Ashram of the Holy Trinity

I slept briefly but well, and woke to the clamour of a bustling Indian city. I breakfasted, bade my farewells and had the hotel organise my onward transportation.

Morning coffee

 It was a half-hour taxi ride to Shantivalam, and I arrived at ten, to find some of my fellow guests grouped around a circular shelter, in the middle of the property, enjoying the morning coffee ritual. 

The tea and coffee sessions were one of the many innovations introduced into the daily order by the renowned British theologian Father Bede Griffiths, during his time as the Master here. Michael, an English guest staying here for three months, introduced himself. He has retired from teaching (in both England and India,) and has been coming to the ashram for the past 25 years. His current role at the ashram is as Assistant Guest Master, an appropriate and helpful function newly introduced for the busy winter season, to guide new visitors through the confusing world of monastic life. My eyes were struggling to stay open, after the previous day’s lengthy journey, as Michael escorted me around, pointing out the library, the chapel, the new lodgings being built with funds from a recent legacy, the  meeting hall, the milking parlour and the village cricket pitch. 

The setting and environment

The monks husband a herd of cows and the methane gas is extracted from the cattle ordure in the milking parlour, and fires the gas burners in the kitchen as well as water-heating, then the manure fertilises the vegetable gardens.

He took me to my room, which was exactly what I had anticipated: a bed with a mosquito net, a writing table and chair, a small cupboard and an adjacent bathroom. I sorted out a few things, then lay down and slept the rest of the morning.

Later that afternoon, the present Master, Brother Martin, gave a talk in which he constantly drew parallels between religions. This opened up into a lively debate, and it was good to see how open-minded all the fellow-guests are, whatever religious path they choose to follow. The introductory leaflet sums the philosophy up perfectly:

• The ashram seeks to be a place of meeting for Hindus and Christians and people of all religions or none, who are genuinely seeking God………we seek to respond to the need for a spiritual centre, where such people can come and find an atmosphere of calm quiet, for study and meditation.

(It’s not actually designed as a haven for a blogger, but I have to take a break from the theology from time to time.)

After Brother Martin’s talk, most of us went to the yoga hall to rehearse carols and other items for the Christmas Eve entertainment. By bedtime, I was already feeling I’d been here a week. Nothing was particularly foreign to me; I could handle the chanting and the long periods of silence, and I don’t have a problem with sitting on a low stool and eating with the fingers of my right hand. A vegetarian diet doesn't bother me and I relish the idea of curry three times a day.

I have a good-sized table in my room and I brought enough extension cables and adapters to power-up all my gadgets. It’s a pity I’m only here for about three weeks; it’s exactly the environment I wanted.

"Whisky in the Jar
Part of the Entertainment

On Christmas Eve, in late afternoon, we had an international celebration of Christmas, with carols in six languages, the Christmas story in English and Tamil and – for no immediately apparent reason, an Irish jig performed by a group comprising one monk, and guests from Ireland, Italy, France, England, Luxembourg and Germany. It was interesting to note that by far the most accomplished participant was the monk. I have uploaded the video to Facebook.

There was calm around the compound through the early evening, in anticipation of Midnight Mass, and when the bell tolled, the chapel was crowded with many local residents in the congregation. The novices from the nearby women’s community created a nativity scene in the garden and decorated the chapel with sand patterns at the entrance and intricate arrangements of flower blossoms, echoing the blending of cultures.

The service had sections in Sanskrit, English and Tamil, but was mostly recognisable from the liturgies that I know. At the end of the service everyone stood around chatting and exchanging greetings, before retiring to the refectory for tea and cake. It was a symbolic Christmas that was epitomised by its gentleness. 

The guests are all so gentle, friendly and open to all beliefs and creeds, they are a truly lovely group of people.

Patterns in the sand at the entrance to the chapel