Thursday, May 3, 2012
The City Where Almost Everything is Holy
We are just back from an amazing and overwhelming experience watching the evening aarti service on the banks of the Ganges River. It was very powerful and intense, with so many people worshiping, and so much sound and color all around us. We sat on the steps at one of the larger river ghats (stone lined steps along the riverbanks). There was a raised and brightly colored platform right along the shore where the steps led to the water. The platform had 9 spots under brightly colored and almost garishly lit umbrellas of colored lights. There were 9 priests, each ritually chanting and singing along with the music, which was amplified by strong speakers. Hundreds of bells were ringing constantly, not in any particular pattern. The priests moved in unison, lifting and swinging ritual objects towards the river, towards the crowd-- in each of the four directions. They started with large golden incense burners, wafting smoke out over the Ganges. Then they lifted very large candle-holders covered in smaller flames, making a kind of giant cone of fire. Next were giant oil lamps with Shiva's snake collar lifting up behind the flame. Between the lifting and swinging of each ritual object, the priests threw handfuls of petals or rice or incense into the river as offerings. We could see the river shining in the reflected lights behind the giant alter platform, and there were hundreds, if not thousands, of lit candles floating in the current. There were the special curved wooden boats, like wider gondolas, filled with people watching the ceremony from the river. (We'll have the chance to watch the morning aarti from these boats tomorrow, in fact.) There were thousands of people lining the ghat where we were watching, and there were separate ceremonies and alters all up and down the banks of the Ganges for the sunset aarti. We could hear the clanging of bells, and chanting, from all around us.
And of course, being such a holy place for Hindus, the ceremony wasn't complete without all the cows. Amidst all the people on our ghat were at least 5 cows and several calves, walking pretty much anywhere they liked. People just quickly moved out of the way if a cow came towards them; clearly cows have the right of way here.
Also amongst us were a lot of pilgrims, a number of priests, some babas selling blessings and bindi dots for our foreheads. And there were children, some quite young, selling things or begging for money. Some of these little kids were digging in the trash right in front of us. It was really hard to see. Today was our first experience seeing obviously poor children, perhaps abandoned or orphaned. These kids, the littlest not more than 3 or 4 years old, wearing rags and just made of skin and bones, were right out there asking us for money or for water, and looking in their eyes you could see how much older they were inside. This aspect was very challenging for some of us today.
Veranasi is an organic city, not planned in the least, and the roads and lanes are very old (this place is one of the world's oldest recorded cities). Traffic is crazy, the roads twist and bend, have holes in the middle of them, bump and drop, and have multiple surfaces from brick to stone to concrete to asphalt to just plain dirt. Our bus bumped us all over the place, and then could go no further. The last couple of miles down to the river had to be done by rickshaw, so we paired up and zipped off through the crazy traffic. It was quite stimulating, and bumpy, and amazingly crowded. I honestly do not know how people can actually drive in this kind of traffic soup. But, like many things so far, it was quite and experience!
When we got close to the river, we came to the area that is shut off from wheel traffic. So we got out and walked the remaining half mile or so to the river. All behind the ghats lining the river are ancient tiny streets, some open to the sky, others under cobbled roofs. They are lined with shops. These streets, really just paths, are narrow and packed with people. In some places, we only had 4 feet across. As we made our way through the paths to the river, we passed countless little shops selling flowers, saris, devotional material, jewelry, prayer beads, scarves, shoes, and street food. We also passed cows, countless scruffy road dogs just lying right in the middle of the streets, goats, babas, shopkeepers, pilgrims, and shoppers. And police officers. We must have seen 50 police officers, and we soon realized why. There is an area in this maze of tiny streets that has one of Hinduism's most holy temples (with a 1000 kg gold roof!). Right next door is a newer mosque, built in the 17th century by a Moghul ruler on the ruins of an ancient Hindu temple. These adjacent sites are highly politicized, with Hindu nationalists calling for the razing of the mosque to return it to a Hindu temple. Regular threats are made to destroy the mosque, so to even go near the area, we had to pass through a metal detector and a body search. And that was just to stand in the tiny street outside and look up at the solid gold stupa and the shiny white minarets of the mosque behind the temple. It was a good reminder of some of the struggles of India's multiculturalism.
