mahakaleshwar, mosquitos and me

amdbd--> ujjain--> orchhaa--> benaras--> ujjain ujjain ujjain

and then things changed. it feels sudden in some ways, and yet like it has been impending for some time.

i was drawn to come back to the ashram in ujjain after my stay in amdbd. i found it even more lovely than before. amongst good friends from all over india and the world i celebrated not one but two holi celebrations (throw paint at each other and go insane day). when swami nardanand left the ashram to see some devotees i decided to go to orchhaa and kashi with a very exceptional man named gael. we spent a few happy weeks there that included swims in the septic ganga, lots of books and a nine-day cereals fast for navratri. yet, i couldn't keep my mind from wandering back to ujjain. was there any way i could help swamiji distribute his malaria medicine? what about the organic farm he wants to start (in case you haven't heard, experts now agree that the people of this world can eat or drive but they can't do both)? and perhaps at the heart of it all, beyond these things, how can i make it possible to live in ujjain? i have never felt so spiritually grounded as in this place. you can watch visitors visibly, physically change as they spend time here. everything grows peaceful, contemplative. swamiji is a renowned intellectual, renowned spiritual leader and even has several kings as devotees but you could never know that from his simple life, child-like enthusiasm and generosity.

upon returning to ujjain i met another devotee of swamiji's from america who is here to finance the malaria project. i have been invited to help with this work. everything is a bit tentative right now and anything could happen, but i feel this could be very good. i didn't come to india for work, but if it is a way that i can serve this wonderful ashram and wonderful swami then i would be overjoyed to do it. so we shall see.