Thoughts in Sringeri

28th November 1992

Dear Kanna,

Last night I left Bangalore for Sringeri.

Sankaracharya was someone I always admired and I rather hoped when I was carrying you that you’d be wise and saintly like him. I almost prayed that you would be a Maharshi.. well versed in all our traditional arts, music, dance, literature and scriptures. You are of course absolutely free to shape your life as you want to. I do not wish to dictate stuff to you.

I had a comfortable ride in a semi-luxury bus. It costs Rs72 in this age. Again I marvel at our society and the freedom cum protection cum respect that women, particularly educated, married ones are given in our society. Education, independent economic freedom, the law and general tolerance. I think these are the keys.

I feel quite privileged and truly wish that Tagore’s poem.. ” Where the mind is without fear and knowledge is free, where the clear streams of reason have not lost their way in the dreary desert sands of dead habit… into that.. let my country awake” .. would come true.

Kanna this is what I want for India and for the world if possible.

What we have now is the result of a lot of wisdom and direction on the part of our thinkers. Be a thinker dear and lead the country well.

As the bus arrived here, I took a walk around the temple. Beautiful in the mists. The floor itself is spotlessly clean. The room rent is Rs.25 and they give us hot water for a bath, a bed, a chair and table, (I’m here right now), a toilet and you can stay for a day and a night.

The only sounds are of a tap dripping(my fault), birds chirping (sparrows) and people in the distance. This is a writer’s heaven. There’s a river with big, black, fish which you can feed. People were bathing in the freezing water while I was shawled, mufflered and sitting hight atop the steps.

I really don’t know what I came here to seek, but I have found here, much, much, more than that.

Kanna, there were a band of shenai players playing beautifully as I went around the temple (6.30 am). When I caught my first glimpse of the deity I was thrilled and overwhlemed. Then I went and booked this room. (Coffee was delivered right here).

I am going back to explore the temple and my inner thoughts.

I hope to identify and resolve the internal stressors and the person in me that I have suppressed for so long. I’m still a little shaky on these grounds. I know I wish to be with you as soon as possible.

I’ll let the past go. Let us have a great and good life together.

Amma