Wedding, temples, castles, excursions – and tailors

Karina arrived already 2 weeks ago and since then time has gone really fast. I have so much to tell, but that will have to wait until after Danielle is gone. She arrived this morning. Tomorrow morning, Sunday 27 February, the TCI driver will pick us up at the hotel at 8:30 am for what we call our “the desert trip”.

We’ll travel in an old “Ambassador” car – and our schedule is not too heavy. We’ll visit only one site per day.

We hope to find a decent “budget” accommodation in the following cities and visit whatever fort or temple recommended by “Lonely Planet” or other travel literature:
Jodphur – Nagaur – Bikaner – Phalodi – Luni.

We’ll be back in Udaipur on 3 March to see Karina leave early morning on 4 March. She’ll have to spend that Saturday in Bombay instead of with us and Danielle is staying with me, at Rang Niwas, for another week.

I’ll be back to my small, daily life on 11 March and as of then I will be much more present - through mails and on the Blog site.

Tourisme

Kar ina arrived well yesterday, early morning - a bit tired after a 20 hour journey.

We had a quiet day. A stroll uptown for breakfast at the "Kankarwa Haveli", walking back through the gardens of the City Palace and the Shiw Niwas Hotel to spend a couple of hours at the pool at our hotel. Late lunch at the Gulab Garden and some unpacking followed by a lovely evening walk along the lake at our end and dinner at the hotel.

Today we'll make the city tour by rickshaw, enjoy the garden in the afternoon and the "Light and Sound" at the City Palace at 19:30 followed by dinner somewhere around the Temple.

Tomorrow at 8 am, we have an Ambassador take us tu Kumbalgahr (fort and battlefield) and then to Ranakpur (Jain Temple). We intend to sleep at the Temple (introduced by Mr Harish Pujari who works at the restaurant and who is himself a brahmin (priest) related to the priests at Ranakpur.

We'll travel back to Udaipur by bus on Thursday - and I have no idea how long that will take.

Therefore, no more news on Blog till Friday.

What does it take to celebrate ?

In India the main ingredients seem to be people (adults, children and babies), music, (many) rugs and (much) food. No alcohol, no wine – but lots of fresh water. If there is a street in front of the house, traffic will be blocked and a sunroof will be mounted to assure that at least the main actors are sitting in the shade.

Rickshaw driver Shambu, who is around 25 yrs old and whose sister, Jyoti, will marry on Saturday took me to his cousin’s village this morning.

I was led into a relatively small room where approximately 40 women were sitting on the floor, close together on the cemented floor. I declined the sofa and sat as best I could with them on a beautiful rug. They can sit for hours in a kind of lotus position, which I can take for only a very short time. After having tried the mermaid position and all other bent-leg position I eventually end up with my way too long legs almost around my ears. Everybody except me seems to find this very funny.

We are exchanging smiles and “Namasté’s” and “what’s your name” and more smiles. Smiles that mounts up into the eyes which, eventually, are hidden by a pan of a sari - with a timid movement of a shoulder.

An older women is lighting the candles at a small alter and is burning the incense accompanied by what I suppose is ritual movements. Another woman, who is sitting at the wall close to the altar, is crying hard. She talks to me and I don’t understand what she says but her tears make me sad. I don’t understand that she can be so saddened by the marriage of her child. Only later am I to learn that the celebration is not that of a marriage but in honor of her passed away husband, who 11 days ago died.

I am assisting at the traditional 12th day celebration of a dead person.

The women are silent but not exactly expressing sadness. They are just sitting there together talking in little groups. How long ? Probably a couple of hours. I spent 45’ with them and it didn’t seem long at all.

By that time a small boy says to me that Shambu asks me to come outside where a preparation is taking place. Rugs are being laid out, two small footstools are placed in the middle, under the sunroof. The drummer is seated in the middle but outside the rugs.

Slowly everybody is taking seat, on the rugs – no chairs needed, not even for me who is staying at the women’s’ side. The widow’s two grown-up sons are seated at the footstools and the highest notable of the village is proceeding with apposing “tika’s”. Dark red powder which is being apposed on the forehead. Long shaped for the men, a dot for the women. I don’t have to ask for mine – and it means good luck.

