We woke up early as usual. We were
Ready to leave by 6:45. The Sunrise over the River was beautiful.
The Ashram seemed to be asleep. We woke up one person to open the gate so we could take our car out. Outside the tea stalls were
Just opening. Night’s fire was gone. Today is a new day. We had tea. I started walking and Sunilji started driving. I relied completely on him to plot my way since he has a local phone and the GPS works better. He also asks local people whenever he can. We’re told that from now on we will get ashram very frequently. We have to wait and see. Sure enough with in 2kms there was an ashram. Dhyanidham Ashram Anandiben Ashram.
We had breakfast in this ashram. The volunteer here was very polite and respectful. He expressed his wish to do the Parikrama. Though he has a three month old baby at home. He wants to take his wife and baby on a motorbike and go. I suggested he should do it alone first and take the family next time. We finished breakfast. I started walking and Sunilji got in the car. We went 1/2 km or so and saw a sign for another ashram ahead. We were just taking picture of the sign when a lady with a cast o her arm came out of the small place and asked us to come in and have tea and breakfast. We had the tea and declined to eat anything. She handed us biscuit packs to keep with us. I started walking and within 30 minutes came to another place. Stayed for few minutes did not eat or drink anything. Too much tea means will have to find a bathroom soon (which is a challenge at best ). Sometimes I have to close my eyes hold my nose etc…..enough said.
We reached Nand village Nandkeshwar Mahadev Kabir Ashram at lunch time. There two Parikramavasis there that I had met yesterday. We greeted each other as if we were old friends. One of them had really bad infection on the heel. He has take. Medicines and applied some cream. We had lunch and four of the Parikramavasis who were with the injured person started their walk. I was resting for a bit before I walk. The injured person, Lakhan, asked if we can drop him in the next place so that he could rest his foot. As I started to walk the manager of the Kabir Ashram said “Mataram”( another word used to address ladies in Parikrama ) wait for few minutes. There are two other Parikramavasis coming. You can walk with them. So I waited. Everyone wants to make sure that I am safe and will not get lost. When the people came we said familiar and friendly hellos again. I had seen them on the main highway where we all got food and hats. They ate and sat only for few minutes. They were more than happy to accompany me. The way was through dirt path and through jungle. Slight up and down. They both were younger than me and made sure on down slope one was in front of me and the other one was behind me. He asked me to hold his stick as a support walking down that part. I could have done it on my own as well but did not want to worry them. Then we came to a wooden bridge over a small stream. They wanted to make sure I could cross it. I told them not to worry I have cross on narrower bridges, only 10” wide. We got to the next ashram and I got in the car from there. Lakhan was with us. We drove to Nareshwar to the Adhram there. We had hard time finding anyone to help us. Lakhan got out there and waited for his friends to come. I asked Sunil to go to the next Ashram. We got to Bakul Ashram and I was very glad. This place is on the Narmada Bank. Small place but nice and clean. There is small temple where they have a Thairthi Sheela (floating stone) which came out of Narmada Maiya. There two other Parikramavasis who came. They were doing the Parikrama on motorcycles. The view of Narmada from the Ashram is beautiful. Can see many towns and villages on the the opposite bank. There is
Indraeshwar across the bank and Chandreshwar on this bank. It is believed that Lord Indra did meditation for 11,000 years in this spot. Today I walked 20.8 kms