Surya Namaskar
One goes to Agumbe to see rustic life and greenery at its very best, but what one can also see here is the deep-rooted culture that has existed here for centuries.
To cite an example, one can see well dressed (in traditional attire) elderly ladies and gentlemen chant hymns and offer their prayers to the sun as part of their ‘Surya Namaskar’ ritual every Friday at the famous sunset point of Agumbe. They believe that the more beautiful the sunset, the better the effect of their prayers.
When I saw these events unfold in front of me, I was left totally stunned as this was the first instance that I saw people offering prayers to the sun at a famous tourist spot. Coming from a Brahmin family, Surya Namaskarams and reciting the Gayatri mantra three times a day is quite normal for me.
What was quite refreshing for me to see was that each hymn (read Surya Namaskarams) was sung in the right way and annotations. And such was the energy in their recitals that other locals and tourists alike joined them in their prayer making it a mass event.
I thoroughly enjoyed these cultural moments. I was so engrossed in it that I missed to capture these moments in either a video or through a large set of photographs. Luckily for me, I took a couple of photographs that depict this scene at a high level.
Seeing this cultural exhibition unfold along side a fabulous sunset is an amazing experience. You should definitely try and experience it at least once in your lifetime.
