..and then there was auroville

just a few kilometers from pondicherry was auroville, an odd little city we'd heard about, mainly for its architecture.

since it was relatively close, we thought we would just rent some scooters and zip through the six (or maybe 10.. we never really got a straight answer) kilometers and be back in no time. well, after a few wobbly test runs up and down a quiet street we decided maybe the indian highway wasn't the best place to debut our scooter skills. we settled for regular old bicycles and headed out onto the open (congested) road.

all that for stop?

for a while everything was good. the city traffic cleared out.. we passed furniture workshops and open fields.. we even got a glimpse of the beautiful blue bay. then we hit kilometer five and i thought 'how much more of this?!' luckily my legs came back and i got a hearty second wind. it was about then that we were informed that auroville was, in fact, behind us. we had gone about 5 kilometers too far. whoops.

thatched huts on the path to the water

back we went, in search of a break somewhere before making the turn to auroville, provided we could find it. naturally, we thought of the sea, glittering and blue, tempting us in the 90 degree heat. we hauled our bikes through meters of sand only to find an impassible stretch of water. we forged ahead and made our way to a rather deserted 'resort' area that had apparently been damaged by the recent cyclone. did i mention there had been a cyclone? we changed into our suits in a crude sort of outhouse and took a short dip in the water as fully-clothed and underpants-ed locals looked on.
it was weird. still - bay of bengal: check.

pretty exhausted from biking and daunted at the thought of the 'up and down' road to auroville we bargained for an auto to take us the rest of the way, leaving our bikes locked on the side of the road. this ended up being a very wise decision, as the road to auroville (perhaps metaphorically?) was bumpy. along the way we passed signs for places named things like 'Surrender' and 'Certitude'. yeah, it's that kind of place..

when we finally got to the visitors center we were meant to watch a 10 minute video before getting our passes. we politely (succintly? curtly) declined and luckily they didn't put up a fuss. all the literature surrounding us talked about thing like the Divine Consciousness and seemed to like capitalizing Random Words. after our long day of bike riding, we weren't having it. we spent what turned out to be a rather long walk to view the famed temple (mantri mandir, officially) complaining - completely disregarding the signs for silence, and perhaps in a burst of karma, my dying sandal finally gave out. eventually, though, we made it to the viewing point.

and what was our reward for this long journey?

there she is

that's right. a giant gold golf ball. yes, this was the closest we could get to it. and no, we couldn't go inside. those passes had to be got the day before. incidentally, it's supposed to be quite an experience. all white inside.

we made our way back to the auto just before our pre-negotiated hour cutoff. then it was a rather painless bike ride the five or so kilometers back to pondicherry. thank goodness for a relaxing dinner of fantastic french food.

pretty little pondicherry

i've always been sort of intrigued by pondicherry. initially because it had such a cute name. i mean, pondicherry? it sounds adorable. then when i found out about its major french influence, i was sold. having now spent several months in india almost entirely pastry and non-amul cheese -less, i was hopeful for some authentic food if nothing else.

pondicherry did not disappoint! a charming little town, it boasts both lingering french influences and actual french people - thanks to the prominent ex-pat community. each street has two names, one french and the other vaguely tamil or perhaps the name of a person (confusing for the mailman, i'm sure). the city is divided into sections - french, tamil, muslim etc and bifurcated by a canal that has surely seen better days.

petit déj, anyone?

we stayed at a quaint little guest house (le rêve bleu.. charmant, non?) that seems to be popular with the french set - evidenced by the scene of baguette-tearing and cigarette-chain smoking we came down to in the morning. the french proprietess steered us towards the best bakery in town, baker street (english/sherlock holmes theme but thoroughly french) where we indulged in a breakfast of macarons (basil and vanilla olive oil) and croissants of the regular and almond variety (the latter was the best). french pastries at indian pastry prices? a rare find indeed.

properly stuffed, it was off to explore the city. we rented bikes and cycled around town, meandering here and there and stopping to take very similar pictures about every 30 meters. we made it out to the sea (which we later learned was a bay) and pedaled our way along the shoreline. at some point we stopped along the water at a cafe named, aptly, le café, where we had a lovely breeze and may have even been in the background of a (very cheesy) tamil music video.

colors of pondy

after some more wandering we made our way to a nondescript place farther down the beach for a quick drink as the sun was setting. on the way we stopped to see 'the elephant' who visits the temple each day to bless whoever wants to offer money or fruit. for a few rupees you can experience the warm breath of an elephant as its trunk brushes over your head. for dinner we met a friend of a friend for a rather nice meal - mostly south indian food (think rice and coconuts) with a fancy touch. i had the chicken chetinad - a local preparation - and we shared other seafood and curry dishes as well. delightful!

which kind of sums up pondicherry actually. it was a delight, and we left quite full.

textile text

from the colors and kites of ahmedabad i headed towards the promise of deserts and textiles in kutch. a few hours spent mostly asleep at the back of a sleeper bus (they actually have beds with curtains - kind of like the 'knight bus' in harry potter. and often just as jerky) and i arrived in bhuj, the principal central destination and jumping off point for the area. the guest house i had tracked down was small and simple with a friendly staff.

earthquake damage inside the palace complex

the first day i spent wandering the town, which is rather unremarkable except for the earthquake damage that’s still visible throughout. the quake, in 2001, was fairly disastrous for the region and many of its oldest buildings and the remnants are still around. i saw the aina mahal, the foremost of the city’s few sights, which was little more than a few rooms of a once-great palace. the blue and white-tiled floor and the room covered in mirrors made for quite a sight. i capped off the day with some window shopping – perusing the markets, shops and stalls for embroidery work and snacks.

the next day it was off to discover what i had come here for: textiles! kutch is the home of all things textile in gujarat, which therefore makes it home to some of the best textiles in the country. there are hundreds of villages in the region, each of which specializes in a particular craft, be it embroidery (of all different styles), dyeing, or printing.

so the first day i set off in a rickshaw with lilli, a lovely finnish, london-based lady who takes off the month of december every year to travel and has been making her way through india for the last few of them. we stopped at various points along the way at small villages to wander, take pictures, enjoy chai, or snack on namkeen. we even crashed the early stages of a wedding at one point. ‘tis the season.

