By Gurudevi Nirmalananda

On my way to the airport this morning, I had to step aside for a couple of cows. The alleys of Varanasi are narrow, so the cow gets most of the space.

With a calf in tow, the two of them were headed toward the dairy housed just a few doors down, in one of the apartments in these old building. It’s the easy way to get fresh milk daily, to have the cows just a few doors down.

From the cows, I took a car to a plane, flying from Varanasi to Mumbai, the city nearest to Ganeshpuri. The next car ride was on a highway with buses, trucks, cars, motorcycles — and motorcycle rickshaws plus we passed one horse-drawn carriage.

And followed one truck with 40 men standing in the back, on their way to a Goddess temple for Diwali. Yes, I do love India! Life is in Technicolor.

Now I am at Fire Mountain Retreat Center, getting ready to tuck in for the night. I was welcomed by Svaroopis who arrived early, and we have already celebrated one birthday. Our group flight arrives in about eight hours, with the retreat beginning then.