Our approach to the Ganges was in stark contrast to our earlier visit of the day to Sarnath. The open fields of Sarnath are mostly archeological ruins of earlier Buddhist temples and small votive stupas. This is the site where the actual Buddha, Siddhartha, first started teaching his followers. It's a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists from all over the world, and we saw many people from Thailand and Japan walking among the ruins. There is one extremely large stupa--at least 200 feet across and several stories tall--still standing. Built 2300 years ago by King Ashoka, it is made of brick and clad in stone, with the remains of a carved stone facade still visible in some places. We walked around the stupa, built right on the spot where Buddha gave his first lecture, and we noticed that it was covered in tiny gold squares just rubbed onto the stone. These were real gold sheets, left as offerings by Buddhist devotees. The hundreds of votive stupas were small brick or stone mounds built as gifts of thanks by followers over the last several thousand years. We walked amidst them and could touch them if we liked. Sarnath was incredibly peaceful and open, with trees and grass around us. It was very quiet, and pilgrims were sitting in small family groups meditating or simply being quiet.
We saw incredibly poor children here as well. They are not allowed on the grounds, but sneak in through breaks in the fence and beg for money from the visitors. We came across and exceptionally ragged little group of 4 kids, the oldest only 7 or 8, and we gave them water bottles. They guzzled the water--it was quite hot out--and some of us gave them money. One little girl, wearing a torn cloth with a hole for her head to fit through and a ripped little skirt, followed us all the way out the gate, smiling and talking and begging and offering to take photos with us so we would pay her. Clearly these kids know how to survive. But it was really heartbreaking for us.
This day was very intense for many of us, with so much of India just coming at us: sights, sounds, crowds, smells, and a very different sense of personal space than we are used to. Nothing is in a straight line or organized to the Western eye. A cacophony of noise and color was all around us. Even walking takes place on surfaces that aren't flat or expected. Cows rise up seemingly out of nowhere. People are jammed everywhere. And the horns, if anything, are louder and more frequently applied than in Delhi. The air is smoky and difficult to breathe. It's very stimulating, and I think many of the students could use some down time. And I suspect that many are already in bed asleep even as I write this.
Veranasi is intense, amazing, and powerful. And we get more of it tomorrow!
And of course, being such a holy place for Hindus, the ceremony wasn't complete without all the cows. Amidst all the people on our ghat were at least 5 cows and several calves, walking pretty much anywhere they liked. People just quickly moved out of the way if a cow came towards them; clearly cows have the right of way here.
Also amongst us were a lot of pilgrims, a number of priests, some babas selling blessings and bindi dots for our foreheads. And there were children, some quite young, selling things or begging for money. Some of these little kids were digging in the trash right in front of us. It was really hard to see. Today was our first experience seeing obviously poor children, perhaps abandoned or orphaned. These kids, the littlest not more than 3 or 4 years old, wearing rags and just made of skin and bones, were right out there asking us for money or for water, and looking in their eyes you could see how much older they were inside. This aspect was very challenging for some of us today.
Veranasi is an organic city, not planned in the least, and the roads and lanes are very old (this place is one of the world's oldest recorded cities). Traffic is crazy, the roads twist and bend, have holes in the middle of them, bump and drop, and have multiple surfaces from brick to stone to concrete to asphalt to just plain dirt. Our bus bumped us all over the place, and then could go no further. The last couple of miles down to the river had to be done by rickshaw, so we paired up and zipped off through the crazy traffic. It was quite stimulating, and bumpy, and amazingly crowded. I honestly do not know how people can actually drive in this kind of traffic soup. But, like many things so far, it was quite and experience!
When we got close to the river, we came to the area that is shut off from wheel traffic. So we got out and walked the remaining half mile or so to the river. All behind the ghats lining the river are ancient tiny streets, some open to the sky, others under cobbled roofs. They are lined with shops. These streets, really just paths, are narrow and packed with people. In some places, we only had 4 feet across. As we made our way through the paths to the river, we passed countless little shops selling flowers, saris, devotional material, jewelry, prayer beads, scarves, shoes, and street food. We also passed cows, countless scruffy road dogs just lying right in the middle of the streets, goats, babas, shopkeepers, pilgrims, and shoppers. And police officers. We must have seen 50 police officers, and we soon realized why. There is an area in this maze of tiny streets that has one of Hinduism's most holy temples (with a 1000 kg gold roof!). Right next door is a newer mosque, built in the 17th century by a Moghul ruler on the ruins of an ancient Hindu temple. These adjacent sites are highly politicized, with Hindu nationalists calling for the razing of the mosque to return it to a Hindu temple. Regular threats are made to destroy the mosque, so to even go near the area, we had to pass through a metal detector and a body search. And that was just to stand in the tiny street outside and look up at the solid gold stupa and the shiny white minarets of the mosque behind the temple. It was a good reminder of some of the struggles of India's multiculturalism.