displaying her wedding dress

our first craft stop was in bhujodi, known for its embroidery - as many villages are. the work was indeed detailed and beautiful - full of mirrors (actually more of shiny silvery discs) and every color imaginable. the things they produce are amazing and surely take months to create. one can't help feeling though that they would be helped (commercially, at least) by creating items with a color palette that appeals to a more western aesthetic (as opposed to every color you can think of). the pieces we later saw in workshops and cooperatives (run by westerners, often) reflected this notion, but the women whose work we saw in their homes largely didn't.

prints on prints

our next stop was ajrakhpuram, the home of traditional wood block printing. (!!) dr.ismail mohammed khatri's family has been in this business for nine generations and seems to be the only family left in this business. we took a tour of the workshop although it was past 3 and the dr. explained that the sunlight, and therefore work, was largely over for the day. this was disappointing, but still seeing the dyes, long tables laid with cloth, and best of all - dozens and dozens of block designs, was still fascinating. after the requisite chai we were let loose to explore the fabrics and clothes in the cabinets. my excitement must have been noticeable because at some point lilli said 'you're in heaven, aren't you?'. was it that obvious? in the end i curbed my enthusiasm a bit and walked out with some fabric, a scarf and a bag. and the important information that one has to go to a different city/region to buy the actual wood blocks (i smell another trip to gujarat!)

our final, rather abbreviated, stop (too many village stops earlier, i suppose) was in madhapur,  a town that had some handloom work. we saw the giant looms but, again, nobody working them. and i was disappointed to find not handloom textiles but rather predominantly heavy woolen shawls and blankets.

sari i fell in love with

the next day i headed north, up into the bunni region, which requires a government permit for a reason i'm still not sure of. it was a bit farther than the last day's journey and the wind made the trip rather chilly. but along the way there were sights of marshes and all kinds of birds. again it was a day of visiting random little villages that one would never find without a guide. here there are all types of embroidery, including jat and rabari, which each use distinctive stitches and motifs.

desert dwelling

but the villages were also filled with fantastic architecture. traditional round mud huts called bhungs decorated with the ubiquitous gujarati mirrors and carved designs. the interiors were similarly bright - filled with brightly colored walls and carved and mirrored wooden furniture. being me (of course) i also took particular note of the doors. there seem to be so many similarities between these and ones i've seen in north africa. it makes me wonder if there's a universal 'desert' architecture - the mud carvings i also related to the arid landscape of niger and nigeria (or at least what i've seen in photos). at any rate it was as beautiful and ornate as the textiles we saw all over - usually accompanied by arms loaded with plastic bangles and weather-worn smiles.

my final day in the region was spent in mandvi which is a port city known for its beach and ship-building. the beach was incredibly underwhelming - a depressing little stretch of sand with a few snack stands and some horses tethered to stakes. the city itself was similarly unexciting, the 'market' leaving much to be desired (like shops, for instance). the ship-building, however, was an incredible sight. i wasn't expecting much, but tramping around seeing these enormous wooden structures propped up on shore, being made by hand, was pretty awe-inspiring. like watching noah's ark being built. was it worth the 30 rupee/one hour bus ride? yeah probably.

in short kutch was a lovely place with friendly people, unique sights, and of course, colors!

let's go fly some kites

so after my three weeks of travel i dropped in for a pitstop in mumbai (just enough time to get some clothes altered at the tailor and others cleaned from the dhobi), enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather, and decided i really do feel at home in the city.

then i left again.

kites of all colors

this time heading to gujarat for my third trip to ahmedabad. it's quickly becoming one of my favorite cities.. all kinds of architecture.. textiles, of course, and this time.. kites! uttarayan is literally just a festival of flying kites. people all over india enjoy flying kites this time of year, grateful for the winter weather (which still requires sunscreen) and windy days. uttarayan is always celebrated on the 14th, and officially commemorates the lengthening days and moving northward of the sun. and perhaps nowhere is it celebrated more than ahmedabad.

bright pink spinning.. like cotton candy

my first day in the city i visited what are becoming my 'usual places' - namely lucky tea stall (a favorite haunt of the late, great m.f. husain) and dropped some rupees at two standby textile shops. (side note: i found a cohort who's even crazier about textiles than i am! she just bought her third sewing machine, to give you an idea..). i spent the rest of my afternoon searching for kites.. easier said than done! while i had seen scads the night before on the way back from the train station their presence was less than universal. i did eventually find some, along with the sights of kite-preparation: stretching the string and adding the powdered dyes and glass bits (for cutting), spinning on the big wheels, and getting the string onto the spools (which i just found spell-bindingly gorgeous, especially with the lovely gujarati text). i saw several kids practicing in preparation for the big day. and a few of them even invited me into their home behind the kite stand. they were all smiles and giggles, of course.

spools and spools

the next day the festivities began. bright and early people got up and took to their roofs to take advantage of the early morning breezes. i made my way to a friend's friend's house on the other side of the city. there i found out that proper attire for uttarayan consists of sunscreen and hats (often cowboy hats, it seems), and tape around the fingers for the die-hard kite-fighters (remember that glass i mentioned?). we tried our luck getting the kites up and cutting some down - we were even successful a few times though, admittedly, accidentally. it was much fun - fighting the neighbors on nearby rooftops and cheering and gloating when victorious. lapet! we shout (which means 'cut'). we managed to learn the proper ways to string the kites (maybe a few errors), bend them (over your head), and keep them in the air (that part may have been more theoretical on our part). we spent the day between rooftops of various friends, intermittently flying, snacking (chikki is quite popular.. sweets with peanuts or sesame seeds, also these little balls of puffed rice), and dancing when the wind died down. as evening came on and the light began to fade people started lighting paper lanterns and letting them float up into the atmosphere - a truly lovely sight.

but since one day wasn't enough - and the next day was sunday after all - there was another day of festivities. we repeated our actions from the day before - different rooftops, same activities. with perhaps less kite-fighting and more dancing. another gorgeous day with beautiful weather and good company. what more could you ask for?

well, maybe just a little breeze.

northern exposure

as i was headed on a northward train bound for the capital i realized a week ago i had been lying on a beach with sand in my toes. my sunburn was still peeling when i reached delhi and its cold winds. the forecasted highs in 60s turned out to be quite deceptive - as that temperature lasts only for about two hours a day when the sun meekly tries peek out from behind the solid curtain of clouds.

