Hello folks
It took three
years to come with most wonderful trip of my life ,, yesssssssss I
went to BRAZILLLL. In many ways this trip was awesome & memorable.
Well it was gift & wish of my dhammamother Paulete which make it
possible
Visa :- the most
difficult task I have gone through to get Brazilian visa. I started
applying 3 months back, 5 times I was being returned to fulfill
document & at last at the day of my flight I got visa in my hand.
Through this phase I realize Indians cannot visit European &
American countries unless you have good paid job or business or lot
of money in account. Also the phrase "Anything can possible in India", experienced
while getting Yellow Fever vaccination.
Travel :- the day
before journey I was in hometown with parents. My father asked, there
must be some stopover in the sky?. I ask; why?. Dad “Oh off course
for toilet”. “Oh there is toilet available in flight, I said”.
“Mom, OMG then pee & shit fall down from the sky”
continuous laugh….. What I can say for my parent’s innocence they
never been out of state & traveled by flight.
During travelled
at immigration, I was in doubt whether I should carry Bodhi tree or not
then I decided lets see what happened if it allowed good for Dhammasarana if not then it may grow near airport. Luckily it was
allowed and I was taking care of Bodhi tree during 24hrs flight by
feeding drop by drop water & sun-rays. Finally I arrived in
Brazil -the land of party.
After checking & immigration I was ready to collect my bags but
oops I didn't found my 1 bag; it was lost & phone is dead so
unable to inform Paulete(mae) who was waiting outside. after some
procedure I got ensured by authority that I will get it back in week
luckily my cloth bag was with me but one who has utensil for
dhammasarana was lost, & I couldn’t stop laughing. OMG on
arrival itself, I lost my bag & I was waiting to happen next
memory. Paulete & vipassana AT Valeria was waiting for me for
long time.
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| FIRST RIDE IN BRAZIL WITH MAE AFTER ARRIVAL |
After greeting we headed to Dhammasarana (only center in
Sao Paulo) which is in forest surrounded by river the rhythm of river
in night is like listening bed stories. It was very nice to see
friend Fabio who was alone at center serving, gardening. The climate
in Brazil is like in india but cold during night. After landing in
Brazilian land I got gift from 2 friends Mauro & Silvio at
different time but the gift was same pickle of chilies from Bahia &
you won’t believe it’s so strong that I never had that before.
Even if u taste oil of pickle it burn mouth. At the center they/we
prepared a food with no chilies just boiled veggi & butter with
rice, but it was good Healthy .
Earlier I decided I will only have Brazilian food so I dident picked
up any kind of indian food. Next morning Fabio prepared special
Breakfast dish named Tapioca it was so good I loved it so much &
never had before, not in India. There was one day vipassana course on
that day, it was nice course with some people. later Fabio showed us
a land for proposed long course. The center is really beautiful in
nature, forest, river, sunrise.
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| FABIO SHOWING US CENTRE AND EXPLAINING FUTURE PLANS |
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| RESIDENTIAL AREA |
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| FRONT OF OLD DHAMMA HALL |
After the course
mae & me headed to some beach Camburi but in the middle of
journey we returned to police patrolling station to help Kauan
(paulete son) At the police station I realized Brazilian police are
very nice & helpful compared to indian police. There was conflict
between police n kauan. Kauan ego not allowed him to take any help
from police & police were abide of duties to help needy. After I
told kauan how BAD is Indian police, he relaxed. At the end we have
reached kauan house at sao jose dos campos. The city was nice &
beautiful. Next day I hang out with kauan in the city. He showed me
some places, he tried to introduce me to some stranger girls at cafe
but I was so scared & I immediately said to girls “Eu Falla nao
portugese & apologize”, they said “ok no problem”. So nice
Brazilian girl otherwise indian girls OMG .
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| NOT A BEGGER, BUT A PERFORMER |
One day early
morning mae took me to yoga classes (she teach yoga). First time in
my life I did indian yoga on foreign land & I felt very week from
inside. It feels nice when everyone said Namaste at the end of
session. mae took me to her working place, space research center
INPE, she explained me something about space & showed me
satellite & related to space instrument. Going to market, Hanging out with kaun in city was nice
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| DR. PAULETE HANGING ENJOYING SON |
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| Dr. PAULET EXPLAINING ABOUT SPCE ;) |
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| WISH I WAS ASTRONAUT |
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| WEEKLY LOCAL MARKET |
The next day I headed to
Vipassana Center Dhamma Santi at Rio De Janerio WITH Dalva. Dalva
served course just for me to take to DhammaSanti. I am so grateful
to her. On the way to dhamma santi we came across with some wonderful
places like “APARECIDA”. Its one of the main Catholic pilgrimage
place, It feels like I am in Vatican city. So Big so beautiful, After
visiting this place I realize every religion has the big managers and
people simply forgot the founder of the religion/moral principles
what he taught, his life teaching etc. and followers started
believing managers. After aprecida on the way to dhammasanti. I saw
small statue of liberty I felt like I visited USA, while searching on
map to dhammasanti we lost somewhere and dalva’s car stuck at path
hole and it couldn’t moved, she was upset & I just prayed &
pushed, somehow car took out. so like superhero I tried to lift car n
that’s it I made it, sometimes my supernatural power worked :).
