The Ganges River. The mere mention of the name conjures up a colourful conglomeration of images in the eye of the imagination. Divine fervour, meditative worship, and a gathering point for all that is venerable; combined in an intoxicating mysticism that borders on surreal. This is the quintessential locale for the spiritual and the transcendental. … Continue reading
The Rules: No computer No camera No phone No music No reading No writing No eating after 12 noon No killing (i.e. vegetarian diet) No exercising (only walking) No talking It’s called “noble silence” and I’ve signed up for ten days of it, at an (expense free!) meditation retreat outside of Sarnath, a temple town … Continue reading
Aren’t you scared to travel alone in India? I suppose I am. I try to find a woman to sit next to on the train. I keep my passport close at hand. I walk quickly in dark deserted roads. I hide my money. My heart beats a little faster in each new, unfamiliar, and unpredictable … Continue reading
I used to always take my rolls of film to Safeway to be developed. Premium Kodak paper, and it only look three days. One day, expecting the usual photos of my dog, some flowers, and stuffed animals, I ripped open the envelope on our way out of the store. My nine year-old eyes struggled to … Continue reading
Wash your hands often. Brush your teeth with bottled water. Bring hand sanitizer (lots). Don’t touch the dogs. Don’t touch the cows. Don’t touch the goats. Don’t touch the kids. Don’t touch anyone. Don’t touch anything. Don’t drink from a bottle without a straw. Don’t drink fresh fruit juice. Don’t eat unpeeled fruit. Don’t eat … Continue reading
I got a gentle toe wiggle at 6:30 this morning from my roommate. “It’s time,” she said, “you’re not still going are you?” I listened to the rain. 14 straight hours of monsoon at that point, and it had also rained (hard) two nights before. I got up and looked out the door, a feeling … Continue reading
नमस्ते naah. mmaaa. ss. tuh. é. Namaste!! Words, ironically, can’t describe the thrill of deciphering this word from the Devanagari script. They are basic characters, and the word is the one word that most foreigners are guaranteed to learn while traversing the Indian subcontinent. The new age-y interpretation is “the spirit in me respects the … Continue reading
It’s been a month without my own wheels and I can’t take it anymore. Getting a bike here has been easy. Mention the idea to Ashish (we live on his family’s rooftop), he brings by old bikes for me to try out, or goes to check them out himself, because if I go with him, … Continue reading
the life of riley 