Arriving at the ashram

As we approached Penukonda, the landscape reminded me of the drive east from San Diego toward the Anza Borrego desert. Mountains of boulders loomed up from the flat red plains. Suddenly, the driver turned off the mainroad toward the town of Penukonda and we were in a world that looked as it must have thousands of years ago. We passed through narrow dirt streets lined with towering walls made up of large blocks of grey stone, the remains of King Krishnadevaraya's ancient fort. King Krishnadevaraya was the greatest king to ever rule India. He was also the richest king in the world at that time. Portuguese explorers reported seeing cities larger than any in Europe where in the markets baskets of diamonds and rubies were treated as common objects. But, King Krishnadevaraya was more than a worldly king. He was a Saint-King who fostered spirituality and built over 356 temples, including some of India's most famous temples like the one at Tirupati that attracts millions of visitors each year. Sri Kaleshwar's ashram is literally built on top of King Krishnadevaraya's fort and sits at the foot of a sacred mountain where thousands of rishis used to gather to meditate in huge caves.



As we passed through the ashram gate and drove up the driveway, lined with snow-white walls, we were transported into a paradise realm of beautiful buidings and lush gardens. After signing in as arriving students, we were given a quick orientation of the grounds and shown to our room. Because 300 people from around the world were expected for Guru Purnima, starting in a few days, we were invited to share the apartment of Becca and Stephie, our two friends from Santa Cruz, who had so generously offered to help with Tara's dental work. Becca and Stephie had first visited the ashram last February for Maha Shivaratri and were so impressed that they decided to buy a two-bedroom apartment in the new apartment building being constructed. When we arrived at their apartment, we looked out our new bedroom window to see a beautiful panorama of the gardens, the original five-floor apartment building with the Mandir on the right and Penukonda mountain rising behind.




After unpacking, we went up on the roof and looked out to see what our home for the next year was like. Practically in every direction we looked we saw the ruins of ancient temples. A profound spiritual aura permeates Penukonda. It's a highly charged power spot, undoubtedly due to the natural energy of the mountain, as well as all the spiritual practice that has taken place here over centuries by divine souls.

Kaleshwar has manifested this beautiful ashram from absolutely nothing. He was a homeless college kid, having been beaten and thrown out of his home by his father who didn't understand his spiritual interests and was hoping that some reality shock therapy would disuade his son from the spiritual life. Kaleshwar was literally living on the streets with beggars when he started performing miraculous healings and his fame started to spread. A landlord in Penukonda, who was impressed with Kaleshwar's wisdom, let him build a small open-air thatched roof hut, which is where he lived when he started the ashram. The first westerners who came here slept in this hut with Kaleshwar. At that time, what is now a beautiful ashram was just cobra-infested jungle. Now, the ashram has expansive grounds with a beautiful two-floor Mandir that houses the Shirdi Sai Baba temple on the first floor and the Jesus temple on the second floor. Kaleshwar's two masters are Jesus of Nazerth and Shirdi Sai Baba (? -1918), who is the most famous miracle-master of modern India.



I've never studied before with an Indian teacher who places so much empahsis on Jesus Christ. Kaleshwar says that Jesus was one of the greatest yogis that ever lived and that he was here in Penukonda to learn divine knowledge, which makes sense because so many great rishis gathered here. Kaleshwar is writing a book about what Jesus learned during his years in India. I've been pondering for years how we could overcome the division in America between Christians and the New Age community. So many Christian fundamentalists regard anything yogic or New Age, as not being valid (at best) and as coming from Satan (at worst). In my mind, I've always seen Christ as an enlightened yogi and wished that there was a way to bridge the gap that divides people. That's exactly what Sri Kaleshwar is doing. I see a great opportunity here to learn a Universal spiritual teaching that does not divide people through the boundaries of any religion but unites all people through Love.