Finally at night We reached dhammasanti, one dhammaserver showed me
my room. My short term room mate dident understand English, & he
was surprised/curious to know me as Indian, in addition I met
Goenkaji etc and started talking many things, I understand his
feeling, talk with him by some gesture some portugese
.
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| APRECIDA |
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| DEVOTEES OFFERING CANDLES |
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| LIKE VATICAN CITY |
The Center is
nice surrounded in mountains, At first I thought there would be servers
who also serve like patrolling ringing bell etc same as in India & I wanted to serve
in kitchen, cooking so I said center manager gilberto, he shook his
head like indian ;) at last I figured out all servers serve in
kitchen. only 2servers in dhammahall. In center everything is
organize what to cook, how to cook, specific recipes. Once I got
chance to cook lentes/dal but I wanted to cook in indian style &
not to follow recipe so I have to ask kitchen maneger Camila and she
nodded very softly “I THINK SO” which means YES. and happily I
made lentos with the help of IAN to add Italian flavor .
Cooking for 80 peoples was wonderful experience, I had cooked some
vegetables, chapatis, it was awesome experience to cook indian food
without chilies . And also to
learn Portuguese food.
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| Dhamma Santi Vipassana Center |
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| Lunch |
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| KITCHEN |
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| PRESENTING CHEF SUD |
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| CHAI-MAN = SUD |
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| DINING HALL |
Serving at DhammaSanti was good,fun experience. Everyday we had meetings after lunch. What to cook next day, who will cook, what will cook. Sometimes camila read parmitas during this meeting which inspire us in serving. I never washed apples so carefully in my lifetime which i washed in DhammaSanti. Someone told me wash it with brush, & I used cloth scrabbling brush. Later someone said to kill germs and toxin in apple put in big basket with charcoal, and most of the time I was like "Nossa, what I am doing" :)
I had job to serve Assistant Teachers. At first day, I dident know anything. Camila taught me, how to put plates,where to puts spoons. this spoon there, that bowl there, with this serving i felt like i am waiter of five star hotel, In one way good to know dining etiquette. Sometimes i felt like cook indian dish so prepared for AT's and female teacher loved it. once i cooked fried rice and next day she said surprised me.
Day by Day passes and 10days in dhammasanti over with joy in serving, making chai, sleeping during discourses was played. I have to admit I got tired after cooking job in kitchen. It felt nice on metta day, some guyes approached me and thanked me for lentes (Dal), I asked how you know that I cooked that, they replied “it has Indian taste, & we Brazilian dont know how to cook this way, so delicious. Usually we took only one bowl of lentes but that day we took 2-3 bowls ;) . I was happy to knew this that I can cook ;)
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| DHAMM HALL |
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| ROOM MATES. PROF IAN LEE, DR. PAULO BEHAR, ENGINEER SUD ;) |
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| WITH MEDITATORS STUDENTS |
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| DHAMMA SERVERS |
After DhammaSanti
I went to hug Jesus who was waiting for me with open arms in Rio De
Janerio. Robson and Inge(also server at DhammaSanti) accompanied me
to hostel in Ipanema. Ipanema is really nice locality to stay, might
be expensive too. With Robson & Inge we went some places like
Lapa steps etc. the day was good, went out nicely. It was first time
for me to stay in dormitory with females/male mixed but it was nice.
Next Morning Inge & me went to one day tour of Rio de Janerio, It
was nice to know from tour guide about places & where our hostel
on the next corner “Garota De Ipanema” written. Interestingly,
tour guide abuse politician & big businessmen (capitalism) same
everywhere. If there is old steps or building, guide said “it’s
made by Slaves, Slaves lived here”.
Finally I met
Jesus on mountain, and some indian, its difficult to recognize indian
in brazil, those guyes recognize me by looking Rakhi in my hand &
they to show me their Rakhi, Even they are NRI traditional festival
still they follow. After took many pictures I figured out there is
small prayer hall inside jesus statue on bottom. I went inside, it
was empty, when I closed my eyes for short meditation; I was alone,
when I open my eyes it was full of people and some people doing
standing meditation & I was “Nossa Senhora Do Perpetuo
Socorro/OH MY GOD”. Our Day was like visiting places, relax on
beach and on night hunt for parties, one night went to street party
where everybody dance samba. Another night in forro (foho) dance
party, both dances are amazing and famous in Brazil. One amazing
thing which fortunately/unfortunately happened to me is unknowingly I
drunk Caipirinha. I thought its lemon juice and I asked for one, once
I suspect how could lemon juice be expensive, after 30 min when my
head got shaken then I ask someone what’s this & she said its
higher version of Vodka, famous in brazil. I can say, if you are in
brazil and don’t visit Rio then You miss brazil, its natural
beauty, parties & everything, One lady at street party said you
look like us, Stay her as much as you want, No visa for you. We will
have daily parties ;).
