Early morning Sunday 24 October I was laid back, sipping chai, staring out my south block cell window. In the car park below there was unusual activity. Bramacharis were streaming onto a waiting bus. Ahh I remembered the Sunday Clean Up program. Early in the week I had enthusiastically volunteered to join up. I weighed the alternatives, procrastinated but sense of duty won out and I dashed for the bus. Our group went to Karunappally and pulled up out front of the Siva Temple.<\/p>\n
A lone western girl emerged from the back of the bus,looking a little bewildered, so being the only other westerner in sight we teamed up. The temple compound is a beautiful, ancient and serene place, but it’s surrounds and side streets were foul with litter. We had a fun morning clearing and sorting plastic, paper,bottles and even discarded footwear while bonding with both our fellow co workers and some of the local townspeople. Over breakfast under a banyan tree overlooking the temple’s lotus pond I learned that my colleague, Angele, was a 21 year old student from Paris touring India alone. Even though she had not met Amma she was inspired by the Amala Bharatam campaign to raise awareness of environmental cleanliness. <\/p>\n
By morning end the Temple surrounds were pristine. Now we were the ones that needed a clean up!<\/p>\n
– Jamesh<\/p>\n