Sunday, October 22, 2006
Sick, healthy, gettin' my grooove on
Hello Everyone-
This past week India finally went right through me... literally. I say finally because I have not met a foreigner here who hasn't gotten the stomache bug and spent a few days in bed and with the toilet. Needless to say my enthusiasm was low and I was craving everything that is comfortable at home. Thankfully I have recooped and am feeling pretty healthy again. (Don't worry Mom!!)
At the half way point in my trip I now feel like I have overcome a big hurdle and really want to make the most of the remaining time and mostly stay outside of Kolkata. There are 2 places that I really want to visit- Varanasi and Rajastan. We are hopefully getting train tickets today for Varanasi. This is a holy Hindu city, famous for its ghats situated right along the Ganges River, in central-northern India. Pending how much time is spent there and the price of a domestic flight we will then decide about a trip to Rajastan. This state is in western India, closer to the Pakistan border, and sounds incredibly unique- dessert, camel festival, and a largely Muslim population! It is the one place that Indians and foreigners alike continuously recommend to visit.
So when I said that Diwali culminates on Saturday I was not yet sure what that would entail. It is a huge celebration, this festival of lights, that actually finishes tonight. All over the city small communities work to build Kali Pujas and the city lights up with candles- on sitting taxis, along store fronts, on the sidewalks and a modern influence emerges in the Christmas lights strung across the streets. These pujas are basically temples with the Kali deity as their focus. Kali is one tough character and it is said that she kills the evil on earth. A typical puja has Kali with a black face, fire-red toungue hanging out, bloody hands, and a necklace of heads strung around her. Sounds gruesome, but I like her. People bring flowers and drape them on the pujas and pray and dance a little. Last night Robynne and I were invited to bust some dance moves in front of a puja, which provoked a lot of laughs! But it felt great to dance... it'd been way too long!
Alright, I'm off to a ticket office to get some information. I hope to hear from you soon and while I am enjoying this trip I know I'll be ready to go home come Nov 22. I miss my family and friends a lot!
Be well! Lot's of love.
This past week India finally went right through me... literally. I say finally because I have not met a foreigner here who hasn't gotten the stomache bug and spent a few days in bed and with the toilet. Needless to say my enthusiasm was low and I was craving everything that is comfortable at home. Thankfully I have recooped and am feeling pretty healthy again. (Don't worry Mom!!)
At the half way point in my trip I now feel like I have overcome a big hurdle and really want to make the most of the remaining time and mostly stay outside of Kolkata. There are 2 places that I really want to visit- Varanasi and Rajastan. We are hopefully getting train tickets today for Varanasi. This is a holy Hindu city, famous for its ghats situated right along the Ganges River, in central-northern India. Pending how much time is spent there and the price of a domestic flight we will then decide about a trip to Rajastan. This state is in western India, closer to the Pakistan border, and sounds incredibly unique- dessert, camel festival, and a largely Muslim population! It is the one place that Indians and foreigners alike continuously recommend to visit.
So when I said that Diwali culminates on Saturday I was not yet sure what that would entail. It is a huge celebration, this festival of lights, that actually finishes tonight. All over the city small communities work to build Kali Pujas and the city lights up with candles- on sitting taxis, along store fronts, on the sidewalks and a modern influence emerges in the Christmas lights strung across the streets. These pujas are basically temples with the Kali deity as their focus. Kali is one tough character and it is said that she kills the evil on earth. A typical puja has Kali with a black face, fire-red toungue hanging out, bloody hands, and a necklace of heads strung around her. Sounds gruesome, but I like her. People bring flowers and drape them on the pujas and pray and dance a little. Last night Robynne and I were invited to bust some dance moves in front of a puja, which provoked a lot of laughs! But it felt great to dance... it'd been way too long!
Alright, I'm off to a ticket office to get some information. I hope to hear from you soon and while I am enjoying this trip I know I'll be ready to go home come Nov 22. I miss my family and friends a lot!
Be well! Lot's of love.
# posted by Kate @ 9:05 PM 
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Ohhh boy, I can not wait for Thanksgiving when we can "get our groove on" together!!! and of course eats lots of dessert while we are at it!
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