The day of yaatra started with prayers by my parents and a bag full of goodies that they had to give to ensure that their child is taken care of! To start with I had a bad throat and was feeling a little physical fatigue. In my mind I thought God is checking if I am really serious about this yatra! Well, we reached Bhuj and were welcomed at Khamir a crafts village were artisans are trying to preserve 1000 year old art forms of pottery, various kinds of hand weaving, dyeing of handloom fabrics.

Our hosts Sushmaben and Sandeepbhai were ready to receive us and we had a hearty evening with all our Moved by love friends also joining us. We were amazed to meet Reshma who had come from Baroda with dinner for all of us from Mumbai, just so that we can spend the evening in meaningful conversations, meditate and just be ourselves. Her entire family had helped her cook without even knowing who they are feeding! This gesture was really an act of invisible service. As it was Sandeepbhai’s bday we thought of feeding dogs on the street and so Neerad went out to get some biscuits and to our surprise he came with a story! While he was searching for biscuits he landed up in a small shop whose owner makes around 50Kgs of bread everyday to feed stray dogs, he has been doing this for past 15 years, every single day and out of his pocket only! He was an NGO of love and service just by himself. He keeps the rotis ready by evening and whoever wants to then feed dogs can just go and collect as many as they need.

With all this a-ha moments of the day and a lot of food that Sushmaben lovingly offered me every and everyone in the group praying for me I slept and got completely healed next morning.

Day 2 – Heading for Lakhpat

We reached Lakhpat via Ashapura temple. Lakhpat is the last village on border of India Pakistan Kori creek. It’s a village with about a total population of 400 people. This place holds a great historic value as it was a port that supported international business in the 17th century and the great Alexander frequented India thru this very port. Now the ruins are standing as proof of this history. But we came across some other intriguing facts that are rooted in global oneness. Here was the place where a sufi saint named Ghosh Mohammad lived, who was a devotee of lord Krishna and has written poems in local dialect praising the Lord and praying Him to come. It is also said that he considered the great saint Mirabai as his sister and both of them met and sang Krishna bhajans! We were amazed to learn this and as we were mulling about secularism in those ages we came across a Gurudwara where Guru Govind Singh stayed twice on his way to Mecca for a pilgrimage! Needless to mention we parked at the Gurudwara to absorb and learn more.  We lavishly soaked ourselves in whatever good conversation we could do with the wise people at the place. We met an old gentleman who only eats out of a bowl. He truly practices a renunciation of taste. We saw that when sweets were offered to him he took it in the same bowl with some leftover yoghurt and ate it! This old man wakes up at 4am and starts chanting that goes on throughout all his waking hours He would hardly engage in any worldly conversation and he keeps himself busy in serving the space by working in the kitchen, garden, cleaning, feeding birds and animals and many other invisible chores. We met a young priest who explained the meaning of “aadami” or ‘human being’ to us..he says “aa’’ is life force and “dami’’ is sack of mud. So only if we have the vigour of life force we are alive otherwise we are dummies, of no use. Further he explained till we attain the real knowledge of oneness we are Anpadh (illiterate). Knowledge itself is being one with God. We should work on becoming like the wind as it is the most closest to God. We are aware of its presence, it provides life to all yet it is unseen and everywhere. Whereas we are solidified with all the 5 elements, so until we liquefy ourselves and finally become wind we have to do constantly cultivate good practices.

Day 3- Shirin, Sonal and Notiyaar family

We meet a humble man in his late fifties named Osmanbhai Notiyaar. He stays at Lakhpat and we visited his home and his family. Behind his humble outlook is a man who is a saint at heart. He recites verses and small poems from sufi saints of his land and says the real life is in giving food to the hungry and showing path to the one who is lost. We spent a whole day with that family and took him and his daughter out for a little picnic. His daughter has never visited Narayan sarovar a place that is known as the birthplace of all of humanity when Lord Brahma created the first human. One more time we experienced a sense of deep oneness when this Muslim walks with us into a Shiva temple chats with the pujari and prays with us! We also met a girl at the temple office who is a journalist who shares stories of courage by girls in her village and keenly works on development around that place in a real sense. In the evening we had a small women’s meeting with a couple of neighbours trailing in and we spoke of issues of women in a small village to what do they feel about religion and their ideas on work. To my surprise the women who didn’t know how to operate a modern day stove with cylinder had brilliant global outlook  on these topics. They strongly believed in community living and sharing resources as that is the way people will learn from each other and grow. As we were leaving Shirin asks Can we make you something for your onward trip? And her mother immediately offers me some options of what she can make before we leave. I humbly refused and telepathized with my mother…look your child is being taken care of.

