In the brief period between programs we decided to get some fresh air and walk to the ocean a few minutes away from the hall. On the way to Toulon, Amma had wanted to stop with group at the seashore, but the weather was against us. It was raining heavily as we approached the sea. Amma said that she didn’t want anyone to get sick, so to our sorrow, we were not able to stop with her.

When she arrived at the hall she asked us if we had gone to the sea during the trip and we answered that we had seen the sea from the bus. We decided to go to the sea in honor of Amma, who during her short break, was shut up in a windowless room in the center of the sports arena, which is usual on these tours.

When we got to the port we discovered that we still couldn’t really access the sea as every inch of open water was covered with anchored yachts! However, the walk to port was quite instructive. Here, as in every country in the Western world these days, the predominant fashion color was black. The other common colors were grey, dark brown, dark blue and the occasional dark red or green accent and from time to time, a flash of white. In the stores these were the only colors available. We wondered if the whole Western world is depressed or in mourning! What a contrast to the vibrant, joyous colors of clothing in India.

There is a power in color and a science of color. Amma has been quoted as saying that wearing black is not a healthy color for clothes as it depletes the vital energy of the body and mind. Of course, Amma’s color of choice for her children is white. White reminds us of purity in thought, word and deed. One idea behind wearing white is to make us more conscious of stains: stains of negative thoughts and actions.

We enjoyed strolling down the narrow streets of the medieval town which were closed to traffic. The tall buildings with their classic iron grillwork, chimney pots and carved stone lintels formed picturesque canyons, punctuated by cafes where the locals can relax over a cup of coffee and munch from an array of tantalizing pastries, at virtually all times of the day and night.

The traffic increased and traffic jams formed in the narrow streets on the edge of the old city. Housewives pushed strollers, out of which poked the classic one metre long baguette, a long thin loaf of classic French bread. We were also being treated to baguettes with fromage, (varieties of French cheese) for our staff breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I saw a sign at a realty office. Une Clef. Un toit. La Vie! (A key. A roof. LIFE!) We laughed. This was certainly not our idea of life and lifestyle!!! LIFE was not a house in our world!

We returned to our tour life: bookstore, cook tent, snack bar, Info tables… The Atma Puja would begin soon and then the mammoth Devi Bhava of Toulon. In a few hours we would be on the road, exchanging this temporary roof and our French lifestyle for the olive trees and enthusiasm of Barcelona. What a great LIFE Amma has given us!

Rta
Toulon, France
Europe Yatra, 2010