God's Country

I love my seva. Each week, I take Ashram visitors on a boat trip along the backwaters near the Ashram. Along the way, I serve them chai and snacks.

We depart from the Ashram boat jetty and trawl north to a Kali Temple a few kilometers north of here where the backwaters meet the Arabian Sea. It is a colorful, joyful, and extremely interesting adventure which surprises me each time I go.

On the way, we pass a Catholic church. The tour leader and boat operator, John, shuts down the motor and we stop. One can hear the birds all around and a quiet peacefulness prevails.

John tells us this is where Mother learned embroidery in her youth. The priest there told us of Mother's frequent visits and how he recognized Her great spiritual nature even at such a young age.

As we journey north, we pass many colorful fishing boats where the fishermen trade their catch of the day. Hundreds of birds are attracted to this place. We watch the brown and white eagles dive for fish, and enjoy the white egrets flying overhead with their feet hanging down like little yellow boots.

In the middle of the backwaters, we cruise past a small island where the tsunami had wiped out most all of the houses. Here, the Ashram rebuilt all the homes as part of Amma's tsunami relief efforts.

Halfway along our trip, I serve chai and snacks and everyone enjoys the floating tea party.

One of the special moments of the trip is finding the school of jumping fish. As we approach the area, I tell everyone that if they clap enthusiastically, the little silver fish will start jumping and flying out of the water. I am always praying that they will appear so as to not disappoint anyone. Sure enough, sun-lit silver streaks start leaping out of the water on both sides of the boat. Children squeal with delight and begin clapping even faster and louder. It is so very joyful and amusing.

By now, the village children on land hear our clapping and as we approach the boat jetty, they run to welcome us. As we disembark, the children grab our hands, and we begin following a path through the tropical palms to an old Kali temple.

We stop and gather around John who captivates us with his knowledge of Mother's teachings, temple worship, and history of Kerala. Then we enter the temple through a narrow wooden carved door into a courtyard. We watch as the pujari performs a special ceremony to the shining Kali inside the shrine.

We return to the boat accompanied by the children who stand at the edge of the water - some waving and holding their hands together in humble salutations, while others are jumping in the water and making faces, prompting us all to laugh as we float away.

We depart with a feeling of having a greater understanding of the rich culture of this country.

As the sun sets on the natural beauty of Kerala's backwaters, it is easy to comprehend why this is called God's Country.

September 23, 2006
Meenakshi Van Nostrand, USA