This all happens quietly and in silence. No singing, no music – just being together. After this peaceful moment the men go to the temple at the end of the road. I’m invited to come but I prefer to stay with the women and the baby.

When the men are back comes the presents. Everybody brings cloths and/or money. Small amounts, I think and the cloths seem to short for a sari. At the end I figure out that it will serve as turbans for the fatherless boys. All the gifts are accounted for, in writing, in front of the sons. Some gifts are given outside, part of the women are carrying theirs inside where probably the widow has stayed – maybe at the altar.

The drummer beats a bit on his drum and the women are humming. All the gifts are then shown to the audience and that seems to be the end of the ceremony.

On the first floor there is a huge room which today serves as kitchen. One cook and two women assisting. We are to have dall, chipati, byriana rice (with fresh grapes, green peas and cumin), papad and rice pudding (sweet).

I am invited to go accompany Shambu and the notable to the Temple with Shambu with the offerings.

The food from huge pots on the roof where rugs have been laid out along the low walls giving space enough for the some 60 women to sit. We are served first, by the men who afterwards will take their meal, in the kitchen.

The plates are made of big leaves held together with small branches. The dall is served in small pots also made of leaves and the rest is placed directly on the leaf. And starts the acrobatic exercise for me. Sitting as best I can, in a half lotus position, it is well possible to catch the rice with the fingers and since it’s sticky rice, all is fine. But to get it to your mouth without spilling half … and to dip the chipati in the dall and to eat it without soiling your dress, that’s another question. Happily I am myself the sole photographer today.

Fresh water – in abundance marks the end of the celebration and everybody leaves chatting quietly.

I am taken home, by rickshaw, well in time for a much needed siesta.

Time is flying ...

I cannot believe this .... There is absolutely nothing that I have to do and the days seem to come to an end so quickly. I manage to do just small things like finding paper tissues and a watch maker to replace the battery and a map of Rajasthan in view of Karina's arrival. But it is nice just to sit and read in the sun or hang around up-town where there always someone to talk to.

No yoga yet nor painting- of cooking lessons, but I did find the finest rice paper which can be be used for as well chinese painting as for watercolours (I think). And cheap !

This morning I visited the home of a "soon to be bride", who is the sister of my "personal" rickshaw driver meaning that when he's around, I will always chose to drive with him which his colleagues know. This morning, on the way up-town, he asked if I had just a moment to spare for a visit to his home where the women were preparing food for his sister's mariage. Can one refuse such a kind invitation ?

A modest house, but clean and sunny. The women were sitting outside sorting "dall beans" just as we used to sort coffee in Bukave. All except the bride who was just to enjoy having nothing to do. We had tea and homemade cookies , she showed me her dress, I was allowed to take a few photos (not good) and received a written invitation for the wedding.

I stayed for about half an hour and helped a bit with the beans. I so much regret not being able to communicate with them. Their English is very poor although far better than my Hindi which still is limited to one or two words.

The event starts tomorrow, a bit outside Udaipur where I will be taken at 11 am. What happens thereafter I do not know. The big party is on Saturday evening and will take place behind my hotel !!! And Friday there is also something going on.

I am of course worried about the communication problem during so many hours, but the offer was too tempting to refuse.

Dominic, who knows about these matters says that it is convenient to bring a gift in an envelope and that 101 rupees is a fine amount - "1" being for good luck. To bring more as an outsider would be wrong, it seems.

I still have not found out how to send photos on the Internet and I think the speed is way to low to carry (heavy) photos. I am running with 115,2 Kbps !!

The weather is improving by the hour, middays are very warm and the evenings a bit cool only if the wind blows. Definitely no more need for woolen socks at night !

Temples and worshippers

6 Feb, Sunday - 8:55 - another sunny day ahead

No wedding party last night. That makes it the second evening without earplugs and my mood raising all by itself. I enjoyed the relative silence so much that I got to bed only well after midnight.

