Padmalaya News
september - november 2024
The renovation process made great advances in autumn. The roof was newly insulated and tiled. All the windows were replaced. The external insulation on the ground floor has been completed. The upper floors are currently being insulated and the wooden façade is being renewed. Swami Aniruddha came to visit and helped us to tear down ceilings in the interior rooms, empty rooms and clear out the garden shed. Electricians are currently working on bringing the house up to an optimal electrical standard and the heat pump has now been delivered.
july - august 2024
We have established a temporary altar in the future temple room. This already gives the Padmalaya Chalet a really cosy touch.
Before each work day in the Chalet, we now pray together with all the helpers. This way, we always start the working day invigorated and with a clear mind and the renovation work progresses quickly.
june 2024
June was all about the roof renovation. A scaffolding was erected and we uncovered the entire roof. One team worked on the roof and another on the ground, where all the tiles were washed off. We will reuse the almost 90-year-old tiles, at least all the ones that are not broken.
The very rainy weather often put a stop to our work. But we did manage to uncover the roof. Now the next step is to re-insulate it before it is re-roofed.
mai 2024
Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda visited the Padmalaya Chalet for the very first time. We were overjoyed to welcome him to the house, even though the construction work has only just begun.
Many, many years ago, when Paramahamsa Vishwananda began his mission in Europe, he lived in Hünibach on Lake Thun. So it was very special to welcome him to his old home, so to speak.
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You can find mor eimpressions on our Instagram-Account!
april 2024
April was all about the garden seva (seva = selfless service). Every weekend, regardless of the weather, there were helpers working in the garden. Huge amounts of weeds and brambles were removed, sometimes with heavy machinery. Little by little, a beautiful, originally terraced garden emerged. The views over Lake Thun have always been beautiful, but without the metre-high weeds they are much more beautiful. Compost has been created and the first steps towards permaculture have already been taken. A new shredding machine was an important investment for this.
The first strong rays of sunshine could now shine into the house again. A first spring clean inside helped to remove all the cobwebs and dust of many years. The Padmalaya Chalet is already beginning to shine a little bit, even if there is still a lot of work ahead of us.
october 2023 - march 2024
On 31 October 2023, we acquired the Padmalaya Chalet at an auction. The house stood empty for over 8 years. In the first few months, we had to find a team to run the house. In addition, various other teams were found to take care of individual tasks. One team began with comprehensive planning of all the renovation work. The first task was to reconnect the house to the electricity and water supply. Plans were drawn up as to how the house would be divided up and how the renovation would proceed. The first step will be to renovate the roof and optimise the energy efficiency of the building as a whole. This will be followed by the installation of a new heating system and the replacement of the windows to increase energy efficiency. We are working whenever possible with local partners if we cannot do this ourselves.
A garden team has already started to clear out the garden. A huge amount of overgrown garden area was uncovered, overgrowth on the house was removed to recognise the damage to the house walls. A kitchen team was formed to ensure that the volunteers are always well catered for
