My new home

This is my new home for the next few weeks. It is an ashram that houses about 40-50 monks but also is home to a hospital and a school for poor children. 3$ a night to stay. They serve 2 meals a day, it is very plain fair and so far the only people lined up for the entrees are Sadhus . The grounds are large and there are trails that lead up to the forest. This is only my first day here as I have been holed up in my upscale hotel for the past few days with the worst case of Delhi-Belly. Up to this point the food in India has been great, the flavors are rich and well balanced. They use a lot of butter but who doesn't like potatoes, curry and butter................ I decided to try a small place on the way back from my afternoon walk, the food was delicious but the results were fatal. New rule, only eat at places that have doors at the entrance, no flaps!............................ Well this is what I came for, to stay in an ashram in India and meditate. The Yoga classes here at my ashram are done for the year but there are plenty of places to go just for an hour in the morning or evening.

This is where the foot bridge ends on my side of the river. There are two blind beggars here every day. The monkeys are always not far from the action. I allot myself 100 rupees a day for beggars usually 5 or 10rs each. The level of poverty in India is immense, it is so pervading that you get used to it. The range of really poor and poor is not much. An example: I bought a new book at the book store, 'the discovery of India' by Nehru (the George Washington of India), it is a big book some 600 pages. It cost 240 rupees, a little more than 4$. When I showed the book to the hotel manager he took it from me and held it in his trembling hands saying that he had never in his life been able to hold this book, he was genuinely moved just to be holding a 4$ book. This man is not an untouchable he is the manager of a mid-range hotel.

The image below is where I come and sit for a couple of hours each afternoon. It is at the end of the village road and usually it is only me and the Sadhus that live in the small caves dug into the hillside. I like it here because it is quiet except for the rush of the Ganges and there are no flies. The cows can't make it over the rocks so there is no cow shit. No shit no flies.
On my way back, a holy cow ordering chai.

NAMASTE