Raghuraman

I acknowledge with thanks the writer Thich Nhat Hanh for the following inspiring information

There is a practice evolved from Buddhism called “Touching the Earth”. This yogic procedure helps us to realize our wish to generate love, compassion, joy and equanimity. During the practice we touch the earth deeply 6 times. We touch the earth with our forehead, legs and hands. Our mind and body forms a perfect whole. We surrender our pride, notions of fear, resentments and even hopes and enter the world of things as they are. We thereby return to our own source of wisdom and we are no longer separate from the mother Earth.

We join our palms and bow in 10 directions: east, west, south, north, north east, north west, south east, south west, above, below and an eleventh direction- within.

During the 6 earth touching we follow a procedure. In the first we look deeply within. In the second we see the connection between ourselves and other living beings, including those who live around us. By the fifth earth touching we are able to feel true love for the people we have disliked. All hatred and anger will disappear and we only want the person whom we hated to enjoy happiness and peace.

We are able to reach that point because we are able to love ourselves. So touching the earth and involving ourselves in the six meditations generates in us deep love, affection and acceptance. When we are able to love a person who made us miserable we realize what a miracle love is.

The closer you lie against the Earth, melting in to the Earth, the better you become nothing in order to become everything.

After practicing touching the earth for two or three months, you will feel deeply refreshed, strong and healthy. You will love life and be able to smile because the energies of hatred and ill will in you will have greatly diminished to enrich and elevate yourself.

Living in the present moment is the only way to live and live well. It is in the present that we touch base with our inner selves and come to terms with the reality outside. We need to continuously say goodbye to our past situations and circumstances and our reactions to them. It is in the now that we plan and project a future we want to ensure for ourselves.

With the dawn of each new day brings a time of peace, thanksgiving and prayer loaded with positive vibrations in thoughts and speech. As the day progresses we go on to encounter both the good and the bad. We should choose in each moment the good in us to weaken the low and unpalatable. This will act as a bridge going from from one good example to another.

We should live in the now, experiencing the richness of the present moment. By doing this we are extracted and uprooted from the past and the impending future. It is in the now that we make our encounter with the Divine. Nature knows no past or future. It is our human consciousness that relates to reality, as if it were an unfinished event or an inevitable future.

When we remain in the now we are open to enjoying all that is given to us as a gift. We experience to the full joy, sadness, laughter, pain, hope, dismay, beauty, ugliness –all wrapped up as a gift for the present. It is in the now that we rise when we rise, pray when we pray, eat when we eat and live as we live. In such an existence the past is over and future is still a way off .

The now helps us to arrive at our destination in the most effective way possible. So live now to the full, catch the early morning sunrise, enjoy the mist, dew, rain and snow, eat a healthy breakfast and enjoy the work of the day. Enjoy your leisure time, spend enough time exercising, begin each fresh day with a prayer and share your experiences with your near and dear. Above all, enjoy doing all these things!

The “now enjoy” technique never lets you down, because you are responsible for it from your own inner being which will provide the pattern and harmony for a more meaningful, richer life.

Healthy body: focus on more eating wheat products

Healthy skin: use olive oil

Healthy eyes: do eye exercises every day, use lubricating oils/drops once in while

Healthy hair: use approved Ayurvedic oils twice a week

Healthy fruit: apple and papaya

Healthy food: oats, green vegetables, green salad, grains and sprouts

Healthy exercise: yoga, breathing exercises (pranayama), walking,

Healthy drinks: four glasses of water first thing in the morning and apple juice any time

Healthy mind: meditation every day

Healthy beliefs:  kindness, fellow feeling, empathy

The writer wishes to acknowledge the presentation and information provided by author Marguerite Theophill

We all seem to carry a notion that some people have smooth and trouble free lives, some are happy and lucky while others seem to have lot of misfortunes and are unlucky. We assign ourselves to one of these groups depending on the situation. This is an illusion created by our own thinking, a state of  mind. In reality, happiness does not happen to us it happens by us!

