Great Day in Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay, Ontario
I hadn’t been here since the opening of the Vedic Cultural Centre, it’s inauguration in November of last year. It has a living space for two, a temple and a store that sells goods from India. It appears that each of these three departments are interdependent upon each other, financially, socially and spiritually.
Thanks to the inventors of this great dream come true – Suniti and Prem, two doctors by profession.
Thunder Bay is a very isolated city in Canada, yet if you traverse the nation by engine, wheels (as in cycling), or on foot, all travelers funnel through this place. If it’s not someone’s nesting place, then at least it’s a stopover.
For me, this is where I will reunite with Daruka, my marathon support person of the past, and his cheerleading companion, Billy, a blue Amazon parrot. Billy and Daruka appear inseparable, with her always perched on his shoulder, except at night time when it’s time to go to bed.
After the flight from Montreal, I eventually landed at this northern town and found an opportunity to walk to the VCC to the home of Prem and Suniti. Midway through I came upon a road construction site. Now, these guys (men at work) are busy with heavy machinery. It is quite naturally a no motorist/pedestrian zone, yet I was not willing to detour and figure out directions in this new place, so I more or less torpedoed my way through and practically ignored all the workers but for a momentary glance. Some were head scratching and making remarks over the noise (nothing vulgar that I could detect). Maybe some were a little startled that I went right through the chaos and could get away with it. I picked up on the phrase, “Hare Krishna” from one hard-hatted worker who sounded respectful. To others I guess I looked like a moving traffic cone.
“Nice to have met you, boss.”
By evening I had a 2nd visit to the VCC to lead a chanting session. Helen a yoga teacher came. There was also Mrs. Rita Agarwal who has been in Thunder Bay forever. Dhip, a student, played the djembe while I was on the mrdanga. Luke is new, he’s great. Other students came. I also led the group in learning two Sanskrit phrases and also came up with a body movement to accompany them. “Aham brahmasimi “(I am spirit), and “Para dukha dukhi “(I am saddened to see you saddened. The last one is a message of empathy or a feeling of compassion.
We partook in prasadam (some consecrated food), in this place, fruit. Then I met three young dudes, one of which remembered me as the travelling monk while I walked through the area last September.
“I’m the one who gave you directions, remember?”
“Yes”, with a smile. I vaguely remembered but acknowledged.
A great day in Thunder Bay, eh?
9 KM
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