i spent the first few days with my good friend reetika's family - she arrived two days later - enjoying home-cooked food and walking around the neighborhood, including the fancy nearby mall, which was all decked out for christmas. i must say the cold weather made it feel a little more festive.

then my friends arrived and we left for haryana - but of course not without some family input on driving, weather and fog. eventually we were on the road and, lo and behold, the fog was as bad as we had heard. for the last 30 kilometers our speed was probably little better than a determined cow. but we were rewarded with chai and duty free goodies upon our arrival at jimmy's house.

a dewy karnal morning

the next day or two were spent enjoying the sights of the countryside in karnal, getting to know jimmy's family (in town from the US and australia) and, in my case, taking pictures of dewdrops on the roof.

then that night we, and all the guests, were treated to a party. in preparation the women all got henna from the mendhiwalla (which i stupidly didn't take a picture of) and some of us finally got our hair properly done after months of tangles and gel! we got all gussied up and come outside to an awesome setup. jimmy's front yard was transformed - surrounded by tents of white and pinks, with hanging lights, covered tables, chaffing dishes waiting with catered deliciousness, a bar, a dance floor/DJ and a full staff passing out appetizers. these guys don't mess around. and, best of all, since it was a punjabi affair, there was dancing (and bhangra, natch) within the first 20 minutes. even baby zara (jimmy's newest niece, with the absolute cutest cheeks i've ever seen) made and brief appearance on the floor. it was pretty perfect.

but then it was on to amritsar! and my first time in the punjab. we crammed our stuff into the back of a moderate-sized indian car (read: very small by american car standards) and jammed five of us into it. i've said it before, and i'll say it again. that backseat was not meant to be shared by three grown adults. it was a rather painful car ride - imagine being on a plane in the middle seat with no armrests, no ability to get up and walk through the aisles, and no entertainment but old hindi songs (which i generally like, but still). for eight hours. that was about the size of it.

and this was one of the nicer ones!

but we were rewarded with our arrival in amritsar and the softest bed i have slept on in months! the next day was a full day of amritsar - which mean golden temple, wagah border and lots of food. it also happened to be christmas! in india, that apparently amounts to cheesy christmas wares - including uber-creepy santa masks that people walk by wearing/selling - and cruising around in the street all night honking and yelling. but i digress.

golden water

our first stop was the golden temple (officially, harmandir sahib), the holiest site for sikhs and an incredible sight to behold. definitely one of those 'i can't believe i'm here' moments. the gurdwara draws religious pilgrims, of course, but also welcomes anyone - provided your head is covered and your feet are washed. once inside you can see all sorts of families, visitors and faithful taking a dip in the holy water or circumambulating in approach to the inner temple. we took our time enjoying the various views of the gold reflecting on the shimmering water and the white marble tiles. because of intense sunday crowds we made our offerings at a smaller shrine and received our (delicious!) prasad. you can even go back for seconds. now that's a good temple. in seriousness though, it was a pretty incredible experience and one of the most spiritual places i've gone in a very spiritual country.

just look at it glisten

having experienced the quintessential amritsar attraction, it was on to the number 2 thing to do in amritsar: EAT. amritsar has the self-proclaimed 'best food in the world', which apparently means the oiliest. we were lucky to have jimmy, a seasoned amritsar visitor, to hit all the highlights of punjabi cuisine in the city, including the famous kesar da dhaba, down a series of alleys i'm sure i never would have discovered. we had a parade of foods - greasy puffed up puri or thick tasty kulcha, along with various vegetables and paneer that all came with a thin layer of desi ghee floating on top. even the heartiest of eaters among us were thoroughly stuffed after each meal. incredible food, but i don't recommend eating it every day. unless, of course, you're a robust punjabi farmer who works his fields every day. sort of the indian version of a ploughman's lunch.

sun setting on india and pakistan

our next stop was onward to the wagah border, the india-pakistan border, (so close to lahore - only 26 km! - i want to gooo) which i have heard is an experience. we arrived just before the flag lowering ceremony at sunset. my friend and i were ushered through security lines and then sent to sit in the ladies section (our less fortunate male counterparts were relegated to stay outside as seating was full - or so we thought). it was packed and the crowds were excited. it was quite a patriotic display, with flags waving and chanting (long live india, that sort of thing) that i imagine is matched only at cricket matches. one man in a white track suit ran along the road rousing the crowd and inciting cheers. in the midst of this we noticed three guys running across the road to claim some spots on the road down front. yes, it was our friends. evidently they used some bulky SLRs and college IDs to convince the border police they were making a documentary for an american university (did you get permission? oh yes yes). no, i don't know how they would make a documentary with still pictures, either. stop motion animation? at any rate they got in and of course the story has now become requisite in retellings of our trip to amritsar. the border scene looked quite picturesque - the flags and crowd in that golden dusky light - but after a few guards shouting and high-kicking and the simultaneous flag-lowering, it was all over.

reminders

after a small christmas celebration that night (mini tree, santa hats and fruit cake - all available here) we awoke for our final morning in town. we followed a hearty breakfast (naturally) with a trip to jallianwala bagh. the site memorializes the victims of one of the sadder chapters in india's history - a massacre of innocents by british general dyer. 700 was the official death count but other estimates place it at over double that. most moving were the bullet holes in the wall that people tried to scale to escape.

after a quick stop shopping for shoes (which was remarkably quick considering the shoppers included women) and some streetside sweet potatoes (with lemon and spices, of course) we made our way back on the road. another long ride, made bearable only by reetika's ipad and a stop for chai and pakoras at a dhaba.

lemon parathas.. who knew?

eventually we made it back to delhi, where i spent the next few days playing with reetika's nephews, eating, museum-hopping, seeing friends, and (my favorite thing to do in delhi!) shopping. some highlights: sampling different types of parathas at paratha wali gully in chandni chowk, trying the unique changezi chicken, snacking on aloo chaat and getting piping hot momos wherever i could find them. new years was celebrated as it should be, with good friends and good food. (although we missed the midnight countdown..oops) the rooftop bonfire was an added bonus. and at janpath i scored some great kurtas and beautiful scarves at excellent prices (native-approved) and bolstered my confidence in my haggling abilities.