This does not mean we should ignore the painful reality of what happens in our day to day lives. We can feel miserable and make others around us also miserable. However, we can choose our response to something at any given point in time, and it is entirely in our hands. All of us experience the tension and pressures of the day, some of which is created by us while some gets imposed upon us. We can feel miserable and we choose to be angry and furious. There is a good alternative here; we can call upon the graces of the moment, remind ourselves  of our good fortunes, breath calmly for a few minutes, find something else to focus upon and some thing to be grateful for. We can choose between forever brooding or instead can focus on healing and moving on.

Happiness is called upon and cultivated, involving un-learning as much as learning.

Experiences in life can create habits and patterns that become deeply ingrained, influencing our moods and choices. We should realize that blaming others for our miseries, even if partially true, is  only an excuse. It can not give us the peace and happiness which we crave for all the time. It instead serves to increase our miseries and suffering.

Cultivating a feeling of happiness is a self generated cycle of activity. It is biological as much as physical. When you take time out for a walk, move to view the greenery, pray and meditate, dance and sing along to a favorite tune, or share moments with special people then happy hormones flood your system keeping you healthy. For this you should first accept that happiness is something that is generated within and it can come with time and practice.

Happiness is saying yes to more caring relationships, yes to more positive emotions and engagements. An assured way to a fuller, meaningful life and relationships.

Certain events and situations in our daily life can cause tension and stress. This in turn can cause a delay to our progress and leave you wondering what to do next. Many of us will have come across such situations and most of the time will brood about it instead of finding a way to deal with it.

This need not be the case. The sky does not fall because of these happenings and there are some easy and effective tools for you to use. You will be back to be yourself in no time.

- Do not get close to people who have a negative or complaining attitude for very small issues. Avoid them, keep away from such people as they are infectious!

- Keep tapping your thighs  and hum your favourite song or music.

- Call and speak to your close friends or well wishers

- Learn to say no to offers and attractions which your inner mind will not accept. It is such temptations which land us in difficulties. Also do not accept jobs which you can not do even if you are promised exorbitant payment.

- When you are stressed your brain does not work to 100%. Seek help from people who are close to you.

- When you are stressed in your work, look away for ten seconds at things which you like to enjoy. These may be fresh flowers, paintings, trees,  birds or whatever inspires you. A new flush of energy will come to you.

- Write down the reason for your stress then tear it off and throw it away.

- Start doing some physical activity such as cleaning your room,  running, skipping or yoga. Stretch your legs and your feet and your mind will become lighter.

- Prepare a basin of warm water, add some salt and soak your feet for half hour.

- When you happen to do a blunder, recall yourself and laugh it out, then you will not feel so badly when others point it out.

- Pop a couple of sticks of chewing gum in your mouth and enjoy chewing. You will have seen some sportsman doing this all the time!

- Drink a cup of warm milk with some added honey. Retire to a dark room and go in to meditation.

- Try and divert the mind to some thing else. Recall your favourite last holiday, a recent big achievement, a noble worthy act or help rendered to a needy person. It will make you feel better.

- You should be aware that we all have our share of problems, so there is no point in allowing it to affect you. Solve it to the best possible extent and move on. Tomorrow will be a different day.

- Realise that there are limitations to your ability and the resources at your command. You do your share and God will take care of the balance. Have Faith.

- Keep telling yourself that you are a good person and that only good will happen to you. Repeat this ten times and positive vibrations will start happening.

Every father and mother has the welfare of their children as their primary focus and their time and energy will be given always. The roles played vary with the child’s age and needs, nevertheless in the whole process a close bond is established and it remains unchanged. In quiet moments this is recalled it and it always brings a smile, happy feelings and moments of bliss.

When it comes to writing the thoughts of a father and what he would want to communicate to his son, the following are some of the main aspects that come to my mind as a father myself who is a very close friend and well wisher to my sons:

- Life is precious and equally fragile. So everyday is a gift. Try and live it to the best of your ability in any given opportunity.

- Be aware of every passing second. Watch all the activity happening around you- it will make you active. It may be the birds going about in search of food, the sun coming out in the eastern horizon, flower buds opening out or pet animals happily playing with one another. Time and space never remains constant.

- Appreciate your mother’s cooking. Praise it to Heaven! Make it a habit to eat together as a family, rather make it a rule, and a special rapport will form in the family.

- Follow your Heart. The mind will waver, but the heart seldom does. Respect the voice of your inner conscience for decision and direction.

