Non-Heroic Tales
Weeks ago, on a train to Varanasi I met a fascinating nun. She is a member of Ananda Marga and as part of her service she visits centers around India and the world. She invited me to the small orphanage for the day.
We took long walks in the area and came across two women adorning a beautiful sari. Through my friend, we talked about the work. Together, the women will spend one month working with the material and embellishments provided to them. They will earn a total of US $5 for one month's work; $2.50 each. This particular sari is very fine, with intricate embroidery and thousands of sequins and small beads. It will sell for over US $100.
~~~~
The next day, in the lazy heat, I took an aimless walk. When I heard music and shouts, I assumed the hubbub to be for Republic Day, a national semi-celebrated holiday that day. I snapped a few pictures from afar and got closer cautiously. One young man invited me to dance... Why not? When the music slowed, he said someone else wanted to dance with me, and then someone else... As the procession made its way down the street I found my new friends were celebrating and heading to a wedding!
It was just after noon when we reached the hotel where the wedding would be held, and I didn;t get out of there until after 10pm. It was a wonderful day- full of dancing, hours of ceremony, delicious food, and most wonderfully, new friends. I will stay with and visit the groom's family when I head to Jaipur in a couple weeks...
~~~~
In Calcutta, I had a terrible day. With a bus ticket to Bangladesh in my wallet for the next morning, I headed to the Bangladesh High Commission to procure a Visa, which I was assured to receive in one day. This was not the case once I arrived, and even though a bribe (how exciting!) got me a meeting with the woman in charge, I was quoted a prohibitively inflated fee, and left to arrange cancellation of my bus ticket for the next morning.
Later in the day, still sulking, I met a lively and rackety gentleman, Upender, who invited me to his extended family's home a couple hours south (the direction I was going). Perfect timing!
I stayed with them 5 nights, and plan on going back at least once during this trip. I bonded quickly to Upender's niece Namrata. We spent all out time together, talking, walking, cooking (well, I watched her cook and occassionally chopped vegetables). One day, it was announced that a young man and his mother from their family were coming to visit. I thought nothing of this, and was simply happy to meet more people...
Namrata said that nothing in India happens without intention and we soon discovered that Upender had, from the beginning, hoped to arrange a marriage between me and this young man!! Namrata found out as much as she could when her aunt arrived. I was deeply concerned when I heard that Upender had said something bad about me. What could it be? I always dressed conservatively, and did my best to respect their household...
With Namrata's father and aunt:
He said... He said I was clever!
According to the aunt, who thoroughly interviewed me, here are my "plus points": very fair skinned, excellent English, and well-educated. She was concerned, however, that I was clever, over-qualified for her son, and of course the fact that he speaks almost no English.
~~~~
On my next stop, my ATM card was "stolen" by a bank machine. This issue still isn't resolved, since the emergency replacement card mailed to me a couple of weeks later doesn't work! This has been my most trying event of the trip. I'm pretty lucky!
~~~~
In Visakhatnam, affectionately known as Vizag, I stayed with a wonderful family who showed me around the aging seaside town.
~~~~
After a few quiet days, I went to Tirupati, where I "saw god" (an avatar or the Lord Vishnu) at India's near-mecca. It was intense, and I had darshan (viewing) with 70,000 other people. I didn't see one other tourist there... It was very intense, and though I paid for "VIP" lines, my 4 hours waiting pale compared to the 30, or even 40+ hours some people wait. And it is harsh, the CAGED lines snake around the temple and people push and tug and scramble and fight. I managed to stay sane, but a bus ride later that day was not spared. Ask me about it sometime (language not suitable for most).
~~~~
Spent time in Bangalore after that, which was nice. There was a day trip to a small village:
...And good times with a group of modern, young Indians spent at a dance club of all places. It was nice to see another side of India/Indians.
~~~~
After all the fun, I headed to Puttaparthi, place of birth and home of bizarre, revered, afro'd guru Sai Baba... There were thousands of visitors- Indian and otherwise. It was quite strange.
More soon...
We took long walks in the area and came across two women adorning a beautiful sari. Through my friend, we talked about the work. Together, the women will spend one month working with the material and embellishments provided to them. They will earn a total of US $5 for one month's work; $2.50 each. This particular sari is very fine, with intricate embroidery and thousands of sequins and small beads. It will sell for over US $100.
