Asha Niketan

14 February 2007

Our day began at noon after a very leisurely morning relaxing in the lounge. We travelled by taxi to Asha Niketan, a L’Arche community founded by Jean Vanier.

Asha Niketan

Asha Niketan

It is a home for the mentally disabled where they make handcrafts such as tie-dye, candles and gift cards. These men would be hidden under the stairs or living on the streets but for Asha Niketan which instead gives them the opportunity to live a fuller life and fulfil themselves. We enjoyed a challenge at lunch as we had to eat with our hands! Strictly speaking that meant we had to somehow manage with our right hand. Not easy with rice!

Asha Niketan

Asha Niketan

After lunch we had a tour taken by Sankar where we saw the gardens full of fruit trees and a tranquil meditation room. Next we had the chance to browse the workshop and buy a number of unique gifts.

Asha Niketan Gifts

Asha Niketan Meditation Area

Once back at the hotel we walked round to the market where the guys bought their Indian style suits and the girls ordered their tailored salwars. Being Valentine’s Day we thought it would be fun to watch love movies on TV being romantics at heart!!!

By the way even though we said the Udayan children were good at football we actually won 7-6!

Comments:

Bekah

@ 6873 days ago

YAY! U won the football! Well done guys!
HAPPY VALENTINES 2 all!!!! Hope ur day is full of love, kisses and cuddles!!!!
Sounds like u had a very gd day 2day, must have been really nice and interesting to see the mens work! From wat we can see in the pictures it looks pretty! Be nice 2 c a picture of u all in the indian suits and salwars! I bet they will look gorgeus!
Funnily enuf i have just bin speaking 2 mike on msn! But then he went off 4 dinner! U do seem 2 have food on ur minds a lot!!! I bet that was a struggle 2 eat rice with ya hands! I’d b in a right mess!
U look like ur really enjoyed urselves with the children of Udayan! The bit we have all been waiting for! Its nice 2 c wat our fundraising has done! I cant wait till u come home and we start all agen for nxt year’s fund raising! Its always gd fun! Specially the leg waxing!!!!!
Well i wnt b able 2 write any more messages bcz im off 2 New York 2moro! WOOP WOOP! So have an excellent rest of ur time out there and cant wait 2 hear all ur stories wen u come home! Shane have an excellent birthday on monday! We will def celebrate wen u get home!
Missed u all loads!
Lots of love and enjoy ur films 2nite!
Bekah xXx

Kathy O'Brien

@ 6873 days ago

Hi Siobhan, hi all,
Sounds like you had another wonderful and rewarding day. To add to your skills you can now eat rice with your hands!!! That doesn’t mean you can do that once you come home – or at least not when there are guests in the house.The places you are visiting are all amazing. The fact that they do so much for people both adults and children that would otherwise have to depend on themselves and would either die or be destitute on the streets.
It must have been great to just relax a little today as well as visiting Asha Niketan. The last week and a half have been so hectic.
Enjoy the soppy movies tonight and then whatever you are doing tomorrow.
Time now seems to be moving quite fast. This time next week you will all be home. We’ll be watching the Brits with Russel Brand so that will be a great laugh.
Shane I’m sure you are looking forward to waking up in the tiger camp for your birthday – as long as you don’t get a tiger cub for a pressie.
Speak to you all tomorrow. Lots of love Siobhan, Mum xxXXxx

samuelbell

@ 6873 days ago

haha.
another great set of pics.
i bet you enjoyed eating with hands – just like at home for some?

another inspirational place, and im sure very fulfilling to visit.

belated welldone on the football result!

hope you have fun with your films.

take care

love BELL
xx

matt f

@ 6873 days ago

Thanks for the bday messages earlier, nice of u to waste your credit on me. another great day by the sounds, seems like you’ve been away forever now! Have a good time with the films, will be on to check again tomorrow

Matt x

Vickie Maconachy

@ 6873 days ago

Hi Neal,
I’ve been following your trip every day and I think the photos and reports have been amazing. You really have had some fantastic experiences – I enjoyed the updates on Delhi, the Taj Mahal and Varanasi as they’ve made me want to revisit them!
It certainly sounds as if your hard work in fund raising has paid off and Udayan must be very pleased with their new equipment.
I hope the rest of the trip goes well. I’m really impressed that there have been no reports about ‘Delhi belly’!
Lots of love,
Vickie