- Seek a job which you will enjoy doing as you enter the stage of careers and cocktails. It is possible that you will get sucked in to the vortex called the rat race, but never be overwhelmed. We all are human, but we need to have the courage to step out of it. Nothing will be lost, only some illusions will shatter. Consider this a good riddance.

- Money is important. Earn well, adequately to support your family needs, your plans for future, savings for rainy days and retirement and for paying back to parents and society for their help in making you what you are today. Enjoy the pleasure of earning but never allow money to control you or your conscience. Remain balanced and humane. This is a very useful and very powerful tool to give you strength and propel you forward so use it very carefully.

- Find your love and hold on dearly. Be a good father and husband. Give your children space to make mistakes but be available to help and hold them when they fall. Your being with them should make them happy and confident.

- Speak up when you have to. Try not to live in a state of fear, fear changes nothing. Encourage the formation of an environment where there is respect, care and concern for each other. The power and initiative is in your hands as is with everyone.

- Don’t have regrets, however learn from the mistakes and, wherever possible, make early and quick amendments. Do not carry grudges as it does not help anyone.

- An unlimited capacity and potential is within you. It is your job to discover, unearth and make it useful to you and your society. Great discoveries of science have not been made by accident but from consistent and hard effort. Never get discouraged by failure of efforts, they are only stepping stones to success.

- Follow the example of a master or guide but decide your own direction.

- We can not be perfect or right all the time. Slips and failures can happen, it is part of life, but as long as you realize that your positives are better and higher than your negatives you have nothing to fear.

- Caring words are not enough to express the care and concern reflected through a sister, mother, wife, grandmother or great grandmother. From our very beginnings through growth, development and our current situations they have played an important role and continue to have a special status. They are the very foundation of our existence. We have confidence in their opinions and judgments. We have to continue this excellent and supportive tradition without any reservation, hesitation, influence or egotism.

I will continue to remain proud of you, my dear son. May you be blessed with growth and achievement.

Take care

Your Father

Now and then, every one of us has the basic urge to break away from routines so that our days are different. Going away to a new destination or a favorite location helps us to fulfill this need and we return mentally and physically recharged. We enjoy the experiences, the enlightening interactions and the learning and pleasure of being one with the nature. Being able to enjoy late mornings and late nights, to go out dressed in your fine holiday clothing, to shop with gay abandon, eat in road side cafés and taste choice local recipes adds additional thrill to the whole adventure!

In order to ensure it becomes an enjoyable experience we must take some small steps well in advance. Most experienced travellers do all this as routine and if we follow in their footsteps we can be reasonably assured that our holidays will also become an enjoyable experience.

It is vital that one decides the location, month and days of travel well ahead. The preferable month to do this is in January for the obvious reasons. For most working people a six day get-away from Sunday to Saturday twice a year seems ideal. Of course there are exceptions, and when you go for package tours the days of tours are already fixed and you can select the one most suitable for you. In addition to your holiday plans, there is always the option of weekend breaks.

The very next assignment will be to undertake some research and collect all the information about the place you intend to go. This should cover: weather information, road maps, distances, routes, modes of travel, languages spoken and the political climate (eg. disturbances such as possible strikes). Details of information centres and tourist spots should be clearly listed so a decision can be made as to what to see and what to bypass! Linked to this is what you will need to take with you. It advisable to take two trolley/wheel bags of different sizes in addition to shoulder bags. The shoulder bags help to keep your hands free during daily outings whilst giving adequate storage space for extra cash, camera, water bottle, emergency medicine, towels/tissue papers and even some snacks! Do not overload your bags and leave adequate space for your holiday shopping and new purchases that you may buy during the trip. Why not pack an extra shopping bag too?

Before you leave your house or flat it advisable to check the doors and windows to make sure they are safely locked. Ensure that appliances such as the TV, music systems, audio video equipment, computer, gas and microwave are off or disconnected. However it is a good idea to keep the fridge running with some essential food which can come in handy when you return home.  It is not advisable to talk about your going away for a trip in wide circles. Better just to inform a selected and trusted few and one or two close neighbours or flat mates. Prepare a list of things to be attended to on return as a priority so that things arent forgotten. Charge your cell phone and camera and pack your daily needs (medicines/prescription and reading materials). It is wise to prepare a new telephone index with important contact numbers. It is a good idea to carry different modes of cash like travelers cheques, debit cards, hotel vouchers and credit cards and an extra lock and key which can come in handy in new locations. If carrying cash it is best to split the cash with your co traveler, this will then spread the risk and ensure cash safety and security. It is better to have separate covers with allocated money for each activity, it will make things easier and ensures better finance control.

