The Lake, the Gardens and the Wonders of the Mezhyhirya Palace

November 5, 2017

Anna was my constant guide throughout my excursions in Kiev as we arrived at our most exotic destination, the Mezhyhirya Palace. This was the stately home of the Ukrainian President and the hunt of the rich. It is a huge structure at the centre surrounded by huge lakes with gardens and walkway littered with yellow and orange autumn leaves. Statues and sculptures adorn the gardens of the palace. The most prominent attractions are the white marble sculptures of Zeus, the God of War and Aphrodite which are in great proximity to each other. Fountains, wooden bridges and wooden resting benches stare at the magnificent place giving a breather and rest to the tourists who are on their walk around the palace compound. Ducks and swans glide over the lakes as the water ripples away from its surface.

I walked through this piece of heaven which had a floating restaurant on a wooden ship in the middle of the lake. The air is chilly and it also tends to drizzle from time to time. But I was mesmerized by the lake as autumn leaves fly and float down the trees falling on the walkways. Visitors stroll down wearing shock swollen jackets over wind shatters. The leaves fall relentlessly and soon enough, we had snow. Yes, thin flakes of snow dancing down from the sky. I, for one, was busy filming all this with my GoPro as Anna narrated the history and background of the palace. It had a rich, opulent and pompous look about it. This was aristocracy at its naked best. There was a snack bar and coffee joint at the corner. Amongst it was also the toilets. One could have much on the floating restaurant inside the wooden boat on the lake. At a modest price of 200 hryvnias, one could also hire a buggy ride around the huge palace compound.

The wooden architecture and the exquisite stonework on the sculptures and statues which were all around the opulent palace were the highlight of my day and, of course, not to miss Anna’s running commentary. I was satisfied with the efforts of the day as I chewed on a ham and cheese sandwich and offered Anna my pack of Lays potato chips. It was an entire afternoon that I and Anna spent wandering around the palace. We stopped over for a while to capture the sight of a live Ukrainian wedding which was also being filmed. This time, they had a drone camera to video shoot the wedding. I too got a few shots of the young couple kissing and hugging each other. On the other side, you had Ukrainian aristocracy mingling and making merry around the parks of the palace all dressed as if they were going to watch the London Derby. I had my eye on the watch as I had to catch the 6 pm train from Kiev to the town of Lviv. This was going to be my first train journey across Eastern Europe – a six-hour odyssey on a Ukrainian train. Wow, I just can’t wait to narrate this experience!

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Baba Ramdev’s Garden of Eden

January 2, 2017

The most spectacular thing about the Yog Gram Ashram is the number and variety of flowers that are grown in the gardens. I was pulled towards these beautiful flowers every day as I strolled around the ashram and the surrounding farms for my ritualistic morning walk. The flowers add so much colour to the place and are so pleasing to the eyes. They have a soothing and hypnotic impact on the patients. The greenery that surrounds the ashram gives it the much-needed oxygen, energy, and charge that revitalises broken bodies and bleeding souls. The various smells that emanate from them charges and reinvigorates the body and mind.

An army of gardeners and malis look after the gardens, the flora, and fauna which brighten up the ashram premises. It is an advisable and silent way to cure disease, eradicate stress and relieve people from the cities of their day-to-day problems and fears.

The ashram also has a nursery where different varieties of orchids and rare flowers are grown. Montu, who is the keeper in charge of Baba Ramdev’s Garden of Eden, took me for a stroll around the gardens and nursery as I interviewed him. He explained to me in great detail the therapeutic value of these flowers and orchids that litter the ashram and also their importance in the entire therapy that is provided here.

Montu, the expert gardener, said “This is nothing sir. You should come here during the spring and see the flowers they grow and bloom to their natural size. It is such a pleasing sight.” I, for one, have enjoyed capturing these beauties through my lens and can’t wait to feature them on my blog.

Pokhri is another village 300 km from here where most of the herbs and jade buti are grown which go into making the various medicines and herbs that are prescribed by the doctors of the ashram. I have seen the beauty of this place and the magical powers of her colourful flowers. They have done wonders to my health and really energised me. In the last 10 days, I have even lost 6 kg. I have been walking almost 8 to 9 km every day. This, for me, is truly Baba Ramdev’s Garden of Eden.

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The Power of Positive Vibrations

December 31, 2016

At the ashram, the most important thing that I noticed was the power of positive vibrations. These vibrations really energise the body and the soul. The first few days of fruit and juice diet as well as regular enema cleanses the bowels and regulate blood circulation. One gets at 4:30 am in the morning and really frees the body of all the collected toxins and other depression causing ingredients that the body ingests over a period of time. The morning yoga and laughter therapies make one’s insides like a hollow tube all the while making positive vibrations resonate from within you. The body becomes like a flute or a didgeridoo and once you blow air into it, it vibrates and hums with its own rhythm.

I was amazed that the greenery around me and the colourful flowers that grow in the gardens of the ashram had such a wondrous impact on me. My breathing has become regulated and deep. I have not smoked for a week and that has helped the accumulated harmful chemicals in my lungs to be thrown out of my body. The body has become hollow and the morning Surya Namaskar and Yoga have made it soft and supple. I walk on the green grass carpet in the morning to soak in the morning dew. This is a great therapy and it feels like giving myself acupuncture through the sole of my feet. There are more than 70 varieties of flowers in the ashram and each one bloom and dance to the tune of the wind. I also tested my photography skills by capturing them through my lens.

Getting up at 4:00 am now seems easy once you get into the routine of things. Capturing the sunrise through my camera is another thing that I enjoy doing. I weigh myself twice in the day, first at morning and then at late evening. I have lost 4.5 kg in one week and that is an achievement. I am motivated now to finish the course and achieve my goal of losing 10 kg at the end of the day.

Humming and singing all day being in the vicinity of such positive energies is a healing process in itself and that is a thing that one gets plenty at the ashram. From the laughter therapy to the Desh Bhakti songs, there is something for very one to enjoy, relate to and savour in this place. For Rs. 2000 a day, all inclusive, it is a bargain. It is like a service centre for the body and soul and a must-try for everyone to come and rejuvenate themselves. I give two thumbs up to the ashram, its helpful staff, knowledgeable coaches and great administrators. This is a must-visit place for anyone who wants to enjoy yoga and rejuvenate themselves.

Want to know more about yoga? Here is a guide that is even more detailed, updated and comprehensive on 18 amazing health benefits of yoga. It is over 7,000 words and packed with practical tips and advice. You can find it here: https://www.jenreviews.com/yoga/. Big thanks to Jen Miller, a writer at Jen Reviews.