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 

postcard from India (3)

Jan 31

Hello everybody, 

Thought you all might like to know about the people who live under the bridge. It's about 1km from where we were staying at Lukerganj. 

I came across these people the other day whilst walking, and decided to pop in for a chat. Of course being Indians, they were really friendly. I found it hard to get information about  specific things, because nobody spoke English, but they were really keen to show me everything about their life and  what goes on in this place.

They live in very rudimentary housing, with no running water (let alone hot water), no hygiene standards, and certainly no toilet (It's piss in the streets around here), But surprisingly, I found them to have an inner peace about life somehow, and they seemed relaxed and happy. This is strange logic to a westerner, but you can't help admiring them. 

As with Indian people, they're incredibly resourceful, and use every situation and resource to their advantage. I was shown into their homes, and after a short while, was asked to have chai, and stay for a meal, which I had to decline unfortunately, because we were on our way somewhere else. 

You see, I'm a westerner, and I'm always in a rush and don't have time for chai, or communicating with others and being friendly and helping people in the streets. Being here really makes you question your life and the things you do. These people are almost as poor as you can get, yet they were prepared to give up some of there resources (food and drink) to a total stranger. Im sure they would have put me up for a week, if I had needed it. Our lives and values as westerner's , really need to be reassessed. 

Under the bridge is packed with housing like this.

An old man sitting out the front enjoying the view of the drains.

Someone else's house. 

One of the families. Even given their conditions, they try to look elegant. A far cry from some of the young girls in my home town. 

Another mum with an 8 month old. Gave this great lady 500 rupees, she was just so friendly and awesome. 

They make their living keeping cattle, raking up all the cowshit, drying it and making fire bricks out of it (no firewood in India) that they sell for people to burn. 

The finished product ready for sale. 

I hope these people have inspired you as much as they have me. The western mindset of being on the dole, that its other peoples resposibility to look after you? Ha!!

Bye from India xx 

Postkarte von Indien. 
Diese Leute wohnen unter eine brücke. Sie sind sehr arm aber trotzdem glücklich und haben zeit zum mein mann einladen zum essen und chai trinken. Sie verdienen gelt von Kuh Mist der Mist wert getrocknet und verkauft als brenn Stoff fürs kochen.   

postcard from India (2)

27. January 2013
Hi Everyone

Well what fun we've had the last few days. After the procession to the Sangam, we sat at our boat for days trying to get permission to launch it. We had permission, but it was withdrawn. Indian bureaucracy  as it is, and the political system etc, conspired against us, so we spent the time talking to the media, and untold thousands of Indians, who all knew about us, and wanted to come up and meet us. 

This also afforded us lots of time to walk around and check things out. The boat predicament also gave us a special chance to go into some of the Sunyasi camps and check them out. Some of these 'bubas' are very genuine and will not accept any money or do anything that you would consider unholy, but a lot expect you to give them money, and sit around smoking hash. This is supposed to bring on enlightenment. To me it just looks like getting stoned !!!  Enlightenment, well, you need to pass the time doing something. They don't do much else. By the way, smoking weed and hash is legal for these guys. 

The Mela grounds are vast, really really vast. You would never consider walking to find the end. We've met some really interesting people, had dinner cooked for us by a group of peasants the other night, amazing food, and so far we have only come across two other white people. As I said before, it doesn't matter how poor these people are, they will gladly share what they have, (with strangers  mind you) and help in whatever way they can. You just have to love the Indian people. 

Camp living at the Mela 

The vastness of it all

Bathing in Ganga

That's all for now. 

Bye from India !!! 

28. January 2013

 Had a great time at the Mella yesterday. It was one of the main bathing days, so thought I'd go and check it out by myself. Here's some photos. 

The crowd. This was late in the day, so most had gone, but there are still millions.

These big fat juicy pawpaws are just from heaven! They're almost red inside and just so delicious! A big one will cost you about 60 rupees, so of course we love to buy lots of them. I know you're jealous! I'll take you to India sometime to buy some.

A group of Sudhu's that we befriended last night. They cooked us dinner, so we went to the shops and bought them a heap of veg and milk. I visited them again today, and was asked to sit with them. Stayed for hours. These guys are interesting. We talked as best we could, it was fun. They were very appreciative of our help and they gave me a blessing, placed a red streak up above my nose, and asked me to smoke chilems with them. This is a mixture of tobacco, spices and hash or weed. I declined, and a few were very insistent, and they got offended when I refused. Apparently it is a great honour to be asked to smoke with them. It was all smoothed over in the end. Had lots of fun!!  You would love it Evi. (I don't think he means the hash!!)

Will write again when the mood takes me. Love to all !!!

PS - - I hope you are enjoying Stuy's outlook on India? If you are interested to find out more about the Kumbh Mela follow the link to the official site for all the latest updates!!! 

And for those that asked about his funny tummy...... it's all good now! 

postcard from India (1)

You may have been wondering what has happened to my man? Well, he's having a wonderful time taking in the sights and sounds of mystical India but..... he has managed to send me a few photos and a bit of commentary every now and again!! With his permission I'm sharing them here along with his words. 

18 Jan 2013         

Hi Evi

Andrew and me had a blast of a night in Allahabad yesterday. Some awesome shops. Shops are open here from 10am to 10pm, 6 days per week, and lots stay open on Sundays as well, because they want to make more money. Im used to walking the streets now, and don't feel self conscious anymore, although everybody still stares and lots come and ask to have a look at my tattoos. 