In case you are using a hired car, make sure you get a reliable and reputed operator and ask for an experienced and senior driver. Treat him cordially with all the dignity and respect due to another passenger. Get his cell phone number and clearly spell out your rules for the journey: safety norms, speed limits, test his knowledge of the route and locations. Do not assume or take anything for granted. Also invite him to join in on refreshments that you have en-route as this will help create a better rapport. Let him know you have come for a peaceful holiday and the lesser the hiccups, the better it will be for all!

It is a good idea to leave your valuables and excess cash in the hotel’s locker or deposit it with the hotel and get a receipt. Enter the information in your personal diary and remember to inform your co-passenger on such essential and important the details. Do remember to collect back the same when checking out! A good idea is to plan for each day during the previous evening after dinner, when you are noting down the highlights of the day. In case you are planning to stay with friends, inform then in advance and ensure they are expecting you before you arrive at their house. Buy some small gifts for them and offer to share a part of their daily work load as this will always a nice gesture on your part. Remember to take their family out for dinner before you leave them and also post a nice thank you card for their hospitality.

It is worthwhile to buy some small and useful gifts for your friends back home. If you have a video camera, ensure you use it to capture moments of your trip as you will enjoy watching it once in a while, particularly when you need a bit of cheering up! It is very good medicine. Time your return home to be at least a couple of days early to your actual day of going back to work. This will give time to get back to your routines in comfort. Once you settle down, enjoy the pleasant job of handing over the gifts to your friends, sorting your holiday photographs, forwarding these to friends and perhaps writing your experiences down (or on to your blog!). Wait awhile before thinking about your next holiday for it will come sooner than you expect!

Travel opens up everyone and is a great panacea for the many issues affecting us. So do keep travelling and enjoy the experience. You will become a much admired and sought out person for you will have so much to share. A treasure of wealth which all can joy.

“Every night as you go to sleep, your vision doesn’t sleep, your goals don’t sleep, your aspirations don’t sleep, your world doesn’t sleep. The power to make your dreams a reality is in your own hands. Make your move first and he will do the rest for you!”

Since January we had been thinking of going away for a long holiday for rest and quiet away from life’s routines. Considering the hot weather in Chennai from April to June, the preferred location was any nearby hill station with an elevation of over 4000 feet. Our inner mind also craved to complete the much aspired trips to family temples near Coimbatore. That settled it and Nilagiris was the choice.

With support and encouragement from Vivek, Vaishnavi, Arjuna and family friend Jaya, we planned an itinerary for two weeks. From then onwards the rest was only a question of preparation and execution which was fairly easy compared to earlier bridges we have had to cross!

We all have some favorite trains and mine happens to be the Nilagiri blue mountain train running between Chennai and Ooty. We instead drove from Mettupalayam as the hill train was cancelled (a small disappointment). However, the road trip was equally enjoyable with the comfort of breathing the wonderful smell of Eucalyptus as we started climbing through the hairpin bends, appreciating the special signals of our driver to other bus, car and lorry drivers- a very courteous lot!

We halted for an hour near a waterfall for breakfast and continued via Coonoor to reach Ooty. We stopped to buy some fresh vegetable and fruits from the city market enroute and then by lunchtime we checked in to the resort in the lovely Elk hills above the lake. A comfortable room with good furnishings facing the town, a small compact kitchen with all utilities: oven, fridge, utensils, shelves and wash basin. Geetha was quick to unpack and lost no time in busying herself in the kitchenette (as she had come well prepared from Chennai). A menu of Pongal, Sambar and Salad was ready in no time and was the first of very enjoyable meals.

