The Sound of the Tarpha Horn Beckons...

Every holiday celebration or ritual here in the jungle of Nimboli is full of surprise and wonder for us foreigner city folk and last Diwali was just that. We were invited to the village next door, Dadoraipada, to witness their games and competions and inevitably, see a slice of Adivasi or Warli village life that is over 5000 years old. This is the same village life that is seen the famous Warli paintings, such as to the above. Seven ambitious young men of Dadoraipada wanted to inspire their village to celebrate Diwali in a way that would bring out the best of each person. So, they devised many games for both sexes, and all ages. They were emphatic that this what not a party! The implied meaning was that a party involved alcohol.

We were shocked and delighted to be asked to judge the cook off contest for the women. We felt very included in their fun. Lucky for us, the six dishes were very good and obvious examples of local Maharashtran food. We really had no idea what we were eating except to say it was chicken, vegetables or dessert. The judging was quite easy for there was an obvious winner in each class. We didn't know any of the participants, so we were a good choice for their judging.

The young boys played running games and the young girls dancing games. But when all the games were played and the prizes awarded, out came THE HORN, THE TARPHA HORN! Oh My, what a haunting sound. Mesmerizing! Enchanting! Intoxicating!

And then I see my dance partner! She is a village lady about my age who I met last year at a neighbor's wedding reception. We discovered each other on that dance floor and "shook our thing" together--maybe I overstepped what is proper for a foreigner, but I had a fabulous time "letting go" with her. Probably could not have done this even if it was my husband, but that it was with another woman, it seemed acceptable. I did hear a little gossip about it later, but it seemed pretty harmless in the long run.

There we are in the outdoors, surrounded by a whole village of people I don't know. What have I got to lose? I realize I have to seize the moment! My friend is out on the dance floor with all of her friends, wearing the traditional Adivasi saree, wrapped like a tight pants suit. Maybe you have seen the style that the older village women wear. She is happy to see me and I immediately convince her that she has to teach me how to dance and join them in the dancing. She is very enthusiastic about teaching me and off we go into the middle of the dance floor. Amidst hoots and laughs, I find my dancing feet!

Please click on this link to the little video we put together of this magical event. The rhythm of the dancing, the clapping of the dancers, and the sound of the horn will certainly make you want to get up and dance. Come to Nimboli and join us next time!

In this Warli painting you see the Tarpha horn, the lead dancer with the stick that keeps the rhythm, and the sprial of dancers. If you look close, you can see me!

AN ANGEL CAME TODAY

JMH: One of the great gifts of living here at Fire Mountain Retreat Center is being visited by the most wonderful people, living saints, who inhabit this world with us. I never know who will walk through our gates so I am learning to greet everyone with "pani" or water, and "chai" or tea and then, to take the time to sit down and have some conversation and interchange with our guests.

In my busy American life back home, I would have not taken the time to be so gracious at a moment's notice. Instead I would have tried to keep to my "to do list" and visited with people by appointment only. I have discovered that this is not done here in India, and that relationships are much more important than items on my "to do lists".

In India, there is a sentiment that any visitor is God visiting your home. Consequently, to have someone visit your home is the greatest honor. I have to admit it is still taking me time to learn this quality of being a Welcoming Presence to each and every person. But then someone walks in unexpectedly and changes all of that................


DH: AN ANGEL CAME TODAY

She came to our ashram as the sister of a friend. The first unusual thing I noticed about her is that she was a bit troubled by participating in the commonly agreed upon social interacting of guest and host and “normal “ conversation. She was more interested in some other activity. Our friend, her brother, eventually in the stream of conversing, mentioned that she was a very good meditator. She spoke no English and all conversations were translated through her tri-lingual brother. I asked her to come and sit closer so we could discuss this subject of interest to me.

She and her brother misunderstood my verbal statements, and instead of coming to sit in a chair nearer to us, she choose to sit in lotus position on the floor of the veranda. Immediately, she went smoothly, quietly, and blissfully into complete and quietly astounding unification with her Guru/God/Essence/ALL.

We fell into alignment with this darshan, and experienced the most subtle, beautiful, exquisite divine descending of the purest, sweetest, most diving love and ONE Presencing.

Her Guru speaks no words. She, in her darshan, spoke nor thought not. She transmitted the Essence of undivided Essence/ALL.

What a gift!!! We hold awareness of this gift now in our inner treasure house - - it has always been there and will always be here - - a note, a state, a home, an access to GOD-DESS/ALL.

JMH: Her name is Shree Laxmi and she lives in Andrah Pradesh. Her husband died after three years of marriage and then she found her way into an ashram inspired by Ramana Maharshi. Actually, one of the great saint's disciples maintains this ashram who lives in silence and obviously transmits a profound love and peace that is so tangible through this devotee of his. When Dewa asked her to describe her meditation practice, she took a lotus pose and went into a very deep state, opening inner doors for us to join her. This was all on the front porch of Fire Mountain with the usual life happening all around us. I felt my heart opening taking me deeply into the Formless Ocean of All. I am so grateful for this silent and blissful Presence, which is such a gift to us. How she magically appeared in our life is so precious. One thing the Guru had said when we took this positon as Fire Mountain managers, "you will meet the most incredible people." Again and again, he proves to be right.