Dear Friends,
On most days, volunteers at the dome construction site had lunch in the nearby ISHA office, where they were served a hot, hearty, and healthy vegetarian meal in air-conditioned comfort.
However, on occasion, the group was seen gathering for a different kind of lunch in a different kind of place … up on the hill, at the center of the building excavation, surrounded by dirt! The sevadar who helped establish this fun and delicious tradition of picnicking in the hole relates the following history:
“From the beginning of the Seva period, all the Satsangis gathered for lunch provided by ISHA. We loved each other’s company, and being able to spend that time together eating lunch that was obviously prepared with tremendous love.
As the Seva period wound down, the number of Sevadars did the same. For some time, there were only 3 to 4 of us around, and we missed being amongst our Satsangi friends and having lunch together. We decided to continue having lunch together whenever possible. At the same time, we loved the peace, energy, and healing we felt inside the dera hole, so it naturally became the place we could meet for our little lunch picnics two or three times per week.
We ate a variety of meals in the hole, prepared by one of the remaining sevadars … but I think that our favorite was pizza for a number of reasons. For one, Master always tells his pizza story, and how it was his favorite food … so it reminded us of Master. Two, it was easy and convenient to carry down into the hole and didn’t require much clean-up afterwards!
In my mind at least, having pizza in the hole quickly became one of the highlights of my stay there … and who doesn’t love pizza?
The last pizza party of the summer was a culmination and expansion of the prior smaller picnics. It was inspired by the desire of wanting to spend time amongst Satsangis who all share the same love for Master, enjoying his favorite food, in his special place. We always felt Master’s presence and love.”
As the Seva period wound down, the number of Sevadars did the same. For some time, there were only 3 to 4 of us around, and we missed being amongst our Satsangi friends and having lunch together. We decided to continue having lunch together whenever possible. At the same time, we loved the peace, energy, and healing we felt inside the dera hole, so it naturally became the place we could meet for our little lunch picnics two or three times per week.
We ate a variety of meals in the hole, prepared by one of the remaining sevadars … but I think that our favorite was pizza for a number of reasons. For one, Master always tells his pizza story, and how it was his favorite food … so it reminded us of Master. Two, it was easy and convenient to carry down into the hole and didn’t require much clean-up afterwards!
In my mind at least, having pizza in the hole quickly became one of the highlights of my stay there … and who doesn’t love pizza?
The last pizza party of the summer was a culmination and expansion of the prior smaller picnics. It was inspired by the desire of wanting to spend time amongst Satsangis who all share the same love for Master, enjoying his favorite food, in his special place. We always felt Master’s presence and love.”
Here’s a photo of that last wonderful pizza party in September, held a few days before the construction project shut down for the season. They are seated in the lower level of the Meeting Hall dome building … so, they are actually enjoying their pizza in the future dining hall!
Perhaps this delectable tradition will continue next summer, when Ishwar’s dear friends again gather to offer seva for his tribute to Great Master Sawan Singh. And, perhaps when the Meeting Hall dome is finished, we can all enjoy a weekly pizza lunch with Ishwar in the same spot as the satsangis in the photo above! Will the dome kitchen be equipped with a pizza oven? I don’t know … but if not, then perhaps a Shakey’s Pizza franchise will open across the street!
With warmest regards,
Paul Bauer
Chair of ISHA Building & Fund-Raising Committee
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