Our approach to the Ganges was in stark contrast to our earlier visit of the day to Sarnath. The open fields of Sarnath are mostly archeological ruins of earlier Buddhist temples and small votive stupas. This is the site where the actual Buddha, Siddhartha, first started teaching his followers. It's a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists from all over the world, and we saw many people from Thailand and Japan walking among the ruins. There is one extremely large stupa--at least 200 feet across and several stories tall--still standing. Built 2300 years ago by King Ashoka, it is made of brick and clad in stone, with the remains of a carved stone facade still visible in some places. We walked around the stupa, built right on the spot where Buddha gave his first lecture, and we noticed that it was covered in tiny gold squares just rubbed onto the stone. These were real gold sheets, left as offerings by Buddhist devotees. The hundreds of votive stupas were small brick or stone mounds built as gifts of thanks by followers over the last several thousand years. We walked amidst them and could touch them if we liked. Sarnath was incredibly peaceful and open, with trees and grass around us. It was very quiet, and pilgrims were sitting in small family groups meditating or simply being quiet.
We saw incredibly poor children here as well. They are not allowed on the grounds, but sneak in through breaks in the fence and beg for money from the visitors. We came across and exceptionally ragged little group of 4 kids, the oldest only 7 or 8, and we gave them water bottles. They guzzled the water--it was quite hot out--and some of us gave them money. One little girl, wearing a torn cloth with a hole for her head to fit through and a ripped little skirt, followed us all the way out the gate, smiling and talking and begging and offering to take photos with us so we would pay her. Clearly these kids know how to survive. But it was really heartbreaking for us.
This day was very intense for many of us, with so much of India just coming at us: sights, sounds, crowds, smells, and a very different sense of personal space than we are used to. Nothing is in a straight line or organized to the Western eye. A cacophony of noise and color was all around us. Even walking takes place on surfaces that aren't flat or expected. Cows rise up seemingly out of nowhere. People are jammed everywhere. And the horns, if anything, are louder and more frequently applied than in Delhi. The air is smoky and difficult to breathe. It's very stimulating, and I think many of the students could use some down time. And I suspect that many are already in bed asleep even as I write this.
Veranasi is intense, amazing, and powerful. And we get more of it tomorrow!
The Night Train to Veranasi
We had some students who were a little apprehensive about taking the night train. What would it be like? Would it be clean? Would they be able to sleep? And now we know. Our train car was in the first class section, with bunk-style beds curtained off from the hallway. There were sheets, small pillows, and some rather scratchy blankets. Each section had 6 beds, so students hopped from section to section to hang out with various friends at different times. I believe that some students made friends with a rather cute Indian young man. Other students went right to sleep. At about 9:00 PM, food was brought around for us on little metal trays. We had rice, chapatis, naan, and either tandoori chicken or lentil and potato dahl. It appears that even train food in India tastes pretty great. Most of us found it surprisingly easy to sleep on the train, and it was hard to wake up at 6:00 AM when we were moving into the city of Veranasi.
The last half hour of our train ride, when most of us were awake, was quite interesting. It is a rural area outside the city, and the train passed farms and fields and tiny little villages. We saw women hand-shaping cow dung into oval patties, which were laid out to dry in the sun and then stacked neatly into stupa-shaped piles. Everything here seems to be stacked up like the temple spires! We also saw a large number of cows, and goats were just about everywhere. The area here is very dusty and dry, and everything seemed to be a yellowish gray color, broken by the bright green of the trees and the neon-green of the algae covered reservoirs.
The train stations are buzzing with activity. As soon as our bus stopped, we were swarmed with red-shirted porters asking to carry our luggage. Most students opted to carry their own, but some engaged the porters. It was amazing to see it! The porters whipped out a piece of cloth, quickly twisted it, spiraled it onto their heads, and then lifted the bags--one, two, or even three!--up onto their heads with almost no effort at all. Then they started walking, fast. We could barely keep up, and these guys were carrying huge loads of luggage! On their heads! The Delhi train station was intense, with huge crowds, extremely pungent smells, road dogs, monkeys, hawkers, and a a lot of rather long stairways up and over to the tracks. We made it. But it was definitely an experience.
