A Curious Question
As an American, I am often asked by Indians—and sometimes by other foreigners—“What made you interested in India?”
Once upon a time, I came across a German Meridian travel magazine with a cover photo of the Kumbha Mela, a great religious festival of North India. The image showed ash‑smeared men carrying tridents as they waded through the Ganges, their long hair tied up or falling in matted strands down to their hips. Sacred markings adorned their foreheads.
It all looked wild and otherworldly. This was in the early 1980s and it sparked my fascination with India. I have always been drawn to mystical things—and this felt deeply mystical.
Early Inspirations
In 1988 I met Brigitte, who spoke passionately about India. She had just returned from another three‑month stay in Kerala. In those pre‑internet days, she showed me a large stack of photographs. I was especially captivated by the colorful temples of the South.
In 1990 we spent a few weeks at the Sivananda Ashram in London, getting our first real taste of a spiritual and yogic lifestyle.
The Dream Waits
For some time, new family responsibilities paused my dream of going to India—but it never faded.
After we moved from Germany to the United States in 1994, I began attending Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self‑Realization Fellowship and the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society. I also visited local Hindu temples for services and festivals.
Then, in 2006, I met my guru in California.
The Journey Begins
It was on January 1, 2007, that my long‑cherished dream came true. I finally set foot on the sacred soil of Mother India.
First Impressions
India was thrilling from the very first moment. During the hour‑long taxi ride from the old Bangalore airport to my guru’s ashram, I absorbed every vivid sight.
From dust and traffic to men relieving themselves on the roadside, from women construction workers balancing loads of bricks on their heads to cows crossing the street with total serenity—it was a feast for the senses. Tiny mom‑and‑pop shops stood beside modern malls. Everything I had ever read or imagined about India unfolded before me.
I felt strangely at home.
“Sometimes, all it takes is one glimpse of a new world to awaken a lifetime of longing.”
End of Part 1 — To be continued in Part 2: Living at the Feet of Arunachala.