it was a great trip - and wonderful seeing old friends (does two years an old friend make? i say yes) but before i knew it i was speeding back to mumbai in my sleeper train berth. warm weather (goodbye, socks!) and metered autos (god bless those) welcomed me back to bombay, which i'm glad to enjoy. at least until the next trip.

stop and goa

[disclaimer: i realize this is a beach post and that it's winter and probably dreary on the east coast, i do. read on if you'd like, but you've been warned.]

well this was perhaps the most impromptu trip i've ever taken. but it's goa. i always just figured a trip to goa would sort of happen. indeed it did. my friend had invited my roommate and me to join her for her half-marathon/long weekend in goa. my roommate complied and, as soon as my plans freed up (friday, fewer than three hours before the bus was set to leave) i found myself booking a ticket. i had had a rough week, i justified to myself. i hurriedly threw a swimsuit, a few shirt and skirts into a bag and ran out to get the bus. so fast, in fact, that i walked right through a cowpie outside my apartment i had carefully avoided all day (yes, still wet). no matter! goa goa! onward.

well, come to find out, i needn't have hurried quite so much. i found myself waiting with a dozen or so other people on the curb next to a busy highway. buses sped by every few minutes and either zoomed by or slowed slightly to watch for potential passengers. i was starting to get nervous until i ran into my roommate, whose bus was supposed to have left an hour before mine. we called the bus conductor and realized my bus would be at least 30 minutes late (go figure). eventually it arrived, i took my pitiful (obviously last available) seat in the middle of the back row (yes, the 5 across row) and attempted to sleep despite being hurtled forward by the lurching bus every 5 minutes. one of the least pleasant nights i've spent anywhere (and, let's remember, i once spent a night in a bus station). my companions didn't fare much better - one slept next to the alternate driver's bed, the other next to a guy who puked all night. and all three of our buses got flat tires. but eventually we made it to goa, and that was all that mattered.

we spent a day in vasco, a nothing sort of a city that boasted little else besides the half marathon the following day. we took advantage of the proximity to go up to old goa and wander around the churches and museum (not a bad museum, i have to say. by indian standards anyhow.) the museums were interesting as i think they always are here, but i was surprised to see that they weren't decorated for christmas at all. after all, isn't christmas the time to go to goa?? although on the way home we did hear some particularly awful christmas music coming from a market, saw one church promenade lit up with lights and witnessed a skit performed under a banner that proclaimed 'mary's boy child.' oh my.

we took it easy, for rachel's sake, but also because we were all exhausted from our respective bus rides. that crazy girl woke up at some ungodly time that began with a 4 to go run 21 kilometers. kristen and i dragged ourselves out of bed around 8 but didn't manage to beat her to the finish line to watch. the race, cleverly, ended on the beach. so we took pictures of her with her medal and took a celebratory dip (wade) in the sea.

golden fried prawns, anyone?

and then, off to colva! the real beach. we arrived, we changed into bathing suits and practically ran to the water. we passed stands with sarongs, wine shops and cashews. but the three of us, all total beach bums, would not be deterred. we made our way through the so-called indian beach (what you probably would imagine - crowded. and full of people in full clothing (saw some belts. belts!) or underwear. (swimsuits, people!) and ended up on the more isolated, so-called russian beach (more on that later). we plopped ourselves down at the first restaurant/shack there, claimed some padded lounge chairs and made our way straight to the ocean.

doesn't get much better

dear. lord. that water was as warm as i have ever felt. like floating in a giant bathtub. we dove into waves, got sand in our ears, floated on our backs and soaked in the sun. in between splashing in the water we read, sat on the sand, and stuffed ourselves with fried seafood. your basic beach behavior. waiters came by at intervals to check on us or just to chat, with typical indian hospitality. around happy hour, whenever we decided that was, we got some cocktails. fresh mint mojitos? piña coladas? (did i mention goa has the cheapest alcohol in india and mumbai has the most expensive?) accompanied by a hookah at sunset. we watched the sun go down until they sky turned gray, the lights came on, and the locals started playing volleyball.

the following day was more or less a repeat of the first. with a few small additions/annoyances. goa isn't perfect, after all (though it is awfully close). the first came at breakfast the second morning. we arrived at 8.15, where we thought we would be one of the first to get our free nosh. well we hadn't counted on the russians. remember the russians i mentioned? well they're everywhere. signs all over are in cyrilic, just as in pushkar they were in hebrew. it seemed every guest at the hotel had descended on the breakfast at once, jostling each other for jam, pushing kristen out of the way when the much-awaited potatoes arrived. someone even stole my toast from the toaster! we tried to steer clear, but this was easier said than done. as a group they had rather boxy frames (and usually haircuts to match). the russians at our beach bar were little better. they communicated in russian, or grunts. the only english i heard was from one very surly russian who snarled, in a stereotypical boris badenov accent 'i will kill you' and went on to order the waiter to bring him his juice in two minutes. what a pain having juices prepared with such fresh fruit!

(i should add here that i have nothing against the russians, nor am i trying to generalize about them as a whole. i'm just trying to describe the general demeanor of the ones we happened to meet.)

but no matter, we had a beach to get to. of course this as well was fraught with some obstacles (albeit ones we generally could avoid). walking through any stretch of crowded beach usually resulted in some sort of surreptitious - or blatant - picture-taking. on rare occasions, people would ask if they could take our pictures. uh, no.

all in all, though, we really couldn't complain. except of course, when it came to leaving. our last half day was spent trying to soak up every last drop of beachy goodness we could. we laid in the sun until it hurt, got smacked around by waves and ordered as much seafood as we could stomach. all the while getting more and more upset at the prospect of having to leave. kristen and i had an out-and-out tantrum when the kind of fish we wanted wasn't available for lunch. (alright, we weren't quite that bad, but we definitely got a little whiny/obnoxious) grudgingly, we made our way off the beach and got the essentials on the way out of town - cashews, cheap wine, sleeping pills for the bus, and frozen yogurt to soften the blow. before we knew it, we were on a sleeper bus driving in the opposite direction from the beach. (why?)

perfect end to a perfect day

and now, here we are, back in bombay and resenting every minute of it. haha, i don't know what it was about goa that made us such piggy little beach bums. maybe it's the crowds and chaos we deal with day-to-day in mumbai. maybe it's that i haven't been in a real sea in so long. or maybe goa is just amazing.

