Namaste from Varanasi

Meeting up with Suzan and Csilla today! We  have Feb 20 - 23 together then we go separate ways via train travel....

Varanasi:  experienced and learned so much here I once again can't even begin to write it all. I never know what I will see or experience next, with constant surprises and stimulation.  Here goes a short summary, certainly not complete but a taste of Varanasi nevertheless:

* sitting here at the 'internet cafe' which is essentially a bit of a shack with 3 computers, a small shop that sells bottled water and the ever present pop, and junk food snacks.  Just a moment ago a procession lead by 3 drummers in bare feet, and 3 others pulling a wagon with a freshly dead monkey (probably caught in power lines, probably that's why the power was out 2.5 hours ago) followed by 25 - 30 mourners... people on the street stop and pay homage to the monkey who is laid out beautifully and is semi covered in marigolds and looks very peaceful. 

*  the last 3 nights:  starting at 8 pm and continuing ALL night, an Indian and Nepalese Classical Music Festival.  Free. Wonderful.  Loved it and took minimal advantage of it, with my North American habit of needing to be in bed by 12 midnight!!!  I rapidly fade after 11 pm and frankly find the stimulas here too much on all levels, visual, sounds, and smells. I need to seek refuge at the hotel for regrouping and recovery!

* The Main Cremation Gnat - very aggressive energy.. have not been able to stay there for any length of time. perhaps with Suzan and Csilla I will find courage in numbers?  There are experiences there that are difficult, above and beyond the actual viewing of the cremation, including very aggressive requests for money to support the cremation gnat, however I also know it costs the families alot of money to hold a cremation there. 

* Last night was the beginning of the Shiva Celebration - and the 75 km pilgrimage started around Varanasi.  I left a musical performance - a beautiful, spiritual and peaceful environment only a few metres from the walkway along the Ganges and Gnats. To encounter a mob of young men with yellow and red painted foreheads, barefoot and stoned (hashish, betel, and whatever else) yelling, chanting, singing.  It was a shock and I had to make a transformation in my own head - between what I just left and what I was seeing and feeling in the moment. My understanding is the pilgrimage is very spiritual to Hindu's and the whole idea is to be transformed and experience great spiritual insight.   I was literally caught in the middle of this so quickly I couldn't believe it.  At the same moment my head was saying 'oh, oh this is not ok' a young guy pushes his way to me and says 'you need to get out of here, let me help you these are not good people'. (yes I know ANOTHER travel angel... jeez they are just all over the place). We were out of it in seconds and it was over for me.  The chaos continued all night with thousands of young men going along the Ganges.   Other guests in my hotel were urged not to go out last night, but to only observe from the hotel roof top patio.  Today: all is as normal (well for Varansi!!) and the temples are covered in flowers and people lined up to enter for worship.

Off I go to meet up with 2 Canadian Friends - truly a special day! 

All is well.

Fun and Overwelming Chaos... Elephants, Rino's, .. and Trains!

More snapshots from the Indian Road! Oh where to start, where to start?!   Guess it's the point form thing again, just because it's a) my  party! b) too overwhelming to do anything else and c) it's kind of fun! (for me, if not for you!) 

Note: thanks for the emails! It can  feel a little isolating on the road and I do miss my home, friend and family connection.  Confession:    Just a bit on the needy side (gasp) I tend to save your emails and re-read them on my Ipod to  'connect' with you! So - hugs to you from me!

Now here goes -  in no particular order!

* Left Belle, Gary and Ellen in Kolkata (Calcutta) Feb 14th of course they babied me right to the end, delivering me to the train station via a gouging Taxi Driver! We  travelled wonderfully together and had an amazing experience exploring parts of India and Calcutta.  (I need serveral hours to describe Calcutta, so NOT today!)

* Excurion to Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary -   5:00 am wake up call for a dawn Elephant Tour for four Canadians (2 are of the squealing nature, guess which ones?) tettering on top of a rolling, lumbering, very round and high beast.  Note: I have a video! including sound effects of course!  For a price....!  So we are talking serious safari here.  In the misty early morning grasslands and jungle, we see birds including peacocks (high in the trees!) and kingfishers (had NO idea they are soooo beautiful, and rinos, rinos, rinos(!!!), and barking deer and sambar, gaur (Indian Bison huge... 2 metres at the shoulder!)  AND tons of dangerous saber tooth tigers... (a little white lie!)

* Overnight trains:  3 to date!  The Indian Train System is simply totally impressive!  eg.  2 overnight trains one of 14  hours the other 9 hours total cost $11!   Ok one ended up a 18 hour trip due to some delays but nevertheless you get my point?  My first independent outing from Calcutta to Varanasi was heartwarming! Once again my travel angels take over as soon as Ellen, Gary and Belle abandon (!!) me at the train station!  First, on the platform - yep found my train AND AC 3 Berth car on my own.  Approached by an Indian lady who asked me if she could help? :)  Then boarding the train: helped a lady and her husband with their bags... after that they regularily checked on me from their compartment next door. Meanwhile the gentlemen across in the aisle from me, made sure my wheely beast was stored 'right', helped me with securing the above bed, and offered to share their dinner!  ah, on it goes.. I love this part of travelling, the connections we make that seem so small but are delicious and heartwarming.

