Spiritual Retreat in Banares - 1

[Guest guest]

I have been counting days for this trip ever since I learnt about it

May. Kamala Maa has told me about this earlier. I was one of the

fortunate people who were able to join Shree Maa and Swamiji at

Banares. I reached Banares on 7th November and yesterday (20/11/2008)

took leave of Shree Maa and Swamiji at Mira Mandir, Kolkata.

 

These two weeks I have been on Cloud Nine and am unhappy that the

retreat ended so soon. I would like to share my experiences with the

family. I am living and reliving those experiences again.

 

First of all this retreat was unique in the sense that we are an

Internet spiritual family. Many of the participants had not met Shree

Maa and Swamiji before and knew Devi Mandir only from the web site and

the . Of course all of us were familiar with the teachings

of Shree Maa and Swamiji.

 

I will ramble on and try to give a blow by blow account of the time

when I felt I was on top of the world. Lots of things were happening

between the official schedule. We had very little spare time.

 

First I would like to thank Sanjay to whom we could run for any help

during our stay. He made our stay pleasant and helped us so much.

Amitabh Agrewal and his family who provided the perfect ambiance for

the sathsang in Banares. The beautiful lawns of their house (Devi

Mandir, Banares) made a perfect place for the Kirtans, Sundara Kand

recitation, and Chandi Yagna. We were fed with the most delicious

food. Last day he gave us one of those rare sweets of Banares. He

spent a fortune for the Boat ride for us to see the Deva Deepavali

lighting from the Ganga river.

 

Kamala Maa was in charge of herding us around. Yes. We did tend to get

lost in the gullies of Banares what with every cycle rickshah puller

deciding his own route. Kamala Maa also led us in the Dharshan, Shiv

Puja, and Kirtan in Dhakshineswar temple. More about that later.

 

Day 1 - 08/11/08

 

I missed the morning programme at the Annapurna Mandir due to my train

schedule. In the evening we had Sundara Kand recitation at Devi

Mandir, Banares. I had never read this text before though I was

familiar with Tulsidass's poems having learnt some of them in school.

We were given small books with the text and did not have many problems

in recitation. It is a beautiful poem and it was thrilling to hear it

being sung.

 

Then Shree Maa started singing and we forgot the world. I have

listened to her CDs countless times. Heard her in person for the first

time in March in Banares. We were transported to a world of our own.

 

I met my fellow travelers like Ambika, Parvati, Tapasi and others with

whom I was to share this wonderful Spiritual journey for the next two

weeks.

 

Jai MAA !!!

 

Sankar

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the journal,So kind of you to take the time to share it with everyone.This gives us a little of the trip to experience.Love-m,Devi--- On Fri, 11/21/08, Sankar Viswanathan <sankarrukku wrote:Sankar Viswanathan <sankarrukku[www.ShreeMaa.org] Spiritual Retreat in Banares - 1 Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 11:20 AM

 

I have been counting days for this trip ever since I learnt about it

May. Kamala Maa has told me about this earlier. I was one of the

fortunate people who were able to join Shree Maa and Swamiji at

Banares. I reached Banares on 7th November and yesterday (20/11/2008)

took leave of Shree Maa and Swamiji at Mira Mandir, Kolkata.

 

These two weeks I have been on Cloud Nine and am unhappy that the

retreat ended so soon. I would like to share my experiences with the

family. I am living and reliving those experiences again.

 

First of all this retreat was unique in the sense that we are an

Internet spiritual family. Many of the participants had not met Shree

Maa and Swamiji before and knew Devi Mandir only from the web site and

the . Of course all of us were familiar with the teachings

of Shree Maa and Swamiji.

 

I will ramble on and try to give a blow by blow account of the time

when I felt I was on top of the world. Lots of things were happening

between the official schedule. We had very little spare time.

 

First I would like to thank Sanjay to whom we could run for any help

during our stay. He made our stay pleasant and helped us so much.

Amitabh Agrewal and his family who provided the perfect ambiance for

the sathsang in Banares. The beautiful lawns of their house (Devi

Mandir, Banares) made a perfect place for the Kirtans, Sundara Kand

recitation, and Chandi Yagna. We were fed with the most delicious

food. Last day he gave us one of those rare sweets of Banares. He

spent a fortune for the Boat ride for us to see the Deva Deepavali

lighting from the Ganga river.

 

Kamala Maa was in charge of herding us around. Yes. We did tend to get

lost in the gullies of Banares what with every cycle rickshah puller

deciding his own route. Kamala Maa also led us in the Dharshan, Shiv

Puja, and Kirtan in Dhakshineswar temple. More about that later.

 

Day 1 - 08/11/08

 

I missed the morning programme at the Annapurna Mandir due to my train

schedule. In the evening we had Sundara Kand recitation at Devi

Mandir, Banares. I had never read this text before though I was

familiar with Tulsidass's poems having learnt some of them in school.

We were given small books with the text and did not have many problems

in recitation. It is a beautiful poem and it was thrilling to hear it

being sung.

 

Then Shree Maa started singing and we forgot the world. I have

listened to her CDs countless times. Heard her in person for the first

time in March in Banares. We were transported to a world of our own.

 

I met my fellow travelers like Ambika, Parvati, Tapasi and others with

whom I was to share this wonderful Spiritual journey for the next two

weeks.

 

Jai MAA !!!

 

Sankar