yup, that must be it.
is it too soon to book tickets back?

all in the families

i've spoken a little bit before about the hospitality i've encountered in india. well, here comes some more. i went to ajmer on something of a whim after pushkar. (i can only take so much dreadlocks and ali baba pants, you know) i texted a friend (really more of an acquaintance, at the time) that i'd be in ajmer asking for recommendations. seconds later, he called me giving me his parents' number and told me i would be staying with them.

nom nom namkeen

sure enough, a few days later i hopped off the bus in ajmer and was greeted by a grinning, friendly-faced man in a baseball cap who flagged me down and took me straight to his home. there i was offered chai and namkeen (tasty fried snacks, which just about everyone has just made during diwali) for the first of dozens of times in the subsequent days. we chatted, we rested, we shared meals together in a little picnic on the bed, we watched tv, we took walks on the roof (back and forth, back and forth), we visited family. overall it was lovely and relaxing.

entering the dargah, loaded with offerings

his parents were both busy with work during the day but i managed to get into the city and explore it a bit. i didn't do the fort, which is perhaps the biggest (literally, in any case) attraction in the city. i saw some mughal architecture here and there. and i even saw the craziness of the chisti dargah on bakri id/eid al-adha. it's a big muslim pilgrimage site on any given day, but on one of the more important islamic holidays the streets were particularly bustling. interesting how religious events here - whatever religion - seem to include offerings, whether they be flowers, candles, or foods.

old streets of ajmer

aside from people watching, i did my own roaming around the city and doing two of my favorite things (shopping and taking pictures). i wandered around the old streets, popping into havelis here and there, admiring doorways, and attracting a lot of confused stares (as usual. but then i was pretty far out of tourist turf here). i stopped on a whim for some mosambi juice or a little daal ka halwa when the mood struck.

rolls and rolls

i also indulged in my latest obsession - buying trim! in theory i'm buying trim (or ribbon, but ribbon just makes it sound like i'm wrapping a christmas present) that will match fabric i've bought for kurtas, though some are just too pretty not to buy. i'll find a purpose for them later. plus they're so cheap (even compared to bombay prices)! after i had had my fill of shopping (chappals, incense, snacks, glass bangles, and snacks for the train) i tracked down a rickshaw, haggled for a decent price back to the family's house, and silently reminded myself to be grateful i live in a city where i never have to do that.

that night, as i said, was eid, and i found out we had been invited to a dinner at a muslim friend's home. delicious mutton with plenty of oil - yum! only then did i realize that i couldn't remember the last time i'd had meat (non-veg, here). i tried not to stuff myself too much which ended up being a very good thing, since from there we went directly to a wedding, where i was presented with a smorgasbord of snacks and desserts. i managed to make room for dahi wada, halwa, and gulab jamun, but had to pass on the dosas (and many other things, i'm sure). i even managed to make my way to the dance floor for some good old bollywood dancing with some perfect strangers. i could have stayed longer (my friend later told me his mother said it was 'hard to get me off the dance floor'.. oops) but still it was a fun night.

from there it was a sad goodbye to a new family and hello to a new one. i took the night train (my first in sleeper class, totally fine!) to indore and was greeted by a car and driver. this family, parents of my mom's neighbors and friends, lives right in indore in a really lovely, airy house with pale blue walls. i was of course offered the requisite tea and a chance to 'get fresh'. i happily took a sorely-needed shower before a delicious homemade lunch.

traffic jam

the next day i was taken to mandu, a town that was 2 hours of winding, often bumpy roads from indore. in addition to the driver, i was joined by uncle and the 12-year old daughter of family friend's. she graciously shared her music with me, asking me every other song if the (american) musicians were famous in the US. to her continual shock, they all were. and that, my friends, is how i was graced with the sounds of the jonas brothers for the first time. if you haven't had this experience, you're not missing much. the same few chords along with repetitions of the same inane lyrics, pretty much what you'd expect. on the way back we listened to hindi music, which was much more my speed (because in india my music tastes are about equivalent to that of a pre-teen). the other highlight of the drive was the herds and herds of sheep and be-turbaned shepherds we passed on the roads. like a sea of wool!

now that's a window

at any rate, mandu itself wasn't much. at one point there were something like 40 or 50 mughal forts and palaces spread across the town, of which only a few remnants remain. we explored three or four of the bigger ones and there were some interesting elements. sadly this also coincided with my camera acting up, but i did at least get the shot i came to get (see right). it's a pity the forts, and roads, aren't better maintained. but such things are not always priorities.

in indore itself we saw the typical things.. a musty old out of place baroque palace and a rather pitiful museum. there are good things here, but generally the state of these city museums is rather sad! i'd love to give them some TLC if someone would let me. we also saw the glass temple, a jain temple that certainly lives up to the moniker. every inch of the place is glass! no photography, of course, but it was quite a sight to behold.

sabudana khichdi, nice and spicy!

the main reason i came to indore (besides meeting up with family of friends) was twofold: eating and shopping. i was completely taken care of in both regards. i showed the family a list of a few things i had heard or read i should try in indore. upon seeing the list, uncle popped out to get me one dish (subudana khichdi - YUM) for breakfast and auntie planned to make another for lunch (baingan ka bharta, a delicious eggplant dish, with baajre ki roti, some of tastiest i've had), which she also showed me how to make. i was thoroughly spoiled! and then for shopping we headed out for some textile shopping. i was taken directly to the cloth market and directed to the best shop. there was no shortage of great materials and i had great fun, as usual, poring over them and matching colors. i walked out with 9 new fabrics (i may have a problem!) and a smile on my face.

in the few hours before my last meal in the city i spent time with auntie looking at lovely old pictures and going through her beautiful saris. by the time i left indore (another night train), i really did feel like i was part of the family. the goodbyes on the platform very nearly got teary.

i had an absolutely lovely trip and it really is because of the wonderful people i've met. it seems the more places i go to, the more i need to re-visit. it never ends! but i don't suppose that's a bad thing.

