Prologue:

My trip to Omkara Mandhata came about because of research work being done by friends, Dr. Murari and Sarla Nagar. I have assisted Dr. Nagar, Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri, getting his numerous books converted to new technology (off legacy mainframe and put into Microsoft Word, preserving certain diacritical marks) for future researchers. Next we created a web page to present some of his writings and early research on OM. http://web.missouri.edu/~omshanti.

Many hours of research on OM brought the Nagar's to this sacred island called Omkara Mandhata with its many temples and shrines. After a year of research and barely a handful of pictures to show, Dr. Nagar decided it would be best to obtain our own photos to put into the new source book he was writing. My professional background is computer support for the past 28 years at the university, this was a new field, digital photography and archeological research.

Hence I found myself planning a trip to India to take photos with a new digital camera. First a quest went out to find my host. Svami Shri Tej Anand, the managing trustee of the Omkareshvar Temple Trust provided assistance by directing us to Svami Aishvaryananda of Indore who provided me with a host. I stayed with Komal Goswami and family of Indore for two weeks while making arrangements for my pilgrimage to Omkara Mandhata and my introduction to Svami Tej Anand. Finally to travel to Omkareshvar and photo document my pilgrimage.

During my stay in Indore with the Goswami family, I was welcomed into their home as though I was family and treated as a guest with honors. Each day I was greeted with smiles and hot tea as the household began its day. The mornings began at 6am with the chanting of OM coming from the roof where Kurti (father of Komal) offering prayers. A variety of Indian cuisine was prepared and served by Mona (wife of Komal) and by the end of the week I could eat without drinking a glass of water. My palate was experiencing the essence of Indian cuisine. Hot spicy foods, fresh fruits and vegetables with daily consumption of hot tea.

I received a special blessing inside a fresh papaya that was cut one morning. A perfect OM symbol was revealed inside, confirmation and blessing of my trip to India in the name of OM.

I was escorted to many places and introduced to many people, each welcoming me into their home or business, offering hot tea and food. I toured a local elementary school and was introduced to each class and welcomed by the children, "Hari OM". Visited many places like the Lal Baag palace built in 1886 by the Holkars, witnessed the seven story building Rajwada still in the middle of the market place, at the entrance of the Palace of Rajah. Went to local temples, shopped at local bazaars Sari shop, department stores, eat at local restaurant, and even visited a local recreational park.

I was blessed by OM during a visit to the local Indore museum, where upon speaking to the museum director I had the fortuitous opportunity to meet with Dr. Yadav, Curator of the Mandsaur Archaeological Museum and expert on Omkara Mandhata. OM blessings once again when Dr. Yadav agreed to accompany me on another trip to Omkara Mandhata to identify several unknown statues I had photographed already. He provided the descriptions of the temples and deities, bringing validation to our research. Dr. Yahav studied under Dr. Rahman Ali, scholar and Professor of Archaeology at Vikram University, Ujjain.

Experiencing a little bit of everyday life was enlightening and I found it an experience most people do not get when jumping from one tourist spot to another. Everyday you see the diversity between the poor and rich. People living in street huts, selling their wares on the busy streets. No water except from a public faucet along the side of the road. Street venders calling as they travel the local residential streets with their two wheel carts full with a varity of wares. The women coming out of their homes to buy what they need for the meals to be prepared that day. Elephants, oxen, pigs and snake charmers all pass by you if you stay in one place long enough. Each community within the city supports many small businesses and shops to purchase from, just a short distance from anyone's residence.

The city of Indore with its busy streets and the villages in the country are in such contrast. The villages are poor, not everyone has electricity running to their huts. You see whole families working in the fields trying to provide a living. Even in the city electricity can be found inside some road side huts. Each city community goes without electricity for two hours daily to redirect the power to the small villages. Some villages are without electricity most of the day. Candles are a big part of everyday life in both the small villages and big cities. Buses and trains are the busiest modes of public transportation always full of people trying to get somewhere. Between cars, trucks, buses, motor bikes, bicycles, oxen carts, and just people walking you will find yourself also trying to get somewhere.

I must say driving in India is another experience, the traffic is hectic to say the least, noisy with lots of horns honking to distract you and filled with so much pollution that one must cover the face for the fumes can be overwhelming. It's best to leave the driving to the locals.

On my departure I had another wonderful opportunity, Dr. Dilip Rajgor, Ph D., P.G.D. Ling. of Bombay graciously met me at the domestic airport late in the evening to discuss OM coins. I actually held in my hands several ancient coins 3000 years old. In my excitement of this experience, I did not take a single photo. Dr. Rajgor was putting together a special display of ancient coins for a museum in Bombay and it my hopes to have more OM coin information in the future. We do have two coin images on our web site that Dr. Rajgor has provided.

I have met so many wonder people in India and hope to someday return as there are many places to visit. The people of India, in spite of my failings, were gracious and helpful to me along my travels and I will always cherish the memories.