* Value added Train info:  the whole experience is facinating people watching!  porters wrapping a towel in a circular turban shaped cushion on their heads, then piling on several heavy suitcases or bags and away they go... colorful saris and food; begging children and women, thin bone- rattling 'old' men; dogs and puppies who appear to live their lives in the station; extended family groupings sharing blankets and food; transvestites challenging local men for money (they are ostrocised by society but also feared, the belief is they bring bad luck so they survive by getting money to NOT lay a curse on a man!), and then the 6 berth sleepers with 10 Indian people squeezed in!

* The photos continue to build. Guesses from anyone how many to date?  Minus the videos?

*  Kolkata - Hotel Broadway is our base, with Ellen and Gary, Indian Specialist Guides!  Humm  Hotel Broadway - let's see how to describe.....  in the middle of a very busy business district, very old, very very noisy, and well established 'the real India' (as per Ellen!) mannerisms and curtesies... with 'regular room' hot water needs to be ordered in the morning or you may miss out on the shower!  A piping hot bucket is delivered to the room where you then mix with cold for an Indian Shower  (from the bucket with a dipper) love it. love it.  Very Important:  As Soon As Waking ensure you are wrapped in a sarong or dressed BECAUSE as soon as you beckon for one of the guys, it is a free for all.  Very disconcerting for North American women especially!  They walk in at any time without knocking or saying a word to see if you need:  more chai, breakfast, dinner, hot water, do you have laundry.....anything at all... ?  A pile of 10 R (aka .20 CND) notes is always at the ready for constant tipping.  The beds have 1.5" thin foam (?) mattresses.  The Canadian Princesses aka Belle and I, ensure survival by obtaining an extra mattress for our beds... it worked!!!! 

VARANASI

I am desparate to share my impressions.  I  think, because I am alone here, it is urgent to 'talk it out'  sort of like therapy?! 

This is Day 3, and I am hunkered down in my lovely hotel on the Ganges.  I am determined to stay put today as this is the 'Wedding Season' and the action starts about 7 pm or so. Music, processions, and beautiful costumes and clothing.  I will be on the streets of Varanasi the next few evenings.  The Shiva Festival is Feb 19 and 20th so must be ready for that as well..... includes an overnight pilgremage 75 kms around Varanasi of the faithful.....  

Varanasi aka The City of Light, founded by Shiva -  is one of the oldest living cities in the  world.  It is the centre of the Hindu universe and to die here is to attain instant enlightenment. It's religious life has been continusly present since sixth Century BC!

Like most North Americans, I've heard of the Ganges and Varanasi.  So, actually being here is to bring these  pictures and words to my own reality, and vague impressions to a vivid living and breathing landscape.  There ARE alot of over travellers here, like I expected.  What I didn't expect is the raw presence of Varanasi, where Indian life and death continues in spite of, and around,  'us'. 

My first evening here I met up with a Frenchman ... from France by the way!  and we shared a boat for the 'must do' trip by the 2 kms of ghats with evening cremations, accompanied by candles, chanting, music. Chidren sell small floating candle and flower arrangements for R10 and tradition is to light the candle, and make a blessing or wish as you release it to float on the Ganges.  So, as you do this your candle becomes one of hundreds gowing and floating like stars in the darkness.  I have a video, the only one I will make of the evening ceromonies as it is just not respectful or appropriate to photograph cremations.  Nor do I have any desire.  Note:  the video is very general and only captures the 'big picture' not the actual creamations.

In my wanderings along the ghats, I have come across several cremations during daylight hours.... death has become more real to me (I wonder - am I really ready to see this?) than you can imagine.  Tradition means the cremation of the deceased takes place very quickly certainly within 24 hours. Bodies are not necessarily totally wrapped in white cotton, and visually this has been shocking to my senses.  People are gathered around, friends and family, and a couple of men are in charge of building the wooden funeral pyre, placing the body on it and scattering sawdust and light burning materials on top.   Cows and dogs are wandering by or laying on the ghats, wood is piled high in neat square bundles up to 8 ' high. The smoke is heavy and hangs over the creamation ghats. 

My last attempt to observe a cremation yesterday failed dismally.... the person appeared to be very healthy, about 5 - 50 year old Indian male, draped from lower chest to mid calf.  I am not sure if I will be able or need to observe this....it is very much different than attending cremation ceromonies in Bali.  Closer, raw and intense, feels like it deeply touches both heart and soul.   There is nothing hidden here. 

OK I've been on a big roll here using Alfred and Christine's computer - last photos for today. Hope you enjoy them! love from sherry

1) 'very special' elephant and 2) on the road!

Yet another temple!

1) in the coracle, 2) Pilgrims on the river 3) my joyful am hike 4) 2nd group pilgrims by the way I just found out this river has 'gators!

