A usual day in the ashram. As far as one can speak about usual during the Kumbh Mela festival. The loudloudspeakers of the adjacent temple remember you of it every second. And more subtle, Kumbh Mela is being felt. Something hangs here. A constant movement, which you can call agitation when in a negative mood, in the good moments you feel the upward energy, the gathering of so many souls with the same goal : being together in peace around the holy ganga. So, a regular day in unusual circumstances.
A friend of the ashram came by to say hello, to talk a bit.
From far I heard him say that the Dalai Lama is in Haridwar. He says it in such an evident way that it almost passed my attention. Until I tell myself that I would love to meet him, had I forgotten maybe?
I finish the text I was writing and leave with three other people and one clue of where he could maybe be. The search can begin. For his Holiness the Dalai Lama.
On the first spot we are being sent to another place. That`s how searching goes.
Only Simone, Australian girl, joins me to the second link. From the rikshaw she sees a big poster with the head of the Dalai Lama. We stop the rikshaw and find the 3rd link.
It turns out to be the final one already.
We hear a man talking in a microphone. Not the Dalai Lama but maybe a supporting program?
We enter the tent and first see around a thousand other people and then the Dalai Lama, together with a handful of other highly respected Indian saints.
We find two seats in the front and sit down in awe. In awe because of the ease of the search.
That`s how it goes. Whenever you don`t expect anything to happen, it happens. Just like that. Not just like that, but with considerable greater ease than when expected.
Here we are. Listening to the Hindi of a saint which we don`t understand. Simone takes pictures to later look up which Indian celebrity she has taken pictures from.
Where are we actually?
At a presentation of the encyclopedia of Hinduism apparently.
Beautiful. The Dalai Lama presenting the encyclopedia of Hinduism.
A man runs, hops and laughs on stage accompanied by loud applause. It is Ram Dev. The Indian who brought yoga to the masses.
I start to have the feeling we ended up in a holy rockfestival. With idols of whom everyone wants to catch a glimpse.
Every culture its heroes.
We have the rockstars, they have the saints. That`s how the whole Kumbh Mela looks like, seen superficially and from the outside. As one big holy Woodstock. Encampments everywhere, billboards of saints, loudspeakers speaking loudly holy music.
Ram Dev talks. Everyone is hanging at his lips. The Dalai Lama is pulling his beard. Everybody laughs.
He must be talking about the roots of Hinduism, because every five words he says the word Sanskrit.
Then the Dalai Lama talks. In Tibetan he praises India and her non-violence. Compared to Hindi, the Tibetan language sounds so peaceful, almost meditative. Then he talks in English. In broken English, he apologizes himself.
The eyes of the Tibetan women-monks next to me are worth gold. The devotion, the love, the respect that shines in them is beautifully moving.
The Dalai Lama starts with saying that he is a son of India. He considers India as the guru, the Tibetans its disciples.
He praises Gandhi and the history of ahimsa, non-violence, in India.
He says that it is unseen, such an immense country with so many inhabitants, where so many religions are able to live together in relative peace without making life hard on each other.
He sees it as an example for the world. Then he gives some practical tips to attain peace of mind. Because peace of mind is good for the health. He emphasizes that he speaks beyond religion, that he`s bringing a secular message that anyone can understand and apply.
He says that peace of mind is attainable through being compassionate.
He advises to be compassionate in the morning and then to feel the result the whole day long.
He then also praises the chapati of India and the beard of Ram Dev. Nothing of what he said was unknown to me, but to hear the simple words from his mouth, feels like a privilege.
Having the ability to make people believe in and live in the simplest truth, is a great power. He has that ability because he doesn`t only say what he says, he also does it, you can hear that, you can see that, you know that.
He is not (only) a politician pleading for his case, wanting to increase his power.
He is a human being who understood that non-violence is the longest but the only right way to peace.
Just like Gandhi had understood that in head and heart and deeds and words.
I am happy to have seen and heard him.
In broken English, on an unexpected Saturday.
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