India Visit 2009

Mornings start early with the sound of bells ringing and clanging, greeting and awakening mother
Ganga for the day. After a week I am used to this enough that I can hear it but still sleep. I wake
up as the light starts to appear and watch as the dawn turns to day. Ever so slowly pinks turn to
oranges and reds as the sun rises over the river. The colours are intense in the thick air pollution
and it takes some time for the sun to eventually poke through it and hit the river. This conflict of
deep beauty and huge pollution/devastation is present in every aspect of India… Already people
are heading down to the river to take their morning holy dip, their voices and prayers carry up
and in my window. For me the morning is a time a reflection and quiet contemplation. Thinking,
writing, listening to music, being still. Hopefully the power comes on in time to heat the water for a
shower (usually there isnt enough pressure for a shower so a morning wash is usually a bucket
of water with a jug), generally it does.

We head over to one of the other buildings at 8am for breakfast which is lovingly prepared by
Umeshji as are all of our meals - unless we decide to give him time off (or that we cant eat
another curry!!) and eat out. After breakfast it is usually time to catch up on some of my work
back in Oz. The work day doesn’t start until late here so it works well to get other stuff done in
the morning. It has been amazing this trip to have wireless internet. My morning of work is filled
with skype calls and emails. Funny being so far away in such a different world but still instantly
connected to home. There was a time when a postcard was how you stayed in touch and
usually you would make it back home before it arrived!

Around 11am Mahantji has come down so we will go and sit with him to talk and plan the future of
the SMF. This will get us to lunch time.

After lunch we will have some time to rest, the combination of early starts, lateish nights and
constantly breathing the air pollution and dust here is exhausting. For each of us this is
something different. Reading, sleeping, sitting and watching the river, doing more work. Angie
heads of for her dance lesson at 3pm and comes back exhausted. Some days the afternoon
means a trip out. Down to Assi for fresh lemon soda, out to Mishraji’s house for a visit, a walk
down the street or to the post office. Yesterday it was to the tailor to drop of some clothes to be
made and today the plan is to head to Godolia to do some shopping. Hopefully this will mean a
boat trip down the river then walking through the busy markets, shopping and bargaining our way
through the many requests to come and see my emporium or my silk shop…. Eventually we will
find ourselves on a cycle rickshaw back to Tulsi Ghat (home).

Late afternoon and into the evening….. Some more time with Mahantji, dinner, talking with RK and
Pandeyji…. There are a few music events on this week which is a nice way to end the day. The
lawn outside our room is transformed into a concert space filled with hundreds of plastic chairs
and people. Some nights will include a trip to temple with Mahantji before eventually making it
back to bed and falling asleep awaiting the chiming of bells to indicate a new day is beginning…..

Power has come on time to check if the water is hot!!

Jodi