Grace

@ 6873 days ago

Hi Grace

Wonderful to hear your voice. It was quite weird, I never expected it to be you in a million years. Great to hear you have kept well and have had such a brilliant time. You spoke to dad today as well so that’s good. All is well here.
James is cooking Hannah a romantic meal in Oxford – unfortunately he was making creme brulee last night and he put in 2 table spoons instead of teaspoonsm of cornflour in!!!! yes they were inedible.
What will you have for Valentine’s day meal???
Look forward to seeing more photos.

Lots of love

Mum and Dad xxxxxxxxxx

Grace

@ 6873 days ago

Hey Guys
HAPPY VALETINES DAY!!!! Maybe a bit late now tho! So anyone found a secret admirer yet then??
Great to see all the work that you are doing and the fun that you are having whilst doing it! Cant wait to see all of the photos that you have taken when you get back! I am sure that there are hundreds!
Continue to enjoy yourselves
Lots of Love
Grace
x x x x x x x x x x

barbara & peter oliver

@ 6873 days ago

hi katherine wonderful to speak to you this morning even if you did wake me up at 6.20.! so sorry i woke you up tonight got home a bit late from work as usual hope to speak to you before you go off to sandabans? how was the experience of eating with your hands we had spag bol tonight be a bit difficult to eat that with your hands! hope we get to see some pics of you all in your new clothes -suits and salwars what an experience everything is just so amazing. seems you’ve been away ages now but once the w/e comes the time will fly by have more great times love you loads mum & dad xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tom

@ 6873 days ago

Hi guys!!!!
wow sounds like u have been having a good few days while helping all these people! must be sooooooo fun with the children in udayan!!!.
eating with your hands sounds fun!!!! hope you all washed them too!!
anyway have a good day tomorrow!!
Tomxxxxx

Gabrielle,Michael,Karen and Jon

@ 6873 days ago

Hi Mike,Hello to everyone else.It was lovely to hear u today and a surprize to get the call.I did think it was Dave then i soon realized there was a little difference between the two of u.U filled us in on quite a lot which was very interesting but also sad.U are all doing a marvelous job.The children look very happy around u all.U will have to use an knife and fork when u get back o.k.I hope u are all going to take something home with u (spiritually I mean)U are into ur last week(time flies by ) so make the most of it.We all miss u and cant wait to c u.Lots of lov Mum & Dad xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hilary

@ 6873 days ago

Hello Siobhan
Another wonderful day, to add to this whole amazing trip, which has not finished yet. Although I have not left you any messages, I have still been reading your diary.
What are you going to do when you come home, Ruislip will seem pretty dull, compared to what you have been used to! Although you have got the Nelly Furtardo concert to look forward to on Wednesday evening with Fran!
Take care, enjoy, love Hilary xx

Carol,Mick & Shannon Normoyle

@ 6873 days ago

Hi Shane,
Hi, this is Shannon.I’m missing you loads!Speak to you soon.Bye, Bye.
Hi, this is mum, just got back from shannon’s dance show rehearsals, we are all shattered. Another eventful day for you all, you will find everything really boring when you get back. Great photos once again! Happy Valentines day,
Love mum, dad and shannon xx

David & Tracy

@ 6873 days ago

Hello All!

Glad to hear you won the footy, otherwise you would have never lived it down! Trust me (mikey)!

Pics are great. Even though we all have no idea exactly what you’re doing we love to see the pictures! lol Looks like you’re having some wier and wonderful experiences.

Speak soon

D & T

Kathy O'Brien

@ 6873 days ago

Good morning Siobhan,
Dad was pleased to get your texts. I hope your phone holds out now there is a bar on it. Dad says it was an early start as he woke you up this morning. I was sound asleep – too much champagne. Hope today was very fulfilling, although I imagine it will be quite traumatic. Look forward to hearing all about it later this afternoon.
Have a nice day, lots of love Mum xxXXxx

ThE rAnDs AnD tHe DeVlInS

@ 6872 days ago

forgot to tell u in the other message that me and em have had our hair curled by lorraine it looks great see ya wednesday
luv
rebecca..x