A Celebration

Outside, the tropical evening cast a purple twilight under a blue dome of sky. The setting sun was an orb of orange. Hong Kong’s lights twinkled in profusion across the channel in the Kowloon metropolis. The buildings turned a deep blue velvet.

Inside, the restaurant was softly lit. Elegant ladies and men in quiet attire drifted in to the sound of ragas from a harmonium and tabla. The air was rich not with perfumes but with the aroma of fennel, coriander, anise and mint.

Don and I were the guests of Raju and Egon at the Viceroy. We were offered drinks in tequila shots glasses — Sounfiya and Kanjee and Pudina. And summer coolers — exotic mixes of juices of beetroot, carrot, fennel, mint, mixed with rose water, and flavoured with cumin and salt.

We adjourned from the main bar to the banquet room. Tables were laid out exquisitely, tablecloths sprinkled with fresh red rose petals.

The speaker began with Kapha, Pita, Vita — Greek to some of us. Mr. Vinod Sharma explained the Sanskrit words, the various doshas we all are. He talked of the elements of space, air, fire, water and earth influencing everyone of us.

It was an Ayurvedic Celebration. Ayurveda, the science of life, taken from the Rig Vedas, written 6,000 thousand years ago: Ayu life and Veda knowledge. After the talk we enjoyed a vegetarian meal of exotic, tasty dishes in proper holistic Ayurvedic style.

Nature has created man and animals and plants all well balanced and living in harmony. But we have created imbalance and destruction. We need to remove the Ama, the stress from our lives. We need to return to peace and tranquility; we have a big job before us. But with attention to our mental and physical health with Ayurveda, Yoga and Meditation we can achieve both.

A beautiful reminder of the spiritual and physical side of my life on the eve of my birthday.