In the early afternoon we went to the botanical gardens (formerly the Royal Botanical gardens) to see the galaxy of flowering plants and lovely decorations for the annual flower show which was scheduled in two days time. We saw vibrant salvia, asters, marygolds, dahlia, anthuriam, hoyhocks, roses, antirinum, sweetpeas, and button roses. We walked down to the Tibetan shops to buy sweaters and scarves (they sell good quality at reasonable prices) and on to commercial road to buy Amma’s favorite homemade chocolates and essential medicated oils. The air became cooler around 4 pm and so we enjoyed a hot cup of Nilagiri tea and biscuits.

During the following days we established a routine of morning walks, trips to Ramakrishna center for prayers and meditation and visits to selected tourist spots in the afternoon. We enjoyed the trips to the rose garden, wax museum, boat house near the lake, chellarams and flower shows. We also browsed and shopped in supermarkets, department stores, modern stores and the shops run by tribal-toddas. Lunch was had out in the Marwari hotel (good, simple food). We could watch the IPL 20 matches in our room and participated in games organised by resort people. We enjoyed a trip to a tea factory to see the process of tea manufacture, buy their special tea packets and joined in a group trip to viewpoints like the Pykkara hydro project. We regularly visited a nearby temple of Vinayaka, Durga, Amma, Navagraha and the hill God Muneeswarar to pray for the success of Arjuna’s Graduation, the winding up from Virginia, safe travel and settlement in Texas and the safe return of Vivek and Cathy to London. The regular feedback we received from Arjun kept us in a peaceful and happy frame of mind. God answered our prayers and we were proud of the role played by all members of the team. Good show!

We said good bye to Ooty on the morning of the seventh day and arrived in Coonor to check in to Hotel Vivek by midday. Here we had to evolve a different routine as there was no facility for cooking. The hotel was in upper Coonoor overlooking a tea estate, fairly close to Sims park and the market area, Bedford circle. The changes unfortunately gave a sore throat for myself and indigestion for Geetha. However with the help of a nice Lady doctor (Dr Chitra Devi originally from Coimbatore) we managed to get the correct diagnosis and medication.

Coonoor is a nice compact place, milder in climate compared to Ooty, a calm, quiet town surrounded by tea estates. It has many famous landmarks like the military academy, Madras regimental centre, needle factory, Ketty valley, Sims horticultural park, boarding schools and shopping malls selling hill products. We spent a lot of time walking around Bedford Circle and Sims park. We also managed a visit to Ketty valley to see a real-estate development covering over 30 acres, where a promoter from Bangalore was developing a layout and selling housing plots from 10 cents (one “cent” is 432 sq feet) to 20,30 and 50 cents. The site is 5 to 6 kilometres from Coonoor (midway between Coonoor and Ooty). The cost and registration of a 10 cent plot comes to 19 lacs and with the construction of a 1000 sq feet house it would come to 32 lacs! Unfortunately this costing does not fit with this writer’s dreams. The vision was to have nice big house in such a hill station in 4-5 acres of wooded land facing a valley. However, some day it will certainly happen!

After 5 lovely days in Coonoor we drove down to Coimbatore to check in at Hotel Sri Lakshmi at Gandhipuram. We had a 3 day plan here which included: a trip to Palakad Manapully Bagavathy temple, a trip to Marudamalai Muruga temple, Saibaba temple, Danavathri temple at Kottakal ayurvedic centre and a trip to Isayoga centre at Vellingiri hill. We managed all the trips very well with help from my friend at Coimbatore, Dr Raghunath, and concluded the visit by boarding the train to Chennai as per schedule. It was very satisfying to be able to thank God in our favorite temples for his support, help, directions and blessings to members of the family: TVR, Geetha, Penny and Bill.

Back at home we settled in immediately, but took a week to get adjusted to the weather! However, it’s a fact of life so no use complaining about it. We surprised our friends with gift packets and showed them the photos. They were happy for us and hoped and prayed that we get blessed with such holidays at least twice a year. For they say we deserve it, will it come true?

Thirty minute moderate exercise every morning at least five days a week is getting to be a well accepted mantra everywhere for our well being and healthy living. Walking is the top recommendation! The benefits come free and plenty and one feels on top of the world. There is also an equally relaxing aspect to this, which you will know and appreciate only if you read this article. Let me tell you all about it, being a walker myself.

