Life in a Ashram...

Greetings from the Phool Chatti Ashram. Have been in the ashram for almost a week now and am feeling absolutely content staying there with no desire to leave. Which is nice after being on the move for several weeks. There is even a communal bike that i can use to make the 6k trip into town to indulge in internet sessions and treats such as ice-cream!




My day begins with a meditation and yoga session in a garden overlooking the river. Then its a quick dip before breaky. All meals are communal with porridge and bannas for breakky and Thali dishes for lunch and dinner. There is a nightly puja ceremony which is where we all come together for tabla and drum playing in the court yard. Everyone gets involved with tangerine's and chanting. As I'm writing this i realise its prob sounding like i've joined a cult...yes well have renounced all worldly possessions and this will be my last email...only joshing. It costs all of $6 a day including meals...Incredible value for paradise.

There is a quite a few of us staying at the ashram now. It's not strictly a 'true' ashram as operates as a bit of a guest house with mainly foreigners staying there on yoga retreats. At the moment there is over 50 staying there including a group of very serious ashtanga yoga practicing Russians direct from Moscow. The first day they arrived it felt like the KGB were moving in..all very serious and being the friendly Aussie i asked the the guy sittting next to me if he spoke English and the reply was 'Yes. What do you want?'..to which i replied with urr umm 'how are you finding India?'. Classic.

Not really else much to report on..Not sure how much longer i will stay in the Ashram. Am due to fly out to Greece on the 15th from Delhi. May look at doing some hiking in the Himalaya mountains north of here but as mentioned really don't feel in much of a hurry to leave the ashram even though it is getting incredibly hot during the day - 40+ deg but it always cools down during the nights and the mornings are magic..

Back again to finish this post off. Still at the Ashram although a few of us are feeling a bit restless and are looking at going north to the mountains to the mouth of the Ganges at a place called Gangtori. Will be very nice to escape the heat and it has just started to get really humid. Though will miss the nights on the ashram roof chatting and hanging out with friends.

Hired a motorbike the other day with a friend and went cruising around the mountains. Was great and found some great spots in the mountains. The roads were pretty challenging with pot holes, rocks etc to dodge as well as the crazy Indian drivers. The give way order in India is 1) cows, 2) trucks 3) Buses 4) Motorbikes 5) cycles 6) pedestrians!

That's about it for now. Gotta get back on the bike and be home in time for lunch...
Have attached some pics of the ashram and surrounds.

Ciao,
D.