Monday, January 22, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Leaving India or returning home?
Just a few hours left before I leave India...Earlier today I collected 200 printed pictures from my journey, and as I waited for a friend outside a restaurant here in Mumbai, I flickered through some of them. They were all mixed, and in no seemingly order. The first one was a picture of me, Stefan and Malle crossing the rainy cold border between Nepal and Tibet. The next picture was of me enjoying the sunset from a hammock in Goa in my underwear. Feels like I'm browsing the chapters of a book written ages ago. Memories comes back, and I feel that this journey has been a truly unique experience, which I wish everyone could have.I know also that I've been very lucky with all the wonderful people from around the globe that I've had a chance to get to know. It feels good to know that I carry small pieces of them with me home to Sweden. It is fortunately for me is that ideas and meme's are not very heavy, because my bags are already overweighting on 35kg with all the clothes from Tibet and presents and stuff that I simply couldn't resist buying... ;-)And oh, yes, I didn't tell you about "Le grand finale" of my journey... I spent a week in Auroville! For you who doesn't know about Auroville, here are the links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auroville
In short, Auroville is a universal village, founded in the sixties, to realize human unity. It has around 2000 inhabitants (30% Indians, 15% French and 15% German), and might be the most progressive society in the world. Auroville is a unique place for people interested in areas like ecology, renewable energy sources, meditation, experimental architecture, collective yoga, art and alternative medicine.First thing that happened on arrival was that I almost lost my mind. It was hot and sunny, all the Guesthouses were full and I had 30kg backpack. I walked around randomly and was almost out of hope when a gray-haired hero comes to my rescue. His name was Manfred, and he offered me a ride to his place, and to stay in a bamboo tree-house in his garden! Manfred, as it turns out, is a retired German cryo-physicist, and has lived in Auroville for 13 years. I stay in the hut for a week, trying to help Auroville's researchers with their computers, and attending interesting lectures about human evolution, problems and solutions on climate changes, collective yoga, karma and architecture. It is all very inspiring and what strikes me is the optimism and ego-free spirit that grows in this society. Everyone seems willing to help you, and have time to discuss with you! In Auroville I also meet Amos, who is a German artist and singer who arrived Auroville just a few days before me. He is planning to spend 6 weeks in Auroville, trying to create texts for the music which he creates with the laptop and recording-equipment he brought with him. I will never forget one of the nights in his tree-house, when we were recording sounds and trying out the effects of his kaos-pad. We were the high-tech monkeys! ;-)
See you all soon!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auroville
In short, Auroville is a universal village, founded in the sixties, to realize human unity. It has around 2000 inhabitants (30% Indians, 15% French and 15% German), and might be the most progressive society in the world. Auroville is a unique place for people interested in areas like ecology, renewable energy sources, meditation, experimental architecture, collective yoga, art and alternative medicine.First thing that happened on arrival was that I almost lost my mind. It was hot and sunny, all the Guesthouses were full and I had 30kg backpack. I walked around randomly and was almost out of hope when a gray-haired hero comes to my rescue. His name was Manfred, and he offered me a ride to his place, and to stay in a bamboo tree-house in his garden! Manfred, as it turns out, is a retired German cryo-physicist, and has lived in Auroville for 13 years. I stay in the hut for a week, trying to help Auroville's researchers with their computers, and attending interesting lectures about human evolution, problems and solutions on climate changes, collective yoga, karma and architecture. It is all very inspiring and what strikes me is the optimism and ego-free spirit that grows in this society. Everyone seems willing to help you, and have time to discuss with you! In Auroville I also meet Amos, who is a German artist and singer who arrived Auroville just a few days before me. He is planning to spend 6 weeks in Auroville, trying to create texts for the music which he creates with the laptop and recording-equipment he brought with him. I will never forget one of the nights in his tree-house, when we were recording sounds and trying out the effects of his kaos-pad. We were the high-tech monkeys! ;-)
See you all soon!
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Varanassi - Photographers heaven
Varanassi - One of Indias holies citys built around the holy Ganges. Taking a boatride on the ganges in early sunrise, you will witness the whole lifecykle of Indian life. By the "ghats" (stairs down to the river) you see people swiming, doing yoga as well as laundry, kids playing and dead bodies burning. Varanassi is the most holy town place to die in, and many people come here to burn their relatives on the Ganges. Varanassi is also a very beautiful town with many tourists, and the contrast between Indian commercialism and holiness can sometimes be very stunning. Walking pass one of the "Burning ghats" i met a salesman who tried to catch my attention with the following phrase:"There are the burning bodies - here's my shop"...My stay in Varanassi was also skillfully planned to include a 3 day lecture of his holiness Dalai Lhama. The lecture was a very high level Tibetan buddist lecture, and over 10 000 people were gathered for the speach, which was given in Tibetan, but translated realtime into english.
Well, enough said about this paradise for photographers. Here are the pictures from I N D I A:
2006/12/20 Varanassi - India at it's best
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104696.29c7689c6b0
and a few pics from my place in Goa:
2006/12/25 GOA, India
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104700.ea2fcefd623
That's it for now... Happy new year to you all, once again!
/Marcus
Well, enough said about this paradise for photographers. Here are the pictures from I N D I A:
2006/12/20 Varanassi - India at it's best
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104696.29c7689c6b0
and a few pics from my place in Goa:
2006/12/25 GOA, India
http://www.bubbleshare.com/album/104700.ea2fcefd623
That's it for now... Happy new year to you all, once again!
/Marcus
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