If you carefully notice you will find very amusing scenes and scenery as you walk. Let me start with the regular group of oldies, they are usually five to six, and all differently costumed (for that is least of their priority). They will almost block the width of the road, and you know they are coming from the loud and high pitched discussions and criticism about everything on earth except themselves. They all read many papers, see TV programmes, for that is one of their main occupations in retirement other than eating, sleeping and of course morning walks. Topics range from politics, drama, cinema, music, TV soaps, sports, Sensex (an Indian stock exchange), price spirals, economy, travel and weather! Their walking speed is fairly good and so is the distance walked; the secret is that both go unnoticed as they are deep in their discussions.

Then there are the ones who bring their dogs for walks. The dogs being home fed are generally healthy and well and will keep a fast pace pulling the owner, who will be forced to follow and many times it becomes a mild running for them! The walks for these dogs are a great outing for they are kept tied up most of the time at home. Therefore they are bouncing with energy and enthusiasm. You will notice that these dogs will have a “don’t care” attitude to the local street dogs seen on the road and they will quietly move to the other side of the road, scared so much that they sometimes forget to wag tails. Poor stray dogs! A comic scene will also emerge many a times, as some walkers who are scared of dogs will also quickly cross over to other side of foot path seeing the dog coming, only to find some stray dog hiding there. So they invariably have to demonstrate their kung fu styles with the walking sticks they carry in their hand.

Now the scene will shift to teenage girls (we have to pay close attention to find out if it is a boy or girl, for these days they look alike!). With a tight pony tail, which will swing from left to right as they walk, a tight t-shirt, a cell phone in their belt, an iPod attached to ears and a trouser of varying length from thigh, to knee, to ankle with some patches and holes. They walk with a care free attitude and a serious face, perhaps the mind is too occupied evolving solutions to problems like what to wear today, which food joint to go, what excuse to give for coming late, how to get more pocket money from parents or deciding which class to bunk today! They have their own problems and walking time is the best time to find solutions, generally solitary time.

We also find some elderly couples, who still care for each other (walking together is a proof enough), in a very relaxed walk, simple clean white dress, the man with Vibudi and the lady with Kum kum and fresh flowers indicating they have already completed their home prayers. It is a very pleasant sight to see such people. Truth, tolerance and fellow feeling still go strong in the world today because of such people. They have time to wish and greet known people, and exchange a word or two. The Blessed.

Leaving these people behind, as we move closer to the sea front, a new scene emerges. Runners on the beach front, people practicing free hand exercises, people doing Surya (Sun God) namaskar worship, people in various yoga postures, some in deep meditation, and some quietly sitting observing the sun rise, fishermen coming back from their trips and daily catches. In some quite spots you will find people practicing musical instruments like violin, guitar and some even ventilating their vocal chords to a full pitch. A free for all situation.

Many a thought will come to your mind, let them come and go. When you learn to ignore them they stop coming and a sense of bliss comes to you, a scene in which creative and purposeful ideas emerges which will have a bearing to your activity of the day.

On a morning like this, I was sitting on a bench near the sea front, when a well built Sardar-ji came and sat in the same bench. I smiled and asked about his well being, but he refused to answer saying he won’t answer to unknown people. I smiled and kept quiet. The next day the same Sardar came and sat in the same bench and I repeated my enquiry. “Have I not told you my answer yesterday sir” said the Sardar! I said we have already met yesterday so you can speak to me! Even the Sardar had to laugh at that and said yes sir we are friends from today and shall meet every morning at this bench.

During January 2004 we (Geetha, Arjuna and I) decided to go to Kerala for a holiday. We searched various destinations on the internet, and found that most of the destinations were quite appealing to our taste. Therefore we had a difficult choice to make! So we decided to look at it from a different perspective- why not make it a health holiday? The ayurvedic way and…. Bingo! Kairali Ayurvedic centre gave us exactly what we were looking for, a short health recharging programme at Palakkad in Kerala – Gods own Country. Besides Palakkad being my place of birth, I desired to show my wife and son my village, family temple and my old school. With this bait the approval was unanimous! So we packed for an overnight train journey after booking our programme with the centre who had given us a detailed plan for three days.