I’ll get my “early morning “ fresh carrot-orange juice at the vendor’s just opposite RN and then I’ll climb up the hill to the taylor shop in Lal Ghat area. I’ll use the side alleys which are narrow but so much quieter and far less polluted than the main street with the blue exhaust from hundred of auto-rickshaws and Ambassador cars of various ages.

All streets are in fact tidied up every morning, but throughout the day everything is thrown just everywhere and also, the cows and oxes are leaving their visiting cards all over. The dung will be collected during the day and used as “combustible”, but beware the fresh droppings. People feed the cows with grass and left-overs. They seem to like the cows. I have heard them calling out for them and even sing to them. Maybe each cow has his own house – I must ask that question. The scaringly skinny straydogs get their share from what the cows don’t have the time to eat.

Breakfast will be a veg omelet at the “Rose Roof Top Restaurant”. Their omelets are outstanding and there is a wide view on the city itself, on the City Palace and the Arvali hills in the horizon. It makes me think of the Tousand Hills of Rwanda and the view we had in Bukavu. From that roof terrace one can almost touch the Jaddish Temple in all its beauty.

Temple bells and minarets will be calling for prayer from everywhere. There must be hundreds of temples in Udaipur. The Indians are faithful worshippers and have beautiful voices. They are singing with all their soul and know the songs by heart. In the Yaddish temple the last service is at at 21:30 and even that late the audience is big. 3-4 musiciens are performing live music on traditional instruments one of which is played by a foresinger. Everybody is sitting on the cold marble floor crosslegged and barefoot – even we, who remain descretely at the side.

I have an appointment with Mary at the taylor’s where I will order a couple of Indian cotton outfit and have a dress copied from my old Jackpot dress. I must count 4 euro a piece and … euro for the dress in the finest cotton. Delivery in a couple of hours.

I would like to meet Luciano again. We met him last night at the rooftop. He’s an amazing Italian (retired) doctor staying with an Indian family in Udaipur to learn Hindi.

After lunch I’ll go back for a siesta at the balcony and then (maybe) walk up for a yoga lesson at 5 o’clock.

That’s how my buzy day will be ! The luxury of having all the time in the world is a precious gift.

No wedding parties tonight -

... and it's almost as if something is missing. There was a big gathering on the football field behind the hotel this afternoon. Around 200 hundred people sitting under a kind of sunscreen eating and talking. Although there was no music, it most likely was a wedding party for at the end what looked as gifts was carried onto a huge open truck: items ranging from what looked like a wrapped up fridge, a wardrobe with mirror, some easy chairs, a sofa and two beds - all that is needed in a new home.

The evening came soft and quietly and I have much enjoyed the relative silence which allowed me to stay "home" and even to have dinner at the hotel: "Aloo mater" which is potatoes and green peas served in a delicious curry spiced sauce with cumin seeds. I have completely forgotten how good those seeds are in most preparations. I had ordered butter milk which should be soothing if the curry is too hot. Little did i know that it was to be served salted with grinded cinemon on top like a capuchino is served with a bit of chocolate powder on the cream. Try butter milk with salt and tell me what you think !

Like this yet another lazy day has passed by - a lazy day just like any other day but in a certain way a day full of happy although small events. A couple of days ago my nail scissors broke. The very best and the most expensive ones from the Plasky pharmacie. I tried in vain to fix the little screw that holds the two blades together. This morning I met an electrician who was repairing a bedside lamp and I asked him to lend me his little screwdriver. Smiling at my lack of success, he proposed to do it for me. I smiled at my turn when he had to admit that "not possible, too old" - the scissors which I left with him. Imagine my amazement when he comes back a couple of hours later with a satisfied smile on his face handing me a pair of perfectly operational scissors. No question of payment whatsoever but many bows and thanks and greetings and smiles.

A couple of hours later I was equally amazed by the skills of a shoemaker who works in the street. A skinny little fellow who sits on a paperbag close to the upper entrance to the City Palace where also the ATM machine is. For the equivalent of 1 euro he repaired, in no time, my old black shoes which I was about to abandon at Rhodos back in October. The neatest "embroidery" with solid black thread that even doesn't hurt inside the shoe. To honour his work and to show my satisfaction I felt that I had to accept a shoeshine although I very well new that after a couple of hundred meters on the dusty streets it didn't show anymore.