On the Road... taken from front seat of our car! sorry no sound clip of LOUD Indie music

The 3 Wanderin' Indian Women in Hampi - 600 steps up to Hindu Monkey Temple

a Few Snippets... from the India Road

I'm gonna try something - work with me OK?  By the way thanks for reading Wanderin' Womyn's Wawa Wewe!

The whole idea ... and goal is to offer you some of my memories, impressions, and real happenings from the last 7 - 10 days... probably NOT in chronological order or in any meaningful sequence. I...am so not wanting to forget.   Here goes....

* important note: Our Bed and Breakfast in Goa:  we just got back here 3 hours ago and Alfred just served up his special 'feni' a Goa speciality moonshine liquor made from coconuts! Be... Warned drinking and writing :)

* major issue (not so fun) with my right hip... my Massage Therapist buddy Belle worked on me for 2 hours in Hampi and managed to stabilize it.  Could not walk for more than 30 minutes or so depending on the surface.  She thinks it's a  pinched nerve (spine)... so far so good I'm doing great now!  Love that woman!

*Wild and crazy, fun and frightening trip across 2 states with final destination of Hampi - a National Heritage Site.. and rightfully so  PLEASE do a quick google... you just gotta look at the photos if nothing else. then you will understand my temporary insanity about this place.  Hint:  I am in love with rocks, clear blue skies, mixed with miles of monuments, hiking and gawking, photo taking, bird hunting...

* Our Hampi room - hysterical and very expensive but right beside the temples and boulders... beds like plywood, bright blue walls,  curtains that don't quite close.... hey it was great with the 3 of us in there.  good thing we are all pretty easy going (don't choke laughing please) then the monkey's all over the place they will steal everything.  They would be right out on our walkway but we kept the clothes!

* pilgrims - colorfully dressed, bare footed, wandering on a spiritual pilgrimage for 1 - 3 months. We met about 50 of them bathing in the beautiful river running through Hampi, among the huge grey boulders, colorful sarongs spread out to dry and everyone freely bathing in the river.  They have something to teach us about being in the present.  I'm LISTENING!!! Hey, over here! I can learn too!

* took a basket boat ride down the river in Hampi!  Jeez talk about fun...

* up for an early morning hike through the boulders and thrilling to the sun rising in the sky, my heart sings.

* watched Lukihi (something like this spelling...) the 20 year old Temple Elephant have her morning bath in (the same as mentioned above) river.  First she lays on one side, then, as directed by her handler she rolls to the other.  Her handler and his assistant seriously scrubs her with a stiff bristled brush and she lays there gently spraying water over her face or just up in the air (for the hell of it!)   Her morning toilet ritual takes about 45 - 60 minutes, then she is paraded back to the temple where she is decorated (painted) for the day!

*  Gypsy's outside of Hampi, wagons and all!  Had built straw houses (no kidding) looks like a big round pile of straw, only can see lights on inside!

* Pan stores:  sell betel nut and betel nut ground and mixed with tobacco

* 'Highways' are really really interesting... zooming down various width roadways mixed with tons wildly decorated semis, all of us going no more than 80 kms/hour (thank God), then frequent populations of cows (from 4 - 10) goats (10 - 150) covering the entire road surface... oops then there are the tractors... decorated even more wildly than the trucks... with the addition of Indi Music booming from said vehicle and the Indian driver, and crew (in a wagon bumping along behind him) happily bumping along at 20 kms maximum.  Then of course there are the bikes, motorbikes, walking women with wood piled on their head...  men...just walking!

* Monkey's - grabbing at Ellen's purse with hands grasping the zipper. She grabs and moves away.  Monster Monkey stretches out to grab MY backpack... ughhh. 

* Internet was down for nearly 24 hours because monkeys chewed up the power/phone lines

*have successfully achieved some status over breakfast of outma, sira and masala doce, and heavily sweetened chi tea.   apparently I am adjusting.. little do my travel companions know what I would give for a bowl of fresh fruit, yogurt and decaf americano!

* fields of Sunflowers (you know, the guys that are neverending cheerful and without fail turn their heads to follow the sun - isn't that some kind of a miracle?), cotton (yep they grow COTTON), millet, mangos, bananas, chilies ( I see.. chilies spread out on tarps over a 1/2 acre, with men and women tending to them dressed in all colors of sarongs...)

* saw a MONGOOSE run across the road today :)

* sightings of:  Wild Peacocks!!!

* Yesterday morning, bouncing down the 'highway' - a bus load of soldiers on the edge of the road spaced between 8 - 12 feet ... looking out across the field ignoring the rest of the 59 men... peeing in unison!  you can just imagine the laughing and our comments, 'oh they must be trained to pee at exactly 9 am!!!'

* Woke up this morning in Hubli - a tourist-boring city with the best hotel in town being 'Executive /Business Accommodation'  our room was $10 CND/each - I must add, nice new sheets, clean air-con, room service (beer and peanuts please) - to sirens alerting the devote to muslim prayers.

That's it for now!  We are off tomorrow to fly to Calcutta!  Stay tuned...