I am continuing to write about India on my blog at BreatheDreamGo http://breathedreamgo.com/ And Twitter about India using the name @breathedreamgo Thanks for following! Mariellen Ward [View Full Entry]

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April 16, 2009, Toronto I am actually writing this from my home computer in Toronto. I didn't get a chance to write a last entry -- mostly about my few days in Jaipur and Delhi -- before leaving India. I spent my last day in Jaipur being a tourist. I went to the Amber Fort with Frances, another guest at Rawla Guest House. Although we left quite early, at 9 a.m., it was already growing hot. I am lucky I like the heat, especially the dry heat of north India. (Of course, there are few things I don't like about India [View Full Entry]

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Poolside in Jaipur I've had some down moments in India (especially recently!), but this isn't one of them. I am sitting beside the lovely cool pool at Jas Vilas hotel in Jaipur drinking chai and using their wireless internet service. I stayed at this gorgeous place, run by a warm and aristocratic Rajasthani couple, three years ago when I was here with Caryl (my Canadian diplomat friend). I can't actually afford to stay here so they have arranged for me to stay with their niece, "Dimple," at her homestay guest house nearby. And I can come over and swim in the [View Full Entry]

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Leaving Pushkar Tonight is my last night in Pushkar, I am leaving tomorrow after eight days here staying at the wonderful Inn Seventh Heaven. There is a wedding across the street from my hotel, which is of course loud. Every night, it seems, there is a celebration of some kind here. Several nights ago was a big religious celebration, devoted to the god Vishnu, and we were treated to a noisy and colourful fireworks display. We had a perfect view form the rooftop restaurant. My eight days in Pushkar have meandered along like a lazy river. There is a very strong [View Full Entry]

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Pushkar Blues March 28 Today is apparently the second day of the Hindu calendar year and I am in Pushkar, a very small town ringing a circular sacred lake in central Rajasthan. Pushkar is famous for three things: the (supposedly) only temple dedicated to Brahma in India; the annual camel fair (held in November); and the “vibe,” which attracts hippies and other foreigners to this laid-back town. I was in Pushkar three years ago, but only for lunch as I was driving from Jaipur to Jodhpur. I remember thinking I wanted to spend some time here and get to know the [View Full Entry]

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Aurovalley Ashram, Rishidwar, March 22, 2009 It’s my last day (for now) at Aurovalley Ashram and I am sitting on the marble terrace in front of my room listening to John Lennon on my iPod singing “imagine there’s no heaven,” and I can’t because I have found it. Parrots are flying in the trees in front of me, one of the beautiful young Indian women who lives and works here just hugged me and told me I have a big heart, cows are grazing in the nearby field, the butterflies are dancing among the flowers in the meadow, an assortment of [View Full Entry]

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Ananda Prakash Yoga Ashram, Rishkesh Ashram life is not for everyone, but it sure suits me. I love the quiet focus on introspection, increasing awareness and various other healthy pursuits. The people are kind and thoughtful, the food is delicious and healthy, there’s lots of time to just BE and of course there’s yoga! At Ananda Prakash Yoga Ashram in Rishikesh the day starts at 6 a.m., before the sun rises, in the beautiful third floor yoga hall with a yoga class led by Yogi Vishvketu (Vishva). The room is graced with large picture windows that frame an unbelievable view of [View Full Entry]

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All life is yoga Two days at Aurovalley Ashram and the peace, joy and wisdom of this place is already filling my soul - and this in spite of a raging head cold, cough, fever. I really am detoxifying, and I can’t think of a better place to do it in. I am sitting in my simple, lovely, perfect ashram room writing; the birds are chirping outside my window, a gentle breeze wafts through the screened windows, and the sun is streaming across the lawns and gardens and marble terraces. This is another of those perfect places, perfect moments, that I [View Full Entry]

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Tonight my friend Ashish and I took a boat across the Ganga to the flat, wide sandbank on the other side to watch the sunset over the city and the ghats. About 20 minutes or so after the sun disappeared behind the ancient buildings on the other side of the river, the pink sky ebbed away leaving behind a pale glow that made the entire scene appear delicately soft, like a pale unearthly watercolour from a past century, or the dove grey underbelly of an iridescent bird. It was an indelibly beautiful scene. The softness of the colours, impossible to describe, [View Full Entry]

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Benares at sunrise I just watched the sunrise over the Ganga from my room in Benares, Varanasi, Kashi, city of light, Shiva’s city - it has many names. My room in the wonderful Hotel Ganges View is on the first floor, only one floor above the street and it is a very special room. It has its own private sitting room or sun room; a circular room with wood-shutters that I can open up to let the outdoors in. From here I overlook a small stretch of street leading to Assi Ghat, and I love to watch the street life out [View Full Entry]

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