Pagoda at Chennai Vipassana Center
Here are some photos of our adventures over the month of April. We took a couple of weeks and went to Chennai, where we sat a 10 day Vipassana course at the center there. It is a very beautiful center, and the intense 10 days of meditation were exactly what we needed to help to process all the changes that the occurred over the last couple months.
Dhamma Hall at Vipassana Center in Chennai
The Beach where the Tsunami hit in 2004
While we were in Chennai we visited the Vivekananda House (Swami Vivekananda is the most famous disciple of Ramakrishna and he introduced Yoga to the West in 1893).
The Vivekananda House is a place where Swami Vivekananda stayed for a short time, and it has been turned into a museum in honor of Vivekananda. It is located right on the beach that the Tsunami had covered in 2004. The house itself has a long and interesting history. It used to be called the "Ice House" because it was where the Indian people would store the Ice that they purchased from the English before they learned how to make ice themselves.
After visiting the Vivekananda House we went to see the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram.
Then we were taken on a little pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle St. Thomas (doubting Thomas of the Bible). St. Thomas brought Christianity to India and was Martyred in a place just outside of Chennai.
The Vivekananda House is a place where Swami Vivekananda stayed for a short time, and it has been turned into a museum in honor of Vivekananda. It is located right on the beach that the Tsunami had covered in 2004. The house itself has a long and interesting history. It used to be called the "Ice House" because it was where the Indian people would store the Ice that they purchased from the English before they learned how to make ice themselves.
After visiting the Vivekananda House we went to see the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram.
Then we were taken on a little pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle St. Thomas (doubting Thomas of the Bible). St. Thomas brought Christianity to India and was Martyred in a place just outside of Chennai.
A relic of St. Thomas the Apostle of Jesus
After visiting the tomb of the Apostle Thomas we went to a cave where he lived and preached outside of for several years. There is a cross engraved on the cave, and it is said that he carved it with his own hands. Apparently the cross used to sweat blood every year on the anniversary of his death.
Jeff in the cave where St. Thomas used to live
We have also been to 2 huge pujas. Here is some pictures of the first one we went to in the house of our friend Dr. Shantala, who is a Doctor of Ayurveda.
Puja offerings being made
The opening of the Puja
We've also been teaching yoga every morning to the kids of our house keeper Rathna.
Here are some photos of the children learning some yoga in our house.
Here are some photos of the children learning some yoga in our house.
Rathna
Magna (age 4)
Radhikha & Kiran (age 12 & 14)
