Sevagram- Gandhi's Ashram

So my first real train ride was rather anti-climatic after the Kazakh experiences, in that it was very similar. A mildly padded shelf to sleep on that is 10cm too short for me, and lots of noisy people!

One sight I certainly didn't see in Kazakhstan (and not just because it was cold), was people pooping in fields. With no attempt at modesty. Public dedication is rather common in rural India it seems (explains some of the smells), with many people just finding any free area to use. I am not sure why there isn't the urge to build the pit-toilets that Kazakhstan was so fond of, maybe something to do with the monsoon?

Right, about the Ashram. There was no space in the guest-house, so I slept for 3 nights in one of the actual ashram rooms, which certainly lent an even greater authenticity to the stay.

Daily life in the ashram:

4.30 - Prayers

6.30-7.30 - Sweeping leaves

7.30- Breakfast

8-11 - Working (I spent the time moving piles of cow dung, and bricks)

11- Lunch

3-5pm - Working (more moving of dung)

5pm- Dinner

6pm- Prayers

The prayers seemed to be the same every day, and consisted of 3 chanted ones, plus the Lords Prayer in English.

The ashram is set up more like a working museum, than a quiet private retreat, and that meant lots of tourists (almost all Indian) coming at gawping. Being a foreigner there seemed to be such a novelty, that photos were always being taken, and questions asked. It was fun for a while, but after 3 days, had become very tiresome, both for me, and the two Italian guys who were the only other 'guests', complementing a permanent ashram community of no more than 20. It felt rather ironic that I was at a tourist attraction, but for some, I was the main attraction.

There were some beautiful flowering trees in the compound - bright oranges and pinks - that match the saris of some of the visitors, and the colour is amazing! Everything else is a drab beige.

I have read 3 of Gandhi's books now, and while I agree with some of what he said, and certainly with his purpose, much of it now seems outdated and naive. Even the ashram doesn't follow all of his ideas. He spoke about the importance of small, simple meals, with no more than 5 ingreadients in total, and certainly not mixing proteins (milk with lentils) and the meals, while still being simple (and free from chilli!) were certainly more complex, thankfully! He was also against much machinery, yet there was a blender in the kitchen, and that was itself powered by bio-gas.

My stay has certainly given me much to think about though, and was a great experience.