Day 5: Our Daily Routine
Written by: Tapaswini Bhavanam
Our morning routine began as peacefully as ever. Sitting in the mandir, listening to the gentle chorus of geckos chanting namam, I felt an overwhelming sense of calm. In that serene moment, gazing at Baba's illuminated figure bathed in sunlight, nothing else mattered. All my worries faded away. These quiet moments at Haritachala have quickly become some of my favorites. After soaking in the tranquility of the mandir, we gathered around the bonfire for a refreshing cup of mint tea with lemon. While savoring our tea, we decided to split the time before breakfast between yoga and some fun sports. A quick yoga session got us warmed up, and we followed it with games of kho kho and volleyball. Though I wasn’t the best at volleyball, playing with the annas and uncles was always so much fun!
Soon, the kitchen team announced that breakfast was ready. We eagerly made our way to the kitchen, excited to see what awaited us. It was a spread of pongal and gummadikaya pulusu! As we enjoyed breakfast, Hasita baked some sourdough bread in the new oven for the first time, and it turned out beautifully. Meanwhile, the geckos were capturing some creative portraits for our photography class, adding an artistic touch to our lively morning.
Later, we shifted to GTR, where we waited for Ammamma to continue teaching us the Arati. Before she arrived, I braided Keertana's hair, and she looked adorable. Learning the Mantra Pushpam was challenging, but Ammamma’s patience in teaching helped us make progress. Soon, Pushpa aunty and Vasu aunty joined us, teaching us how to make garlands using needle and thread. This technique, much simpler than tying, resulted in neat garlands, and we felt proud of our work. Learning to tie circle mallepuvvu (jasmine) garlands for our hair was not only fun but also a skill I’m grateful to have acquired!
During a short break, we made a "Get Well Soon" card for Sruti akka, who had been unwell, and hoped it would brighten her day. Afterward, we eagerly headed to the kitchen, ready to enjoy another delicious meal of beerakaya pachadi, dondakaya fry, and sambar. Lunch was as tasty as ever! In the afternoon, we shifted our focus to the bakery, where we worked hard on painting the vines for our wall mural. Midway through our efforts, we were delighted by a surprise visit from Sruti akka! We dropped our brushes to greet her and gave her the card and the maalalu we had made. She loved it, especially the iconic Pravs (Pravallika’s) pun on the card! Seeing akka filled us with renewed energy, and we had a wonderful time chatting with her.
Next, it was time for our photography class with Dev uncle. He reviewed the portrait photos we had taken throughout the day, offering kind and insightful feedback. We invited him to join us for dinner, but he declined, joking that he didn't want to get in trouble with his "home ministry." We all laughed, especially as we knew he would be upset if he discovered that we were having pani puri for dinner!
Since I was on dinner serving duty, I left the photography session early to help in the kitchen. I love cooking, so preparing dinner with the aunties was a lot of fun. When everyone gathered in the kitchen, the atmosphere was electric with excitement. Serving dinner gave me an adrenaline rush, especially since the kitchen had never been busier! I was so happy that I chose to serve during dinner time because of how fulfilled I felt during it! As I was serving, I realized the aloo filling for the pani puri was running low. I asked the aunties if there was more, but they informed me there wasn’t. Neelima aunty insisted I save some for myself, but that thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. After some back-and-forth, we compromised and split the remaining portion.
I felt so loved and cared for in that moment, but the energy rush that I was having did not allow me to process what had just happened. The aunties and uncles then took over serving because it was almost time for arati. The pani puri was so so yummy, I loved it! To my delight, akka convinced Ammamma to join us for the gratitude circle, a rare and special occasion. The circle was overflowing with gratitude, and when it was my turn to share, I spoke about how touched I was by Neelima aunty’s gesture with the aloo. It was a small thing, but it made me feel so loved that I got emotional and started crying. I couldn’t finish my thoughts at the moment, but after everyone else shared, akka came back to me. I expressed my deep appreciation for the aunties’ love and how it’s a quality I aspire to embody in the future.
This day was full of emotions, love, and beautiful moments—truly unforgettable!