Sadhus & Monks

Desire nothing, give up all desires and be happy.
– Swami Sivananda –

Since my first trip to Asia, spirituality has caught hold of me because it is part of day to day life there. On every corner you see temples where people pray and light incense sticks before they go to work or do some errands. You see young Buddhist monks in monastery courtyards playing football, taking a stroll along the beach or having a cappuccino at the local coffee shop, just like „normal“ people. Next time you find them in deep contemplation, detached from worldly life, in the temple. They are as fascinating to me as the Sadhus, the holy men of India, who take vows of poverty, dedicate their lives to spiritual pursuits and give up their worldly life. You see them wandering around with their sticks, their tiffin boxes, in the mountains, in the cities, along the highway. They seem to be lonely wanderers, you barely see them talking or smiling. They seem to be content with themselves. Something that I admire and that fascinates me. P.S. Sometimes, it’s difficult to distinguish between fake sadhus and wannabe babas, who smear some ash on their forehead and wander around with their trishula to make money. You might see them sitting at the ghats or on a bench with their sunglasses, reading the newspaper or typing into their smartphone. I find them interesting nevertheless and you will find some pictures of this „business sadhus“ here as well.