Travels in Malaysia Pt. 2

[Guest guest]

Our trip to Mentakab was coming to an end, as it was clear we were becoming too

attached to these wonderful people. Saturday we return to Kajang via bus, being

met at

the station by Veni. At this point Rukhmini was becoming travel weary, and asked

not to

go to Melecca.

 

Sunday Veni, Krishna, and I went to Melecca, but not the most direct route.

Essentially we went from family to family, house to ashram to temple to house,

etc. In each

house, I chanted a few mantras, Gave books, taught Puja/gave satsang, and

partook of

some food, made lots and lots of friends. In the end I went to 4 houses, 1

temple, and 1

Ashram/Orphanage. It all ended up one blissful blur of love. There were a few

special

things I remember though. Each home had the most wonderful alter room, laid out

in a 3-

D pattern. Most alters that I have seen have a row or rows of Deities along a

back wall.

These alters are laid out so the main Deity is either on an Island in the middle

of the room

or at the tip of a peninsula in the center of the room, with pictures and Murtis

along on

every flat surface, and each alter showed signs of lots and lots of Puja being

done. Another

thing that was exceptional, was the devotion, and the sacrifice. Even-though

this trip did

have some planning, only 2 of the families, and the ashram were expecting us,

the rest

were impromptu, going at the last moment at the request of the family. At one

home, as

we were driving up, we could see one of the family dashing out of the back door

to

purchase sweets for our benefit. It was amazing.

 

The homes we visited were varied, from a simple brick house with a metal roof,

to a

large new house. Each home was full of divine love, and there was no thought of

status

nor wealth. It seemed that everybody from the first house came with us to the

second

house and so forth. So by the end of the day we had a small caravan. The

original goal was

to visit the Ramakrishna Ashram, which was also an Orphanage. It was founded by

Paramahamsa Thasar (Govinda Swami). Govind Swami (as his family called him) was

the

person who brought the knowledge of Ramakrsishna to Malaysia, he also founded

the

Ramakrishna Ashram, and created a new form of Puja. Swamiji passed away a few

years

ago, and the ashram is now being run by his widow. The ashram was really sweet,

the

boys (the girls were at another ashram, elsewhere) were great. When I arrived we

did Arati

at both of there temples, I gave a simple talk on the nature of independence,

based on the

Kaupina Panchakam, had lunch with the kids. Followed by another arati, and then

I passed

around a small token of love to all the kids (a bookmark). Then I was whisked

off to

another house, with a small motor tour of Melecca. As I understand it, all of

the houses

that I visited that day, were the descendants (or at least relatives) of Govind

Swami. Even

Captain (by marriage), Saratha, Ram, Kamala, and Shamala are related to Swamiji.

Quite a

wonderful family. Later in the evening we went to a Devi Temple, and observed

there

procession. The took the Murti and placed her on a palanquin and carried her

around the

temple, doing a small puja in the various directions, then again I was whisked

off to

another house. In the end it was a most incredible day.

 

Monday, Shamala picked me up and took me to her home, where I taught a homa

class to both Shamala, and Kamala. This included, how to build a brick

havankund, and

how to conduct the Yajna (based on Hanuman Puja). Last year I taught the same

class to

Ram, and Krishna. Oh, by the way, Kamala is the mother of both Ram, and Kamala,

Sister

to Swamiji.

 

Tuesday, was a resting/mall day (our final chance to get goodies for gifts).

Wednesday we went to two families houses, Bharathi, and his brother Segaran,

luckily they

are within a block of each other. There I did a small puja, and had prasad.

These families

are not related to Swamiji (as far as I know), and I am still in contact with

Segaran's two

children, Kaveena, and Mathanaraj. Thursday was the day of departure for the US,

and

Mondaneia.

 

I am most grateful to all of the enlightened souls We met along the way,

especially to

Krishna, and Veni, who had to put up with this Swami

 

Photos are at http://homepage.mac.com/swamiji

[Guest guest]

Thank you for keeping us posted on your yagya. You were in my prayers.

