I have been running, yet sitting very, very still, since my arrival in Varanasi. Someone asked me what I've been doing here so far, earlier today.. And I couldn't come up with an answer, which means... You better write some stuff down, Andrea! I've totally lost what day of the week it is, and the Puja ceremonies are starting to blend together... The banana lassis all seem like I drank them the same morning; I just can't remember if I had them at the Ganpathi house or at the Alka Hotel. The chai is from everywhere, everywhere, all the time, and I've just had yet another big old helping of sesame candy (thanks to my accidental troupe).
This trip to Varanasi has been greatly influenced by my own entourage of, give or take, five 12 to 14 year old boys
... They are pure comedy. They are also really demanding of attention- whether or not it's from you- so it's kinda difficult to sit here and type away while I've got them all sort of crowding around, asking questions, yelling at each other, smacking each other on the head, throwing things around... Etc.
OK, it looks like I've got Babu on my phone playing video games, and Krrish is back (proprietor here, and hopefully there will be photos of him coming up in this entry), so they've mellowed a bit, or scampered off. Again- they are clowns, and have been my personal bodyguards, acrobats, shoppers, and stand up comedians for the last five or so days, whatever it's been, but a moment to chill out here and hopefully try to get some stuff written down would be a very good thing!
So, what have I been up to?
Well, I have to admit that I got sucked in to a (likely) 2004 episode of "Top Chef" on the only English speaking channel that I have on my TV in my room (did not have one last year, perhaps that's the reason for the 250 rp increase between this year and last)
. And, YES... I also got sucked in to an episode of that runway show. I can't believe I can't remember the name of it, as X and Bobby are always talking about it, but I can't. Reality fashion show. It's also probably from the first season or something. I guess I mention it only because the Indian advertisements between segments of these trashy shows have been absolutely delicious. One of my personal favorites: "i-Pill. Because contraception is better than abortion." Nothing like just puttin' it out there, you know. Mystery SOLVED. I wonder what crack ad team in Mumbai thought long and hard in some glass walled boardroom- getting paid millions- to come up with that one. I love the potato chip commercials... The shampoo equals marriage commercials.. The scooter equals marriage commercials... The Bollywood stars pushing lemon soda, skin lighteners, soaps, and mobile phones with huge white grins, cheesy winks, and colorful, choreographed, open-shirted dancing, wind blowing through glorious hair... There's one commercial that takes place in (obviously) some Mumbai call center where the guy in the cubicle is showing off all his brand name clothing using a rough- and difficult to listen to- American accent, and the girl in the cube next to him notices that his eyeglass lenses aren't a brand name... Criminal. I'm even enjoying McDonald's commercials featuring "shake 'em" fries that are french fries you put some Indian spice in to and shake up to be all funky fresh to the tune of some Punjabi beat.
PROJECT RUNWAY!!! That's it
. I've been redeemed. Or, I've trashed my rep. Something like that.
Okay, aside from catching some sweet early 2000's reality TV, I've been walking, walking, walking, mostly following my young friend Babu around. I went to take chai one evening after Puja with the boys- they took me, natch, to the main burning ghat on the north side of the Puja ghats... In other words, we went to get a nice cup of hot tea while watching bodies being incinerated. Where else does one go to sit for a nice cup of tea, really? I was like, of course. We should definitely pop over to that side of town for a quick cup of tea. Biscuits, anyone? No surprise, I was the only white person over there, and probably the only one curiously- and hopefully surreptitiously- looking down in the dim streetlight, at the fires burning bright by the side of the river from my damp bench seat in front of the chai stand.
