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A Year Without Ice Cubes One year through Africa and Asia

Vijnanakalavedi Cultural Center

INDIA | Thursday, 16 April 2009 | Views [758] | Comments [4]

I’M STUDYING KARNATIC VOCAL MUSIC WITH RAVI SIR! And tabla with some other Indian guy. But I’m pretty bad at tabla (granted, I’ve only had 2 lessons). But let’s talk about singing karnatically… So yea, there ended up being space for me and only me at the Vijnanakalavedi Cultural Center,so while I’m hanging out with artsy hippy types from around the world and eating delicious vegetarian food off of banana leaves with my hands and studying non-western musical traditions and rocking out with my sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni-sa singing scale, Michelle and Becs are taking crowded hot trains up to the north of the country, where it’s very crowded and hot (In case I never mentioned it, Becs was our tour leader in Africa when we were on the huge overland camping truck, and now she’s traveling with us for our 2 months in India. Well, traveling with Michelle, anyway.) I’m feeling pretty good right about now. I signed up for a week at the center, and this morning extended my stay to a month so I could get more out of Ravi Sir and the other Indian tabla guy and the yoga classes 3 days a week and the Kalari martial arts classes every evening. Man, I love it here. Maybe a little too much. But hey, it’s my year to do whatever I want, and I want to take a break from staying in a different hotel every few nights and instead concentrate on concentrating my mind in the ancient ways of India. With a bunch of artsy hippy types from around the world. Hey, everyone should do it once in their life, right?

Rather than give a long explanation about the Vijnanakalavedi Cultural Center, I will simply put the link to their website and those who are so inclined can peruse at their own pace. www.vijnanakalavedi.org It’s a pretty grand place. Thanks to Elizabeth Burguieres for the tip. Okay, gotta go practice my DHA DHADHA THI TU rhythm, more later…

Comments

1

Good for you!! Have fun! Soak it in.

  gail Apr 16, 2009 5:03 PM

2

Suggestion: take a Hindi class or two or three. Hopefully you'll use it when you get to northern India which is VERY different in culture, food, etc than southern India. Glad you are feeling better. Have fun!

  Uncle Larry Apr 19, 2009 6:53 AM

3

My goodness, you have to be an ace speller to get around those long Indian names, don't you? We're catching up on your journey after languishing at a Kapoho beach house for two weeks with Alaskan friends. We're glad to be at 4,000 feet again. Went to Kara's wedding and and saw the whole family again after eons. We know Inda is going to be QUITE the experience.

  zen house Apr 21, 2009 2:28 AM

4

Loved reading your comment. I thought I should let you know a sad news.

Vijnanakalavedi cultural center is going to be closed indefinately from August 26th, 2009

Gautham

  Gautham Sarang Apr 27, 2009 9:59 PM

 

 

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