outermost thoughts: October 2006

morning in Pune

An especially witchy Rotarian from Nagpur crushed my trip to Rajistan and the Pushkar Camel Fair like an eggshell at a marble quarry. It was initially devastating, but after some chatting with my host dad it turns out that the very awesome camel fair is the only casualty. I'll be going to Rajistan later in the year for even longer. To fill in the gap left by the camel fair, I'll see another city and have a chance to go on a 2 day camel-packing trip. I'm lucky to have so much time in India to diminish the effect of otherwise heinous trip destruction.

I spent this morning wandering around Koregon Park in Pune, watching the sun rise and constantly scanning the streets for an open cafe. After this update I'm joining the OSHO Meditation facility for three days. From what I can tell it looks like a lot of old hippies and dreadlocked 30somethings, but as long as the meditation is quality I'm sure I'll have fun. Maroon robes are mandatory and so is 6am morning meditation in the black pyramid. I think the spiritual leader allows us to use the internet. OSHO has that cult flavor to it, especially with the monochromatic uniforms. I'm keeping an open mind, but I don't want to leave with a new name like Luminous or Ambrosia. Seriously, I overheard some woman talking to a man about what purpose Jesus serves and she mentioned her friend Celestia...
Peace for now, I'll try and remember to tell everyone about Divali. A sample: Saddam Bomb, small children, dried leaves, skin grafting, festival, worship, short fuses, half a million people.

quick choppy update

What I've been up to:
*Kutch Festival in Gujarat with all of the exchange students. We watched all sorts of traditional dance and stayed in air-conditioned tents in the desert. Silly for my tastes, but as chief guests of the state of Gujarat we didn't have to pay. I only got 6 hours of sleep in about 60 hours, a testament to having fun. The highlight of the festival was when Adam and I took a midnight camel ride, had some hot milk for good luck under the full moon and watched a traditional Indian band smack in the middle of the desert. The scenery was a dreamscape: only the purple grey sky, the tan desert, and the 15 or so musicians on a tenuous wooden platform. Deserts are voids that compel you to run on forever, or at least until you feel something other than the crackled rock-like dirt beneath your sandals.
*Met the chief Minister of Gujarat. Instead of concluding his speech at the end of the festival, he pointed to the well timed fireworks in the distance. More like a magic show...but everyone fell for it.
*Went to an ashram for children orphaned by the massive Bhuj earthquake in 2001. Had a great time playing games in the field then meditating before tea with lots of smiling, curious Indian boys.
*2 half days in Mumbai. Finally had some real ice cream.
*Another short stay in Nashik. Saw the Kalarama temple, a series of caves where Lord Rama was allegedly exiled for 14 years before defeating the Demon God Rawan with the help of a monkey army led by Haruman. Watched the Dusra festival in Nashik, huge fireworks show culminating in the burning-- via fire arrow-- of a 60ft. effigy of Rawan.

Things to Come:
*A surprise 11 day trip to Rajistan for the Pushkar Camel festival. Biggest camel festival in Asia, best place in India to buy paintings and bedsheets and everything else, for cheap. Very excited. Cherry on top: my host dad told me to invite another exchange student so I'd be comfortable. I owe Rotary one good host father.
*The day after I return from Rajistan all exchange students are leaving for a three week tour of South India. The locations will be amazing, but I'm worried about being bad tourists in such a large group.
*Diwali, the festival of lights, starts in a week.
*Promised myself I would read Hindi within four weeks.