Isha Yoga Ashram,
Coimbatore – Some observations
==========================================
Well laid out buildings with safety and security
You can observe unexpected elements of architecture /
design: steps are of uneven height, electric switches are in unexpected places,
security check where you least expect it etc.
No footwear or talking in temple area
No walking and talking over mobile phone
Helipad for Sadhguru’s Helicopter landing / taking off
Water resistant ID tags for the wrist – you can wear them
for 5-10 days!
Two eateries / canteens (plus free Ashram Food for residents
from Central kitchen)
Over 40 types of lunch menus of various types are prepared
every day in central kitchen for different groups like: School Children,
Bramacharys, teachers, volunteers, residents, participants in several courses,
people observing Silence / fasting etc
Two schools in the campus
Each and every cluster of buildings fenced and cordoned off:
Schools, residential blocks /areas
Only about a fourth of total facility is visible /
accessible to public
Mostly self sufficient in terms of vegetables from own farms for the kitchen.
Food served is wholesome, hygienic, nutritious and offbeat.
(ex: white Rice once a week!)
Volunteers are committed: yet to see a volunteer getting
irritated or raising his voice
Almost everyone greets each other by folded hands – Namasthe!
People observing SILENCE wear SILENCE badge and are not to
be spoken to or disturbed in any way!
Plenty of foreigners, youngsters, youth, young-adults flock
to courses. So spirituality is not for the old or retired!
Public event attendance ranges from 200 to 7000! Ashram has
expertise to organize quickly huge events right from chairs, tents, water,
food, toilets, public address system, streaming video etc
Most of the work carried out by willing volunteers both
local and foreign.
Thousands of visitors daily especially after installation of
112 feet Adiyogi statute – this has become a tourist attraction – lot of
visibility after PM’s participation last Shivaratri. There is a Shivalingam
consecrated (worshippable)at the base of the statute.
Theerthakundam for men, Chandrakundam for women,
Lingabhairavi Devi Temple, Dhyanalingam are other spots to see.
LED lights throughout the campus
Lights are off between 8:00pm and 10:00 pm on Full Moon day
and two nights earlier to it.
Electric scooters / two wheelers
No bells for bicycles
Solar power for hot water in living area
Separate facility for each block for washing and drying
clothes
Surrounded by forest and Velliangiri mountains: full of
greenery, peace and salutary environment
From residential quarters one could chance to see peacocks,
wild boar, elephants, leopards, mongoose, snakes etc.
Plenty of unfamiliar insects and wildlife / wild growth
Apart from teaching yoga, education, production and sale of
health & food related products, forestation, agriculture are other
activities.
Current concern for next three months: Impress upon ALL
stakeholders -- 16 state governments and the central government -- to save our rivers, by planting trees along
river banks.
No comments:
Post a Comment