Tuesday 30 March 2010

Friday, March 26th, 2010

“They love kirtan”

Dubai, U.A.E

Night went by swiftly. It was an early rise at 3AM. A shower. Some pranayama. Some stretches. A read from CanAsian Times. It said that according to Swedish research and consulting firm Kairos Future, that Indian youth are the world’s happiest lot with career being their top priority. The study found that even though family in a strong focal point, youths here showed little interest in having a family and children of their own. For those in Europe, a good living environment comes on top. It’s interesting.

At 5AM Topi Manahar came to our guest house room. It was walking time by the Creek. It’s not really that much of a creek but a lengthy salt water inlet. Topi’s feet were burning after our 10 Km jaunt.

Salt water through desalination is the drinking water for the millions of people in the U.A.E. The figure is that 300 million people are serviced by water from the sea on this planet. It is a thirsty world.

I became rather parched myself after being crammed by hundreds of devotees at their regular Friday gathering. Sri Vallab, the facilitator of the program thought that a talk about spiritual walking would go over well. And so it did. A second gathering in the evening, a celebration for the Vyasa Puja of Jayapataka Swami, a senior monk in or society whose birthday was today. It was again a packed house. At this time my topic for speaking was “Guru Tattva, “the principle of teaching the science of the self. I opened up quoting 10.32 from the Gita where Sri Krsna identifies Himself as the original guru. “Of science I am the science of the self.” For these events I successfully wore my swami robes but I was cautioned to not be caught in the saffron by walking to the hall from the guest house, although a short two block distance away. What a happy bunch here in Dubai! They love kirtan, chanting.

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