We were picked up at the railway station at five am (I was awake with excitement as early as 4 am). After a short drive of about 15 kilometers we arrived for a ceremonious welcome. Welcome greetings, with our programme file and a chilled soft drink (fruit juice). We were escorted to our cottage which had a sit out, a large living/bedroom and bath with a small garden with plenty of ayurvedic plants and flowering shrubs in front. They must have had over 30 cottages of varying size and the whole resort area was green everywhere, with fragrance in the air, situated in a sloping valley, with water ways in between, spacious lawns, and plenty of shady trees.

Facilities offered included a detailed health check up, done by a physician, who would then make a plan for oil massage treatments administered by experts. There were also hot and cold baths, a swimming pool, tennis court, library, reading room, an exhibition hall, yoga and meditation hall and simple but wholesome kerala vegetarian food offered through a buffet system.

A typical day started with a hot filter coffee served at the cottages at 5:30 am. We would then get ready to go for Yoga classes which started at 6:30. Experts explained the basics and took us through a simple programme of initial yoga postures, helping and guiding us all the time. I found performing as a group is good fun, being a rigid bodied person with little flexibility! I tried my best to cope initially but failed miserably! The teacher, a good samaritan, did not laugh but coaxed and cajoled my body to reach some degree of perfection. Arjuna and Geetha managed effortlessly, smiling at me all the time. There were many people from the UK, Germany and Australia who had come to the resort on a long term basis. Three weeks, six weeks and eight weeks plans, some with health specific problems, made for a good cosmopolitan group! After one hour we would go in for breakfast. We were served with cereals, corn flakes and some fruits like papaya and pineapple followed by a choice of Dosas, Idly, Aappam, wheat Uppuma with Kerala dishes and coffee. For people who had registered for short programmes, like us, the good doctor had not prescribed any food restrictions (thank you!).

By 9 am we would head to the hospital complex to meet the Ayurvedic physician for our review. There we would get our day’s prescription, recommendations to be executed by other staff and then head to the massage centre. We were well received. There are separate wings for men and woman and we handed over our bodies to them, literally speaking, for two hours. We lay down on a curved table with minimum dress and they applied different oils to our bodies, head, eyes etc and then they started massaging. A nice warm treatment by two able persons on either side, they would talk only to keep you awake. Most people, including myself, would go to sleep under the care of their hands. After some 60 odd minutes we were escorted to a warm bath followed by a cold shower. Then they applied a nice scented powder on our heads to prevent catching a cold. We marched off to the dining room with a roaring appetite. Back after a simple lunch we rested a while. Some would go for a swim, or to the reading room, or to play tennis as sleeping is not advised except for 30 minutes, if really needed.

By 6 pm we assembled for a meditation session for one and half hours. Various levels of meditation techniques, stages and principles were explained to us. We started with the first level, methods on how to deal with the wandering mind and candle light focusing methods. The result was we emerged as new human beings with a higher degree of confidence, recharged to face our problems and to arrive at sensible solutions without taxing our body.

A light dinner was served afterwards and we went for a walk around the resort through a softly lighted and well paved footpath. We settled down on a bench and began to reflect inwardly, no words were spoken. We could hear the crickets, grasshoppers, rustle of leaves and twigs under the canopy of a soft breeze and the gurgling sound of mountain streams. Our inner peace was reflected in our faces and we thanked God for creating such a wonderful world in which to retire to a peaceful sleep.

On our last day after a half minded goodbye and a heavy heart, but a nice feeling, we drove to Palakkad town. On we drove, further down, to our family temple at Manapully kavu Bhagavathy to witness and pray during the evening Aarthi – a glorious sight with a thousand lights round. We proceeded to our ancient village Tirunillayi and to the house where I was born. The present owners of the house received us well with happiness. Both Arjuna and Geetha were amazed to see their kindness and hospitality, simple folks with uncomplicated life styles. Happy gifted village folks, we prayed in our village temple and drove back to the railway station at Coimbatore in time to catch the train to Chennai. The resort people had kindly packed us some food for the night which was very thoughtful of them. We reached Chennai fresh the next day remembering to send a nice thank you note to Kairali for giving us such a memorable holiday. A note in my diary after this trip reads: “Try and do as many trips as possible to Kerala in future. There remains to be seen and enjoyed a hundred more places and your time is lesser by the hour. So make haste!”