Jungian Experience - A Spiritual Travelogue

By Mohan

Let me start this travelogue with a story that I heard one evening over Dinner recounted by our guide Srinivas who was escorting the 4th Jungian Journey organized for the members of the Carl Jung Foundation New York.

One day in the heavens, a debate ensued between Goddess Lakshmi (Symbol of Prosperity and Wealth) and Goddess Saraswati (Symbol of Knowledge and Wisdom). Lord Narada , the trouble maker instigated this debate for supremacy. The story of the poor Brahmin settled the dispute by affording equal status to both the goddesses.

A poor Brahmin had a large family but did not have the means to support them. He had heard about King Bhoja Raja ( the king of plentiful ) and went to seek his help. The king upon hearing him asked him to return the next day.

When the Brahmin returned to the court the next day, the King ordered that a Pumpkin be given to him. The Brahmin disappointed at being given a pumpkin did not have the courage to say anything to the King. His Dharma (duty) prohibited him from cursing the king and he left the court carrying the pumpkin on his head.

On his way back home he traded the pumpkin with a person of the Vaishya Community (a trader) and took whatever money he got in exchange. The Trader on the other hand went home and gave the pumpkin to his wife who cut it and found it full of precious stones .

Moral of the story : The Brahmin had the wealth but did not have the wisdom to find it. The ideal situation in life is when you have both wealth and wisdom by your side.

The Jungian journeys through India followed the footsteps of Carl Jung who traveled extensively in India and wrote several books analyzing the Indian and Western Philosophies. Meticulously researched by Regine Iyer from Mindful Journeys, USA and lead by Ashok Bedi, a Jungian expert and a psycho therapist, the group on their 14 days program began their journey at Bangalore, and covered Sravenabelgola, Chikmagalur, Mysore, Nagarhole, Tellichery and Neeleshwaram. Overnight stays at Shreyas Retreat ( Bangalore ) , Metropole ( Mysore) , Cicada ( Nagarhole ) and Neeleshwar Hermitage were combined with sessions with Ashok Bedi and sightseeing and cultural insights.

I was fortunate enough to be with this year’s Jung group for a few days and hear Dr. Ashok Bedi lecturing on various topics. I joined the group at Cicada in Nagarhole, five hours drive from Bangalore and headed directly to the conference hall where Ashok’s lecture was in progress.


Sessions at Cicada Resorts, Nagarhole :















The Flower and the Thorn in a rose bud represent the TOTALITY of life, the positive and negative, the good and evil – a duality and a choice that we are constantly faced with in our day to day life.

Life’s journey towards the ultimate is manifold and there are many paths to this. Jesus represented the Path of Sacrifice while Buddha chose the Path of Wisdom. One’s path is entirely an individual choice but it must be remembered that as every path begins with the sacrifice of the EGO.

For a first session it was a soulful connect for me. All the pressure of work, life and living was set aside and to be able to do this even briefly is wellness as one experiences inner healing.

Our second session with Ashok was on analyzing the Jungian Philosophy with the the Hindu Epic RAMAYANA. It was an amazing session and an eye opener of sorts for me . Using the character of Lord Rama as the archetype, Ashok expertly defined the use of archetypes from a religious point of view. How one can adopt certain traits for their personal growth but trying to completely emulate them can be detrimental. He also delved deeply into myths of Indian Goddesses. Words flow out of Ashok and one gets so engrossed in his lectures that you do not want the session to end.


Session at Neeleshwar Hermitage, Dist Kasargod, Kerala :














The DREAM GROUP session was a first for me. One person shares his or her dream with the group and the rest of them discuss that dream and come up with their own interpretations or experiences related to a similar dream that they might have had. The session ended as we lit a lamp for world peace, held hands and offered a prayer.

To wrap up my experience I would say that the three days spent with Dr. Ashok Bedi and the group were small blessings I always feel that power my life as I travel either on work on leisure. The retreats and destinations – Shreyas Retreat, Cicada and also Neeleshwar Hermitage lent themselves superbly to the theme of the journey, and enhanced the experience for the group.

Slum Tours in Mumbai

By Mohan

On the eve of the smashing success of Slum Dog Millionaire at the Oscars , my report on a walk through Dharavi would be most timely.

Dharavi was probably a small village on the outskirts of Mumbai. In the mid 19th century migration from other parts of the country started to the bigger cities of India in the hope for better economic opportunities. Mumbai was no exception as it had the makings of a melting pot.

As slum dwellers started growing in numbers they were directed towards Dharavi which was the end of city limits of Mumbai at that time. Today the slums of Dharavi stand in the centre of Mumbai conveniently connected to the different parts of the city and the National Highway corridors.

I had heard and read about Dharavi Slums but had never visited the area. My imagination of slums was poverty , people living in the worst conditions, slum lords, drug peddlers, drunkards, underworld, mafia, poor children, unhygienic conditions so on and so forth.

I have heard about companies offering tours to the Slums of Dharavi. Slum Dog Millionaire has evoked more interest amongst travelers for the Slum Tours of Mumbai. I decided to see it for myself to decide whether it would be an experience worth considering for our guests.

My guide was Dev a young lad from Gujarat. He’s the 3rd generation of his family who have been living in Kumharwadi (Potters area) of Dharavi Slums. Dev reminded me of Jamal in several ways for he was ambitious and driven. His father was a potter and now runs a retail business. Dev has studied in a convent school and has a degree in commerce. He’s currently pursuing a post graduate degree and aims for an MBA. Currently he’s employed with JP Morgan as a Drafter.

The tour begins from the industrial part of Dharavi Slums in Mumbai. We walked through the area visiting several units that are engaged in re-cycling of plastic, metal, copper, corrugated boxes, etc. We came across several bakeries, soap manufacturing units, tanneries, women making snacks like chips, papads etc.

The tour then goes through the residential part. If your thought that the lanes in Old Delhi and Benares are narrow. Wait until you visit Dharavi. It cannot get narrower than this. Some of the houses probably never see sunlight. But residents have essentials like water and Mumbai’s uninterrupted electricity.

It’s a cluster of unplanned construction of dwellings that has taken place over years and people have accepted and adjusted to whatever space they can afford to pay for. The tour ends at a community center where children were being given lessons in English. The whole tour lasts about 2.5 to 3 hours depending on your pace and the time you would like spend.

At the end of the tour Dev took us to his house though we couldn’t go in his parents and some guests were sleeping.

Some important points that need to be included in the briefing given to guests prior to the walk.

First of all a general overview of the settlement and living conditions is to be given to guests as entering Dharavi for the first time can be quiet overwhelming. It is best not to engage in conversations with people and ignore any remarks made by bystanders. At all times it is best to follow your guide’s instructions and keep walking.

Dress modestly while going on a slum tour and since there is plenty of walking, a pair of good walking shoes is a must.

Lastly this tour should only be offered as an option for those who seek the experience. We did have a group of Americans who had done the trip before me. Dev told me that they enjoyed the trip. Written feedback is awaited which will also be posted here.

To conclude here’s a something my friend Jaideep Gupta wrote after watching the Oscars this morning.

“As I watched the Oscars today two thoughts passed through my mind. First, the journey from despair to hope is not a fantasy. The slum kids Azaruddin and Rubina did just that when they climbed the stage at Kodak theatre. Second, the happy gathering of the cast of the movie on the stage at Kodak theatre on winning the Oscars was so Indian. This large noisy inclusive and participative society of ours was showcased perfectly at the Oscars today. In everyway JAI HO”!