Our bus was the first to reach the train station.   There were already a few other pilgrims there who had elected to take rickshaws because they had heavy luggage.   We had about an hour before our trains would arrive.

Soon the other buses came.   Brahmacharis, Brahmacharinis, Ammamars, and Achans descended carrying suitcases and boxes of bookstore items and supplies destined for the programme.   We made up probably 90% of the people in the train station.   Some went off for chai, others had some bananas.  Others bought last minute tickets.  Indeed, people were deciding to come right up until the last minute.  A few International visitors who had never met Amma but who happened to be at the Ashram decided to join the trip.  We were a merry crew.

When the trains arrived, we rushed to our assigned cars, boarded the train, and found our seats.  We were scattered throughout the train – some in AC, Non-AC, first class, second class, etc…  It was around 9:30 when our train departed.

About three hours later, in Cochin, the next group of Pilgrims arrived.  These were people from AIMS – doctors, nurses, students, administrators.  Some were in the same car as us.  Though it was almost midnight, we stayed up and chatted a while before going to bed.

Morning arrived and we found ourselves in Mangalore – 80 or so devotees in the parking lot of the train station.  Some boarded a bus that was sent from the Mangalore program to bring us to the site, others went off in search of food or their hotels.

Our group of three guys went to our hotel to rest. There would be an evening program that night and the Brahmastanam installation the next morning.

Sri Pati
16-Feb-2008, Mangalore