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Took the trip on the backwater cruise which was pretty cool...I hear the public ferry to Kotayam is more scenic, but I wanted to go to the Ashram on the way, so this was the best plan.
Met a couple from Hull, who were on a long trip with a plan to get sponsorship to move to Aus. The girl was writing a book about her travels in India, I found it surprising that they didn't want to go to the Ashram to see the more unusual parts of India and get some good stuff for the book....didn't ask about the theme for the book...but maybe I was being a bit predictable with the Ashram story?!?
Amma's Ashram was fascinating, she was there which caused a big stir and lots of excitement with the devotees. When she moves around the Ashram it's like there's a movie star in the place...when the devotees see her they get so excited and clammer to get a view. To the point of pushing others out of the way.
Darshan is the appears to be the most important thing there....above all else you have to get a hug from Amma...that's what she does...hugs
everyone...sometimes for 19 hours at a time, without a break, eating or going to the toilet...some people I spoke to saw this in itself as a miracle and in this way she was closer to the Divine and so deserved the worship.
Ammas has done loads of great humanitarian work, donating money to the Tsumani rehabilitation and even to the US for Hurricane Katrina...she also set up many things in the local area including hospitals and orphanages. I was really interested to understand what drives people to live in an Ashram and so asked a few questions of people I met. They were all really happy to chat about it...one French guy had been there for 6 years and said he had been let down in the outside world and that he found perfection in Amma and her philosophy and he wanted to be around that. Another English lady had been there 13 years! She seemed a bit out there as she had got Darshan from Amma (the hug), but it had been really brief and she had felt rejected from "her mummy"?!? and she spent the evening crying infront of her Amma doll. I found this quite concerning
that she could be so affected by the experience, but when you've been there for so long and it means so much to you....it might affect you in this way.
I met a few other people when I left the Ashram that had visited in the same way as me, just out of curiosity...and they had said they'd had a really emotional experience when they got the hug, they ended up crying and found it a real emotional release. For me...it was so rushed that it didn't really feel that emotional...ok it was nice to have a hug....when isn't it?!? But I didn't break down...that said the girls that did said that she just kept hugging them and bringing them back for more, which would have been quite touching, especially when you think that she felt such a connection to keep hugging them.
The strange thing was that all the people I spoke to felt like they knew Amma personally, yet they spent no time with her on a one to one basis. All of that from the hugs and Satsung, where people ask questions spiritual or otherwise and she gives her view.
As I see it,
whatever works for the devotees is cool, she does a lot of good work and if they feel their lives are richer or more complete because of her then that's good.
A night was enough at the Ashram and the next day at 4.00pm I picked up the onward journey on the next ferry to Kollam.
Stayed overnight and arranged a backwater canoe tour to see the coir making (rope from coconut husks), coconut oil making and general backwater life. The scenary was beautiful and it was a great compromise on the Houseboat trip...and cheaper too! Met a good couple of lads from London who'd been doing the volunteering thing, teaching English.
That afternoon felt started to feel a bit crap...but had arranged a city tour with a rickshaw driver, who had some great reviews in the local press...despite me trying to get out of it I ended up going and enjoying it! Saw the more unusual side of Kollam, not the most touristic place (apart from the backwaters), visited a matchbox factory, more rope making and the fisherman villages...oh and not forgeting temples and churches....mandatory on any trip!
That evening I caught the train to
Amma's Ashram
Skyrise in the middle of the backwaters Varkala....beach time again! Yes!
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Nic Cruise
non-member comment
Culture
Hi Mate, have to say the different culture must be a bit of an eye opener, certainly seems a little weird reading about it! Hope you enjoyed your beach time - where to next? Will be moving house again soon, hopefully, just in the process of buying a brand new house in Myddle (6 miles from Shrewsbury) - if all goes ok, I'll send my new address to your Mum's place. My sister made it up to Radio 1's one big weekend in Dundee last weekend - she said it was absolutely brilliant - loads of bands, but because it was a much smaller site than V you could get much closer to the stage - one for next year?! I bet you're missing your music - or is your MP3 player still holding out? Looking forward to the next update!!! Nic