Ardis

swamiji (AT) mac (DOT) com

Tue, 27 Jul 2004 18:44:07 -0000

Travels in Malaysia Pt. 2

Our trip to Mentakab was coming to an end, as it was clear we

were becoming too

attached to these wonderful people. Saturday we return to Kajang via bus, being met at

the station by Veni. At this point Rukhmini was becoming travel weary, and asked not to

go to Melecca.

Sunday Veni, Krishna, and I went to Melecca, but not the most

direct route.

Essentially we went from family to family, house to ashram to temple to house, etc. In each

house, I chanted a few mantras, Gave books, taught Puja/gave satsang, and partook of

some food, made lots and lots of friends. In the end I went to 4 houses, 1 temple, and 1

Ashram/Orphanage. It all ended up one blissful blur of love. There were a few special

things I remember though. Each home had the most wonderful alter room, laid out in a 3-

D pattern. Most alters that I have seen have a row or rows of Deities along a back wall.

These alters are laid out so the main Deity is either on an Island in the middle of the room

or at the tip of a peninsula in the center of the room, with pictures and Murtis along on

every flat surface, and each alter showed signs of lots and lots of Puja being done. Another

thing that was exceptional, was the devotion, and the sacrifice. Even-though this trip did

have some planning, only 2 of the families, and the ashram were expecting us, the rest

were impromptu, going at the last moment at the request of the family. At one home, as

we were driving up, we could see one of the family dashing out of the back door to

purchase sweets for our benefit. It was amazing.

The homes we visited were varied, from a simple brick house with

a metal roof, to a

large new house. Each home was full of divine love, and there was no thought of status

nor wealth. It seemed that everybody from the first house came with us to the second

house and so forth. So by the end of the day we had a small caravan. The original goal was

to visit the Ramakrishna Ashram, which was also an Orphanage. It was founded by

Paramahamsa Thasar (Govinda Swami). Govind Swami (as his family called him) was the

person who brought the knowledge of Ramakrsishna to Malaysia, he also founded the

Ramakrishna Ashram, and created a new form of Puja. Swamiji passed away a few years

ago, and the ashram is now being run by his widow. The ashram was really sweet, the

boys (the girls were at another ashram, elsewhere) were great. When I arrived we did Arati

at both of there temples, I gave a simple talk on the nature of independence, based on the

Kaupina Panchakam, had lunch with the kids. Followed by another arati, and then I passed

around a small token of love to all the kids (a bookmark). Then I was whisked off to

another house, with a small motor tour of Melecca. As I understand it, all of the houses

that I visited that day, were the descendants (or at least relatives) of Govind Swami. Even

Captain (by marriage), Saratha, Ram, Kamala, and Shamala are related to Swamiji. Quite a

wonderful family. Later in the evening we went to a Devi Temple, and observed there

procession. The took the Murti and placed her on a palanquin and carried her around the

temple, doing a small puja in the various directions, then again I was whisked off to

another house. In the end it was a most incredible day.

Monday, Shamala picked me up and took me to her home, where I

taught a homa

class to both Shamala, and Kamala. This included, how to build a brick havankund, and

how to conduct the Yajna (based on Hanuman Puja). Last year I taught the same class to

Ram, and Krishna. Oh, by the way, Kamala is the mother of both Ram, and Kamala, Sister

to Swamiji.

Tuesday, was a resting/mall day (our final chance to get goodies

for gifts).

Wednesday we went to two families houses, Bharathi, and his brother Segaran, luckily they

are within a block of each other. There I did a small puja, and had prasad. These families

are not related to Swamiji (as far as I know), and I am still in contact with Segaran's two

children, Kaveena, and Mathanaraj. Thursday was the day of departure for the US, and

Mondaneia.

I am most grateful to all of the enlightened souls We met along

the way, especially to

Krishna, and Veni, who had to put up with this Swami

Photos are at http://homepage.mac.com/swamiji

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