Our morning commenced early on the second day of the reunion. The breakfast was once again at our place of stay, the Renaissance hotel.
Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel Revisited
As mentioned before, the breakfast at the hotel and the food selection are both a sight to behold and a feast for the palate. Among all its offerings, both Western and Indian, I decided to settle for dosas (Indian crepes), idlis (Indian rice cakes), Sambar (spicy Indian stew), and Coconut Chutney. Breakfast includes a wide choice of desserts like Rosogolla (sweet cottage cheese) and Gulab Jamun (another variation of milk solids fried in sugar syrup), as well as Western sweets like Tiramisu. It was a feast for the ages. The outside decor of the hotel is exquisite too.
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Our agenda included a trip to the famous Nandi Hills, a historic site with its origins in the Ganga dynasty, later used by Emperor Tipu Sultan, and subsequently becoming a popular resort under the Raj. The hills are about 60 km from Bangalore city. Our plan initially included an early morning visit to the site to watch the sunrise. However, things often do not go as planned, and unfortunately, our plans to watch the sunrise did not materialize. Nevertheless, our cohort and chief organizer went into crisis resolution mode, choosing to visit one of the newest attractions in close proximity to the hills in Bangalore.
Sadhguru Sannidhi, Bengaluru
In close proximity to the Nandi Hills is the Sadhguru Sannidhi, Bengaluru, one of the centers of the Isha Foundation, a well-known spiritual organization. Our chartered bus made its way from the hotel through heavy Bangalore traffic, finally passing through the arched entrance of the Isha Center.
It continued into the foothills, passing beautiful scenery and quarries of stone and ponds.
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As we continued, a gigantic and awe-inspiring bust of the beautiful Adi Yogi appeared in the distance, amidst the greenery of the mountainous terrain. We finally arrived at the site of Adi Yogi, the main attraction of the center. This is a giant bust of Adi Yogi, the ultimate human being, who is believed to have appeared on Earth in many Hindu traditions.
Adi Yogi is believed to be the originator of Yoga, who passed on his knowledge to seven sages, who in turn passed it on to others.
This remarkable structure took just four and a half months to complete, thanks to the hard work and passion of several workers, and it stands majestically at a whopping 112 feet. It is constructed of steel, pieced together part by part, including the nose and forehead. There are two more replicas of this statue, one in Coimbatore, India, and another in Tennessee, USA. More than 40,000 visitors and devotees come to see and offer prayers to Adi Yogi, Naga, and Yogeshwar Linga.
Before we got to see Adi Yogi up close, we had to visit the shrine of Naga, the benevolent and powerful serpent that Adi Yogi wears on his chest. Devotees offer prayers and seek blessings from this serpent, asking the deity to relieve them of ailments.
At 7 PM every day, a video show with a narration of the legend of Adi Yogi is presented by Sadhguru, the founder of the Isha organization. On either side of Adi Yogi are two pillars. These pillars contain equipment that enables the presentation.
Yogeshwar Linga
The Yogeshwar Linga is right at the base of the steps that lead to the Adi Yogi Statue. It houses a set of snakes that guard a Linga, a representation of Shiva. Offerings of flowers and water, along with prayers, are made to these deities by numerous devotees. A mesmerizing, hypnotic sweet-smelling incense permeates the air.
Adi Yogi is portrayed as a strikingly attractive individual with his chin raised and a subtle smile, indicating that he is in a state of perpetual bliss. His earlobes have gold earrings, and his mighty head is adorned with a crescent moon. Around his neck, he wears the Rudraksha mala, a giant black necklace. As we walk up the stairs and around him, we get different views of his awesome torso. As we circle around him, we catch views of his giant locks that reach down to his back. This bust is truly awe-inspiring and surreal.
“Construction continues in the area for additional attractions expected to be completed in the coming year.”
Afterward, we took a short drive to the center’s dining hall where lunch was served. The meal is a nourishing, purely Satvik (devoid of meat, onions, or garlic). We used our hands and ate in silence, a practice in mindfulness intended to focus the mind solely on the experience of eating and enjoying the meal. The whole process was surprisingly meditative and relaxing.
When it was time to leave, each of us was presented with a complimentary copy of “Inner Engineering”, the New York Times bestseller, and another unique gift.
We headed back to the hotel, where our organizer had planned yet another program.”
Bay Area Bloke 