Day-4- Hajipir, bhuj family, kharadia village (rabari community)

We left for Hajipir in the morning and it was a difficult drive as the stretch of 30kms was a dirt road and lot of vehicular traffic. We were also short of fuel and we found out that there are no petrol pumps on the roads to villages except the one connected with city. Somehow with God’s grace we reached the place and are blessed to know that local shopkeeper sells petrol in 1ltr. Bottles! We were hungry and tired due to the drive and there was no place that would offer food. In that moment of distress, we meet a group of 4 aged folks in their 70’s who had come for visiting the mosque. They offered us food! We shared a meal with them and a bond is built as we understand that one of the lady’s father was the Diwan of Bhuj (royal king’s first advisor) . They shared their experiences of Vipassana and we smiled at ourselves and thanked all noble friends whose wishes helped us meet this group. From here we head out to another small village called Kharadia. This village had a rabari community – engaged mainly in rearing cattle and selling milk. Earlier they were a nomadic tribe that has now settled. We were lovingly hosted by “Meghuben” a lady in her early fifties who runs a local self help group. She is engaged in development work in the area and leads about 40 women. Together they create beautiful art pieces of handwork. This community provides a testimony of hardwork, simple living and overall development. Here women are uneducated and men only go upto matriculation but their understanding of life is way beyond what books can teach. They live in harmony and co-ordination with the whole environment around them. Looking at the life of these women a question arose in my mind…we claim to do so much..yet we waste so much of our daily time and are unhappy and this woman works the whole day, has no knowledge of technology, she is engaged in empowering other around her and she sleeps with a smile on her face every single day! Who is more learned?

Day 5 – Radio station Bhimsar

On our way to Nakhatrana we come across a small village Bhimsar the population is barely 200 ppl. But it has a radio station! Talk about entrepreneurial spirit. We walk into the radio station to find out that this is run by 2 local women – Sitaben and Sharifa who again are engaged in supporting a lot of women and this radio station is for them. They run it 6 hrs. a day starting with prabhatiya (devotional songs), community programs, educational programs, interviews and local folk music. These women interview me and I interview them. I ask them if they want to give any message to us (women in cities), to which she says you are all educated and smart do something for women around you. I am moved by the feeling of this friend for all. They deeply care about all women around them and want to connect with as many as they can. We in cities create separate walls and not even connect with our neighbour. The question again pops up…who is more learned?

On a ‘self-discovery’,

Sheetal Vaidya drove 25,000 km across 12 states to connect to the soul of varied communities staying in remote areas

Distance is just a mere illusion; we are all one and interconnected’ – with this bhav (feeling), Sheetal Vaidya, 39, undertook her ‘Bhav Yatra’, driving alone in her car for 25,000 km and covering 12 Indian states.

Indian woman travelling alone for inner transformation is still a rare phenomenon. Sheetal being an insulin-dependent diabetic patient, it was much more difficult for her to convince her family about her ‘Bhav-Yatra’.

“However, my husband -Neerad and I share a deep level of understanding. He knew my purpose of this yatra and didn’t oppose even once. With his support, I got the blessings and green signal from my parents and in-laws. He accompanied me for the first fifteen days to lessen the anxieties of my in-laws and parents,” said Sheetal.

Recently a group of us friends had visited Kutch, a region that has been known for it’s harsh living conditions. The weather conditions are extreme – some of the world’s most arid regions and about ten years ago, it was hit by an earthquake that uprooted villages all at once without leaving a sign behind. But amidst the harsh conditions, it’s white sand desert held an expanse with colours that encompassed beauty beyond words. And just like the beauty we find in the most unexpected places, was a community whose strength was undeterred by the most difficult situations. It was a community of artisans who found joy in weaving beauty around them in various ways- through unique home paintings, handicrafts in the clothes they wear and folk songs that they sang. We were amazed to experience the art that keeps them alive through thick and thin. Their life stories made a deep impact in our hearts and we learnt the true meaning of living simply with gratitude to the divine in every moment.

