Singapore to KL

Doesn't time fly when you are having fun!!

My first week with Lisa was a week of relaxing and catching up. Emelia has the most wonderful sleep routine that gives not only Lisa plenty of rest but also gives everyone a very happy rested baby!

My sleep patterns were totally up the creek for the first week with me sitting up until 3am writing the summers Blogs and then sleeping in until 8.30 when Emelia woke up. 

Breakfast was spent simply watching Emelia feed herself, I had forgotten what a joy young children are (when they are in happy moods!)

By 9.30 Emelia would be yawning and ready for some quiet time and a morning nap that could last anything up to 3 hours!!! 

The first hour was normally spent singing to herself and once she awoke she would happily play and chatter to herself in her room until Lisa went to fetch her.

Lunches were a very messy affair but boy can that girl eat!

The afternoon would then be spent either swimming or playing at home which meant Emelia could go for another afternoon nap from 3pm until 5pm

or going out to visit some of Emelia's friends ….

.............. and their mothers of course.

Through various groups that meet up just to share the experience of being mothers, Lisa has built up an amazing collection of supportive friends all eager to share a few hours just doing things together.

Sometimes this means going to a friends house for a few hours, other times it means just meeting up in the library for a half our of rhymes or activities for toddlers.

Evening were normally spent going out for supper in one of the many food halls, (all of which have an Emelia following!) with bath time by 7.30 and bed by 8pm …. I told you that child was an angel!! 

Again Emelia would sing herself to sleep or chatter away to herself for the first hour but after that silence reigned in the nursery!!!

Lisa and Steve have also moved apartments since I was here last and are now on the third floor with a full size balcony!!! 

They also have four bed rooms which means plenty of room for guests.

Steve's parents were due to fly over for Christmas and even though there was plenty of room for me to stay I felt the call of Krsna and the farm, so I e-mailed Shimeswarma asking if I could come up over the Christmas break.

He promptly e-mailed back saying there was a Rathyatra in Klang on the 19^th, a Family Day Picnic on the 20^th, the reading of the entire Gita on the 21^st plus a program near to the farm on the 22^nd!!! 

I booked a bus for the 18^th and spent the rest of my time with Lisa making jewellery in the evenings and writing Blogs!!!

The morning of the 18^th December I walked the 400m to the bus stop and boarded my bus …. only to be told my seat had been changed!!

No longer was I sitting in the last remaining seat at the back of the bus … they had had a cancellation and had moved me to the very front ...…to the big seat with extra leg room!!!!

I settled my bags, reclined my bed/seat and gazed out of the huge front window as the countryside flew by (once we had done the half hour border crossing that is!)

We stopped mid morning at the same place I had first been given honey balls by a fellow passenger I had befriended the last time I had travelled this way. 

This time, being at the very front and with everyone else asleep, I had not really talked to anyone but as soon as we stopped I knew exactly where to go!

With a bag bursting with hot honey balls (I dread to thing of the callories)

I looked again at the 'interesting' water display and re-boarded the bus.

After last years unforgivable late arrival into KL I had told Shimeswarma that I would make my own way to the Temple.

With my previous experience of the journey and the train system stored in my memory I was soon walking up the final huge hill .................

................ with a backpack that I swore got heavier with every step!

Bags were dropped into the office and I was there … in the Temple room …. with the most beautiful Deities once again.

Of all the things to forget on this trip, I had left my bead bag hanging at the foot of my bed back in Wales!

I had made myself a set of wooden chanting beads at Lisa's but here at the Temple I was able to replace my home made ones with bought, offered beads. 

I also bought a nice Blue (to match my hair) bead bag and I was ready to start chanting.

Life in the Temple is very simple. 

You sit, 

you chant, 

you eat prasadam, 

you chant, 

you sing!

The day passed in a wave of bliss, the long climb up the hill a distant memory.

I had been given a set of keys which I thought were for the Mataji's house that I stayed in before. She was away until morning but Alex and I had stayed in the 'office room' on the bunk beds the last time we were at the Temple so I presumed I was staying there again.

It was only as I headed out the gate in what I believed to be the right direction that I as called back by the shop devotee. “Wrong way Mataji” he called pointing across the road to the huge condominium, “That way, First floor!” I looked at the keys in my hand, Room 2, Floor 1, read the label, so I headed over to the condominium.

Upgrades seem to be the theme of this trip for when I opened the door to what I believed was going to be a simple room I found myself standing in a three bedroom apartment with two balconies overlooking the pool, kitchen and lounge!!

All to myself!!!

It seemed a shame to waste the master bedroom with en-suit bathroom so I unpacked, had a hot shower and fell asleep at 9.45pm!!

I awoke at 5.30 to the sound of my alarm, showered and was in the Temple room by 6am ready for Japa,

By 7.30 I had done 8 rounds of meditation, my mind was beginning to wander so I headed over to the kitchen to ask if I could help.

 Come back after breakfast at 9 I was told so I sat and did another 8 rounds!

16 rounds of chanting is the prescribed amount of meditation one is asked to do as a devotee. 

I have never managed more than 8 and to be honest 2 is my usual amount when at home, but at the Temple there just seems to be all the time in the world and so I happily sat for 3 hours chanting and meditating until it was time for breakfast!

The rest of my morning was spent chopping and cutting in the kitchen, filling bowl after bowl in readiness for first the lunch and then the evening meals. 

Normally there is just one devotee, a retired school teacher, who works day after day at this job. Anyone wishing to help him is gratefully received but if no one turns up he is just as happy to cut and chop, stir and cook.

