In Gorgeous Geneva

As the journey rolls into Switzerland, there is a collective gasp! It’s like driving into a picture-perfect postcard through the majestic Alps—a feast for the eyes that no words can do justice to. It’s bright and sunny and the dazzling snow-covered mountains form a breathtaking backdrop to Sadhguru’s lone motorcycle as it glides through the roads of Simplon Pass, snowcapped mountains as far as the eyes could see. The team marvels at how Sadhguru is managing to ride through such freezing temperatures, the coldest to date. 

The first stop in Geneva is a vineyard—but it’s not just any vineyard. Perched on a glorious vantage point, it overlooks the entire city. It’s a “world beneath our feet” moment, a stellar sight that no lens can even capture.

The visit to Geneva gives our team another unforgettable treat, an opportunity to be at the UN headquarters in Geneva where Sadhguru speaks before a panel of leaders from global organizations about the Save Soil movement. It’s a thrilling experience, sitting in those semi-circular rows we’ve only seen in the 8 o’clock news. Sadhguru addresses the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in Geneva and being witness to the love and admiration with which he is received at the seat of power is a very special moment. 

In his address to a rapt audience that included several leaders from the UN and IUCN, Sadhguru stressed the importance of people’s vote and voice in a democracy where “a government is elected to fulfil the people’s mandate.” Unless the people explicitly state that they want their leaders to invest in long-term wellbeing of the nation, elected governments cannot act, he explained.

And finally, the icing on the cake: Geneva’s iconic Jet d’Eau Fountain in Lake Geneva lights up in blue and green in support of the movement, a perfect end to an unforgettable day.

C’mon, let’s go backstage…

“We mapped the entire 8000 km in Europe – the whole route – on a dry run,” says Dušan. He is one of the team’s motor home drivers. While the world gets to see centerstage, Dušan and countless other dedicated volunteers have been backstage, orchestrating this mammoth global mission for months. “We began working on the routes when the initial countries were being finalized in December,” he explains. 

The team has left absolutely nothing to chance. Everything has been recced, recorded, revisited and finally pinned down. “We looked at everything in every country: safest routes, quickest routes, pit stops, gas stations, iconic places, parking lots, tunnel heights, speed limits, driving rules, entry and exit processes…” 

With military precision, a central team coordinates the effort. Slowly, an elaborate plan begins to take shape and Europe is finally wrung and wrestled and boxed down into an Excel sheet.

“Some people had to drive 1000 km a day,” says Dušan. To sum it up, he describes his activity as “Inner Engineering on the move in the sense that it’s a big, big Sadhana that we are going through.” He signs off with a wholehearted smile.