The Ananda Pune Meditation Retreat--a journey to the peaceful countryside for the weekend


Friday through Sunday, Feb. 14th through 16th: 

 Finally caught up! Here now, soaking in the peacefulness of this place. The grounds are gorgeous; the food delicious and nourishing; the staff and guests all delightful. I have made two more new friends: Gayla, a fellow Californian from Sebastapol, and Dharana, a long time Ananda fellow and American expat, living in India some 16 years. I have taken a hike up a mountain that looms over the retreat, walked to the nearby village about 3 km away, listened to crickets, birds and lowing Brahma cattle, enjoyed seeing fields, farms, temples and locals. Sorry I will be leaving tomorrow, but I will definitely be returning!

Note: I have endless trouble with uploading photos: They often don't appear where I THINK I am placing them! I just don't have the patience to spend the hours it would take to redo them in the correct order, so I apologize if this series is rather disjointed. Hope you will enjoy viewing them nonetheless!

(also, I spent a great deal of time putting captions on...only to have them NOT save for some unfathomable reason after I published this! I just don't have the patience to go back in and redo them...my apologies! C'est la vie...plus some got duplicated...such is the life of a technologically challenged person such as myself!!!)
























Exterior of my little unit, Kutir #4

Even though I could have had two room mates, I am happy to have it all to myself! Have a nice little kitchenette to use, a cozy bed, and view of naught by greenery outside my windows. Best of all, the TOTAL absence of traffic noise!! WHAT a relief!!!



Some of the Retreat flowers

Entrance to what was Swami Kriyananda's house, now a space for Retreat gatherings, hatha yoga and meditation 

Inside his house, main room 

patio area outside of the house

Observing the lovely house from the patio 

More guest apartments

New growth of papaya trees on the property

Looking up at the Retreat's neighboring mountain

Babiji Shrine 

Interior of temple, still being developed 

Lovely, peaceful grounds, with some native, and other, cultivated foliage

Neighboring farm



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