The Veranasi station is smaller, but definitely stinkier. And infested with cute little monkeys.
Our hotel is in a middle class area, with shops and restaurants and parks safely within walking distance. We changed our schedule so that we had a free morning for students to unwind, sleep, or explore. Some are out at a nearby "luxury" shopping mall, which I'm sure will be an interesting experience. Others are not feeling well and are staying in--we have 4 who have picked up some kind of stomach bug already. There is a traditional Indian massage spa at the hotel, and I think some students are considering trying it out. We leave soon for Sarnath, the place where Buddha first started preaching. We'll get to see the sunset aarti tonight from the Ganges, which should be amazing. I think Veranasi is going to be a powerful and amazing place to experience.
The last half hour of our train ride, when most of us were awake, was quite interesting. It is a rural area outside the city, and the train passed farms and fields and tiny little villages. We saw women hand-shaping cow dung into oval patties, which were laid out to dry in the sun and then stacked neatly into stupa-shaped piles. Everything here seems to be stacked up like the temple spires! We also saw a large number of cows, and goats were just about everywhere. The area here is very dusty and dry, and everything seemed to be a yellowish gray color, broken by the bright green of the trees and the neon-green of the algae covered reservoirs.
The train stations are buzzing with activity. As soon as our bus stopped, we were swarmed with red-shirted porters asking to carry our luggage. Most students opted to carry their own, but some engaged the porters. It was amazing to see it! The porters whipped out a piece of cloth, quickly twisted it, spiraled it onto their heads, and then lifted the bags--one, two, or even three!--up onto their heads with almost no effort at all. Then they started walking, fast. We could barely keep up, and these guys were carrying huge loads of luggage! On their heads! The Delhi train station was intense, with huge crowds, extremely pungent smells, road dogs, monkeys, hawkers, and a a lot of rather long stairways up and over to the tracks. We made it. But it was definitely an experience.
The Veranasi station is smaller, but definitely stinkier. And infested with cute little monkeys.
Our hotel is in a middle class area, with shops and restaurants and parks safely within walking distance. We changed our schedule so that we had a free morning for students to unwind, sleep, or explore. Some are out at a nearby "luxury" shopping mall, which I'm sure will be an interesting experience. Others are not feeling well and are staying in--we have 4 who have picked up some kind of stomach bug already. There is a traditional Indian massage spa at the hotel, and I think some students are considering trying it out. We leave soon for Sarnath, the place where Buddha first started preaching. We'll get to see the sunset aarti tonight from the Ganges, which should be amazing. I think Veranasi is going to be a powerful and amazing place to experience.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Quick Update!
This is just a quick note before we dash off to the overnight train to Veranasi. We had an amazing day today, with a visit to a Shiva temple--where those of us who cared to be were blessed by Durga, a powerful goddess incarnation of Shiva's wife. She has many arms and is a protector of her followers by destroying their demons and troubles. The temple was huge and interesting, filled with different shrines to each member of Shiva's family, as well as to some of his more important incarnations such as Vishnu (who is easily recognizable because he's quite a striking shade of blue). There was also snake imagery everywhere, and lions, symbols for Shiva and his wife.
We also visited Nizamuddin, the most sacred pilgrimage site for Sufis. The 1000 year old shrine is circled by the ornate coffin-shaped tombs of famous rulers and Sufi saints. Built up right around, and completely circling the shrine, is a dense ring of paths and tiny streets lined with devotional shops selling huge garlands of hot pink flowers, glitter powder, and white devotional wafers. The den of shops was tightly packed and crowded, filled with pilgrims and devotees and salespeople and kids and beggars and us. It was slow moving through the crowd and fascinating to get the experience of the smells of incense and flowers, and the incredible colors, and the feeling of being packed into one purpose-bound mass of humanity. When we finally got to the shrine, it was a beautiful and holy place, with devotees kneeling and praying all around it. The small courtyard was paved in marble stones which were ridiculously hot for our bare feet. We met a 30th generation descendent of a Sufi prophet whose job was to help visitors learn about Sufism. It was an amazing experience all the way around.
