HereNow4U - Living Jainism Tour 2006 - 05.08 Hariyal

24th November 2006, 11:45 - 14:45

Ahimsa Yatra, headed by Dr. Baid, MD and MLA Rajasthan, reached Hariyal 15 minutes after we had arrived. Yuvacharya Mahashramanji and a group of monks drew Acharyashree’s chariot through the sands of the desert with admirable equanimity and the same speed as on the asphalted pavement from Taranagar to Mahatma. Lay followers chanted Mantras and prayers; everyone gave his heartiest welcome to Ahimsa Yatra.

The saints immediately after arrival retired for Gochari, respectively their meals. In this short period, they are not available for public interest; we meanwhile watched the preparations for the activities to come. Karuna used the opportunity to say hello to Samani Ujjwal Pragya and the Samanijis of her group. Some of the village people stopped their daily routine and moved to the place where the saints were accommodated, buildings where normally community gatherings for various purposes took place. The buildings were as simple as those in Mahatma.

Meanwhile further trucks arrived and were unloaded on a big area in some distance from the village houses, serving as parking during Ahimsa Yatra’s stay in Hariyal. Increasing number of lay followers gathered in the big tent in front of the low building where Acharyashree and the monks were accommodated.

Big-eyed village girls watched the ongoing activities, apparently unfamiliar to them, wondering on what behalf so many strangers came to their village. Sadhvi Pramukha and the nuns were accommodated in a low building on the backside of the assemble tent; normally the two low buildings are in front of each other, separated by a huge sandy place. May be, the second building was added only lately, it looked much newer than the opposite one, where Acharyashree and the monks stayed.

The colourful crowd, composed of ladies in Saris, students in blue uniforms of Jain Gyanshala, white robed gents, waited for appearance and lecture of the saints. Delicious scents remembered our empty stomachs to us, and we moved towards the tent from where it came. Lunchtime in the desert!

In the tent, Yuvacharyashree started his lecture in national language, self-understood, who in Hariyal would understand any other one, except the visitors? Who would be interested in learning a foreign language, if he is worrying about survival? We remembered the talk with Dr. Baid, who really was happy that Ahimsa Yatra touches even the tiniest villages and brings food and attention to the situation of their inhabitants. Many projects to overcome hunger and other miseries were started when well-to-do people’s attention was attracted to the miserable circumstances of poor people’s life.

Yuvacharyashree finished his lecture; and Acharyashree addressed the gathering in a touching way. His listeners were deeply concerned with his lecture, Munishrees, Sadhvishrees, Samanijis and lay followers. Unfortunately, our limitations in language do not allow to report on its subject in detail.

We decided to go to Tamkor and meet our hosts and to return to Hariyal in the afternoon.

When we left Hariyal, these were our impressions.