One such incident was in the home of Mahmood Bhai, an artisan who spent his time creating artworks from the local earth and clay and spent his time rearing his buffaloes. It was during our visit to his home, that we were completely taken aback by his simple, yet unwavering intention to be an authentically beautiful human being. Together, with his wife he would offer us the most delicious meals, accompanied by milk from his buffaloes. We were so moved by his sense of being, that we our knee-jerk reaction was to offer him something to ‘make his life better’. We spoke to him of a space in the city, where he could stay and make pieces of art that he could sell, and with the profits, live a comfortable life.

He looked back at us with the kindest eyes, as if to say he understood where we were coming from. He humbly refused saying he received his inspiration to create these pieces only when he was in his small village that was close to nature. Above all he wouldn’t trade tending his dear buffaloes just to earn some money. In fact, he was so connected with them, that he invited us to come to his home tomorrow to cherish the fresh milk that his buffaloes would offer!

Instantly, I was taken back. Here I was, making an offer, and instead ended up receiving! This came as a moment of truth to me, a sudden realization of how easily we trade nature with all material we are surrounded by. What is the real price we pay for it? Are we truly civilized, if we are openly ignorant about other beings around us?

Fast-forward to last month, when we were hosting the Gandhi 3.0 Maitri Space. There were a couple of construction workers outside the retreat centre. We were a bit pre-occupied by the preparations for 50 friends visiting from across the world and hadn’t noticed them for several days. On one of the mornings, I happened to see smoke emerging from outside the main gate. Out of curiosity, I stepped outside and there they were – a few workers and their wives, who were cooking at such an early hour. I started chatting with them and naturally thought of sharing some tea with them. Soon enough three of us sat across the fire, sipping tea and sharing our life journeys. Before I knew they placed a hot roti in front of me. Initially, I refused, since it was too early for me to eat breakfast. However, they made me eat a bite and it was most heavenly taste of love in that bread made of corn flour. I was deeply moved that morning, and soon left the space, inspired by what I had witnessed.

But just a few days later, they visited the campus again. I was puzzled, wondering why they had come looking for me. It was only after we spoke that I realized they were hoping to offer me fresh corn from their farm that had just arrived. I was left speechless with this humility and the ‘bhaav’ or intention of sharing that flowed from them.

I remember that moment distinctly – something within me shifted to feel that everyone is one. Whether they were within the campur or working on the outside. I realized those brick walls that separated us were merely an illusion and that were were truly inter-connected. It was the flow of ‘maitri’ that tore down the walls – and we could access that flow only when we approached people, communities and situations with humility and awareness.

As I pondered over what had transpired, I was reminded of Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Yatra, or Land-Gift Movement, where he walked on foot for 15 years and 80,000km to inspire people to gift each other almost 5 million acres of land. At the end of the movement, what he said resonated deeply with my heart. He said that the journey was essentially about approaching each community with the intention of serving them. And in that process, we would be able to witness the divinity that existed in each and every soul. When we knocked on doors with that humility, we could access them through their hearts, and when we touch the hearts of people, we see each other as one. In that one-ness, all the walls dissolve and a collective journey begins.

It is with this inspiration, that I was moved to begin a journey of my own. A journey (Jatra), rooted in approaching people with pure intentions (Bhav) – what I call a Bhav Jatra. The spirit, is to drive to communities from March 2 to October 2 2014 from Kutch to Kanyakumari to Kolkata and back, and to see the beauty in the existence of every soul we come across. We will look not so much for answers, but to start asking tougher questions of ourselves. We hope to cultivate stillness through practices in meditation and to make a shift towards the collective through small acts of service. To offer ourselves through deep listening or in any other way we can be useful to the community. And in doing so, we hope that we will come one step closer to realizing that we are indeed, Moved By Love.

Over the weeks, I’ve been deeply inspired by all the beautiful souls who’ve expressed their interest in joining the Jatra. I feel gratitude for each one of these Sahyatris (Co-travelers). Here are more details for those wanting to join.

~ May All Beings Be Happy ~