Tuesday 13 October 2009

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

Elements

Mumbai, India

Chanting sessions or kirtans can only be met here. Also when you trek along the beachfront you become one with the ocean; that is you become soaky and salty. Hundreds and hundreds of walkers and joggers take to the beach and become soggy at least in certain body parts and that’s without touching the water. Mumbai is that kind of place. It’s big on the element we call water and it’s in the air. It’s also big on fire.

Great meals are served here to meet the demands of Govinda’s restaurant. It means there’s a plentiful use of fire. Below my room an elaborate banquet was arranged for an outdoor event. Food had been lined up, not macrobiotic food but cooked food. Fire!

A good section of the Juhu plot is reserved for gorgeous grassy lawn, weed-free. Earth! And in the space of it all is the precious commodity we call air which is a trite odorous with fish at times.

The elements are ever present wherever you may go. After a day of “feeling them” the source must be factored in – Krishna. Yes, it always summarizes to this point. The elements are His energies, separated but connected simultaneously. “Bhina prakrtir astada” is the Sanskrit term. Since energy is released and used (by us) there is some obligation from our side to credit the origin of this energy (the elements). That obligation is the mutual art of giving. We receive and then we must return.

The day ended with another wet Kirtan.

5 Km

No comments: