Pick-up at the entrance to the alley short-cut (I guess it’s my corner at this point!) a bit after 10. In contrast to the cool, breezy wet day yesterday, it’s gloriously sunny and the perfect temperature to be out and about. My pals are gracious to allow me to sit in the front, although about 45 minutes later of windy roads that rival rabbit ears pass, we take a 5 minute break for two upset tummies in the back seat. I invite K to sit up front, and it’s actually only another 15 minutes or so until we arrive at Kunjapuri Temple. Or at the base of the steps to get there, that is. We are told there are 365 steps, 390, 324, but I actually count 312 risers….so there.
The temple rises about 1645 meters, or about 5400 feet above sea level to commemorate the goddess Shakti and Lord Shiva idols, each in its own protected courtyard.
Shakti is the divine force, manifesting to destroy demonic forces and restore balance. Shakti in Sanskrit means “Power” or “empowerment,” and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. I can also be thought of as the personification of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as ‘The Great Divine Mother’ in Hinduism. On the earthly plane, Shakti most actively manifests through female embodiment and creativity/fertility, though it is also present in males in its potential.
The two temple areas are sitting on a large open foundation, like a large rooftop. I walk around the whole area (about 35 x 30 feet) and on the backside of the temple, out in the distance, is the breathtaking sight of the snowcapped Himalayas. There is something holy about how friggin’ big they are – towering over everything else on the landscape.
I snap a whole lotta pictures, but can’t yet tell how well they will show you what I experienced. It is quiet and cool in this place, and I sit on a bench and pull out my guided meditations and sit through two. After that, I feel light as a feather, and slowly return to one of the front benches, where Prashant is sitting and listening to music.
Once everyone is present, we review the International Yoga festival schedule, so I can plan out how I most want to spend my remaining days here. That settled, we walk back down the steps (like a lark) and pull out our lunch picnic. Out of a wide-mouthed thermos comes one of the stacked tin food carriers, just like in the movie “The Lunchbox,” and inside 3 are mixed vegetable curry, and one with fresh chapati. Mmmm good. I purchase a fresh coconut and enjoy sharing the meat with everyone as a fitting dessert. We then pile back into the taxi and head back home, with a slow drive-by of the Ananda Resort, the uber plush, expensive place in the Rishikesh area (but about 30 minutes outside, perched on a mountain cliff with a splendid view of the valley. Evidently they sport a 21,000 square foot spa).
I get dropped off at “my corner” and I wander a bit before retiring for rest hour. Around 5:30, I walk down to Ramana’s, which is open Tuesday – Sunday for lunch only, but Saturday night is pizza and movie night. I meet up with J&K and we chat for a while before heading into the main room of the restaurant where we put in our order. As always, the food comes out randomly. We get our salads within about 25 minutes, but after another 30 minutes, only 1 of our 4 pizzas has arrived. A query, a shrug of the shoulders, and we go back to chatting or sharing pictures. Finally we get the others, and the movie starts – The Grand Budapest Hotel – for my 3rd or so time. Still wonderful. There’s a halftime break and I head out. Early to bed tonight because Mooji is having his satsang at 8 am due to the opening of the week-long International Yoga Festival. Don’t want to be late!