~~~~
The next day, in the lazy heat, I took an aimless walk. When I heard music and shouts, I assumed the hubbub to be for Republic Day, a national semi-celebrated holiday that day. I snapped a few pictures from afar and got closer cautiously. One young man invited me to dance... Why not? When the music slowed, he said someone else wanted to dance with me, and then someone else... As the procession made its way down the street I found my new friends were celebrating and heading to a wedding!
It was just after noon when we reached the hotel where the wedding would be held, and I didn;t get out of there until after 10pm. It was a wonderful day- full of dancing, hours of ceremony, delicious food, and most wonderfully, new friends. I will stay with and visit the groom's family when I head to Jaipur in a couple weeks...
~~~~
In Calcutta, I had a terrible day. With a bus ticket to Bangladesh in my wallet for the next morning, I headed to the Bangladesh High Commission to procure a Visa, which I was assured to receive in one day. This was not the case once I arrived, and even though a bribe (how exciting!) got me a meeting with the woman in charge, I was quoted a prohibitively inflated fee, and left to arrange cancellation of my bus ticket for the next morning.
Later in the day, still sulking, I met a lively and rackety gentleman, Upender, who invited me to his extended family's home a couple hours south (the direction I was going). Perfect timing!
I stayed with them 5 nights, and plan on going back at least once during this trip. I bonded quickly to Upender's niece Namrata. We spent all out time together, talking, walking, cooking (well, I watched her cook and occassionally chopped vegetables). One day, it was announced that a young man and his mother from their family were coming to visit. I thought nothing of this, and was simply happy to meet more people...
Namrata said that nothing in India happens without intention and we soon discovered that Upender had, from the beginning, hoped to arrange a marriage between me and this young man!! Namrata found out as much as she could when her aunt arrived. I was deeply concerned when I heard that Upender had said something bad about me. What could it be? I always dressed conservatively, and did my best to respect their household...
With Namrata's father and aunt:
He said... He said I was clever!
According to the aunt, who thoroughly interviewed me, here are my "plus points": very fair skinned, excellent English, and well-educated. She was concerned, however, that I was clever, over-qualified for her son, and of course the fact that he speaks almost no English.
~~~~
On my next stop, my ATM card was "stolen" by a bank machine. This issue still isn't resolved, since the emergency replacement card mailed to me a couple of weeks later doesn't work! This has been my most trying event of the trip. I'm pretty lucky!
~~~~
In Visakhatnam, affectionately known as Vizag, I stayed with a wonderful family who showed me around the aging seaside town.
~~~~
After a few quiet days, I went to Tirupati, where I "saw god" (an avatar or the Lord Vishnu) at India's near-mecca. It was intense, and I had darshan (viewing) with 70,000 other people. I didn't see one other tourist there... It was very intense, and though I paid for "VIP" lines, my 4 hours waiting pale compared to the 30, or even 40+ hours some people wait. And it is harsh, the CAGED lines snake around the temple and people push and tug and scramble and fight. I managed to stay sane, but a bus ride later that day was not spared. Ask me about it sometime (language not suitable for most).
~~~~
Spent time in Bangalore after that, which was nice. There was a day trip to a small village:
...And good times with a group of modern, young Indians spent at a dance club of all places. It was nice to see another side of India/Indians.
~~~~
After all the fun, I headed to Puttaparthi, place of birth and home of bizarre, revered, afro'd guru Sai Baba... There were thousands of visitors- Indian and otherwise. It was quite strange.
More soon...
posted by Maya at 11:25 AM
3 Comments:
Oh Maya...you are such an adventurer...I love that I get to share this with you even as far away as Houston. Got your postcard and we of course remember you and i love to tell people to read all about your adventures...
Much love
Laurie
Maya hi,
I hopped on to your blog from Couch Surfing. I live in New Delhi, but like most Indians, who have their roots some place else, I have my roots in Varanasi.
It has been an interesting read, and I look forward to your posts on your blog.
Congratulations for your endeavor!
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!
Post a Comment
<< Home