Letter from Pune, India

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Pune! Tomorrow we fly back to Delhi to focus on the Indira Institute, so before leaving Pune, we want to share with you a bit about our wonderful time here. Because we had to vacate our flat in Gurgaon last summer, our dear friends there and here in Pune moved all of our furniture, furnishings, and clothes across the continent to a lovely flat that had originally belonged to Tushti and Surendra. Devarshi and the monks had lived here most recently. What a beautiful moment it was after living out of suitcases and in hotels for six weeks to step into our “magically transported” home. As though in a dream, we walked about from room to room exclaiming, “Oh look! Here’s my shoes, the painting of Swamiji’s, our clothes, that lovely vase, our desks, our beds,” etc., etc. It felt a bit like visiting a past life: “Surely, Lahiri, you remember these.”

That evening was the momentous concert of Indian classical music that Jyotish described in his recent blog. Along with a packed house of 2,500 people, we sat enrapt for ninety minutes in a timeless zone of joy, beauty, and spontaneity. Do listen to the recording if you have a chance. It will remain with you as a glimpse onto the music of your soul—it has for us. The whole event was conceived of and organized by Aditya and the Pune Center members, who did a truly tremendous job.

On Oct. 2 a group of about twenty of us representing essentially Ananda India’s Sangha staff drove to the Pune Retreat for two days of sharing. Jaya organized this gathering, and it was thrilling to hear the reports on such areas as Ananda Yoga training, promotions, online classes, website development, fundraising, outreach, the home-study course, and more. These were all presented by younger Ananda members who are leading these efforts.

Pranaba and Parvati arrived midweek for a month’s stay in India. They came bearing the birthday gift that our Ananda Village family gave to Jyotish last August—a new Apple Watch. He loves it! Pranaba and Parvati dropped right into the flow of activities at the center with hardly any jetlag, and are already enjoying the blessings of India.

This weekend (Oct. 6 & 7) Pune Center organized a wonderful exhibit of Jyotish’s original paintings and prints. (Jaya brought over four originals from the Village last summer.) A local friend, artist, and owner of “Indiaart” Gallery helped set up about twenty paintings for the exhibit at the center. Indiaart is a well-known gallery and art education organization, and the paintings were beautifully displayed around the main satsang hall of the center. Already three of the four originals were sold with all the proceeds going to support art programs for children that the Pune Center offers.

So, as we said, tomorrow we leave for Delhi, where we’ll be until Oct. 20. Pranaba and Parvati will fly there next week, and then take part in the Babaji Cave pilgrimage led by Daya and Keshava.

We are deeply grateful to all of you for the prayers and support for our travels. We are both feeling quite well and looking forward to all the wonders that lie ahead. It’s hard to imagine that we’re already at the halfway point of this trip.

With love, joy, and blessings in God and Guru,

Jyotish and Devi

View the Facebook album of photos taken during Nayaswami Jyotish and Nayaswami Devi’s time in India here.