Part 1: Ashram Trail
By Karma Chöden aka Mark Barron
Having managed to leave Kerala after two weeks of "touring" various ashrams, including what turned into a beach "ashram" after I literally escaped from the sivananda ashram which was more like a yoga boot camp than an authentic ashram – they have a security guard at the entrance and you have to have an exit pass in order to be allowed to leave – I have reached the Vivekananda ashram.

The ashram, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost tip of India. India's land's end if you will. I have so far visited the ashram of one living guru: Amma – the hugging mother and have had two hugs for those counting, two dead (sorry, passed on to a higher plane) gurus, and one ashram where the guru in samadhi (ie dead to the rest of us) but still manages to direct, allegedly, his senior disciple who is now treated, somewhat conveniently perhaps, as their guru. They are looking to set up a centre in the UK if anyone is interested.

I will be here two days to see what the teachings of Vivekananda entail before heading north to one of the largest temple complexes in Madurai, South India before moving north east onto the Sri Aurobindo ashram in Pondicherry and the quasi-connected Auroville "new age city". The ashram and the city were almost literally at war at one stage, and the besieged city had to get food parcels from the west apparently.

I am trying to arrange a visit to the Theosophy Society's world HQ in Chennai. The founders were originally buddhists and called the society, The Buddhist Theosophical Society before changing to the current name. They were very influential in bringing buddhism to the UK. The current Buddhist Society was formed as the offshoot of a Theosophical Lodge by a former High Court Judge, no less. In order to stay, I require a reference from the HQ in London. I am not sure what the reference will say, but if I manage to procure one in time, I will let you know. Perhaps I need a photo of my aura as well as a passport photo in order to get in.

No ashram-hopping tour of India would be complete without a visit to the Sai Baba ashram in Bangalore, which also hosts a massive iskcon (Hare Krishna) temple. I am planning on getting in some authentic ashtanga yoga guidance in Mysore before finishing at the osho ashram, commonly referred to as a spiritual Disneyworld, at Pune before flying back to UK from Mumbai in July.

Anyway, I will catch up with you soon and hope the weather in the UK is better than India. With the monsoon in full flow, it is clear where the term "Indian summer" comes from to describe UK weather. The food is OK, generally better in ashrams than elsewhere unsurprisingly, although the last ashram I was at had their well protected by their guru. They did boil the water just in case.

I have thus far not been plagued by Delhi belly for which I am eternally grateful, although the general consensus is that the food in the south is much cleaner and safer, as is the water, than the north.

Next edition: More photos from India by Karma Chöden