Bhakti Fest 2010

Bhakti Fest was off the hizz-ook! Last year when we went, there was a measly 1500 participants. This year, nearly 4000! Obviously word of mouth spread and Bhakti Fest 2010 was the place to be. Not only did we have a great time the previous year, but for us the event holds extra special, because it was in the outdoor showers near our campsite where Clark Otis was conceived! Yay!
(TMI? If you're a hard core Chronicle follower, you've read worse.)



No camping for us this year, we opted for a comfy room…with A/C! Though we spent most of our time in the outdoor amphitheater enjoying the sites and sounds.



For those unfamiliar, Bhakti means 'devotion'. Fest means 'party on dudes!' This particular party was a celebration of 24hours non-stop Kirtan, or 'devotional singing'. Call-and-response chanting which usually starts slow and smooth then erupts into a hoppin', clapping', jump around good time! What are the chants? Stuff like "Bola Rom" "Shri Ganesha" "Hare Krishna". What's it mean? "I celebrate you, (insert particular deitie here)".
Remember the Airplane movies? That was my first introduction to Hare Krishnas and assumed they were just crazy bald dudes in orange robes that were seemingly placed on this Earth to weird us out or annoy us at airports. Alas, like most of my fellow Westerners, I was simply too uneducated to understand. Now, every time I'm joyfully singing and dancing to Kirtan, sometimes chanting "Hare Krishna" with thousands of other people, I think of how I used to silently mock those airport Krishnas…and now I laugh at myself that I used to think like that Though, an airport is a strange place to try to educate on the wonders of a higher being who's not Jesus…people gots places to be, yo!

Clark was a dream during this adventure! We proudly showed him off in his very own hippy, tie-dye onesie and matching pants. Passerbys ooh'd and ahh'd, stopped to ogle, even kiss his feet! Yes, Clark was worshipped by many. Folk even thanked us for bringing him! Shocked at first, for such gratitude and trying to be humble, we quickly resolved to answering in unison: "Our pleasure."



Christy and I found a new dynamic. Growing even closer while enjoying the fest, even when we were sometimes apart. One of us would watch Clark while the other took a yoga class, shopped, or danced. I did take Clark along with me to one yoga class (as requested by the instructor who met us earlier). Of course Clark began teething hard this weekend and was really fussy at the beginning of the class, not taking his bottle, screaming out. The instructor came over to my mat, scooped up Clark and began teaching with him in his arms. Clark stopped fussing, enjoying the attention.
The instructor was a dude, my age, from India. Really awesome, great sense of humor. He walked around with Clark from student to student saying: "In India, you take your baby everywhere. Everyone holding their babies. This is normal to me."
I was so touched. Shortly into the class, Clark was returned to me and I placed him on his sheepskin rug at the top of my mat, and after marveling at everyone in yoga poses…he fell asleep and I was able to finish the class.


Our pal Jamie, who mesmerizes with her hoop-skills, hung out with us!

The final night of Bhakti was off the hook! Some major Kirtan talent took the stage and people were reveling. Clark kept to his evening schedule, we changed him, fed him, and he fell asleep between us on the ground in the midst of thousands of joyous walla. We couldn't have been more proud.
At 4:30am, we woke up…not because of Clark, but because some friends of ours were performing the 5am Kirtan shift. We arose, dressed, wrapped Clark in a blanket and went to support. Clark slept in his mommy's arms as we watched our pals literally sing till the sun came up. It was beautiful.


Our pal, Daniel Stewart performing at 5am.

Finishing up, just as the sun arose.

We left that afternoon. Clark slept the whole way home. A beautiful weekend for the three of us…as family.

The following weekend we returned to Joshua Tree for Yoga Blend's annual Chakra Retreat.
Many more pictures and stories to come!