Marcela and I spent a day shopping (Marcela who I met last year), and let's just say that we are not the best influences on each other when it comes to shopping
. I'm cheap; I'm staying in a room here that is a little more than $11 a night (which is the most I've paid all trip, so far, by far, and that's only because I wanted to stay along the Ganges, and it's almost twice what it was last year at the same hotel). I've been eating meals that have run me between 70 cents and $2.50, maybe an extra dollar if I get a big Kingfisher beer (which they do not have in Varanasi, this year, probably because it's supposed to be dry, and there are a LOT of extra police around because of the bomb threats). I won't get a taxi from inside the station, they are always more, you can find someone outside for less- or take a motorickshaw instead of a car. I am cheap. But walk me in to a silk scarf shop, or goddammit, a scarf / clothing / bedspread / we'll make whatever the hell you want us to shop... And all of a sudden, SOMEONE runs out of cash. Jesus H. Christ. Oh yeah, then take me from there, Marcela, thank you VERY much, and walk me in to a giant shiny bangle shop... SHINY.. shiiinnnnyyyy... oh... sooo shiiinnnyyyy.. Marcela, look how shiny! Look! SHINY, MARCELA, SHINY!!! Anyway, I walked out of there with a bangle briefcase. I didn't know they made special bangle briefcases, but they sure as shit do. I think it's basically a really hardcore papier mache briefcase, with removeable separaters and everything. Looks like a sweet 70's leather briefcase from a distance. And it was only 200 rps- which is like $4. Worth every penny. I now have enough bangles and scarves and handmade shit to open a shop for someone who has my taste and wears my exact size, and I'll make enough to support the trip next year. ...Almost.
I learned during this last few days that "lady fingers" are french fries
. FYI, word to the wise. Not some meaty finger concoction- I just didn't know. Sounded like some weird hot dog / sausage thing. I went for it at a restaurant that I knew was all veg. French fries. Who knew- besides maybe everyone else in the world- I sure didn't.
Let's see... This morning, I made up a song, and it went something like this: "I don't shower alone in the mornings, no, no, no I don't... I see you there, hiding behind the water pump... Your yellow eyes, your yellow lizard eyes, your little pink tongue.. I don't shower alone, no, no I don't." There are two of them living in back of the water pump I think- they are bigger and fatter geckos than I remember seeing either last year or in Cambodia or something.. Yellowish, or maybe they're just trying to look like marble and the yellowish color in between marble tiles. They have little nails, it looks like, not just spongy ends to their little hands. Pretty cute. When I come in when it's dark out, and I turn on the light, I can usually see someone bolting to the back of the water pump
.
I gave some money away to a sadhu to tell my "life story", and did it upon the recommendation of a couple of the kids I've been beating the streets with. Jury's out as to whether this guy is a charlatain, gangster, or good-hearted, or a bit of all three, but legend has it that he takes the money and helps orphaned kids outside of town, and I was schooled about the best way to make a donation to the kids and other helpless folks in this town- told in no uncertain terms that Baba is a caretaker of the community, and it is far better to obtain services from him and give him some cash than it is to hand money out to beggars- especially along the ghats, as there is a fair bit of hash that goes around and some family shenanigans (the old family members who are disabled go to the ghats to beg; they keep their kids from going to school or whatever to beg in the streets; the mothers with babies go out and plea for money for their kids, and I'm told that when all's said and done, it's a disservice to the community and the legit folks who are trying to get by
. Hard not to believe when you're hearing from locals and kids who have had the benefit of Babu's services. I don't know. I threw twenty bucks at it, we'll see if anything sticks. It was interesting, and I've been told by a few folks that I have a long life line, so I don't have anything to worry about over here. I've also been told that I have a stomach problem, and I feel fine, so... Since I'd rather believe that I'm going to live a long time, I'm going to just cop to having a stomach illness. Fine. My stomach hurts, and it's going to hurt for like at least fifty years.
