Land Blessing in Pune

Ananda Yoga & Meditation Center of Berkeley
2228 Sixth Street Berkeley, CA 94706 ananda@anandaberkeley.org

Dear Friends,

Dhyana and I are now in Goa at the beach after a long weekend program in Pune. Our program started with registration and welcoming at the apartment complex where all the Ananda members in Pune are now living. We then had a sadhana with energization and meditation, and dinner outside behind the apartment complex on the lawn. There were about 130 people from India, Europe and the United States. It was warm evening with a lot of sharing with Ananda friends from all over the world.

On Saturday there was a panel discussion with the Ananda communities leaders from the US, Europe, and India. We had lunch together after the panel discussion and then a break until the afternoon program with Swamiji at a college auditorium. Swamiji spoke about troubled times on the material plane and the need for soul nourishment to face the challenges of today in India and around the world.

On Saturday evening we had an Evening of Enchantment that was organized by Cecilia from Italy, who has been living in India for five years from the time that Swamiji came to India. Cecilia is a lover of beauty. She has had a clothing and import business in India and now she works with only organic cotton and Ahimsa silk clothing and shawls that she exports to America and Europe. She is also a great Italian cook. So of course the Evening of Enchantment meal was Italian and the food and menu was superb.

The Evening of Enchantment was to help Swamiji launch the first of Yoganadaji's World Brotherhood Colonies in India. The donation was $200 and she raised about $9000 dollars after expenses. The evening was a great success. We all dressed in our finest Indian or western outfits for the elegant dinner served with various delicious courses with music for the Ananda singers in-between the courses. Swamiji attended the dinner with us and there we about 50 people in attendance.

Sunday was the big day for the Boomi Pooja or land blessing. Dhyana was in charge of setting up the altar out at the land. So Dhyana and I were at the apartment complex at 7:45 ready for the one hour drive out to the land to set up the altar and ceremony area. Jaya and monks had been working for months to get the land ready for this day. Jaya had hired some of the villagers to help clear about one quarter of the 30 acres of land. They had even built a wash house with 4 bathrooms with flush toilets. There was a dirt road that had been made to get to the center of the property and a level area near a big tree where we had our ceremony. We decided to set up the altar at the big tree. It was a blessing to set up the first altar at the new land. We had very large pictures of all the gurus on a table in front of the tree. They were also tied to the tree so they would not blow down.

Sangita from Delhi went to the flower mart in the early morning and arrived with many bouquets of flowers and garlands for the picture of the gurus and flower petals that were put along the edges of the pathway. It added a colorful touch to the dry hot environment. The land is very much like the land at Ananda village. The soil is ready. The climate hot and dry. and it was dusty and easy to get full of the red dirt. It was like the early days at Ananda befor the paved roads.

Even though it is March it is really hot. The hot weather come early to the south of India. The guests started arriving at 11:00 am to tour the land. The chanting started at 12:00 and Swaminji arrived at 12:30 for the fire ceremony and Phooja to bless the land. We chanted and had a fire ceremont and chanted the Gayatri mantra. broke a coconut over the fire and put morter on a brick -- all part of the Bhoomi Phooja. Even many of the local village people came to the Phooja. Swamiji blessed the villagers as he was leaving. They all had the biggest smile on their face and seems very happy to receive the blessing.

We ended our weekend with all 130 people eating lunch with Swamiji at an restaurant that was about 30 minute from the land on the way back to town. We all said our goodbyes until wee meet for the next big event. It is so special to have such a big family around the world.

Love and Joy,
Karpani
March 2, 2009

Ananda Sangha of Berkeley 2228 Sixth Street Berkeley, CA 94706 ananda@anandaberkeley.org 510-540-6267