Mayke Beckmann Briggs's Page

I heard about ImagineThisTV tonight from my friend Dwabha (Dr. Prabhavati) who, with our and many other people's help, has been nurturing Ramana's Garden in India for over a decade. Ramana's Garden is a magical place full of beautiful flowers: the children Dwabha rescues out of horrendous situations into a new life of love, play, and self reliance through an education program that takes the children through elementary and middle school and then, when many other organizations at this point abandon their charges, through high school or vocational training until they cannot only survive on their own as young adults, but become the teachers, doctors, electricians and business owners who inspire the succeeding age groups.

Ramana's Garden grows its own food and has several small businesses like a bakery and humane angora bunny rescue farm. Creativity and innovation are all part of this magical world. In co-operation with people and organizations in the West, many groups visit and work at Ramana's Garden throughout the year, be that eco-tourists through AFC, Gurumuk's Yoga students looking for service opportunities, or Western Youths who are sent through LeapNow to restore their spirits damaged by our Western ways.

Ramana's Garden depends on its visitors for survival. Without visitors who bring money and muscle soon this beautiful garden would not receive enough nourishment and the children's futures would be uncertain. In return each visitor is nurtured by the joyful hearts and ways of the children.

Here is the dream - I imagine for Ramana's Garden to be able to operate out of the old Beatle's Ashram in Rishikesh. It is a much needed change as the children and their visitors are outgrowing their present surroundings. A beautiful and simple, yet large enough place, presently sitting empty and unused by the river Gangha, this old facility, with a little clean-up and re-energizing, would be perfect . The magic of the Beatels, which was Love, Love, Love...would continue to flourish in this most practical way of providing a place to grow and expand this haven for the children as well as provide a historic place for the caring annual visitors and volunteers, and hopefully attract many more.

And what a great TV episode this would be - to "restore" the old Beatles Ashram and open it to the joyful children claiming it.