What else have I done... Krrish took Marcela and I to his house today, in an area just outside of Varanasi proper called Jaitpura. He has a BIG house, I was in awe. He's got a lot of work to do, but he's stoked about it! We got to meet his sweet-eyed wife Minu who is one month away from having their first baby. She is getting sick every day, poor thing, and on top of that, as I mentioned... "How nice that you had to sit in the kitchen and make us all this food," which of course she did not have to, and thankfully everyone got it, but just so sweet
. Chuda Mutter. I just asked Krrish what it was that she made for us that was so fab- that was it. (I'm in his internet cafe again right now.) He claims to know the ingredients, so I'm going to have to hit him up for them later. YUM. We had like a three course meal in there, coffee, everything. Met his mother, who lives at the house too. He looks just like her. It was pretty neat. The funniest part of it was that when we got in the autorickshaw, Krrish says, "Sundays are great because there is no traffic." So- I took a video (he took over after a minute or so) to exemplify what "no traffic" looks like in Varanasi. I hope you all enjoy at least a little bit as much as we did. I got a little fuzzy winter outfit that has almost giraffe printing for the baby- little jacket and pants. I hope they like it. Babu helped me shop and gift wrap this morning. (Leader of the posse.) He's sitting here on the other side of me right now playing video games on the computer, now. My phone's about dead.
What else have I done
... Well, right now, I'm wheeling and dealing with Krrish to help get his website off the ground. I'm IMing the guy that's building the site for him to see if we can get a prototype of the Google map service that he wants to integrate into the web service. Pretty cool. I'm going to become an "investor" in his site to help get the interactive forum piece off the ground, which feels really good. Krrish has been an incredible help to me when I've been here, I am happy to help back a little, and I bet I'll A) feel better about it and B) the money will stick more than it did when I spent it yesterday to find out that I would live for a long time- with stomach problems.
Got sidetracked by business there. What else has happened...
Puja has been magical, every time. I got a little star-struck when I talked to Main Puja Guy, whatever his name was, I'll admit it. I saw him again tonight at Puja- he wasn't feeling well so stepped down to manage the crowd tonight
. I'm going to go tomorrow morning and check out the single person ceremony at 7:30. Now, we're arranging a taxi to Sarnath, which is where I thought we were headed yesterday, but it's a good 35 minutes out of town, so I was wrong. There's a bunch of temples and Buddha's tree and so forth there, I'm told- I'll get a read about it tonight.
I have booked my flight to Goa, which goes by way of another night in Delhi, so I'll be packing my bags and getting on a plane on the 17th. Coincidentally, Marcela gets on the same plane to Delhi on her way to Paris on the 17th as well. I thought I'd leave the 16th, but this french guy Gael, photographer and friend of Marcela's, comes back a day or so earlier, and we thought we'd have a party on the night of the 16th. Marcela is only leaving for a week, but I'm gone-gone, and it happens to be her birthday, as well, so... Live it up. Gael said something about making margaritas with Indian rum, which sounds ghastly. I suggested Pina Coladas, given that coconuts and pineapple are much more plentiful than tequila in these parts. Why that sounded like such a good and new idea to the gang is a mystery to me. Like.. Oh, wow, we don't have to make sickly margaritas, we can use what's here to make something that actually tastes good. What a notion. Great idea, Andrea.
I'll be in Goa on the 18th. I've called Gotam again - he recognizes my voice, it's crazy, and I love it- and I'll have at least 10 days down south. I am unsure as to whether or not I can make it over to Hampi again this year. I kind of want to suss out who's there and what's going on before I make any commitments to leave for a while. It's a good day and change bus ride to get over there, no matter how you slice it- They run an overnight bus, but it's India, and it's not going to be a bus that I'll be able to sleep on- even if they call it a sleeper. Been there. You get on, get off, get on, get off, for no apparent reason, and then you finally get on again for the ride- by then it's 4am- and the horn is blaring all night- so whenever you end up arriving, which is not going to be on time, all you can do is go somewhere and sleep... I'm not much of a sleeper bus fan. So, who knows. I may just want to sit myself on that beach and swim for 10 days in a row. It sure wasn't torture last year.
Okay, waiting for this video to upload, and I'm ready to get out of here for the night. Namaste, all, I'll take a look at Sarnath for everyone tomorrow and take some photos. The natives are getting restless next to me and are starting to hit each other again- Krrish is gone and so is the order. I'm not able to write any more with these kids pounding on each other next to me. So- Good night!!
This time, I'm going to try to sit still for a few
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Varanasi, India
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