Home away from Home

by fimbulvetr

After two action packed days, today moved at a much more relaxing pace. I did not even leave my bed until ten, but soon after I joined Sanjay and his friend Sophie for a simple breakfast. After discussing San Francisco and my experiences with reading ancient literature, I got ready to head out for my only point of interest for the day, the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.

The double decker bus trip took over an hour, with a bus change in a Brazilian part of London. Upon arrival at the mandir (temple) stop I realized this temple was not just any temple. The mandir was constructed of pure marble, with carvings of the various forms of divine beings, from Hanuman to Shiva to Balaram and more. Inside were altars to some of the most popular of these gods, along with the holy sages who founded this mandir. Even though the place was busy with tourists, I felt supremely isolated and calmed. It was an absolute joy just to walk through the temple quietly and take in the environment, which took me back to my many trips to the Berkeley mandir.

After a good hour there, I made my way home and packed my things before lying down. Despite sleeping in, I was still exhausted from the previous night. Soon my cousin Ameet came to pick me up, as I had planned to spend the rest of my trip with him and his family to rejuvenate the old familial ties. We caught after 20 years and went over all the basic information I’d need for my stay in England. Despite what I said earlier about Sanjay’s place, there is a certain appeal in having a true home to come back to. The nice thing about Berkeley was no matter what happened, if I needed a break I could always come home. After a lovely evening with Ameet and his family, it’s comforting to know that I will have a similar sanctuary during my time in Cambridge.

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