Ashram Part 2

God-Damn mosquitoes. If I stay in this ashram one more day I am gonna need a net. What time is it. Shit 5 in the morning. Ok 3 hours till parathas. Life here is simple and great, its easy to study and meditate, but strange beds make strange dreams, especially in the grey space of twilight.
Yawn, today is a big day. Aman is having us (the two Germans, Anket, and myself) go to the Himalayan Institute. Apparently it's a huge hospital and it's of great importance that we attend some ceremony. I have no idea what is happening but I think it's an opening of some nature. Onion parthatas again, quick check of the e-mail, beep beep.
"Ok, Ok, I'm coming."
"Let me sit in the back seat, I wanna sit next toDavid." young Anket flatters me. I climb into the rusy 1960/70's era sedan. It's Indian made (i believe) and looks straight out of Octo-pussy (thats a reference for the old folk). It takes forver to warm up, the clutch sticks like all hell, and it handles like a drunk elephant. Not that I would know, Iwouldn't even drive on these roads with a proper vehicle. Luckily the German fellow, Felix, is good at handeling wild beasts.
"Who let the dogs out!"-Anket
"Woof Woof Woof Woof!'-Rest of car One hour of similar terrible American songs intermixed with MichaelJackson classics.
"Wow Anket you talk and sing more than anyone I know." I say indiffrently.
"Thank you." he replies. We pull up to the hospital and my first guess at the ceremony was quickly dismissed as the aging buildings come into view. We set out on foot and start walking to the Ayurvedic building in order to meetAman.
"Hello" A statley Indian gentleman greets us. By Ankets reaction they have meet "Come with me." We are lead to the second floor of the holisitc health buidling and take our shoes off. I hear chanting from one of the small rooms and the now five of us file in. Aman greets us with his ubiqiutous smile,and I sit cross-legged behind the others. It feels like a very intimate cermenoy and judging by a large picture it's a remebrance for the deceased. Flowers, fruit, and even money is made as offerings to God and the departed. Long Chants and prayers are repeated. My legs hurt. I ned to get more flexible. It's not fair. These Indians have sat like this their whole lives. If I do it for more than 10 min. my feet fall asleep and my hips ache like a 70-year olds. I have to remind myself not to touch my forehead. One of the swami's placed some colored ink and rice their (I am sure there is a special name for it and I feel bad not knowing). Everyone else has it so Iwould feel disrespectful and wierd without one. The ceremony is beautiful. Flowers are passed around and held with hands folded. You then pass it back to the front and it is placed as offerings. After a half hour or so it ends, and we make our way downstairs for some chai.
"Sorry for my ignorance Aman, but who exactly is that a picture of." I say slighlty embarassed.
"That is Swami Rama, he started this hospital many years ago and today is the 19th anniversay of the day he left his body. And that is his wife." He responds as she walks over.
"Hello, would you like some biscuits with your tea."
"Sure." I say with a smile. They are too good to refuse. As she pulls out a camera she says,"Anket, please take this camera and snap some shots of the outdoorceremnoy." He obeys's as any good boy would, and accompanies her outside. We all follow suit and the outdoor ceremony starts. More chanting in a language I do not undertand. It still has it's beuaty and the reverence everyone possesses for Swami Rama is contagious. I stand silently and repectfully. Two SUV's pull up and the crowd turns around. A throng of orange-robed holy people make their way towards the outdoor altar. At the center is clearly the man of the highest order. At his right is a young man that seems like a close disciple or body guard. A black man with a big turban and orange robe follows. He has a large orange posse and their gait and demeanor reminded me of Guru super heros. I am waiting for one of them to start floating or shoot rays of light from their eyes. I am very close to the path leading to the altar and as the holy man is walking people came forward to kneel and kiss the ground infront of him.
"Shit what do I do." I think to myself. "Make a Decision!" I half kneel and bow my head, hoping that one of the orange robed superheros doesn't reprimand me. I open my eyes and stand-up. "Ok I'm alive."
to be continued...