Work is proceeding with diligence as we rehabilitate our beautiful Ananda Dham Master Unit, located just north of Los Angeles in the high desert of Southern California. The farm is in disrepair after being ravaged by a wildfire in 2013. The orchard was destroyed, but the farmhouse was, by Baba’s grace, left standing. Our vision is to restore the farm to its former glory as we create a friendly retreat center within easy driving distance to Los Angeles.
From October 15 – 26, 2019, we had a Karma Yoga Retreat to repair the roof and other pending issues. Brother Dhruva and sister Devika came from Washington D.C. Dada Diiptimananda came from Los Altos Jagriti, and Brother Abhinanda from Russia joined on his visit to the US. Brother Mukunda is living at the property and working at the project.
We hired a professional contractor, Shawn McClendon, to ensure the roof repair work would be completed properly and on time. We had to replace the fascia, flashing and cut off the end of the roof rafters that had become rotten due to leaks. The work went well, and the roof should now be free of leaks for at least a few years. As we were working, some more repairs came along, we had to hire an electrician, and we painted the old French windows at the entrance and replaced the glazing.
Apart from the Karma Yoga, we also enjoyed the natural beauty of Ananda Dham and the nearby environment, took collective meals, and did Paincajainya and Dharma Cakra every day. Now is the end of the dry seasons, and there were many forest fires in the neighborhood. Fortunately, the farm and nearby areas were safe this time.
The Ananda Dham project requires volunteers, both skilled and unskilled labor. Anyone who has an interest in agriculture/horticulture and especially in Baba’s concept of Ideal Farming would be a great asset. We also need to do carpentry work and house remodeling and decorating for house interior.
If interested, please contact the New York Sectorial Office (sosny@anandamarga.us.)
