by Mandeep Gaygoat
Today Sardhana was a must. Snatam Kaur was playing first, followed by Chardi Kala Jatha, who recited the Assa Di Vaar. It was sung in three stages today was the first.
Afterwards, we popped to Wholefoods in Santa Fe to pick up some groceries, Sangeet is making Aloo pronthe for dinner.
Back at Shanti phenji's house, Sangeet made aloo pronthe. Everybody enjoyed them and apparently the 'aloo pronthe party' is still being talked about!!
It was great fun for us all to share a meal together, chat and have much laughter!
by Mandeep Gaygoat
Early start and off to Sardhana, still amazes me how the sangat here start at 3:40am everyday.
For lunch we met our dear friend phenji Satsundri Kaur. When we first came across the 3HO community in 2005, Satsundri Kaur introduced herself to us, she then introduced us to the other sangat. She is an amazing Singhni, always very friendly and so kind.
For lunch we popped to
Desert Sage Cafe,
1318 S. Riverside Dr.,
Espanola,
New Mexico
USA
t: +1 505 672-8235
I had the grilled tofu, Sangeet and Satsundri had kichri. My dish was very tasty. Sangeet and Satsundri also enjoyed their dishes. It is always a great pleasure meeting Satsundri. Her love for Sikhi is second to none.
The salad had dressing which affected my stomach and gave me massive stomach pains. I just had to go back home and relax.
As we were intending on going to Sardhana we hit the bed early.
by Mandeep Gaygoat
Yesterday as soon as I tasted the lungar, I just knew this would lead me to having stomach issues. I really need to be more strict now and still realise that the stomach issue has not been resolved.
So this morning was a lazy morning, just recovering and taking pity on myself!!
For lunch we met up with good friends Ben and Carey, I met Carey last year on the Kundalini teacher training. They were invited to the Gold House (where we were staying last year) and had fun mixing with everybody.
We reached their beautiful house. I drove into their drive and heard a dog barking. It smelt brown meat and I am sure it wanted some!! Carey said come on up, it is a friendly dog, I refused! We had arrived about 45 minutes late, Carey asked us, “what time are you working on?” That was funny.
We drove to
Annapurna(St. Michaels Village West Shopping Center,near CinemaCafe, formerly Celebrations Restaurant)1620 St. Michaels DriveSanta Fe, New MexicoNM 87505USA
Hours of Operation
Summer Hours (starts April 1st)
Monday – Saturday 9am-9pm
Sunday 10am – 8pm
Winter hours
Monday – Saturday 9am – 8pm
Sunday, 10am – 8pm
I was tempted to go for the dhosa which comes with a spicy lentil dish (seems like I just do not learn my lesson!) I decided to go for the shepherds pie and am glad I did. It was a very tasty and filling meal.
A great hot chocolate
The four of us just had great conversation, and the time flew by. We got to the restaurant around 2pm and left at 4:30pm!
Carey, me and Ben
We dropped of Ben and Carey, they kindly went in first and moved the dog away from biting distance!! We went in and chatted a bit more on leaving they gave us some amazing chocolate from Peru and a book called 'Be Here Now'. Bit like a hippy guide!
Be Here Now (or Remember, Be Here Now) is a seminal 1971 book on spirituality,yoga and meditation by the Western born yogi and spiritual teacher Ram Dass. The title comes from a statement his guide, Bhagavan Das, made during Ram Dass's journeys in India. The cover features a Mandala incorporating the title, a chair, radial lines, and the word “remember”
Back at the house we got to spend some time with paji and phenji, it is fantastic being in their company.
Afterwards, we went to the Gurdwara to meet Harijot Singh and recite Rehraas, we decided to go for a coffee, I thought to myself where will we go for coffee….Santa Fe?!? which is twenty minutes away…..it later turned out Harijot was thinking the same. Outside the Gurdwara we saw Prabhu Singh and got chatting to him. Whilst in conversation Sat Purkh Kaur and Abhai Raj Singh were on security duty and checking on people loitering, naturally they came to us! They invited us to their house as Sat Purkh Kaur had made rhubarb pie (I have been pestering her for a while to make pie!), this was very tasty and their house is amazing.
Abhai Raj Singh
The amazing rhubarb pie
by Mandeep Gaygoat
Early start, here in Espanola Sardhana starts at 3:40 am, at 4am there is a Kundalini yoga set, followed at 4:45 with chanting, the Gurdwara programme starts at 6am.
Afterwards we went back to the house where Shanti phenji had made a very tasty breakfast, it was great to see the whole family taking time out of their busy schedule to eat together. Something we should all take on board.
We then got ready and off to the Gurdwara, it so feels like we have been away on holiday and now come back home to Espanola. The sangat are amazing, so warm and friendly. After the programme where we were fortunate to hear kirtan by Chardi Kala Jatha, we had lungar. It was very nice talking to the sangat, they all came over said Fateh and gave us big hugs.
