Editor Carla Geerdes
After a short, but refreshing sleep we again set out after breakfast for the daily route already familiar to us from the hotel to ASK. The hotel’s security staff doing service at the gateway on the roadside had become habituated to our custom to look for a three-wheeler taxi, get into it and start to the always same destination. One had become acquainted to each other and exchanged the usual morning greetings. Nothing extraordinary, after staying for one week we felt rather integrated into their daily routine like to that of the other hotel employees. In some days we were supposed to change into the hotel where all participants of the conference were accommodated. Ahead of us laid a relaxed day on the campus of ASK, actually we only wanted to fix the schedule for some interviews the next day..
Acharya Mahashraman just returned from morning Pravachan to his room
Shyam Nandem, Suresh Dubey, Sunil Agarwal, Rajendra Sancheti, Vikas Chhajer busily were preparing Anuvrat International Conference
In a room on 3rd floor of the building where Acharya Mahashraman and the monks were accommodated was bustling activity on computers and mobiles. Vikas Chhajer together with a team of colleagues and volunteers had got his hands full to concentrate on his task. In the run-up already it was said to be one of the landmark events at the occasion of Acharya Tulsi’s centenary, as Acharya Tulsi was among his many other activities the founder of Anuvrat Movement. In his honour they all were ready to give their best, worked under impromptu conditions, without losing sight on the whole issue. Such an approach and work attitude cannot be bought by money. It requires inner commitment and the readiness to totally identify with all to do. Most of all, determination for cooperation and team spirit. In this atmosphere time flew away also for us by merely watching, and after some short discussion it was time for lunch. Before the meal we made appointments with Muni Mahendra Kumar, Muni Kishan Lal and Muni Kumar Shraman for next day.
3 generations in a joint family from Patiala (Punjab): (f.l.) Rucki Jain with daughter Ghiya, father Hardik Jain, Grandma Nirmala and Grandpa Sitaram Jain
In the eating hall we experienced a surprise. We met some old friends we had not seen for quite some time. In 2005 we met the family of Sitaram Jain in Ladnun; where they took us around and made us taste Pan, an Indian treat wrapped in real leaves. Their sons then were youngsters, at present the older son, Hardik, is the head of a small family himself. Hardik Jain lives with his wife and daughter together with his parents and his younger brother in a joint family in the house where he himself had grown up. Indian joint families are always living together in the household of the husband’s parents. This is not easy and requires a great amount of sensitivity.
Son Hardik Jain, father Sitaram Jain from Patiala (Punjab), Arjun Medatwal from Surat (Gujarat), Carla Geerdes
The last time we had seen Arjun Medatwal was 2006 in Surat where we made a 24-hours stopover on our way from Jaipur to Mumbai to meet again with the friends I had made in Surat during my six-weeks-stay at the occasion of II. IPMC there and with whom I still am in contact. He as a man of words had given a touching speech in City Light Terapanth Bhawan Surat on Ahimsa in one’s own life. Thereafter he had accompanied us to an encounter with Terapanth Yuvak Parishad Surat where he presented us to the youngsters and acquainted us with each other.
Mohanlal Bhadari and his wife, Sushil Bafana
After lunch I got suddenly very tired. With the help of Sushil Bafana I was invited by Mr. and Mrs. Bhadari from Sri Dungargarh to take some rest in their AC room while Christian Geerdes had to finish some work. The Bhadaris are friends of us and Sushil Bafana whom they know since their childhood in their native place Sri Dungargarh. During our stay in Sri Dungargarh we had a very pleasant and enjoyable evening in the company of the many members of the family including a delicious dinner there. Without hesitation they offered to take rest in their room to me. After all we had not seen each other for some years and had spent only one evening together. But it was a very special one, joyfully remembered by all of us. Like nearly 5 years ago the communication was by gestures or in one’s own language this afternoon.
Sadhvi Chaitanya Prabha (l), Sadhvi Prafulla Prabha (r)
After taking rest I went refreshed and with new energies to the house where the Sadhvis were accommodated. There I wanted to meet Sadhvi Chaitanya Prabha, in worldly terms the sister of Sadhvi Rajul Prabha with whom I had talked some days earlier. Sadhvi Chaitanya Prabha also had participated in my German language course at JVBU Ladnun in 2007. Together with her sister she was in the group of then Vice-Chancellor Samani Mangal Pragya, now Sadhvi Mangal Prajna. Sadhvi Chaitanya Prabha was pleased to see me and told me how much in her life as Sadhvi she appreciates more restraint and peace contributing to a process of growing awareness adding more intensity to her perception and enriching her spiritually. As I noticed during our talk she was more than ready to share this wealth as by the way she talked and looked at me she was including me in her experiences while speaking. She gave a very detailed description of this process of spiritual growth bringing her closer to the Self the lesser she is communicating with the world, according to her view. Although to my notion her communication skills even are advanced. The way she was talking about her inner activities I had only heard when her sister Sadhvi Rajul Prabha was speaking on this subject, otherwise it was unique. The manifold activities of a Sadhvi are not aiming at the world, but are helping to recognise and know the Self. All activities are part of her Sadhana, walking, speaking, eating, etc. This topic I liked to deepen with her. On her request I asked her group leader Sadhvi Subhara Yasha for permission to take her interview which immediately and very kindly was granted. This is also part of the world of Sadhvis, to act according to the rules and not to exclude anyone. During the years I have realised that this system of rules is based on respect and esteem and in no case expression of dependence, as I wrongly had supposed in the beginning. Further this respect is required for the attitude being on the right position and path in life. This gives strength to them and enables them to comprehend, what others think hardship and restraint, as welcomed occasions to progress on the way to liberation. They are happy and enlightened individuals in harmony with the Self and the cosmic powers, and definitely are lesser obstacles inviting karmic influences to settle. They with equanimity are accepting all situations of life as they are showing up and greeting them with a big smile.
Sadhvi Muka Yasha
Suddenly a Sadhvi rushed to me with a broad smile, while she asked, “Don’t you remember me?” I wondered if we had met before, and to gain time I first took her photo, resulting in an even broader smile from her side. But then it finally worked and my memory came back. Former Samani Manan Pragya had stayed for one week in 2007 together with her group leader, then Samani Prasanna Pragya, since 2012 Sadhvi Prasanna Yasha, in Berlin with us. They were giving lectures at Freie Universität Berlin, guided sessions of Preksha Meditation and enlightened us in various talks. Her for Paryushan shaven hair and the Muhpatti Sadhvis are wearing made it difficult for me to recognize her at first glance. But on closer inspection her wonderful smile had become even more intense since our last encounter. The reason is because she feels even happier since 2009 when she got Sadhvi Diksha. Undoubtedly she can offer cheerful attention, response and spiritual guidance uplifting their lives to the people approaching her.
After having fixed appointments with Sadhvi Pramukha Kanak Prabha and Sadhvi Niyojika Vishrut Vibha for next afternoon we felt very happy and returned to the hotel. The trip we had undertaken the previous day was still in our bones, and we wished to encounter our interlocutors after having taken enough rest to fully enjoy their presence.