And for lunch, we went to an Indian McDonalds! I believe there are many photos coming home of all the interesting ways that McDonalds is both the same and very different than in the U.S. Now we are rushing to pack and prepare for our 12 hour train ride to Veranasi.
More later!
We also visited Nizamuddin, the most sacred pilgrimage site for Sufis. The 1000 year old shrine is circled by the ornate coffin-shaped tombs of famous rulers and Sufi saints. Built up right around, and completely circling the shrine, is a dense ring of paths and tiny streets lined with devotional shops selling huge garlands of hot pink flowers, glitter powder, and white devotional wafers. The den of shops was tightly packed and crowded, filled with pilgrims and devotees and salespeople and kids and beggars and us. It was slow moving through the crowd and fascinating to get the experience of the smells of incense and flowers, and the incredible colors, and the feeling of being packed into one purpose-bound mass of humanity. When we finally got to the shrine, it was a beautiful and holy place, with devotees kneeling and praying all around it. The small courtyard was paved in marble stones which were ridiculously hot for our bare feet. We met a 30th generation descendent of a Sufi prophet whose job was to help visitors learn about Sufism. It was an amazing experience all the way around.
And for lunch, we went to an Indian McDonalds! I believe there are many photos coming home of all the interesting ways that McDonalds is both the same and very different than in the U.S. Now we are rushing to pack and prepare for our 12 hour train ride to Veranasi.
More later!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Cricket, Kids, and the Chandni Chowk
We visited an orphanage today, home to 23 boys and located on the edge of the city. We had packed several bags of gifts for the kids--paper, pens, crayons, markers, etc--and we brought them to the orphanage. This orphanage is run by Udayan Care, and is part of a number of small group-home style orphanages throughout the city. The boys ranged in age from 8-18, and most were abandoned on the streets quite young, or taken from abusive and exploitative situations. Some were turned in by neighbors after their parents died. The boys were quite shy at first when we met them, and had to be persuaded to introduce themselves and tell us their favorite sports. They all study English, and each of them took turns to tell us their names and about their schools. The littlest boy sang us a song, which pretty much melted every heart in the room. And then the fun began. As cricket was universally the favorite sport of the kids, we challenged them to a game. Of course, none of us knew anything about cricket, but they agreed to show us. They tried very hard not to laugh too much as we ran around and batted and basically just screamed in laughter. We even found that we have our very own cricket star: Jess managed to stop the game by smacking the ball so hard it flew over a tree and onto a nearby roof. The kids could not stop laughing! It was quite fun. I don't think any of us understand the game of cricket any better, but still, it was great experience.
We also had the chance today to visit the famous Chandni Chowk, the ancient shopping street planned and built by Shah Jahan's daughter. (Shah Jahan is one of the greatest historic Moghuls of India, famous most of all for building the Taj Mahal). This area of the city is very old, with very narrow lanes and tiny shops and twists and turns and hidden doors and cows and merchants and people everywhere. We rode rickshaws to get to the center of the Chowk, which was quite an experience in itself. We piled into the rickshaws two by two, and the drivers--who were bicycling--just dove right into the multiple lanes of traffic. We moved along just inches away from trucks and cars and motorcycles, at times moving surprisingly fast, and other times just inching along at the pace of the traffic. When we slowed down, kids ran into the street to touch us and ask for money. The streets were packed with people and animals and kids and vehicles. When we got to the center, the maze of walkways was so small we had to walk. It's a good thing we had a guide at this point, because the lanes twisted and turned and switched back and we were completely turned around. The little shops lining the lanes were selling everything from freshly prepared food to colorful saris to wonderfully smelling spices. There were lots of shops selling sparkly fabric trims or jewelry, and our guide told us that the the word 'chandni' actually means 'glitter,' and that this area traditionally had always been a place for women to shop for fashionable glittery items (although apparently the name Chandni originally came from what used to be a reflective canal that ran down the main street). It was SO interesting to be there, and the sights and sounds and smells of the Chowk were really powerful and at times almost overwhelming.
Our time in the Chowk ended with a climb up the steep stairs to the Jama Masjid, an amazingly lovely old mosque built by Shah Jahan in the 1600s. It's at the top of a hill, with the Chowk between it and the Red Fort at the base of the hill. There was an amazing view out over the city, and the red stones shone in the sun. Of course, the sun also heated the stone in the mosque and we were barefoot (no shoes in an active mosque). All the ladies were asked to wear a colorful robe over our clothes as a mark of respect, so most of the students were in bright colors and patterns and walking around barefoot in this lovely place. We made a point to walk through the emperor's gate, which historically could only be passed through by an emperor riding an elephant up from his home in the Red Fort. I mean, why not? India's a democracy now, right?
