Am I A Space Time Continuum?

Well fortunately the Vogons decided to spare our lives and post-pone the destruction of planet Earth to build the intergalactic space highway (if you don't believe me you can check out the demolition orders on display in Alpha Centauri for yourself) so I can now safely continue onward with my travels :D Over the course of the last 10 days I've been to 3 different regions of India; Punjab, Himchal Pradesh, and now Uttarkhand. I've travelled to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, trekked up to Triund high in the Himalayas, and now i'm staying at a yoga ashram in Rishikesh. My time in McLeod Ganj was well spent however I needed to move onto my next destination so I wouldn't become complacent. So with that said I boarded a bus at 4:00 AM with my Australian buddy Rob and headed towards Amritsar. Ive travelled by bus enough now to know that it absolutely sucks and after 6 long hours of bumpy roads and uncomfortable turns we finally made it to the station. We got off the bus and made a feeble attempt to find our way around but gave up after 5 minutes of wading through the hordes of unpleasant traffic. Eventually we found a rickshaw to the Golden Temple where we ended up staying for 3 nights in the dorms. Among us there were two dozen other travelers from all over of the world, some we had even met previously in Mcleod Ganj. Its really cool to unexpectedly see someone you met awhile back at some random place in India, it actually happens more then you'd think. I was exhausted from the overnight bus ride and wanted to catch up on some sleep but Rob decided he wanted to attack the day with more ambition then a puppy in a dog park. Of course I couldn't say no for long thinking about food, so we made our way across the road and to the entrance of the Golden Temple (not real gold for those of you whom are curious). Before entering any of the sacred sights barefoot we had to first cover out hair with a bandana (or shawl for women) and wash our feet so as to not tract in any dirt. The view from the front of the temple is something extra dazzling especially at night when its all lit up, although my pic doesn't do it justice. I began to follow a long mat laid out upon an immaculate marble floor surrounding the emerald green lake of the temple until I found myself inside. It was amazing beyond belief and I had picked the perfect time to go, a ceremony was in progress (which made sense why there was so many people standing in line) and I had just stumbled upon it by accident. Afterwards I walked back around the other side of the lake and to the dining hall or Guru-Ka-Langar as they call it which serves thousands of Sikhs, Hindus and foreigners like myself free food each and every day. For me this was the most fascinating sight of all, not just because I love food but also because ive never witnessed something as effortlessly efficient as this before. As you walk through the gates you are handed a plate, bowl, and spoon (with a warm smile might I add) and then follow a large group of people down a corridor to the dining hall itself. Everyone looks identical as they sit down together in a long, orderly row with they're legs crossed and palms wide open as if praying for holy intervention. A few dozen men, some young and some old, come down the line of people tossing chapati into the open hands of those patiently waiting to be fed. Not to far behind them are more men carrying large metal pales of hot dhal and deliciously sweet rice pudding (my favorite), each ladling equal portions into their plates. Prior to anyone even picking up their spoon a mantra is echoed throughout the massive room and everyone says their blessings for the beautiful food in front of them. But the most amazing part is that there is not one person that is discriminated against or denied food here, rich or poor, white or brown, Muslim or Christian, low Caste or high, everyone is treated as equals and rejoices in the splendor of a wonderfully tasty and filling meal.

Its important to note that this system is run solely by donations, devotion and volunteers. Without these three key ingredients the kitchen that serves thousands of people a day, and the temple that is worshipped by millions would cease to exist. This is when I began to notice the cycle of life unfolding before my eyes. The same person whom hands out spoons or cleans dishes or chops potatoes is also the same person sitting next to you eating lunch each afternoon. Sometimes I even saw the same person handing out plates in the morning as I did at night like they hadn't moved from that one spot the entire day. Its a constant cycle and for many people this is their every day life, their jobs. It gives them purpose and they are completely happy doing it, not a hint of remorse in they're eyes whatsoever. Then you realize how utterly devoted these people are (of course you'd have to be for any of this to be possible). Many of them don't even have a house to live in but instead sleep in the middle of the courtyard at night with hundreds of other homeless people. But to be completely fair they all treat this place as they're one and only true home and in reality it is. They eat, sleep, worship and even die here. As a matter of fact one day while walking back to the dorms I noticed a large crowd of people forming around a window blocked by guards. I was curious to know what had happened so I asked around abit but couldn't find any answer. I would later find out that someone had drowned trying to swim in the lake surrounding the temple that people use to bathe themselves in. I couldn't believe it, at first I was upset at security for not keeping a stricter eye on people swimming but shortly after I realized that they wouldn't have it any other way if it was their time. That's not even the most astonishing part though, its the fact that the government doesn't support the temple or the Sikhs whom inhabit it at all. They don't even want them to be there in honesty however its still alive and thriving.

Each day after I ate I would take the utmost pleasure in jumping right into the wash area and start cleaning dishes with 50 other people, men and women. I'd always get some curious looks from the locals as I began to scrub the scum off silverware, for awhile I assumed I was doing something wrong or maybe my hair was showing but I later realized that for them it was intriguing to see a foreigner help out with the dirty work, and not care about getting a little wet. But nobody ever said that I couldn't help just because my skin was white or because I spoke a different language. It was always fun sharing laughs with everyone while completely loosing track of time and myself in the meditation of cleaning. I forgot about everything else and just washed plates, bowls and spoons for hours on end. It was so simple yet felt so good knowing that I was somehow apart of making this awesome place run smoothly, being apart of something bigger then myself. Something truly special. Plus it was the least I could do for all the free food. And if it wasn't standing and washing dishes it was sitting and chopping vegetables. There was always something for someone to do, no prior experience or special talent needed. As long as you were willing and able there was always a task that could use the help. The the other cool thing about this place is the fact that it is open to the public all day and night, meaning it never closes. Yes its true it never closes. Seriously, think about that. There is always going to be someone there to serve you food 24/7, 365 days a year even if you had just come from the middle of nowhere and it was 2:54 AM they'd still willingly feed you, even if they had to wake someone up to do so. That's like an all you can eat buffet that's always open and doesn't slap you with a bill at the end of the night! As you can probably tell I'm still utterly confounded by this, but I'm also falling in love. It makes me so tremendously happy to know that places such as this exist in the world, that there truly is hope for humanity. If only there were more places like this where a community could come together as one big family and take part in something as truly meaningful and special as this, then the world would be a better place for sure.

For all those whom are reading I say to you that this place and its people are truly unique and if at all possible I highly recommended you to spend a few days here if not longer. I guarantee that you will find happiness in the simplest of things and leave with a feeling of wellbeing not just for yourself but also for the planet.