pushing off to pushkar

well, we've arrived in november, which means i'm entering my third month here. it's funny, at home november is always my least favorite month. the sky gets bleak and gray, the weather turns from a crisp autumn chill to harsh winds and cold rains, and all those pretty leaves turn to brown crunchiness. in india, of course, i've had none of that. i have to say i've missed the fall - i've never really lived anywhere without one - the scenery, the pumpkins, the candy corn (thankfully i had some help on that front), but i can't say i miss the idea of long nights and winter coats. here, though, november is usually one of people's favorite months. monsoons and hot weather have more or less subsided and winter is setting in. now people can take leisurely walks in the evening or sit out on their terraces and read. it makes sense of course but still i'm always struck by this sort of climatic 180 - looking forward to winter rather than summer is so foreign to me. of course none of this applies much to mumbai, where it stays temperate to hot and humid year-round. maybe it's the hot, monotonous weather that was making me feel restless. whatever the reason, i was anxious for a change of pace and some new scenery.

so, with a hop, skip and a jump - or a plane, auto and a bus - i found myself in pushkar. after seeing the unabashedly jacked-up hotel prices and hearing warnings of overcrowding, i was surprised at being able to find a room the day before i arrived (seems to be how i generally plan my accommodations here..) but the hotel was close to the bus stop, within walking distance to everything (it's a tiny town), and i was able to haggle a good price on my room. so all was well.

offerings ready for the devout

i spent the first few hours wandering around the town by myself. it's your typical touristy little town. although it's an interesting mix of foreigners (there for pushkar fair and to experience general rajasthani glitz)/hippies (in a word, drugs) and hindu pilgrims (to take a dip down by the ghats or to visit one of very few brahma temples for prabodhini ekadashi, a long-named festival). this seems to result in lots of signs in hebrew and restaurants boasting pizza alongside vendors with flower malas and prasad. and of course all manners of typical rajasthani crafts - leather chappals, wide-eyed moustachio'ed puppets, and transparent dupattas lined with shimmering gold.

a sunset worthy of a holy destination

i meandered down to the lake, wandering through alleys with houses and down steps festooned with marigolds. the water is quite peaceful and lovely but the experience is somewhat spoiled by people constantly approaching you to put a flower in the water (no disrespect to the religious aspect but they way they accost tourists has become such a schtick, it feels almost smarmy somehow) or to scold you for taking pictures (of the sky? come on, man). to be fair, though, they do get an awful lot of tourists, many of whom are very disrespectful, i'm sure. and i did enjoy a particularly lovely sunset there.

camel with the desert-ed carnival

i was later joined by two other fulbrighters, an older german/now american(?) spouse of another scholar and a younger professor from new york (an odd couple to say the least). we explored the ghats in the morning light, walked through the familiar lanes of shops and made our way to the fairgrounds. first you wind your way through rows of horse and camel gear - ropes, bridles, bits and decorative flair - and then you arrive on the main street, lined with food vendors of all kinds and families with cookware or shoes laid out on blankets to sell. next comes the carnival portion of the grounds. a jungle of metal bars and dragon heads. i never saw any of the rides in motion, just a few men tinkering here and there. hard to tell if they were setting up or taking down. past this section, at last we see the animals. camels, horses and tents over the rolling dunes as far as the eye can see. some of the men are bringing the camels to the few water troughs, the more industrious ones have carts to tote people and are trolling for tourists to cart along, but most are tending to campfires or squatting near tents smoking beedis. i did see a few transactions going on too. the real pushkar fair. we wound our way through the rows of camels and horses, trying to avoid eye contact with all the various hawkers and dolled-up girls who try to give everyone mehndi (yes, even men). 

leading camels

eventually we made our way to the fairgrounds, a large open space bounded by ropes and seats. we claimed a spot in the shade and watched a rather unsettling pre-show act, a man who touted his children's abilities to contort themselves, shimmy to music, or walk a tightrope (the latter was rather impressive, the rest odd). then the 'main event' began. the main event of the prescribed tourist-approved activities that day being the 'camel dance'. we, and the hundreds of other gawkers, gathered around a tiny pen, leaving the bulk of the seating around the arena empty. not well thought out, this design. the festivities began with a dog jumping through a hoop that was subsequently set on fire. then the camels. each came out one by one, invariably led by a man who proceeded to run it in (very small) circles inside the pen and then performed various tricks. sometimes having the camel lie down and lying on top of it, other times standing up on its back. all the while the camels were making those horrendous noises and it seemed clear from the amount of fight they put up that they weren't too happy. the subsequent horse tricks were a little more palatable. but we left halfway through, tired of sitting cramped behind the biggest dreadlocks i've ever seen (literally) watching tethered animals.

pots for offerings

evidently the more authentic cultural activities began after a few days, coinciding with the religious festival. i spent my last night there eating momos (in india, where there are tourists, there are tibetan shops/restaurants) and practicing two language with jeevan, my new half-french, half-indian friend. (he splits his time between the countries - i've never been so jealous of a 3-year old) i did get a glimpse at the cultural festivities though. the next morning i was strolling around to catch some last glimpses in that beautiful morning light when all of a sudden i found myself in the middle of a procession, with marigolds flying from all directions. (this was all fun and festive until i got splashed with jalebi oil! my poor purple kurta is ruined) there were various 'floats' rolled along on trucks, people marching, drummers, and of course, tons of flowers. it was quite a sight.

the aftermath

while i wish i could (and probably should) have stayed longer in pushkar i was feeling restless and had a family to meet in ajmer by the end of the weekend. such is my life. always pushing off to somewhere.

good golly, diwali

finally! the long-awaited diwali celebrations are upon us. we could tell the holiday season was fast approaching because a) signs and ads all over feature diwali sales and b) it sounded like WWIII outside our window. for those of you who aren't familiar, diwali is the festival of light (it's most often, and aptly, described as christmas and the fourth of july rolled into one) though really it's more like the festival of light and sound.

strands of lights at crawford market

at any rate, i tried to get a feel (look, sound, whatever) for the festival from all angles. i started out down at crawford market, where i had been advised to wander around to see lanterns. upon arriving my roommate and i recalled why we had said we'd never come back here. it's quite crowded - with vehicles and people - which seems to make people think they can elbow you for no good reason. and most of the stuff they sell is, well, crap. and worst of all, no lanterns! at least none to speak of. a few cheap crappy ones with ganesh printed on the side. disappointing. what we did find, though, were lights. every little electrical shop and alley was filled with strands of colored lights of all varieties.

