singing Bajans in the Ashram

I was a little late getting to the ashram this morning. When I got there I heard this wonderful chanting. Im not sure what they are specifically, but they were amazingly powerful. I took this pic from where I was sitting. In an way, they cadence and tempo reminded me of an New England sea shanty. They had a sort of powerful, jaunty bravado about them. They were uplifting, quick and powerful.  The man at the front had a deep, resonant voice. He would call out the first bit of the song and then the men answered in response. The image of a sea shanty stayed with me. If you sort of think about life or spiritual practice as being the ocean, we are all in little fragile boats riding that ocean. In times of calm we feel safe and secure but we know that sooner or later the sea will rise up with furious strength. What can we do but sing a lively shanty and row into the on coming surge. The ocean can also be thought of consciousness itself and the waves are but a manisfestation of that consciousness. No matter what Ramana looks silently down on our little dramas in our flimsy boats,smiles, and waits for us to realize that the ocean that so scares us is simply consciousness itself. Did I mention, I really Love India. (click the pic to enlarge)