The children always participate in the programmes
For the evening we had planned to go to the cinema with Harijot Singh, to watch superman. Others were mentioning about a drum party. Which also sounded like fun.
As we had a few hours spare we drove to Tesuque village, an upmarket area outside Santa Fe. The houses are all adobe and looked huge.
Sangeet had been finding the desert heat during the day very intense so decided to take it easy at Shanti phenji's house. I met Harijot Singh at the Gurdwara. They were celebrating the birthday of Pritpal Singh. Harijot also mentioned the drum party, we agreed that we can go to the cinema any day. At the drum party we met Gurjot Singh and his wife, it was great to see them.
Later that night I dropped Gurjot and his wife home and Harijot at the Gurdwara. It was great catching up with everybody.
by Mandeep Gaygoat
After a good nights sleep we packed said our goodbyes to Amrit Phenji and drove to San Francisco airport, as we are only forty minutes away from San Francisco airport we got to hertz rental company for 8:30. It was definitely sad to leave California.
We then took the air train to terminal 3 (United flight) the check in queues were very long, luckily we had enough time.
Once through security we proceeded to the airport lounge where we caught up on last minute emails.
The lounge, where everybody looks so happy!!
The plane
View of New Mexico from the plane
The flight to Albuquerque takes two and a half hours, also Albuquerque is ahead by one hour. As soon as we landed got our luggage and picked up the car from hertz. We headed over to Annapurna for cheese toastie and Sangeet had burger. Both were good vegetarian and gluten free meals.
Annapurna Restaurant
Cheese Toastie
Sangeet's burger
We then headed over to Espanola. Shanti Kaur phenji has very kindly offered her amazing house to us. After seven years we have finally got to spend quality time with phenji. We have often said we will chat over a nice hot drink!
On the way to Espanola
We chatted with Shanti phenji and paji. Shanti phenji has been a huge inspiration for me and many others since the Jaap sahib course in 2007. It was such a powerful course and it lead me to take Amrit. I truly made the connection on this course.
Phenji and paji had a evening function so attended that. We visited the Gurdwara. Afterwards we thought of going down memory lane and visiting the house we stayed at, the gold house. I stayed there for my Kundalini yoga teacher training and Sangeet stayed there for the super health course.
Whist entering the compound where the gold house is situated, two ladies approached us looking stressed and said they are attending the 21 stages of meditation course. They were at a loss where everything is, Gurdwara, registration area. We said jump into the car and we will show you, we showed them the Gurdwara also drove down to Walmart so they could call home. Sangeet explained the Sunday programme and the daily Sardhana. The ladies name are Ciclia from Brazil and Tanya from Moab they were very grateful for our help. It was great to exchange stories on how they came across Kundalini yoga and their love for the Sikh way of life.
As it was getting late and everybody had plans for Sardhana (3:40am start!) we decided to head back to Shanti Kaur Phenjis house.
Looking back it is amazing how things work out. We had no plans for the evening. Waheguru did not want us to be idle so put us to work and help the two ladies!
by Mandeep Gaygoat
Today we went to see Avtar Kaur, more affectionately known as Beji. We first met Beji in 2007 at the amazing Jaap sahib course. Beji is 80 years old but you could never tell, she keeps active. Even though we met Beji and Papaji a few months ago it is a great pleasure to always meet when we are in the Bay Area. As always Beji had made some food which we ate with the many fruits they had bought. Very tasty and filling. Papaji had made us some very tasty carrot celery and apple juice too. We spent about three hours there which just flew by because we were enjoying their company so much.
Buying some fruit before we head over to Beji's
Trying the massage chair, which was very relaxing
Saying our goodbyes
Afterwards we drove to
El Sobrante Gurdwara
3550 Hillcrest Road
El Sobrante, Ca 94803
t: +1 510 223-1102
El Sobrante Gurdwara
Darbar Sahib
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2J8O79tKBI&sns=em
El Sobrante Gurdwara
There was an Akhand Paath in a smaller Darbar sahib
Lungar hall
Chopping of vegetables was done on the balcony
View from the Gurdwara
the sangat here felt so familiar. As if we were back at our own local Gurdwara in the UK.
Manicured gardens
We are looking to meet up with my cousin Upkar phenji, Shakti Singh paji her husband and Upkar phenji live in the Bay Area. So whilst waiting for a time and place to meet we decided to head to Berkley and find a nice cafe. We looked like two geeks ipad and laptop out, Sangeet was working on course work, whilst I was playing games and trying to look smart!
Yali's Cafe
1920 Oxford St,
Berkeley
California
USA
T: +1 510-843-2233
Upkar phenji called to say come to their house and we can arrange where to meet. We got to theirs for around 7:30 pm, to our surprise phenji had cooked an amazing vegan meal. We have not met Shakti paji before. It was fantastic meeting them both and we look forward to many more meetings!
We headed back to Gurrinder paji's house to get a good nights rest, especially as it will be our last night in California.
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