the activity surrounding the temple appears chaotic at best. Just as we arrived the idol of Chamundeswari was brought out for a procession around the temple, the trumpets were sounded. She was bedecked with garlands of flowers, a jeweled umbrella was held above her head and disciples bowed their heads before her. Devotion and gratitiude which permeates Indian culture is learnt here within their religion and it is a beautiful thing to observe, something I feel is so often missing from the way we live our lives in the west.
We rolled down the hill in auto rickshaws playing chicken with oncoming buses keeping the adrenaline pumping all the way until we arrived within the safety of the Dasaprakash walls for a South Indian Thali lunch, then onto my fav tea house....the Joy House, best chai in Mysore.

Surprisingly my legs aren't sore today! Chamundeswari must be in favour of my stay!

Flowers for Guruji

This afternoon I bought flowers to give Guruji. A metre of small jasmine flowers threaded together on a string along with a few roses all tied up in a banana leaf. He was sitting at his desk when I walked into the office, his smile was beautiful and his eyes lit up. This was enough for me. Guruji has been through a serious illness and his recovery has been quite remarkable. I miss him not being in the shala, his energy when teaching is beyond description, the years he has spent practicing, teaching being immersed in the study of Yoga is tangible in his presence. Yesterday, just as I was beginning my practice he made his way from the back of the shala (where the office is located) carefully stepping through the sea of sweaty practicing bodies to the front of the room, where he sat in his chair for 5 minutes surveying the the practitioners in front of him, then, slowly, carefully he walked around the perimeter of the room back to the office.....almost like a circumambulation! There is much prana in this man. It is his years of dedication that have brought so many students to this practice and so many students to learn from him, his grandson Sharath and his daughter Saraswati in his home town of Mysore. Thank you Guruji!

Mysore arrival

Yay, finally I've got it together to post my first blog entry!!
Rolling into Mysore last week on the Shatabdhi Express, view of Chamundi Hill in the distance a faint hint of jasmine on the wind, I was just so happy to have arrived knowing that I have 9 weeks of practice, rest ahead of me. One thing that hasn't changed much in the past 10 years is the train station, sleepy and laid back....I feel like I've come home.