Kanushri Taneja

Elements of space making

With a vast canopy of trees and sunlight penetrating through the gaps of the leaves, sounds of birds, crashing of waves in the water, one is welcomed by the open arms of nature into Sahaj, a buddhist meditation retreat. The retreat is located in a forest area near a lake. Here people camp within the forests,live in the lap of nature while enjoying peaceful practice of buddhist meditation, cut off from the bustle of the busy world. The pathway within the space is clear by the area where the forest cover becomes sparse and open ground directs the visitors of the space. The pathway is axially organized, but one won’t clearly see the space unless they reach it as it is camouflaged within the landscape, this generates a lot of curiosity to find out what lies ahead. The first space one enters is the ‘Budh Grah’, rammed earth walls, wood and all earthy tones and a shell-like form houses a peaceful space to focus and meditate.The building itself has a covering of grass on the sloping roof that blends into the grassy landscape where people can climb and play The interior of this space has a statue of Buddha in the middle, covered by a glass cylinder. There are penetrations within the walls that act as inlet openings for light, creating a rather divine experience. In the night, candles are lit and kept in these crevices before meditation sessions. Upon stepping out of the mediation room, a huge tree with a circular bench around it provides another spot to find solace in nature. One can sit, hear the water hitting the shore and enjoy the flora and fauna. The walk from this space leads to the stone steps entering into the ‘Jalsaadhna Graha’, where a sauna under the sunlight awaits you. This building again with its undulating structure and grass on the roof forms mounds that blend with landscape. The light from the ceiling enters the space and makes it glow, gives a divine experience to someone practicing water mediation within the space. The roof again is a walkable area with a glide up and down, the view of the lake from the top of the mound makes for a great view. Stepping further outside from the ‘Jalsaadhna Grah’ in the same central axial circulation, one finds themselves right in front of the lake. There’s a deck to sit and take in the view and also to tie the boats. People can go boating or swim in the lake near the shore. There are also stone steps on the shore on which one can climb and sit to enjoy the lakeside. Sahaj welcomes everyone