When we last left our heroine, she had tromped through alleys and over the Ganga on the swinging bridge to arrive late at the Narayana Tanj guest house. A fairly good nights sleep and she was out at 8 with Jackie and Kaita for some breakfast before yoga. However, the Oasis staff had been out late and were not ready to cook food in the same time frame we were wanting it, so we downed our masala chai and walked closer to our yoga spot (walking everywhere is a treat for the senses: sights, sounds, smells).
A brief stop at the German bakery and restaurant (and there are a few in town
that is at the Devarj Coffee Corner for cheese sandwiches and we walked around the corner to attend a Hatha yoga class with Veer.
Kaita, my guide, first came to Rishikesh about 5 1/2 years ago to volunteer in the orphanage here. As a result, she knows many people and is greeted with much warmth. Just the 3 of us (her friend Jackie is also a “trip leader”, but I’m the only client, so I’m mostly taken care of by Kaita) and it’s a very mellow class of stretching and prana (breathing) practices.
After class, we move with a purpose to hear Prem Baba, the first of the several teachers I am to sit with (along with a few hundred other people) to hear, and hopefully absorb, wisdom. This forum/setting is called a “satsung.” Look it up using the Wikipedia link on the left, if you’re inclined to further understand. Anywho, we find places in a very packed and warm room, and the musicians begin, and I enjoy the kirtan element of what’s happening (communal singing and chanting as a form of meditation and clearing the mind), until the music and chanting stops and everyone stands, and Prem Baba walks in and takes his seat. He talks to the room about love, about Rishikesh and about what is going on at the Ashram. I listen, but do not feel connected. We leave a bit before he finishes and head to Ramana’s garden, an organic restaurant that is run at the orphanage, staffed with volunteers or older individuals from the orphanage itself. Again, Kaita greets people she knows, but is disappointed to realize that it is indeed Monday, and the only day of the week they are closed. We head back to a place I see, called The Seeds of Life Cafe, and head upstairs to take a seat. The waitperson comes over and we find out he is actually the owner of the restaurant, he is chef in Moscow during the summer months (has been chef at Bhuda Bar and Ritz Carlton there), and during the off-season runs his restaurants, supports local organic farmers, and teaches locals how to cook properly. How could we not love that story? And once we tasted the lovely food, how could we not continue to support his enterprise? ‘Nuff said.
Subsequent to a discussion at lunch, we head to check out a hotel I found and I secure a room. Jackie wants to check out the Seventh Heaven B&B next store, and we realize that this is the real gem. They have no openings for several weeks, but top of the list for my next stay, if there is one. Back to our hotel:
and my room:
for a couple hour rest and a nice, hot shower (have to turn on the switch and wait 15 minutes for the water to heat up), then met the girls for dinner out. Prashant is along as well, and we head back to the Oasis, where we started our day. Food was good and we ate outside in the lovely warm night. After dinner, Prashant and Kaita walked Jackie and me back to our place for a good night’s sleep (and full metal earplugs. India in all its glory is right over the balcony and i can hear, starting at 6 am, someone’s grandpa hocking up loogies (spellcheck for this one?), child crying, rooster crowing, and of course, cow mooing).