The people here are incredibly friendly, and we've had the most amazing offers of help from all kinds of strangers. This place just has an awesome vibe to it Evi, its fast and fun, you'd love it I'm sure, once you get over the filth and grime, beggars and merchants, extreme poverty etc. once you can see past that, you start to become part of a different culture, and you start to blend with It. 

Im wandering around all the time by myself now, and know a lot of the local shop keepers, and I'm learning a lot about these fascinating people, there lives and how they live and survive. There's no dole here, and the people here are just real goers, and incredibly resourceful. We in OZ have a lot to learn about life. I'm really enjoying meeting as many people as I can. Some are just so so, but you come across some real great ones. Life's busy for these people, but they always stop what there doing and have time for you. And sometimes that may mean an hour. 

25 Jan 2013

Hi All
We loaded our boat onto a trailer today and towed it down to the Sangam. We made it through all the security checks except  the last one, so we couldn't launch our boat today, pity. Indian beaurocracy.
Anyway, it was the most awesome fun, thousands of people turned out to see us. Lots of media coverage, and a live to air interview, after we were told we couldn't launch our boat without certain permissions. We were also told that we could launch our boat if we paid certain people a certain amount of rupees. This was bullshit, so we're sticking to the proper channels.

I've sent some photos and I video   Hope you all enjoy Them. These Indian people are just so unreal. Friendly and helpful. I'm glad I decided to become involved in this project. It's certainly been a learning curve, and very worthwhile. Enjoy. 

26. Jan 2013

Hi everyone
Thought I'd send you all a few photos of our trendy little flat. Just remember that this is top end Indian living. Lots of doctors etc live in this street.

It's funny because the houses in this part of town are rather nice, but the street is just like any other street. Heaps of filth and dirt, piles of rubbish and crap everywhere, peasants walking up and down. There's still heaps of stray dogs and cows walking everywhere, but none of those festy, disgusting pigs that wander around in groups, sifting through the mounds of rotting rubbish, and wallowing in the open drains that line all streets, that are filled with the most horrifying substances as well as mouldy old drainage water and sewerage. So who wouldn't live in this part of town !!!

I've included our little grass patch. You might not think its anything special. But it's very special to me. The reason being, its the only bit of grass I've seen for a long long time. I love lying on it, sitting on it, feeling it. We take alot of things for granted in Australia. Things like grass, peace and quiet, services, hot water, a working toilet, clean drinking water, shops that you can trust to buy food from, water that you can trust to wash your hair under( you don't want to get a drop in your mouth just in case), and of course some nice fresh air to breath. The air here has a funny smell. I can't describe it really, but some days it just stinks.

I suppose today I'm just missing a few home comforts I suppose. Andrew and me feel like crap today and have the shits. We ate quite a bit of street food yesterday, and probably ate something we shouldn't have, but it's nothing drastic, just a short term tummy bug ???

Just had some good news. Andrew has had confirmation that we have permission to launch our boat at the Sangam today at about 5pm local, so I'll try to get down there. I don't want to miss it. There should be alot of media there too. This trip has just been an adventure, and I wouldn't swap it, even though I feel like crap.

Buy the way, this place is costing us 300 AUD to rent per month. 

So here is just a little bit of his adventure for you to share. 
Do stop by and have a look at Andrews blog where there are lots more pics and a few videos with really cool music!! 

And hello to the new friends that have chosen to 'follow' this blog.... enjoy!! 

he's gone.....

.......all the way to India! 

Yep, it's Stuy's turn for a little jaunt over the ocean. He's never been overseas before and when the  opportunity arose, we said Yes!!! on the spur of the moment (something that happens a lot here!) So he booked a plane and now he's off! Alone. To India. 

Well, not quite alone. Most of the time he'll be staying with friends of ours in Allahabad, which just happens to be the venue for the biggest Hindu festival in 12 years, the Maha Kumbh Mela! Andrew and Ginny have gone with their four children to build a boat that will enable them to ferry pilgrims across the Ganga during this festival. Andrew is a master builder and already the boat is looking pretty awesome - have a look at their adventures on their blog. They will be donating the boat to a worthy cause before they return home - a little poorer in the pocket but so much richer in experience. 

I created a few little zippered bags for him - one for toiletries, another for his iphone charger and power point converter; one for his money and card and a small random one that he used for his homeopathic crummy tummy remedy! 

I used up bits of scrap fabrics - mostly in green because its his fave colour! 

There was also a need for a man-bag and I just happened to have four diamond checked serviettes that I'd picked up at the op shop a while ago. I didn't have a pattern but just fudged my way through and was quite pleased with how it turned out. Theres a nice fat zip under the flap - I even managed to sew a couple of little pockets inside for small bits! 

So, complete with hippy sack, backpack, sandals and onyx charm bracelet, he's gone...... slightly nervous and just a teeny bit excited. It will all be new, scary and overwhelming but he's sure to get used to the bustle by the time he gets from Delhi to Allahabad. 

Wishing you all the very best of adventures, my love!! 

Mein lieber ist auf Wanderschaft! 

Er geht für fast 3 Monate nach Indien weil ehr war noch nie aus Australien und möchte auch ein mal was erleben!

Ich hab ihn etliche kleine Taschen genäht damit er nicht seine Sachen verliert und dazu auch eine Hippy Tasche aus alte Stoff Servietten. Ehr trifft mit unsere freunde in Allahabad und sicher wert ehr sehr viel spaß haben.