October 2016 Walk Review

Experience the Divine Beauty amid Nature:

“The mountains in their anchorite solitude

The forests with their multitudinous chant

Disclosed to her the masked divinity’s doors” (Savitri Book 4 canto 4)

Divine Mother gave extreme importance to Nature's pristine beauty, untouched by human hands and artificial accessories. She used to go boating and walking, accompanied by a few devotees along the fields in Ashram Lake estate in early years. Fortunate were the flora and fauna there to experience Her Divine touch. She symbolically renames more than 500 species of flowers.

Auroville was the most arid and dusty land without the least possible  greenery during 1960s and by arduous dedicated work, it is turned now into the most verdant location covered with the foliage of thousands of trees including the rarest species of them surviving despite the adverse climatic conditions and water shortage there. The ancient Rishis of India and people reaching Vanaprasta phase (post retirement) of life preferred to live in sylvan hermitages along mountain valleys or the banks of rivers and lakes, because of their being most favourable spots from health perspective and conducive for the growth of inner faculties leading to spiritual realization. Therefore, Rigveda describes:

"Nature's beauty is an art of God. Let us feel the touch of God's invisible hands in everything beautiful. By the first touch of His hand rivers throb and ripple. When He smiles the sun shines, the moon glimmers, the stars twinkle, the flowers bloom. By the first rays of the rising sun, the universe is stirred; the shining gold is sprinkled on the smiling buds of rose; the fragrant air is filled with sweet melodies of singing birds, the dawn is the dream of God's creative fancy."  ( English  Translation is by Gita Press publication) (Rig Veda (1.6.3) describing Purusha manifesting in Prakriti)

SAS Singapore conducts monthly Nature Walks

Singapore reserves 50% of its very limited land resource for greenery and preserves the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the only primitive forest in south East Asia yet retaining its position as the most developed commercial hub of Asia. Much greater credit goes for building the beautiful tourist attraction, Gardens by the Bay on the costliest prime central district with high budget allocation. The world's rarest species of plants are protected here with the most modern state of art botanical techniques amid the most aesthetic masterpieces by the world's greatest artists and sculptors.  

In this beautiful city, SAS Singapore is conducting Nature walks uninterrupted since several decades, even in the most unfavourable weather conditions, is possible only by the ardent aspiration and devotion of its members. This reminds me of the days spent in Ashram where no activity would be stopped or postponed due to external environmental conditions and several times we used to have 24 Nov balcony Darshan of Divine Mother holding umbrellas and fully drenched while standing in the street below.

On 2nd Oct, Nature walk No 375 was conducted in the exotic 'Gardens by the Bay South’ with approximately 12 participants assembling at 8:00 AM adjacent to the Visitor's centre. After completing the routine exercises, we began strolling slowly for 1.5 hour admiring the beautiful ambience. The main topic of friendly discussion among us was about the incapacity of several countries not developing such parks, even though they are highly blessed with extensive Natural resources.

Musical offering at Shashilal Kashyapji's place

Many members arrived directly at the host's residence. The program as per our practice, begins with meditation and wishing members celebrating their birth and marriage anniversaries in that particular month. With love for beauty and music permeating all over, the entire family welcomed each guest smilingly resembling the traditional Indian custom of 'Adhitidevo Bhava'. A most sumptuous Indian brunch with a wide variety of snacks tempting to the palate and the melodious musical recital, a total feast for the ears by three generations of the joint family, are most awaited annual occasions for SAS. The strings of love for music tightly bind the family into one single harmonious note and in spite of residing in Singapore, they have preserved with care the traditional Indian customs and sense of artistic decorations all around the house.

Initiating the musical offering, the grandparents, Shashilal Kashyapji and Urmilji, the made for each other, who have completed 55 years of conjugal togetherness, sang a duet and a few popular Ragas. Subsequently, their son Praveen and daughter in law Ramni continued with devotional Bhajans, accompanied by professional Tabla and Harmonium players and concluded with the famous Raghupati Raghava wherein the entire audience joined in chorus to elevate the atmosphere. Finally their smart grandson Amit, an award winner with extraordinary talent in BeatBox, had rendered the gathering to become youthful and entertained the audience with his rare musical presentation. This year, the cake cutting function was to specially celebrate the 80th birth anniversary of Shashilal Kashyapji.

The popular Rigvedic Mantra "sanagachhadwam samwadadwam :samni va akutih samana hridayanivah, samanamastu vo mano yatha vah susahati " (May our intentions and aspirations be alike , so that a common objective unifies us all ) is most appropriately practiced by all their family members. May such Nature walks and musical recitals motivate and help us on the path of Yogic Sadhana in SAS Singapore.

"All Nature was at Beauty's festival "
( Book 4 canto 1)

-          Mrs Balasundari Kottamasu Rao