Philosophy and Caves

Krishnayya garu*, the site director, is a retired philosophy professor and has many contacts in the academic community. So it wasn't unusual that he was invited to a two day conference regarding consciousness. The conference would take place in Bhubaneswar, the capitol of the neighboring state Orissa. 

Krishnayya thought it would be a good opportunity for us students to have a short holiday and invited anyone to join him to explore the sites. Only one other student, Justin, and I take him up on this offer. 

The conference is to take place on February 16 and 17 so we leave Vishakhapatnam on the 15th taking a train up to Orissa. The 8hr train ride wasn't horrible as I slept for the majority of it. Once arriving at the Bhubaneswar station we clamor off the train and muscle our way through the never ending throng of people. We look around for someone sent by the conference to pick us up and can't find him. With our stomachs beginning to eat themselves and the fatigue setting in, we decide to do the death run across the always busy intersection to a small hotel restaurant. Its after 10pm and we're beat so we check in for the night. 

The next morning rolls around and a car is sent for us to take us to the university hosting the conference. Justin and I have been told that we'll be dropping Krishnayya garu off at the conference and then the driver will take us around as we please. Of course this is India and things change. Dr. Mohanty, head of the philosophy department and man in charge of the conference, expresses his desire to have us present at the conference and that we can site see when we break for lunch. Oh goody. Suffice it to say we were bored out of our minds. Thankfully the break finally came and it was time for lunch, which was amazingly delicious.

Once fed and happy, the three of us hop in the car and head for the Udaygiri & Khandagiri caves. These caves were established in the 2nd century BC. They were places where Jain monks would come for meditation and seclusion as they believed in an existence stripped of worldly comforts. The caves have amazing relief carvings. There aren't any barriers so everyone is allowed to climb over everything and crawl into the caves themselves. Its really an amazing place. 

*Garu is a Telugu honorific. It is a way of showing respect for one's teacher or mentor. It is similar to calling your college teacher Professor or Doctor instead of Mr. or Mrs.