Travelling without moving out of my city

It’s about the journey, not the destination, we’re often told. However, as the pandemic dragged on through the year, riding that rollercoaster became increasingly tiresome. Fed up with navigating the uncertainty and inertia, a change of scenery to escape the new reality of daily life rose to the forefront in many minds.

Just as I was thinking about travelling again, the Maharashtra government reintroduced virus testing for people arriving from certain states. Not wanting to deal with the hassle of it and other safety protocols, I decided to stay put for a while. Was it really necessary for me to travel, I wondered, or could exploring my own city enliven me in the same way? I’ve always relied on regular trips out of the concrete jungle for refreshment. Was there anywhere in Mumbai that could be a substitute?

The ferry across Gorai creek to the isolated Dharavi Bhet peninsula is close to my home in the northwestern suburbs of the city. Yet, how many times had I bothered to take the ferry and explore the area? Not once. Clearly, now was the time. My husband twitched at the prospect of this unknown adventure, but I assured him I had it all planned out and he would be amazed. After all, the Global Vipassana Pagoda is there! We had seen the gold-plated spire of its meditation dome rising distantly, like a beacon from the mangroves on the other side of the water. Apparently, it’s the largest free-standing stone dome in world. What’s more, sacred bone relics of the Buddha are enshrined at the top.

The magnificent Global Vipassana Pagoda is a replica of Myanmar’s ancient Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Its design is meant to serve as an expression of gratitude to Myanmar for preserving the Vipassana meditation technique, as taught by the Buddha, over the 2,000-odd years that it had been lost in India. Burma-born Indian industrialist S N Goenka reintroduced the technique into India five decades ago and propagated it around the world.

In a way, I had come full circle, too. Almost 20 years ago, I did the 10-day silent Vipassana meditation course in Australia, at a centre in the hills near Melbourne. Now, I was standing at one of the world’s grandest tributes to this transformational meditation technique, in the country where it originated. And, at a time during the pandemic, when the technique is particularly beneficial.

At the core of it is aniccha, the impermanent nature of everything in the world. And the goal, to maintain an equanimous mind amid it all. How do you learn to do that? By sitting completely still, for an hour at a time, and methodically observing the passing sensations in the body without reacting. As you train your mind to ignore pain and discomfort, which do surprisingly pass, you also train it to stop reacting to life’s ups and downs.

Much could be said about the features of the pagoda and the glistening gold-hued structures in the complex -- the elaborate Burmese-style entrance gate flanked by giant protective lions, the serene 20-foot-tall marble statue of the Buddha, huge bell and gong platforms with sculptures of the devas, and the Ashoka pillar. However, it’s not what you see but what you experience that’s most powerful. The energetic vibrations are strong there. Not long after arriving, as I eagerly stood outside the complex admiring the architecture, I noticed myself unexpectedly becoming peaceful and quiet within. My scattered, excited energy was unconsciously turned down a few notches and replaced by stillness.

While my interest in travelling may have waned, far from being stifled, I’m keen to uncover and appreciate more of Mumbai. Why leave the comfort of my own city when I can feel revitalised, and perhaps even like I’ve been transported to another place for a day? There’s inspiration to be found in my own backyard, not only far-off unfamiliar lands.