A trip to the caves

1. Yesterday we took a trip to some ancient caves carved out of granite among the rice fields and palm trees in the countryside a half hour from Madurai.  The scene could have been from hundreds of years ago.  Little signs of the modern world other that some electric wires hanging from some poles.  The rishis lived there among the insects, snakes and animals from before the time of Buddha-500BC.
2.  

 With Aravind in front of the Rehabilitation Center he is building.  We will be helping with the startup there giving a series of workshops for the staff.

The kids playing in the field in front of our guestt house.

Inauguration of Dr. V's Retreat Center, Oct 2, 2011

Pictures from yesterday's event.  The building, not yet complete, is in the shape of a lotus. It is to serve as center to perserve the vision and spirit of Dr. V. There is a meditation hall, library, and conference center inside.  It is open and designed to not require air conditioning.  


View from the tent, pond in foreground (below rock wall), amphitheater, garden

 Bill making his presentation

 Posters of Gandhi and Dr.V

 Meditation Hall with The Mother and Sri Aurobindo

 Entrance of Center, entering from darkness to light

Ceremonial tent

Harmony guest house photos

 Mutu, the house manager, pointing to Madurai in Tamil Nadu

 Anthony has been the house guard for 32 years

 Garden in front of Harmony Guest House

Dr. V, founder of Aravind Eye Care Systems

Arrival

We arrived in Madurai last night after 32 hours of continuous travel, tired, but oh so happy to see the wonderful faces of our friends here.  The skies over the Pacific and India were stormy and choppy with an awesome electrical display south of Chennai, but the trip was otherwise uneventful-just the way we like it.
There is so much to tell you about this place but I think for those of you most interested go to this link http://www.ted.com/talks/thulasiraj_ravilla_ or google "Infinite Vision" where the story of this place is told so beautifully in video.  Also the book, Infinite Vision,  will be out in November.
For almost 30 years we've been captivated by the people, the vision, the culture, and the work that goes on here.  Dr. V's vision simply is to eradicate needless blindness in the world.  Even though he died 5 years ago his vision is still evolving.  Those of us caught in the web of his spirit continue to return, to learn, to share, to work in whatever way we can to support that vision along side or at the feet of the warriors who live here.
October 1st is Dr. V's birthday and the next day is the inauguration of his retreat center Nithyatha (sanskrit for perpetuity).  Dr. V's spirit and dedication shaped the culure of Aravind and the center is a way to honor and preserve his values.  Susy