Spent the day reading and thinking about what to undertake when Karina comes in about 10 days time. There is so much to see and our main problem will be to chose the right sites.

The temperature is raising a bit every day and it's said that the worst is over and that the evenings shall be less chilly as of next week.

A dunkey is giving out loudly his opinion on life a couple of streets away, for the rest there is not the slightest sound to be heard - and I'm in Heaven. No alarm clock tomorrow morning and no obligations whatsoever other than finding a new place where to have lunch.

4 Feb - Udaipur time 00:12

There are three ways to get up to the Jaddish Temple which is in the middle of the heart of the Old Town, the Lal Ghat area - at the foot of the City Palace.

One is the main road, which is about 20 m large and borded at each side by shops of all kinds. Artist stands and workshops, little groceries, book stores ... you name it. Some are very touristic others are just shops necessary things such as water and toothpaste. That street is used by cars, rickshaws and pedestrians - and it's very polluted. All motor vehicles sends exhaust right into the air and there is a blueish mist hanging at all times.

A second way of getting up town is by the back streets which are narrow and quiet. Full of kids, cows, stray dogs and dirt. Ups and downs, stairs or just slippery bumps.

The nicest way to get to the Temple is definitely through the site of the City Palace - but to enter there one must pay each time 25 rupees which is the price of the same distance covered by a rickshaw. It amounts to 50 euro cents - not much, but at a long run it becomes quite a lot.

Being a long term resident, I hope to get a "free pass" and, therefore, I'll meet tomorrow morning with Mr Surendra Singh Shekawat, Head of City Palace security. If he cannot help me, nobody can.

This evening I wandered around in the Temple area and entered an alley way just next to the entrance of the Palace. Walking in front of me was ne of these well dressed, Indian bauties accompanied by a little boy of maybe 7 years. We exchanged our polite Namesta's and she made big signs for me to follow her - into her house where I was offered massala tea. Neat, new and clean. She appears to be a primary school teacher with 4 children (3 girls and this small boy). The oldest daughter would be around 14. Beautiful kids, well educated and full of questions above the usual ones like "where are you from" and "what's your name" which we hear all the time.

I spent a small hour in that family and had to promise to come back another day, preferable after 19 hrs or on a Sunday. If I get to live behind the temple we'll be neighbours. And the brother-in-law is a miniature painter who gives art classes ! As a curiosity it's he who has restored the paintings in the main building of Rang Niwas where I live now.

So that was the happening of my second Thursday in Udaipur. The rest of the day was spent reading on my private balcony, fetching money for the wall (ATM) close to the Temple, talking to the owners of respectively the "Kankarwa Haveli" and the "Pratap Bhawan Guest House". I would have to chose between the two equally attractive Lal Ghat places when I move from Rang Niwas.

And to end the day, not one but two weddings were celebrated at the play ground behind Rang Niwas. One is bad, but two are absolutely killing - noise wise. Have you ever assisted to a sonorisation competition ? Quite impressive, believe me. End of the show at 23h00 (almost) sharp.

2 Jan, 2005 - Udaipur time 9.06 pm

Already 10 days in colourful India.

Udaipur is colder than I expected, ie. when the sun is out it warm and nice but as soon as the night falls temperature does as well and we end up with around 8°C in houses and beds that are not heated. Socks and pullovers come in very handy.

It looks as if I have to move to another hotel. Rang Niwas is very nice but a bit too remote to enjoy the evenings. And remote as it is, there are 4-5 "playgrounds" in the area one of which is just behind the hotel. These open areas are used for football in daytime and in the evening they shelter wedding parties. It looks as if Indians love music - the louder the better. The loudspeakers are enormous and so are the decibel.

The guests are running away from the hotel and so will I - because the wedding season has just started and is to go on for a couple of months. Indians believe in happy horoscopes. Last year there were not many "matchings" whereas this year, there seems to be no end to the number of celebrations.