Multiple journeys or pilgrimages to South India led Wolfgang Herbert, the late hippie, to the foot of Arunachala, a sacred mountain in Tamil Nadu, where the arguably most paradigmatic wisdom teacher of modern India, Ramana Maharishi, had worked. The narrative recounts historical, mental, and physical encounters with ambassadors of spiritual India, always balancing between skepticism and openness. It explores how genuine encounters between East and West might be possible under the signs of globalization. The book is a collage of travel journals, reflections on Eastern philosophical themes, and their yield through meditative exercises. It allows for a whimsical reading experience, meandering and following thematic interests. India can also serve as a cipher for the search for the true self, a romantic longing for.