they don't look quite so cheap when it's dark and they're lit up

fortunately, i had better luck when i arrived in thane, a suburb of mumbai that's a pretty good hike (though easily accessible from the train), where my advisor happens to live. after some shopping (believe it or not, we drove all the way back to crawford market) and lunch we went out in the evening for different shopping. this time it included clothes and, luckily for me, some lantern spotting. there are all different varieties, as you can see, but they're virtually all made in china. there are a few that are still made locally but they're hard to find and seem to run out quickly. i've seen options for making your own as well, though i didn't try my hand at it this time around.

apartment complex on diwali-eve

later that evening we also went to a small local fair that had a set of stalls - carnival games, bangle vendors, dried fruit and salted fish - and a stage where a mythological play was being performed by villagers from a town in maharashtra. my advisor took me backstage, where i had very awkward encounters with the actors putting on their makeup (i was assured this was okay!) and tentatively took pictures as they stared back at me blankly. i saw a bit of the play but we didn't stay long. as i couldn't understand a word of the marathi, that was fine with me. the ride back (on the back of my professor's wife's scooter!) was lovely. with the wind in my hair, i had a great view of all the lights of the city.

smoke, crowds and general chaos

and the next day was diwali! we woke up early to take baths with special oils and then, feeling 'fresh', put on our new clothes. sukhada (my advisor's daughter) and i went down to the nearby lake, where all the 'youngsters' gather in the morning to set off crackers (firecrackers, that is. india has this penchant for abbreviating). as expected, it was loud and crowded with scooters, people, and smoke. all over, friends were meeting (or trying to meet) and greeting each other with a hearty handshake and a 'happy diwali'. we met some friends of sukhada's too, who insisted on taking us out for lunch and then (other friends) for coffee. sukhada acquiesced, despite her 1:00 deadline (a journalist never gets to rest). we did also stop to get some crackers, naturally. the roadside stands are very reminiscent of those in the states, with just as much variety but probably fewer safety regulations.

clay diyas - some plain, some painted

from there sukhada headed to the office and i headed back to my 'hood, where shops were open and festivities were in full swing. the area around my house was transformed for diwali too, of course. vegetable vendors had added lanterns to their wares, in front of the sweet shop was a stand with colors for rangolis, and on the ground nearby baskets full of clay diyas, or small oil lamps. i bought myself a variety of small items to get myself in the diwali spirit (and perhaps a few sweets as well..) before heading home.

boys lighting sparklers (after all the big stuff was gone)

that evening i set out for juhu beach, just north of my area. i first stopped at the ymca, to the boys' home that i just started visiting. i was late for the diwali festivities, evidently, but was nevertheless eagerly greeted with many handshakes and 'happy diwalis'. the boys set off firecrackers for quite some time. it's kind of the perfect holiday for boys (and plenty of girls too, i should say) - it's loud, you get to play with fire, and people give you sweets. no wonder my friends have such fond memories. they squeezed every possible bit of entertainment from those firecrackers, even scraping the shrapnel paper strips across the floor for a pop-pop-pop sound. it was nice to see them all so excited.

rocket launch

from there i walked just down the beach a few minutes to an entirely different celebration. our affluent and very well-connected friend 'bullet' (yes, everyone calls him this) had us over and we were greeted by a large table full of indian foods and iranian sweets brought back, no doubt, from someone's recent trip and/or layover. once we had our fill we headed up to the building's roof where we, along with a few other friends and neighbors, set off fireworks for at least two hours. we had a smattering of all varieties - slithering snakes, 'strobe lights', spinners, and of course a host of rockets and loud bombs. i had fun setting them off but even more fun playing around taking pictures. kristen, and the 5 year old neighbor's son, were skeptical at first but eventually got into it, trying to see what and how many they could set off next. in between our own firework fun, of course, there were the sights and sounds of crackers being set off all around us. we were told it was much less than in past years, but to us it still sounded like artillery shells being set off all around us. it's dissipated somewhat, in the days since, but there are still the occasional kabooms that momentarily make us think we're in a civil war zone.

so there you have it! a successful diwali, i would say. may you and your loved ones be blessed with peace and prosperity in the new year. and all that stuff.

mumbai movie mania

well after all this travel it feels really good to get back into the city and stay put for a while. at last i've been able to feel settled in my place - i've found a tailor, got myself a pressure cooker.. things are starting to come together. i was also glad to be back in town in time for the mumbai film festival! at home i'm something of a movie junkie (except in richmond - which has an appalling lack of art theaters, especially for all the art students and hipsters it has) and i try to see interesting ones when time and budget allows.

the mumbai film festival, now in its 13th year, has become pretty big and internationally respected. this year it boasted 200 films from all over the world. and, being in india, it's also probably one of the more affordable film fests to attend (i was able to get a student pass - unlimited movies for 7 days for Rs 700 = $15). also, being in india, it was probably one of the more crowded film festivals. the lines for some of the highly anticipated films were over two hours! but perhaps this is normal at film festivals; i don't have much of a frame of reference here.

i thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this event and tried to make the most of my pass (though it was a pretty busy week). i ended up seeing some wonderful films that i thought i would share. it's true, this is perhaps not very travel-related. buut, it's my blog so too bad. if you're not interested in movies, read no further.

pather panchali (india, bengali)
the film festival had a nice mix of new movies and classics films, both indian and international. i took the chance to see the first of satyajit ray's monumental apu series on a big screen. and in style, i might add. this was in the director's gold theater, which meant everyone sat in their own armchair. i'm talking lazyboy-style recliner here, with a footrest and everything. but i'm getting off track. it is a satyajit ray film, so it's definitively in the category of 'art film'. as such it may often be described as slow or boring. but what he's done with point of view - telling the story through the eyes of little apu - and the subject matter (rural poverty) he brought to the fore, was groundbreaking. a great way to kick off my film fest experience, with a little indian film history.

deool (india, marathi)
the image for this film doesn't do it justice. (i might add, though it should be obvious, that the images here aren't mine. i mention this primarily because i generally like to use only my own images) though i suppose it does portray the dichotomy at work in the town. some people would dismiss this film out of hand because it's in marathi. but i don't think the language was chosen to be regionalistic or exclusionary, but rather for a sense of authenticity. the movie takes place in a village in maharashtra - a setting which contemporary indian films have largely strayed from. the film itself is really about breaking down and subverting typical stereotypes of indian villages as well as exploring the nature of religion and commercialism today. this is particularly poignant in the character of kesha (no dollar sign), a good but simple man who struggles with these ideas within himself. a wonderful film and thoroughly entertaining - with plenty of laughs and even a few item numbers. it releases in november in india - go check it out!