We also managed a quick visit to India's Baha'i temple, which is built in the shape of a giant lotus blossom. It's a modern building, made of white concrete shaped into massive petals. The center of the temple is empty, and we had the chance to sit simply in silence in the peaceful space inside.
While some of the students have managed to jump right into India time, some of us--myself included--are still suffering from jet lag. We are doing so many amazing things, and having so many amazing experiences, that we are getting really tired. I'm pretty sure that as I write this almost everyone is in bed, or getting pretty close to it. We have another long and amazing day tomorrow planned. And tomorrow night, we get our first experience on a night train, which in India will be quite an experience in itself. I may not have a chance to update the blog tomorrow, but don't worry if that's the case. I'll update it as soon as I can. And hopefully, I'll be able to post some more photos too. The computer I'm using in our hotel is too old to interface with my camera, but hopefully we'll have better luck in Veranasi. Which reminds me--a different guide today gave us another Mark Twain quote, so I guess we'll be having the full Twain experience in India!
We also had the chance today to visit the famous Chandni Chowk, the ancient shopping street planned and built by Shah Jahan's daughter. (Shah Jahan is one of the greatest historic Moghuls of India, famous most of all for building the Taj Mahal). This area of the city is very old, with very narrow lanes and tiny shops and twists and turns and hidden doors and cows and merchants and people everywhere. We rode rickshaws to get to the center of the Chowk, which was quite an experience in itself. We piled into the rickshaws two by two, and the drivers--who were bicycling--just dove right into the multiple lanes of traffic. We moved along just inches away from trucks and cars and motorcycles, at times moving surprisingly fast, and other times just inching along at the pace of the traffic. When we slowed down, kids ran into the street to touch us and ask for money. The streets were packed with people and animals and kids and vehicles. When we got to the center, the maze of walkways was so small we had to walk. It's a good thing we had a guide at this point, because the lanes twisted and turned and switched back and we were completely turned around. The little shops lining the lanes were selling everything from freshly prepared food to colorful saris to wonderfully smelling spices. There were lots of shops selling sparkly fabric trims or jewelry, and our guide told us that the the word 'chandni' actually means 'glitter,' and that this area traditionally had always been a place for women to shop for fashionable glittery items (although apparently the name Chandni originally came from what used to be a reflective canal that ran down the main street). It was SO interesting to be there, and the sights and sounds and smells of the Chowk were really powerful and at times almost overwhelming.
Our time in the Chowk ended with a climb up the steep stairs to the Jama Masjid, an amazingly lovely old mosque built by Shah Jahan in the 1600s. It's at the top of a hill, with the Chowk between it and the Red Fort at the base of the hill. There was an amazing view out over the city, and the red stones shone in the sun. Of course, the sun also heated the stone in the mosque and we were barefoot (no shoes in an active mosque). All the ladies were asked to wear a colorful robe over our clothes as a mark of respect, so most of the students were in bright colors and patterns and walking around barefoot in this lovely place. We made a point to walk through the emperor's gate, which historically could only be passed through by an emperor riding an elephant up from his home in the Red Fort. I mean, why not? India's a democracy now, right?
We also managed a quick visit to India's Baha'i temple, which is built in the shape of a giant lotus blossom. It's a modern building, made of white concrete shaped into massive petals. The center of the temple is empty, and we had the chance to sit simply in silence in the peaceful space inside.
While some of the students have managed to jump right into India time, some of us--myself included--are still suffering from jet lag. We are doing so many amazing things, and having so many amazing experiences, that we are getting really tired. I'm pretty sure that as I write this almost everyone is in bed, or getting pretty close to it. We have another long and amazing day tomorrow planned. And tomorrow night, we get our first experience on a night train, which in India will be quite an experience in itself. I may not have a chance to update the blog tomorrow, but don't worry if that's the case. I'll update it as soon as I can. And hopefully, I'll be able to post some more photos too. The computer I'm using in our hotel is too old to interface with my camera, but hopefully we'll have better luck in Veranasi. Which reminds me--a different guide today gave us another Mark Twain quote, so I guess we'll be having the full Twain experience in India!
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