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| WAITING FOR HUG |
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| IPANEMA |
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| LOOKS STUPID WITH THIS GENTLEMAN |
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| STREET PARTY WITH BRAZILIAN BEAUTIES |
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| COPACABAN/IPANEMA BEACH |
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| FORRO DE DANCE |
After so much fun
in Rio, I travelled to Belo Horizonte, at Belo Horizonte my
Portuguese got tasted, I reached before time, Robson supposed to come
to pick me up, but didn’t know whether he actually come or not, I
supposed he live in small town, not big city so feel like I will find
him. I only knew his town name. So I made my move to find bus for
caete, but I fails to pronounce some words n after many hassle
someone understand my feeling and drop me to stop where I got bus for
caete. after an hour Robson come like angel looking for me. Caete was
nice town, the town culture is same everywhere wakeup/eat/sleep
early. During night walk we came across an English coaching class and
the teacher asked me to give lecture on Indian culture for her
students, which could be new experience for them “A Indian guy on
their small town”. I did explain the india with slightly rough map
and everyone was surprise to know that every state has different
language,cloth,food,culture etc. Robson had Biryani masala bought
from India and asking what to do with this and I got idea to prepare
Egg Biryani, So I prepared Egg Biryani and Dalton (a friend from
Pilgrimage) come to taste indian food after so long time. Later
Robson showed me a place where 1st course in brazil
organized in (Catholic church). And the place of gypsy course is
actually an one hotel. Caete is interesting place, the state Minas
Gerais itself is famous for iron, one can easily see presence of iron
on rocks of mountain. We went to one of the highest mountain, it was
nice to see many villages from peak of the mountain, there is church
also. Religious songs made it spiritual. Robson family is nice, his
father first time met a someone who speak English, and his mother is
sweet.
Another day we
went to check out Belo Horizonte city (Belo-Beautiful,
Horizonte-Horizon). There is one garden from there, city look
beautiful like horizon. City is beautiful, I had prepared CHAI in one
famous Café. Owner was nice and invite me to prepare chai after he
got to know, I am Indian. Everyone enjoys the chai in café. Later
we went to one of meditators house for group sit, her name is Jan,
she is nice soul, after dinner she played sanfona for me. She gifted
me a nice electric shower, when I took hot shower I thanked her.
After sweet memories in Belo Horizonte I headed to Sao Paulo again
with Robson. Dalva was again waiting for us to receive. She is
wonderful, even after she was in pain, she enthusiastically showed me
best places, took me to live concert, best restaurant in town. She
was my angel in Sao Paulo. One day we went to DhammaSarana again to
visit Silvia, there I met my friend from dhammasanti, Ian. he
crashed there in evening. In Evening Silvia took us to river
waterfall near to center. Fresh & Healthy climate. I preferred to
stay one night in Dhamma Sarana, experiencing the place. Next day
Silvia drive me to Dalva’s place, I cooked Egg Curry and rice, in
meantime Dalva & Silvia taught me Forro, two step forward two
step backward ;).
After so much fun in sao Paulo, I travelled to Sao Jose dos compos
saying final goodbye to Dalva & Silvia. In Sao Jose; mae & me
travelled to her mountain house in Montero Lobato. It was dark, we
changed car for terrain road. It was going up & up at mountain, I
thought where I am going, a Heaven
.
One KM before dogs came barking, they were mae security guards came
to receive their master
.
When I woke up next morning, the view from house is like range of
mountains & mountains no house nearby no people, Like in a Movie
. Sometimes I wished to live
such places & here I am. in afternoon mae took me to show caves,
natural waterfall in her property with our Security guards Asoka th
dog & other dogs. The Air is so fresh in mountains, its hard to
get this nature. “Mae did you scared sometimes here in mountain?, I
asked.” “Why? She replied”. “ in moutains, wild animals,
snakes, anaconda’s, I said ”. She laughed and said; “sometimes
there are snake, they go there way; we go our way”. I was like
“Nossa, OH My God”. One day we went to metta day at vipassana
course in montero lobato. There I again met Fabio who was sitting the
course, it was last course and after that the all courses shift to
Dhammasarana. In sao Paulo. The place is wonderful. Peoples are
crazy, one who sat first time scream like he got something, free from
something
. Oh Amazing.
Another day we were traveling and stop over at small village, village
was nice. Villagers gathered in square; played drum, other musical
instrument. sing,dance,drink enjoying life. I was so amazed to see
this villages life of happiness. Finally after Montero lobato my
journey came to and end. We came to Sao Jose spent some days with
kauan. Enjoyed my last moment there with so much gratitude. So much
memories. Flashback of whole month came in front of my eyes. Finally
mae dropped me and I couldn’t stop crying like baby. Peoples were
surprise to see me crying but what to do, thats life. Anicca
