I'm back on a sticky keyboard. Dang, but my belly is full. I just had a dinner of Indian Thali, all I could eat of yummy Indian cooking. One of the dishes was horseradish, potato and something like spinach, of course with all the indian mouth watering spices. THen I got a bananna lassi at a shop that I'd never tried. To top it all off I got a pan, the indian version of chewing tobacco, minus the tobacco. THey meake a "sweet" version with a bunches of spices in it. Pack it in your cheek and chew away. So basically, I'm content, for little over a dollar I'm full to the brim with tasty food!
During my trip I have been flipping a coin to decide what to do next when I'm unsure. I have a membership to a website called workaway.info I've been looking for different volunteer opportunities through this website. I recieved two positive responses from an eco-lodge in the Jeff Corbett tiger reserve and a small school outside of Deradun where I was previously. I flipped the coin and I'm going to go and help at this small school after I take a short jog to where Buddha recieved his enlightenment. Wow, I ahve a plan! haha kind of odd to say, I still don't know when, but I'm going if all goes well.
On a side note I just sold my heavy and expensive guide book for 1/20 the price that I bought it for. Which is just fine because I'd like to put an emphasis on heavy. THe guide book has been a love hate relationship but really using just means that I follow the same paths of all other travelers rather than forge my own.
Last full moon I was invited by a Brahmin that I met, he spends the mornings sitting under a handmade bamboo parasol along the Ganges preforming small poojas. We've become friends, because I pass him everyday on my way to Hindi class. He told me about Kirtan (Indian devotional singing) that happens everynight at a small Brahma Temple. Full moon seemed liek a good night to take him up on the offer so I walked over to where I understood the temple was, well I didn't understand him well enough (he doesn't speak english) so I went to the wrong spot. Luckly in my error I met someone else who has become a friend of mine and well, more stories, anyways, my new friend Ram Krishna showed me where this temple was. When I arrived at the temple everyone was inside a small tarp shelter. Turns out the Baba who lives at the temple is preforming a 100 day ceremony that keeps him basically in the shelter tending the flame that cannot go out. All the others who were there brought small offerings. THe Baba could speak almost perfect english, his name is Muni Baba, which means silent Baba. He spent six years in silence some years ago.
Varanassi's chief diety is Shiva, who smokes marijuana, has dred-locks and lives as an asthetic on mount Kailash. The greeting with the holy men here is Mahaday, whcih is another name for Shiva. Not only are there a million hindu gods but multiple names for each one. Anyways, in Shiva's name these holy men smoke weed. So before Kirtan a chillum is passed around, haha. I'll be totally honest and say that I didn't smoke, this place is crazy enough without any substances. I can just sit as a passive observer here and get enough stimulous to never get bored. After everyone smoked they busted out the dolac, a two sided drum, small cymbals and a harmonium.
Well that's as far as I gor before the internet closed on me.
We sang Kirtan as the full moon rose in the sky cupped by the Gigantic Bodhi tree above our heads. It was magical, the power was cut at some point during the process and an owl flew into the tree and landed above our heads. The energy was amazing, a bunch of stoned guys banging away on instruments in the name of god. That's only one perspetive though being amongst the energy and the closeness of everyone, especially after the power was cut a veil held us wrapped in its mysterious arms. I left Kirtan with the sounds of cymbals banging in my head and chants pulsing through my body. It was a good night!
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