words of silence

Just popping in quickly to let you all know that I am still around! I haven't just forgotten about writing in this space, quite the opposite in fact. There is not a day goes by that I'm not wishing I had a spare minute to share some pics or type up a new recipe or show off some garden produce. 

And I do actually have the odd half hour in which I could sit down, open up the 'new post' page, add a few photos and........... write?? Yes, it's that last bit that has become so difficult to achieve lately. I simply haven't got the head space to think about what to write. There's a lot of random thoughts floating around in my brain, and lots more thoughts of tasks and to-do lists but nothing that becomes coherent on paper. Well, except perhaps the shopping list!! 

So, I am silent. The words that are jostling around in there, that are jumping and straining to be let loose and be created, are tamped down and contained and left to ferment into something other than what they were born as.

 I'll be back, though!! 

postcard from India (5)

Hello again!!

I just wanted to tell you a little bit about street life here in the city of Rishikesh..... and it's a very varied street life! There are certain areas where the tourists go, and there are other areas where life goes on from day to day. I spent most of my time in the tourist areas but also had a look around the rest of the city just to compare it to Allahabad, and see if life flows on the same here in the north as it does there. 

 I've concluded that Indian life is much the same in both. Although these people are much more used to Westerners and seem to have a different sense of time from those in Allahabad, they still don't have the urgency and intensity of western people. The main difference I noticed, was that even though they all  work hard, they are driven by the clock, and don't have as much time for chai breaks at the drop of a hat!! 

Overall its a much cleaner city than Allahabad. The water and air are much better, although the noise pollution is just as bad. It's really a great place to visit, and its rather relaxing if you can find a hotel a little out of the way from the noise, but still close enough to walk to everything. 

Overlooking the city from Laxman Jhula bridge. It takes 25 minutes to walk from my hotel to this part of town. This bridge is a suspension bridge that only takes pedestrians and motor bikes. Everywhere you can walk, the motor bikes can go as well, so you always have to keep one ear on where the bikes are going!! Being a pedestrian in India is far too hectic, really!! 

The view from my favourite cafe overlooking the Ganga. This was just a great spot to come and relax and meet people. I had so much fun and good conversation in this place and the owners were very nice and didn't care how long you stayed or what you did. 

Incidentally, the cost for food is so cheap in India - for three great meals with dessert and drink, I lived really well and only paid about $8 a day. 

Typical street scape in the market place in Rishikesh. It can be very crowded with people an bikes and there's always a lot of cows everywhere you go. There are markets all over the city and they are lots of fun. 

I thought this friendly fellow looked rather cool!! 

There's always a seedy side to life in India and Rishikesh is no exception. Cattle in this city (like most cities in India) never eat grass and instead eat all the rubbish thats left around. I've seen them eat plastic bags and they love cardboard boxes.....mmmm yum!! 

This guy was great. He's got a good sense of humour and is just there to keep the tourists entertained really. His costume is handmade and has some relation to past Indian culture but I cant tell you more than that. Most of the beads that he wears are mantra beads and theres a certain number of them. I think you use them like you would rosary beads. 

  

The local popcorn guy. Great popcorn but if you looked closely at the wok he cooks it in, then you probably wouldn't buy any. I've seen popcorn vendors in every city I've been in. 

Typical street vendor. I dont buy food from these guys anymore, after being sick in Allahabad, but its generally very yummy. I don't know what he's cooking here, but the cooking pot looks rather scundgy! 

We think this guy might be a eunuch, but were not quite sure. There's still over 2 million eunuchs in India today. 

I got a big smile out of this lady, after I made a few jokes and told her how beautiful she was. Of course, she got a few rupees as well. 

This old lady makes her living from cooking these things (can't remember the name of them). She sits here day after day, year after year. She always smiles and I'm happy to give her some money to help her life a bit. 

This lady lives where she sits, with her husband and their two year old son. All their possessions are just to the right, out of the picture. They beg for money by day and sleep here at night. It's such a common sight here in India, although the level of poverty in Rishikesh is nothing like Allahabad. 

See you all soon, I fly home shortly!! 

postcard from India (4)

Hi everyone!!

I'm in Rishikesh at the moment, which is in the northern part of India, right at the bottom of the Himalaya's. It's a very scenic place and the yoga capital of the world. 

The Beatles made it famous in the 60's! 

Right now, Rishikesh is hosting the International Yoga festival and this also coincides with the arrival of some very important Baba's and Guru's from all over the world. Of course, I'm not here for any of that, just to relax really, but its brought a lot of foreigners from far flung countries and it's been great meeting some of them and having fun!

There are loads of temples and holy people in Rishikesh which I've enjoyed visiting, especially the temples up on the mountains near here. At some of these temples, if you go at the right time of the day, you can sit and experience the ceremonies and get a feel for the religion and culture, which goes back thousands of years. It's fascinating to see. 

India has a very long history - Varanasi to the south of here is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.  

Can't really tell you the history of this place, but it's a very famous temple and ashram right next to the Luxman Jhula Bridge. It attracts thousands of tourists every year, and I think it's also a yoga centre. 

This is a small temple up in the mountains that my friend and I came across quite by accident. We went hiking to find a temple called Kunjapuri, which we were told was about a 3 hour hike, but after hiking for 6 hours and covering around 15 km's we were getting really tired and dehydrated. When we saw this place we stopped here to pray for our health and buy some water and coconuts from the local street seller. 

Small temples like this are everywhere in India. You wouldn't walk more than 1km without seeing one. 

 Another temple right next to Ram Jhula bridge. I don't know anything about this one but it's very popular with the locals. It's very attractive and is certainly a land mark in this part of the city. 

This is part of the temple complex at the Ganga (Ganges). It's a very large, beautiful place tended by the monks at the ashram across the street. In fact, it's spotless and is home to the Ganga Aarati. 

This is the Ganga Aarati. It starts every evening at about 6pm. It's attended everyday by lots of locals and tourists and is just the most incredible thing to see. 

It's all about giving thanks to Mother Ganga for being there and giving India it's life. This river is just so important to the Indian people. It has supported them for thousands of years now. 

The ceremony involves beautiful live music played with traditional instruments, lots of chanting and singing, and the fire ritual, which is hard to describe but very moving. I really loved going to see this. 

One of the Sadhu's I met whilst walking. Most of these guys are fun to talk to but they also like it if you give them a few rupee's. Some seem very holy, while some just don't - they seem to like smoking chillums more!! 

This guy was an interesting character. He spoke a bit in very broken English, about his life, family and so on. I was told that he had left his family many years before, to pursue a spiritual life, and that he felt at peace with all things even though he was very poor. 

Bit hard to tell how devoted this guy is, but he was fun to talk to! None of them speak much English. Who knows what he is, he's certainly not a Sadhu, but it makes for some fun whilst out walking! The pot next to his right arm is for those much sought after rupee's. He plays a bit of music with a drum and a flute, and as I found out he likes to smoke a little Ganga weed, which I was offered but had to decline!

All in all, I've really enjoyed this place, Rishikesh, and India in general. It's been amazing!

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.......... love Stuy