IN THE MOUNTAINS

Monday, March 16th, 2026

Venables Valley, BC

Jaya Govinda and I took to the road with a rented four-wheel drive to address any springtime muddy roadway dynamics at the Saranagati farm community. We left Vancouver through rain on the Trans-Canada Highway (AKA ‘The #1’), and as we headed north for our destination-the rain let up. I was recalling how thirty years before, I tread this trail on foot for my first cross country trek. “Hard to believe,” I mentioned to Jaya.

The drive is sweetly scenic, especially from Hope to the Ashcroft area. However, I noticed clearly that since I did that trek three decades ago, the area has become economically more run down. At Alexandria there is this lodge that the King of Siam was supposed to have visited quite some time back. When I walked by it in ’96, the structure was intact but now is becoming very deteriorated. Getting closer to Spence’s Bridge, we could see businesses being closed up. Highway 1 opened up in 1962 when tourists took interest in this Gold Rush route. Since new thoroughfares cut through the mountains, traffic got redirected leaving this area more destitute. Everything is temporary, isn’t it?

We arrived at the home of Damodara, Radha Krishna, and their two daughters (they lost their home to the damaging forest fire in 2024 summer, that ripped through the valley). Like everyone at Venables, there is a resilience of attitude in the village which has a great school and temple facilities. The villagers met with Jaya and I at their Gaura Nitai temple for a light supper and then a viewing of some of the recent music videos on the Bhaktimarga Swami YouTube channel. The kirtan chanting was fun, a spiritual delight.

JAYA AND I.

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

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