Rick Archer wrote:
> >From a friend:
>
>
>
> * There are 110 mother divine. In my opinion they are Not so divine or
> they would volunteer to downsize or share their accommodations for the use
> of themselves or others enough said. Many more could fit well into trailers
> by bunching up.
> * On the 8 Nov. '06 there were 106 Purusha in town & 456 pundits &
> cooks etc. I did not get the ratio of cooks to pundits. 23 more arrived to
> that number in the night of Friday the 8 Nov. or early Sat. morning. I saw 2
> buses so perhaps this figure is one bus short. 23 more were expected next
> day so the figures may be off by 23 but to my figure you may well add 46.
> * I was led to understand they may not increase the numbers till Jan.
> 07 but then far more will be in the pipeline to FF.
> * Some of the pundits are rather unhappy for the trip here did NOT fit
> their personal vision of life here as they had envisioned it for so many
> years in various spots in India. They felt or dreamed that when they came
> here they would be able to interact much more with people at the university.
> That dream was shattered. It was never promised to them. Only a trip to the
> states was promised. They trained many years for this.
> * They are from all over India & are housed by language groups: Hindi,
> Bengali etc. The different language groups cannot speak between themselves
> as yet. For this they use several translators. Three inside the group but
> some outside the fence/cage. (The pundits' living area is a cantonment
> surrounded by a high chain link fence, covered with a tarp, so that they
> cannot get out or even see out, except out the rear in the direction of some
> private stapathya ved homes, nor can others get or see in.)
> * My personal feeling it's not the best for them. University
> administrators are not primarily motivated by love for the pundits, or
> concern for their home sickness but by the feeling that their program would
> suffer and thus we all would suffer if they were NOT single pointed. Only a
> few of the pundits long for the freedom from the wall/fence - mostly the
> younger ones. The more mature ones understand & willingly accept this,
> knowing that as conditions & housing improve will enjoy more freedom out in
> Vedic City.
> * Their commitment is to Save N. America from some terrible event or
> series of events. Even eliminating the stress of earthquakes or mountain
> violence as far as the Cascade Mts. or Yellowstone area etc. Thus they stay
> with in the walls/fences. The cooks only come to the gate to receive food &
> necessities. NO woman is allowed, as is the case in India as well.
> * Some western staff men are allowed in daily to clean the things
> reserved for "dalits" - untouchable - i.e., toilets etc. but they have to
> take oaths that they will just do their jobs and avoid speaking much & make
> eye contact only if necessary. They are monitored as any maid would be to
> see their work is completed well & silently. The toilets used are not
> Western ones but the squatting type used in India.
Sounds like the Maharishi Gulag program. I think 60 Minutes might want
to do a story.