Sunday is feast Day where devotees from all over come to the Sunday morning service, on days like that there are many hands to help prepare the vast amounts of food that will be needed to feed everyone, but on a Friday there was just me and the Cook.

By 1pm I was told I had finished. 

 All the chopping was done, lunch had been cooked and the rest would not be cooked until later. With the Rathyatra happening in Klang that evening there wasn't going to be many for the evening meal!

I spent the afternoon swimming in the condo pool and then scrubbing the kitchen in the apartment. A thin layer of dust covered everything as it was rarely used, the floor was in need of a good sweep and then a scrub.

By 3.45pm I was happy with the results and showered in readiness for the Rathyatra.

I had been told we would be leaving at about 4pm so with my cartels (hand cymbals) and bead bag safely packed along side my camera I headed off to the Temple.

Punctuality in not something that holds much meaning in Asia! 

'When it is convenient' is a more accurate word for time keeping. 

I sat quietly and waited. 

I chanted a few more rounds and waited. 

I watched people put things into the back of the minibus and then disappear, I watched ladies as they happily chatted.

At 5.30pm the minibus roared into life!! The Temple President had been busy cooking food for those not coming with us but now he was finished, washed and changed and we were ready to leave.

I worry so much about being punctual, about making people wait for me, about letting people down but in Asia I am always reminded that 'some things' are not always that important. “If it is possible we will do” but if something happens to make us deviate from the plan, then everyone will just go with the flow, no worries, no blame.

As we drove to the Rathyatra I found myself asking, is punctuality, and the guilt that goes with it, a UK thing or is it just my own personal hang up?

The Rathyatra was of course fantastic, we joined the procession at what seemed like the perfect place and were soon marching along pulling Jagannatha as we went.

The last time I had attended Klang Rathyatra everything I thought about materialised as soon as I became aware of the thought.

When I was thirsty, a drink appeared, 

I thought the garlands look wonderful around peoples necks and then someone put a garland around mine.

I had even purposely asked in my mind for one of the Klang organisers T-shirt only to be given one within 5 five minutes! 

This time I asked for nothing .... well, I did ask if we could pass a pharmacy so I could pick up some more antihistamines ...... but that was all.

We danced, we sang, we had petals thrown from overhead bridges, I found myself looking at all the wonderful garlands again, then reminded myself I needed nothing.

I stopped to take a video of the procession only to have Shimaswarma throw me a garland from the chariot as they passed me. 

Not only did I have a garland, I had an amazing one and straight from Lord Jagannath Himself!!!!!

As we passed under one of the many fly over bridges, stopping all the traffic as we went, the decibels of sound rose in the amazing acoustic archway. 

Pleased with the noise the devotees began to sing louder and faster, jumping back and forth, while the ladies looked on amused.

Darkness began to fall and I found myself wondering about the pharmacy I had hoped to get to. We were now in the main part of town and it was here or nowhere I was going to find the tablets I wanted.

Not trusting the Universe I popped into one of the shops and asked where I could find the towns pharmacy.

“Another road, far side but closed now.” a sales assistant waved at me.

I shrugged, told myself I could manage with the few I had and rejoined the parade.

All along the route shop keepers stood beside the road with trays of offerings they wished to give to Jagannath. 

As the chariot drew along side each of these people the whole procession came to a halt as the Puja was made.

There are a set amount of things on each tray, a garland, flowers, incense, fruit, ghee candle, money and a coconut.

The coconut is taken by one of the Brahmans and cracked open. 

The ghee candle is then lit and placed inside one half and the whole thing is placed in front of Jagannath.

After the prayers have been said the tray is returned to the shopkeeper (minus the money) and the procession moves on to the next person waiting patiently.

We turned a few corners working our way up and down streets as more and more people joined us.

Suddenly the procession came to a halt for an altogether different reason! 

Fire works exploded on the street, shooting high into the sky within inches of the people standing around. 

Health and safety eat your heart out in Asia!

Camera phones were pointed skywards as for about 3 minutes the fire works exploded all around us.

The smoke began to clear, someone shouted it was safe to go and we were off again.

At the next Puja stop I got a Mataji I had met last year to take my photo as I stood beside the Chariot and as I looked over her shoulder there I spied the pharmacy 

…. and it was Open!!!

One should never be impatient with the Universe!!

With my photo shoot completed I popped into the shop and purchased the tablets I required. 

I returned to the street just as the Chariot began to move.

The Universe knew exactly what it was doing!!!

All along the route the Kirtain (drumming and singing) had not stopped. The Devotees leading the call and response singing were soaked with perspiration as they danced and sang.

Three to four hours of constant movement seemed to have had little effect on them save the sweat soaked shirts that cling to their backs.

By now I had no idea where we were, I too was dancing with the ladies ahead of the procession, I too was singing for all I was worth so happy was the mood.

At last we pulled into the venue where the evenings entertainment would take place.

The crowd put down the rope yet continued to chant as Jagannatha, Subpatra and Baladeva were prepared for their journey into the Hall.

The Kirtan leaders moved to the entrance and raised the tempo of their singing to the most frenzied it had been all evening.

As Jagannatha passed me I once again thanked Him for the most wonderful experience.

Jagannatha, Balarama and Subapdra were placed on the stage while the enthusiastic Kitain continued

That evening I ate prasadam, watched the performers and listened to the class totally blissed out.

We returned to the KL Temple and midnight and even though the pool looked inviting after all the dancing, I quickly took a cool shower instead and slept solidly through the night for the first time in years!!

Tomorrow was going to be another busy day!!