On the Godhavari River
Saturday afternoon, the group went with the bus to Rajahmundry, to the newly built WTT-Centre. The 6-storeyed house is near the banks of the holy river Godhavari. The group members of Rajahmundry gave us a warm welcome and offered us a dinner, before we went to sleep.
The new pilgrimage centre of the World Teacher Trust in Rajahmundry, which we already had visited a year before.
The next morning we left the house already at a quarter to 5 to get to the banks of the river to embark on a little boat for a boat ride. We were nearly the whole day on the boat.
While we were singing mantrams and suktams and doing our morning prayer, the dawn rised over the river with an incredible display of colours, from dark indigo to all kinds of violet, to the warm golden hue of the morning sun. It was a soul-stirring energy over the river, while we were gliding along fishermen, sand-banks, boats and temples.
Sunrise over the Godhavari River
Other boats crossing our way
Lunch is being prepared inside the boat
On the river. The group is enjoying the serene scenery sitting on the roof of the boat
At about 1 o’clock we arrived at the place of a little ashram, the Ramakrishna Hermitage. It is a beautiful, very simple ashram located in the wilderness. There was a number of pilgrims arriving with boats, who also wanted to be in the presence of the divine vibrations of this holy place. Besides the ashram there runs a little river, where we washed our feet before entering the compound.
Ascending from the river to the Ramakrishna Hermitage, there was a huge Tamarind tree in the roots of which children were playing.
The Ramakrishna Hermitage – an ashram of soul-stirring beauty and simplicity
In the very simple temple hall there was a Siva lingam over which a copper pot filled with water was hung up with three chains. From below the pot there was a continuous flow of water drops – a permanent water ritual. The lingam is a symbol of the first manifestation of creation, the Divine will. Together with the other pilgrims we expressed our homage to the Divine which is depicted in a material form. On the compound there were huge old trees and a few buildings overlooking the river.
We went back to the boat to start the return journey. After an hour we stopped at a beach, were we got out of the boat to take a bath in the river Godhavari.
Taking a bath in the holy waters of the Godhavari Rivers – the ladies in panjabies, the men in shorts.
The day before Master Kumar had explained to us the importance of this river:
Jupiter entered into Aquarius from the time of Guru Puja on. The transit of Jupiter in Aquarius very much relates to us to experience the Aquarian energy. This is also the year the energy flows through the river Ganges, which is called Kumbha Mela. But according to the tradition Kumbha Mela is when Jupiter enters into Aquarius as per the lunar calendar. Normally it happens the year later, but in solar calendar it is this year. In India this year is recognized the energies of Ganges as the energies of Aquarius, and the energies of Godhavari are the energies of Leo. Therefore Ganges-Godhavari are seen as the most sacred rivers in India. It is also a good coincidence that the group is moving today towards Godhavari River. So in that river find a good place to take bath – where the waters are enough profound, and also move on the river, chanting Hamsa Siva Soham, because when we are on the river, the energy of the river is so embracing, encompassing like a mother, the Most High came.
After a dinner in the WTT-centre we started our return journey around 9 pm and arrived back home around 2 in the morning.
