December 25, 2004 Leaving Benaras always wrenches various of my body parts (the heart and gut, chiefly), but leaving being inevitable, depart I did, for the delights of Bombay, and a rendezvous with Namarupa's Eddie Stern, who was in town to connect to New York. We enjoyed the taste of the gnocchi at Revival (which Carmen, who is of Italian heritage, pronounced the best she had ever tasted), and sights and smells of the spring-fed stone-bordered pond at Banganga, right on the edge of the sea, just down the road from the tidy Banganga cremation ground.

While in Bombay I found time to see two movies: The Incredibles, which was excellent (may Pixar never make a flawed flick!), and the newly colorized version of Mughal-e-Azam. While I am rarely a fan of colorization, this job was impeccably performed (India being one of the world's up-and-coming computer-animation centers - Pixar watch out!), and Mughal-e-Azam being a true spectacular of a film (possibly India's first veritable blockbuster), I was raptly attentive throughout its 3+ hour length, even on my second viewing (the first having come some years before). At base a doomed love story between a prince and a dancing girl, producer-director K. Asif converts the tale into a struggle between individual desire and duty to one's family and nation. (Those who wish a detailed analysis of this magnum opus can do no better than to visit the website of the knowledgeable, convivial Prof. Philip Lutgendorf, which last I checked was at www.uiowa.edu/~incinema.

Curiously, I had just before departing for India been gifted a DVD copy of Mughal-e-Azam by my generous Turkish friend Derya, and so this Indian visit was bracketed by the Emperor Akbar, his son Salim (who later ruled as the Emperor Jehangir), and the ill-fated Anarkali. These images accompanied me to Oxford, and a pleasant evening with Gill & Robert, and on to Texas, which I reached just in time from Christmas. As is my wont I spent the year-end holidays communicating with family near and far, including Mr. Pranava Lad, who is doing very well in medical school on the island of Nevis, where he now has fifteen chickens as pets, inherited from the dead lady next door.

On December 25 I went out for a walk in the park, the moon full & bright above me. It was cold (about -3* C); the leaves were covered with frost; steam rose from my mouth & nose as I breathed. What a wonderful combination, Christmas night and the full moon - a perfect night to feel the fullness of the unconditional all-healing love of the Baby Jesus! This was my real Christmas gift; and my sincere prayer for all of you is that Jesus bless you, now and forever, with the pure sweetness of His limitless love.

December 11, 2004 This fortnight's first half coincided with the last half of our Ulpotha venture, during which time Farmer Tennecoon arrived on site to continue convalescing after a near-death experience. The most exciting piece of news of our visit reached us only afterwards, viz. that a lone wild elephant had come to Ulpotha about 2 am on the night of our full moon party, and had wandered about benignly before continuing on his way. Viren had told us that Ulpotha sits on an elephant corridor - here was proof!

Sunday Dec 5 was the yoga course's final day, and as we said our goodbyes I offered a final salute to Rose Baudin, who had made it possible for us to hold the course at Ulpotha, and then at the last minute was unable to make it. Those of us who had made it then scattered in all directions, I to Chennai (Madras) and then up India's East Coast before heading inland to Kashi, the City of Light. On reaching Kashi I found waiting for me copies of the new issue of Namarupa, attached to each of which was my Benaras Soundwalk CD (www.soundwalk.com). This seemed an auspicious omen, and indeed I proceeded to have an excellent visit to Benaras, in the company of Sarada Von Sonn, who made it up from Pune in time to rendezvous with me there for her first visit to Kashi. Also on the scene was Dr. Carmen Frigerio, who had ten years back lived in Benaras for a year and a half, in the course of her gaining a diploma in Ayurveda from Benaras Hindu University. Smitten by the city, she has visited it as often as possible ever since. Between the two of us, and with the invaluable assistance of the indomitable Mr. Ramu Pandit, I think we made Sarada's initial Kashi yatra a memorable one.

Many moments made this visit memorable for me; the most poignant was the late afternoon boat ride during which I extended my hand into the River Ganga, and consigned what remained of Maurizio Splendiani's ash into her stream. Rest in peace, amico!

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