India: Devoted to surf

By Ed Templeton Published: 10:57AM GMT 01 March 2010

Previous of Images Next Guests at the ashram are singular to 4 to equivocate diluting the first religious role Photo: Ed Templeton "We have the six-mile widen of palm-fringed, dark powdery beach to ourselves" Photo: Ed Templeton A surfboard unresolved over the dining room doorway is embellished with the difference "Om Sweet Om" Photo: Ed Templeton

Ishita is, as far as she knows, India"s usually womanlike surfer. She laughs as she recounts her warn on finding the ""Surfing Swamis"" ashram scarcely dual years ago. Now, she, my partner and I are pity a huge, post-surf breakfast with Daruka Das, the physical education instructor of this erotically appealing small outpost.

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It"s loyal that India doesn"t rught away conjure up visions of surfers, and that the 4,700-mile seashore stays probably un-surfed, but the devotees at the Kaliya Mardana Krishna Ashram in Karnataka are you do their bit to pill this. Their guru, Swami Narasingha, who grew up surfing in Florida, determined this coastal armed forces to his main ashram 4 years ago. For the past dual years they have welcomed profitable guests, as well as pity their surfing believe and love of the sea with internal children.

We roller early, prior to the feverishness of the day saps the energy, and we have the six-mile widen of palm-fringed, dark powdery beach to ourselves. The occasional internal passes, with teetering loads on his or her head head, but with no inland beach enlightenment to verbalise of, and no alternative tourists, this classic pleasant bliss stays empty. In fact, the usually throng we confront during the stay is a organisation of brown-winged, white-bellied fish-eagles receiving turns to stand 50ft or some-more prior to plummeting in to the sea to waylay their prey, yards from the boards.

The waves here are peaceful at this time of year and the ambience loose between the small surfing band. From beginners to experts, we are desirous by Daruka"s enthusiasm, support and enterprise to widespread his happiness of surfing. We whoop and alarm one an additional onto the small waves rolling eastwards, chatting, shouting and playing. Can you suppose removing a hoot, a laugh and a thumbs up from a priest, mullah or rabbi as you slip past him on a wave?

Once driven shoreward by hunger, we pass the rest of the day in a tasty languor, reading, receiving peaceful bike rides or in easy review with the devotees. Trips up stream on the ashram boat, make use of of kayaks, bikes and skateboards are all on offer, though we don"t take them up.

"I landed in India with dual roller play to encounter friends from behind home in San Diego, intending to roller and backpack," says Daruka. "I never illusory I"d be here two-and-a-half years later, a Krishna devotee," he adds as we lay on the dock, examination internal family groups wade by the shoal firth scooping clams from the fen for their supper.

Guests at the ashram are singular to 4 to equivocate diluting the first religious role and are housed in a apart construction confronting the back yard of the ashram. The elementary stand in bedrooms enclose dual singular beds celibacy, vegetarianism and alcoholic avoidance are compulsory of any one who wishes to stay here.

Each sunrise and evening, we are drawn to the small church room by the symphonic chanting (Bhajans) accompanied by mridanga drum, harmonium, bells and cymbals, that set up in volume and intensity, culminating in bellowed rounds of the informed Mantra "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna!" as the devotees" moving spirals in to dancing.

As this protocol becomes informed I"ve loosened from an intrigued wordless spectator to a mumbling, shuffling participant. Guests are free to watch, stick on in or only leave the devotees to it and encounter up thereafter for Prasadam, an additional approach of for Krishna by the cooking, charity and eating of a hearty, tasty meal. Conversation and delight flows easily, and the loving, religious concentration on food credentials is perceptible in the meals we assimilate a gummy Persian unfeeling rice with a spicy, honeyed peanut and chopped tomatoes chutney one evening, lemon rice dotted with cashews and a spicy okra sambar the next. To finish, we suffer a approach of homemade jaggery infused divert desserts, aromatic with locally grown wild vanilla, cloves and cardamom.

The surfboard unresolved over the dining room doorway embellished with the difference "Om Sweet Om" epitomises the loose spirituality practised in this ashram. This is no brainwashing cult, only a organisation of devout, devout surfers who are penetrating to share their approach of life.