Some Notes About Life Here...

Asha Niketan Bangalore:
...is located in Koramangala in Karnataka State.
(Most people identify themselves based on which state they're from.)
...was the first L'Arche community in India
...has 14 live in core members, and 14 live out day workers
...has 8 assistants, 1 community leader, 3 long-term assistants
...makes candles, cards, batik, tie-dye, whittles bamboo, and weaves
...gets up very early to clean the house
...celebrates prayer in a variety of different traditions
...drinks a lot of chai!

Our days are pretty routine thus far, everyone begins to wake up around 6AM. There is black coffee served at 7, prayer at 7:45, breakfast at 8. At 9 there is work prayer and the day begins. We work in the garden, in the craft or candle workshop until 10:30 (tea time), work again until 12:30 (lunch). In the afternoon we rest until 2:30, then do similar work as in the morning, break (for tea) and spend the remainder of the evening together. At 7 we have prayer, and then around 7:30 we usually eat supper. The days are full, but not terribly fast paced.

Today was my first day away, and Ashita (my current saviour, as she speaks English, and is familiar with the city) showed me to MG Road - the busier part of the city. We enjoyed plenty of walking and browsing through the silk markets. We also visited Cubbon Park, a park that Lonely Planet's Guide to India suggest is the place "where the city breathes". We bought peanuts from a man carrying the tray around on his head, and after I paid him, he carried out a short ritual explaining that it was a prayer for the first sale of the day.
Spirituality and religion are interwoven with the daily life here and it's really quite remarkable.

Love from Bangalore...