Trip to Devlali

For those who are unaware of Swadhyaya's regular activities, we conduct two trips a year for all our members and their family. Trips provide us with the much needed break from monotonous life and also give us a refreshing and new perception to things. 

The recent trip to Devlali on 6th January, 2012 was a great way to start the new year. It provided us with an opportunity to get to know our fellow teachers better. It helped us bond, share experiences, and simply have some fun together. 

Our bungalow apartments at Kothari Sanatorium, Devlali

Devali (aka Deolali) is a small hill station near Nashik. It is the home of the School of Artillery and not many are aware of the amazing mineral museum nearby known as the Gargoti Museum. Due to its dry and cool air many people come to stay in the sanatoriums in Devlali for weeks and even months to recover from health conditions, especially those related to the Respiratory System. 

Swadhyaya Members

The Swadhyaya members also gave a surprise birthday party to one of our members. The party was preceded with a hilarious game of cards which tested our observation powers and concentration. We shared many jokes and laughs over each other's mistakes. After all, laughter is really the best medicine.

Happy Birthday Ankita



Artillery Park

We visited the Artillery Park nearby which was beautiful and peaceful. We even got to watch some people play golf in the nearby golf course from a vantage point.

Sunset Point

Devlali is a great place to be one with nature. There is greenery everywhere. The roads are clean and one gets to experience all elements of nature very closely.

The Elements of Nature

The Great Warrior- King Rama, Sita And Laxman

The Ramayana is given great importance here. It is believed that there is a cave in Devlali where Sita was hidden by Ravana. There is an old temple which is believed to be almost 500 years old which contains an idol that is believed to be worshiped  by Ravana himself.

Devlali is filled with Jain temples and sanatoriums. We visited some beautiful temples with breathtaking idols and architecture. One of them was a Digambar temple which had a picture museum of the different stories in Jainism. A young Bhramachari lady who lived there explained the stories to us.

We were very moved when we learnt about the stories which correlated so much with the Yogic concepts that we have learnt about. Most of them talk about how a small incident instigates a seemingly ordinary man or even animal to mentally detach with the material world (Vairagya) in order to attain the highest, which is our goal.

Jain God

Engrossed in the Soul

The above picture is that of a Jain God sitting in deep meditation. It is believed that when a person gets so  engrossed in the Atma (Soul) and so detached from the body, he continues to experience pure bliss even if wild animals come and start eating his flesh.

Samosaran


Sermon in the Heavens

Samosaran is the word given in Jainism to the congregation that assembles when God speaks. When God gives his sermons, millions of Lives come to listen to the holy words. It is believed that those who hear the words achieve Kaivalya. Even animals and other creatures come to listen. This congregation is held in the skies where large spaces are converted into beautiful lush lands where Lives can come. Some find the place so mesmerizing that they roam about among the creations, rest under the trees and wander about. These Lives miss out on the holy words and remain stuck in material attachments. One must overcome the attachment to such material things if we want to learn the holy teachings. 

Swadhyaya Group

Returning refreshed and inspired from our visits to such a spiritual place, we all must get back to our routine work. After all, "nothing lasts forever and everything is changeful". However, today, the members of the alumni association present at the trip and their families share a great bond of friendship and happy memories and can't wait for the next trip to come.