Editor Aparigraha Jain
Editor Carla Geerdes
Leaving the main building behind, one reaches the entrance of the kitchen after having traversed the terrace. In the evening, as soon as the doors are opened, the wild peacocks are very often the first to appear at the steps. They are looking inside, but do not enter. They are passing the area again and again, if 'by chance' some person known to them, might appear. Mostly, this person is known to them by previous food donations. They are amazingly soft and handy with their beaks. When Tschapati (Indian wheet bread) is presented to them, they take it with a very fast movement foreward of the head from the hand, just like caressing the hand. Condition to experience this, is fearlessness in regard of their might-be hurting beak...
This is the view from the kitchen entrance to the terrace. Now, everyone is in the right order, the lady is about to enter the dining hall, the dog has taken his position in the first row in front of the shoes, the crows and ravens (invisible on the photo) in the second row, which is terminated by trees at the left and right end, and the peacock in the third row, coming along 'by chance'.
The place where the food is distributed is separated with an octagonal shaped wall from the dining hall. The window like gaps are for better air circulation during hot Rajasthani summer. In winter, when we were there, the cold can easily invade every corner, resulting in a felt room temperature of 6°C in January.
The place where the food is served, is neat and clean. Normally people are eating in the hall on the floor. We were served the meals at the table and got the opportunity to sit on chairs. Our hosts knew that we are not used to sit too long on the floor.
People came to meet us there, and to make appointments with us. They knew that we would be there soon after the sound of the lunch bell.
Ashok Bhaskar (right) came to invite us to visit the farm of his father. We will report on this visit later on. Assistant director Anshuman Sharma (second right) asked us to inform the cook on our absence. Miss A. (second left) from Assam has chosen Science of Living' as her subject of studies.
These are the eating places on the floor in the dining hall. In summer it is certainly nice to have the meals there. Some old people are getting chairs as well.
These two young women from South-Korea are going to be medical doctors. Yu Shi Nae (left) and Kim Hae Jin had heard through a colleague from the system of Preksha Meditation. He had stayed in the Needam two years ago, participated in a meditation camp, and practiced Preksha Meditation with some of his patients. After knowing this, Yu Shi and Kim Hae decided to visit the Needam for further instruction in Preksha Meditation. They participated in a meditation camp for one week and planned to share their meditation practice with their colleagues and patients. They felt very much at home in the Needam and got many friends there.
Every meal was freshly prepared here in the kitchen. In the morning, the cook went to the market for fresh vegetables. Then the vegetables were prepared for cooking. Two young men were occupied with this task for about two hours and a half. They did not find other jobs in Ladnun.
Our friend Paulo from Barcelona enjoyed very much the stay in the Needam. People were very kind and took great care of all of us.