Far Removed from Super bowl Sunday

It is Sunday morning and we awakened around 3AM. Our driver picked us up at 4:30AM. We are enroute to meeting Amma in Salem, India. Our travels are taking us through the many diverse characteristics of Bangalore. From the hustle and bustle of downtown; passing butchers flaying goats in the open entrances to their shops to the modern scenic landscapes of developed communities as we pass over bridges without a near future coming with the prospect of EZPass.

The most common sound in India so far outside of the bird sanctuaries, is the incessant sound of cars honking.

We just passed the amplified morning prayers coming from the Mosques that can be heard far and wide.

Today, a new woman Chief Minister, Shashikala, is being sworn in for the State of Tamil Nadu. A huge puja, a religious celebration, will be performed in Tiruvanamalai’s Shiva Temple to commemorate the occasion. We may encounter heavy traffic on our way to Chennai.

We were just flagged over to pay a mandatory road tax for using a commercial vehicle on the highway.

We are on our way again. Now we are anticipating the sunrise that will be camouflaged by the air saturated with dense foreboding pollution. Our noses are working overtime… More to follow after we meet with the hugging Saint, Amma, and join her entourage.

Update:

 

Dr Suresh Subramani and our government appointed driver were given special permission to drive through security check points and proceed directly to where Amma was hugging throngs of her loyal followers.

 

Signs with Amma’s picture and words of wisdom were everywhere; on buses, trees, and large posters.

 

A large ceremonial tent with colorful flowing tapestries was punctuated outside with thousands upon thousands of chairs. Her faithful followers patiently waited outside the large tent all night. She started hugging people beginning at 6:30 last night and finished at 10:30 this morning!

 

We were instructed to line up at the edge of a red carpet to witness Amma’s departure to her awaiting van. Click here to see a short video of the sheer volume of Amma’s followers.

 

We have been traveling in her entourage to meet and talk with her after she naps, eats, rests and prepares for the next anticipating village.

 

Highway Patrols are holding up traffic all the way through Salem, India with a police escort. Her over 700 staff members are traveling in vans with us! The trip to Chennai will take about seven hours. We have been invited to have dinner with Amma. It is her practice to not be served by others and instead she waits on her guests.

 

Finally, after seven hours in the car we arrive in Chennai.

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