labrador/out of bounds (denmark, danish)
this movie wasn't my first choice. or even my second, actually. the lines for 'the artist' (showing on two screens!) proved too long and 'chinese take out' was rescheduled so i ended up seeing this movie without being entirely sure what to expect. but it was actually about what one might expect from a typical 'artsy' film. slow, pensive and rather bleak in both setting and subject. i think this film could best be encapsulated as an exploration of identity, with each of the three characters isolated on a tiny scandinavian island grappling with themselves and their relationships to one another. it took an odd turn that was sort of unsettling but i'm guessing the director intended this turn of events to startle the viewer and expose the extremes and complexities of human desire.


arranged happiness (germany, kashmiri/english)
there seems to be no end to movies that deal with the notion of arranged marriages. it's a topic that evidently still fascinates the west and this director created a personal documentary in attempts to better understand and explain the phenomenon on a closer level. the film dealt with the proposed marriage of the director's then-boyfriend's (now husband's) sister to a neighboring family in kashmir. it chronicled this entire process while also examining the director's relationship to ashiq, the bride's brother and how their relationship is played out (largely in secret) with the family. it's an interesting and intimate look at the process of marriage and one that is refreshingly apolitical. i didn't find the editing or cinematography of the film particularly outstanding but the story itself unfolds nicely and has some pleasant images.

toast (UK, english)
what a lovely film. and one that further corroborates my theory that all movies starring young british boys are delightful (see also: millions, son of rambow, finding neverland, about a boy, etc etc). the premise itself is charming, a10-year old boy who yearns for all things gourmet but, in the character's own words, 'has never eaten a vegetable that didn't come from a can'. his passion for food plays out throughout the more troubling events in his life (helena bonham carter plays a sort of wicked stepmother) and becomes a source of joy in an increasingly bleak existence. the movie ends on a high note and leaves a good taste in your mouth, so to speak.

stanley ka dabba (india, hindi)
back to back movies about food. warning: don't watch this movie if you're hungry! (and happen to love indian food) every conceivable type of food and snack is represented here (yes even vada pav - it was filmed in mumbai after all). the film was a heartwarming story of stanley, an incredibly adorable child. one of those 'unfortunates with a heart of gold' types. you don't learn stanley's whole story right away, but you're drawn to his good natured ways and clever charm. the film shows one side of the inequalities of society without being over the top dramatic or utterly devastating. this film will certainly put a smile on your face and a growl in your stomach.

breakfast, lunch, dinner (china/ thailand/singapore, mandarin/thai/malay)
this film, oddly, had little to do with food at all. in reality it was three films, all asian in origin, that happened to include different meals. the stories also shared the common thread of marriage, which was addressed in very different ways. the films, having different directors, naturally had individual narrative styles. but they all seemed to share a sense of loneliness - whether it was in a bleak deserted chinese park in winter, or the hauntingly empty streets of singapore by night. i think each film really addressed that notion on a metaphysical level as well - the idea of being alone with someone else and how the concept of marriage fits into that. each of the films made use of very long shots of simple actions (or little action at all) which could have bordered on the tedious but i thought the technique was effective as a means of getting the audience to totally feel a part of that setting. not a power punch of a film but a quiet meditation on what it means to be alone and together.

habemus papum (italy, italian)
i was totally intrigued by the storyline here: a behind-the-scenes look (well, interpretation - it's fictional) at the selection of a new pope. i thought the story would end with the selection itself but in reality that's just where the story began. with moments of humor and little winks of tongue in cheek satire the film addresses the intersection between holy and divine that the pope must necessarily negotiate. i'd love to get some of my catholic friends' perspective on the film as well. tragically, i had to leave this film early to catch the artist (having waited for 30 minutes in line and still missed it before. and i should add that this film screening began 30 minutes late so that threw me off) but i really would love to see the end of it as it seems like the director was building to something particularly poignant.

the artist (france, english)
as i alluded to earlier, this film was probably the cornerstone of the film festival (images of it adorned much of the festival's publications) and easily one of the most - if not the most - highly anticipated film. and it was well worth the wait! like many before it, this film is an homage to the movies themselves. a silent film, it deals with the beginning of the golden age of film and the shift to talkies. think of a cross between 'singin' in the rain' and 'sunset boulevard'. the film was made beautifully and the casting was absolutely spot on. the protagonist, george valentin, seemed to be a mix of (appropriately) rudolph valentino and gene kelly. it was refreshing that this film got the attention it did. in a festival full of movies that try to push boundaries and to, in some cases, be edgy for the sake of being edgy, it was nice to see a sweet, simple film that honored the idea of entertainment itself and reminded us why we were all there in the first place.

pina (germany, various)
along with 'the artist' was perhaps the other most anticipated film showing at the festival (though lars von trier's 'melancholia' was a popular draw as well). and not just because it was in 3D. the film was an homage to the late pina bausch, a monumental german dancer and choreographer who died in 2009. though i hadn't heard of her before this film, the impact of her work was made clear not only through her work but by the devotion and admiration of her dancers. pina herself was evidently somewhat reclusive and so the film unfolds largely through performances interspersed with statements from the dancers themselves. the dances were visually stunning, provocative and cerebral, meditating on ideas of the cycle of life and gender in society (at least that's what i got!) the performances themselves were enhanced with a thoughtful use of 3D technology (not this gratuitous crap we get in hollywood. justin bieber 3D, really?). plus i'm always interested to see how people interpret the seminal 'rite of spring'. though i would have liked to see more of pina herself performing, it's clear that her legacy really lives on in the dancers she's trained and the spirit of the dances she has created. a visually stunning film to end my festival experience.

all in all, despite some issues (technical problems with films, overcrowding and crazy lines) i thoroughly enjoyed the film festival. i wished i could have seen more movies but i think i still made the most of the pass within my means. furthermore, i walked out of every film with that sensation of 'where am i..?', an indication of the transportive (it's a word, i checked) power of the medium itself.