Group Living: Small Excursions and End of the Seminar
Today was the final session of the seminar and the good-bye ceremony. From tomorrow on, we will be at the Guru Puja celebration at Simhachalam, only returning late in the night to the retreat centre.
The last days were intense seminar days interspersed with small excursions. Wednesday we visited a service centre of the WTT, where daily about 150 needy people are taken care of by food distribution and where also free health consultations and professional training courses are held. Then we went to the Bala Bhanu School. Two months ago, I had seen the devastations of the Hudhud cyclone. Now we were very much astonished how well the surroundings of the school had been restored. Although in the neighbourhood you could see the traces of destruction – mainly remains of fallen trees – the school made a very good impression.
The students just had their exam day and all were in their classes busily writing. We had a look into all classes and then a short exchange with the teachers.
In the afternoon we visited the Theosophical Society (TS) of Visakhapatnam, one of the oldest in India. The new head of the TS feels very much inspired by the teachings of Master EK (Dr. E. Krishnamacharya) who had been given lectures in the premises in the 70s/80s. Their temple had been destroyed by the cyclone and you could still see a lot of dust around.
Yesterday we went to Ramadri, the temple site of the WTT about 20 km outside of Visakhapatnam. We could not see the Planetary Healing Centre, it seems that the devastations of the cyclone had destroyed number of trees.
At Ramadri we were very much astonished how well the site had been redone. The roof of the small buildings of the Mithila school for poor children had been redone, all the little temples and the buildings freshly painted and the garden beautifully set up again. Also the small shrines were reset to order and were shining in fresh brilliance.
The children gave us a warm welcome. We then walked around on the large compound and visited the new “Gosala”, the cowshed where now 60 cows are held. Their milk is distributed to the school children and poor people in the surrounding. Then we assembled in the amphitheatre, where Sri Kumar and Kumari-Garu distributed clothes to the school children. Afterwards Sri Kumar gave a talk and the children presented some Vedic recitations. When we had our evening prayer with the beautiful view over the ocean, groups of birds were flying through the sky which displayed sublime shades of pink and violet.
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- Inside the Krishna Ashram, Service Centre
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- Food is being prepared for distribution for the poor
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- Welcome at the entry of the Bala Bhanu school
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- The small Ganesha temple at the entrance of the school
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- Entrance
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- The schoolyard: Although the huge ficus tree had fallen, the schoolyard looked neat and very clean
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- Inside the schoolyard
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- Statue of Master CVV
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- Students during their exam
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- Sitting in the schoolyard
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- The entrance of the Theosophical Society
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- A damaged display at the entrance
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- Dusty bust of H.P. Blavatsky
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- Blavatsky, Olcott, Besant
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- The new head of the TS
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- Passing by the Planetary Healing centre
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- The entrance of Ramadri
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- The school-children gave us roses at the entrance
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- The huge Hanuman statue at Ramadri
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- The reception by the school schildren
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- The buildings of the Mithila school
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- A small shrine of Lakshmi
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- Curious looks at the cowshed
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- The “Big Boss”
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- Statue of Lord Shiva
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- View over Ramadri
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- The children walking to the amphitheatre
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- Waiting for the distribution of clothes
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- Arrival of Sri Kumar
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- Group members
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- Reciting Vedic hymns
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- Distribution of clothes
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- Talk of Sri Kumar before evening meditation
January 10th, 2015 at 6:32 am
Dear Sir,
I feel immensely great on having read this article and felt very great because you have been to Visakhapatnam thehome town of mine and met Pujya Master KPK – I am locked up in Muimbai due to service conditions and ill health. I expres my sincere gratitude for having shared all the nice things.
thanking you and with cordial regards
Murthy
January 10th, 2015 at 10:45 am
extremely moved with the beautiful photographs posted pertaining to the visit. It was as good as i had personally visited the place. thanks to you sir ludger philips. Your description of the final session and of the places you had visited is appreciated as it gives a first hand information to those who are not so fortunate or unable for many genuine reasons to visit. Thanks for sharing.