Don't have a whole lot to write about today, so I'm going to go back to a few notes I didn't get a chance to share about Kolkata. Can't let you off with a 2-minute post ;)
As much as I loved the city, boy was it ever stinky! I often found myself taking very short breaths, taking in only what was needed to oxygenate my body and prevent me from passing out. Garbage cans aren't very popular in India (except in well-maintained parks), and therefore there is garbage everywhere on the streets. The heat and humidity make the odors particularly, um, fascinating. There are flies, dogs and cows eating from the piles of junk, then shitting it out a few steps further down the road. I also inhaled carefully small amounts of air when I walked by open street-side urinals. So yes, the city stinks. But the stereotype that Indians and their food smell bad is completely off. In fact, I've never seen anyone take such meticulous care of their hygiene as Indians. And I say that because I see it every day. They don't feel too strongly about privacy while bathing! If I'm in a city, I see people at the junction of street and sidewalk vigorously scrubbing their partially covered bodies with such intensity that I wonder how they have any skin left at all. With a bucket of soapy water, they wash away every inch of dirt. And if I'm in a town like Rishikesh or Varanasi, the cleansing takes place on the banks of the Ganga, where sin, as well dirt, is washed away. Teeth-brushing lasts at least five minutes, and clothes washing is just as thorough and public. And as for the food, no India does not stink of curry (and since when does curry smell bad?). When it doesn't smell like rotting garbage and dung, the smell of brewing chai or blooming flowers fills the air.
An item more particular to Kolkata is foot-drawn rickshaws. I had seen and been in plenty of auto-rickshaws (tuk-tuks), had seen many but only ridden in one cycle-driven rickshaw, but in Kolkata, they go one step further. No motor, no bike, just feet (often shoeless). Huge cartwheels have a small bench lodged between them, and two long rods of wood protrude forward from the center of the wheels. The small, skinny, glistening Indian man wraps his hands around these rods and speed-walks or runs through the chaotic streets of Calcutta. It's really quite something to see for the first time (picture the cover of the City of Joy movie if you know it).
Finally, the heat. Kolkata is scorching in April. It wasn't bad the first day I arrived, but that was just the city greeting me with a little mercy. It's so hot that even the Indians are sweating through their clothes and fanning themselves, wondering why someone from Canada would come to their city in the summer. And the men and women who carry umbrellas for a little reprieve don't make pedestrian circulation any easier. The sidewalks - when there are any - are crawling with people, and the low height of locals makes it dangerous for the eyes and face.
Ok, that's it for the Kolkata wrap-up. Back to Varanasi.
Took it easy yesterday, relaxing in my cool room, going out for narrow-lane walks, working on my photo-blog, and booking a level 1 Reiki course which I started today. I'm getting a 3-day private course with a smiley, friendly, oldish Indian man.
At ten this morning, I transferred my bags into a cheaper, simpler room (only treated myself to AC for 2 nights). There's no bathroom (shared), no TV, no AC, no private balcony overlooking the river. But the room itself is actually much nicer, with shiny, tiled walls and a comfier bed and pillow, and it manages to stay relatively cool considering the heat outside (which actually isn't as bad as I was expecting). Instead of looking out over the Ganga, my room opens up onto the leafy, shady inner courtyard with benches and fountains. Not too bad at all.
Then, at 11, I was off to my two-hour Reiki day 1 class. The first half hour consisted of an introduction to Reiki and basic technique. Then there was 15 minutes for questions, answers, and discussion. And finally, a one-hour cleanse and balancing of my energies and chakras. Pretty fascinating stuff. More about that tomorrow after my initiation.
Room relaxation early afternoon, then Brown Bed Bakery for a delicious "BBB Special Salad".
I've been feeling very creatively inspired here, and have continued to work on my community plans. And I can hardly contain my excitement! My ideas are piecing together beautifully. After much brainstorming and scribbling and scratching out, I've also come up with what may be the final name for the community and the title for my book... but you'll have to wait to find out what those are!
That very acknowledgment will prompt change and carry you to the next step in your journey.
-Ram Dass
No comments:
Post a Comment