Last day in Pune

Pictures are not allowed at the yoga institute in Pune,
but this is a picture of "rope sirsasana" from
Bruce Roger's studio, Yoga St. Louis
L-R:  Me, Tiki, Bruce

 All of the classes this week have been on restorative yoga and on pranayama (breathing).   As most Iyengar yoga students know, "restorative" poses, which use props to support the body, can be both delightfully blissfull as well as surprisingly challenging.  

Today's class was with Mrs. Navaz, one of my favorite teachers who is very clear in her teaching and is also an extremely caring and compassionate person.  We didn't have my favorite blissful poses, but we did do "rope sirsansana" which is hanging upside down on ropes so your head is down but doesn't touch the ground. 

Then we took a rickshaw to do some last-minute shopping and to pick up something from the Ruby Hall Clinic.  When we arrived at the clinic is was obvious that something was up.  The gates were locked and guards were not letting anyone in unless they had an appointment.  As we waited for our turn to speak to the guards, I noticed the clinic’s posted policy on providing care to the poor and was impressed by it.  As soon as I took a photo of it (see below), the guard said, “No photos.” 

As we left the clinic and walked towards a nearby store, I noticed that the police were directing traffic in such a way that allowed people to go in one direction only.  When we came out of the store, the streets were blocked and traffic was at a standstill.  Someone told us that the President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil, a native of the state of Maharashtra where Pune is located, was going to be arriving momentarily at Ruby Hall Clinic for a ceremony. 

We waited for a few minutes, but eventually decided to see if we could get a rickshaw to take us home to get ready to go to the airport.  We soon found a rickshaw and the driver almost declined our request, but right then the traffic started to move and he told us to get in.  Within a couple of minutes the place was jam-packed with cars, rickshaws, motorcycles, and bicycles so that once more almost no one could move.  But our rickshaw driver was determined to get us through, and he did! What incredible maneuvering and guts.  We didn’t get to see President Patil, but it was still an exciting day in Pune.

Don't be fooled by the white hair. 
This fearless rickshaw driver with lightening fast reflexes
 got us through an impossibly huge traffic jam.