HAPPY NEW YEAR 2073 BS

Baisakh 1, the beginning of 2073 BS. The day started with a cool bathe followed by deep meditation. Hitchhike in two motorcycles and I reached Pulchowk, where the New Year Special Happiness program of The Art of Living was being conducted by two youth teachers: Lovel Dhawan and Bhawesh Khanal. The participants were excited there and I guided them through a relaxing Yoga session. The red morning sun was kindling light over all of us; reminding us to be bright and strong.

Two buses and I reached Pashupati temple. I was amazed to see the crowd there; I didn’t expect there would be so many people in the temple on the beginning of the year! I made my way and reached Pashupati Bridhashram, the old age home at Pashupati. Nawaraj dai, Dipti didi, Dr. Aastha, Er Pranit and others were there. They had been conducting Nawa Chetana program of The Art of Living and today was the concluding day of it. We discussed and exchanged ideas with the elderly people. They were so happy to be guided in meditation by youth people. Even I had amazing experience meditating amidst the elderly people. What a way to start the first day of the year. Saroj, Arogya, Robin, Sandesh were also with us. After the program, we went to the back gate of the Pashupati temple, peeped and saw a tiny part of the inner side of the temple. 

With the elderly people

At the back gate of Pahupati Temple

Pahupati Temple

A yummy lunch at Nawaraj Dai’s and we went to Satdobato to reach Godavari. OMG! There were so many people at Satdobato! We were worried if we could get any transportation or not. Luckily, we: I, Nawaraj dai, Manisha D, Aastha and Pranit, got into a micro bus and reached Godavari after a long tiring travel. Laxmi Didi and Sreshna Didi were waiting us at Godavari. We went to Godavari Ashram and had a quality time there enjoying in the garden and having bananas and taking photographs.

The six of them (without me !)

Here I come !

We moved ahead to Godavari Kunda. It is the place where Goddess Ganga appeared after a Rishi did Tapasya for 12 years. Water comes out of a small crack in the hill. The water there was so clear. We could see the bottom of the Kunda. Nearby, we played in the pool which had water flowing from the Kunda. We all felt that we should meditate for a while. We looked around for a place to sit and meditate. I brought a paper cartoon and tore into pieces to make a sitting. We closed our eyes, chanted Aum Namah Shibaya 108 times, did Nadisodhan and stayed with the self. When we opened our eyes, there were few people looking at us. I guess they were amazed to see us youth in meditation!

The Kunda behind us

The water was so cold!

Suryaya Namostutey !

Flag in Gumba at the first sunset of the year

We marched to have some food. But a Gumba caught our attention. We went inside and paid our homage. Despite the crode outside, the environment in the GUmba was so calm and serene. Ahh! Kids were playing Chungi. We joined them but unfortunately Pranit had a stretch in his leg. We waited for it to be okay. We had badam and a short slideshow of the day’s photographs. After Pranit felt better we moved. I and Pranit took lift in a micro bus to the ashram, rest of them came walking. Laxmi didi took him in her scooter. We were lucky again to get seat in micro bus among 100s of other people there. We got off at Thaiba, had some chatpate and pani puri and reached to Sreshna Didi’s home.

The environment was so serene: birds chirping, no noise and the cool breeze. We had long conversation in the veranda went. While we were having snacks: kheer and alu! an earthquake of 6.9 Rscale at Myanamar shaked all of us. I guess even the earthquake was planning to celebrate its anniversary. Back to conversation mode! Dinner time and back again to conversation mode!! We talked about our experiences in The Art of Living, our Guru Grace stories and others. It was 11:30 when I dozed off. I was still hearing them having long long conversation!