Moments de la vie and lots of photos

After just about 3 months in India we thought we could share our impressions of India, what is different here and some more pictures of ... life.

Colours and markets

One striking element of India is the colour. Everything is so colourful: women's saris, men's shirts and dhotis, flowers, trucks, stalls etc. And there are stalls everywhere. People sell anything, everywhere, be it coconuts, a few mangoes, flowers or juices. Here are some pictures of stalls and shops.

Transport

Something that takes a bit of getting used to is the traffic. Traffic rules are very different, or rather more relaxed.. and crossing a road can take us a long time. We are getting better at it now and do not scream as rickshaws hurtle towards us (usually hoping we'll get in) anymore.

Indians use their horn a lot. So the noise coming from roads is quite impressive. Add to this the tunes each care plays as it reverses and he comedy horns (can you download a horn-tone?)..

All sorts of transport share the road: buses, trucks, cars, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, animal-rickshaws (donkey, horses, etc), motorbikes, scooters, carts pulled by men or bulls, pedestrians, cyclists, etc. Everything goes, all on the road. And what's also impressive is how many people (or bananas, or boxes, or chickens...) you can fit into any one of these. We've seen over 15 kids in a rickshaw, we experienced being 9 in a small car (think Panda), 11 in a rickshaw, 19 in a 4x4, and what must be well over a hundreds in a bus - and there's always room for another one.. or two.

Auto-rickshaw meets cow.

Bullock cart

Buses

Keeping cool on trains. Laundry service.

A brahmin blesses a new motorbike. And who's that star on a scooter?? (don't you love the look?)

Relaxed attitude

Most Indians work very hard. It's amazing what people can do in this heat! But often work and life in general is done in a very relaxed way and I am still amazed at how people can relax nearly everywhere and in most situations: a motorbike is coming straight towards you, fast - don't jump out of the way, just relax, it will go round you at the last minute....

What I admire the most is how people can sleep anywhere: on the pavement of a dual carriageway, in a temple, anywhere really, even if it is noisy, busy, dangerous, situations we would remain painfully awake and worry in. The animals are the same: dogs sleep in the middle of the road, undisturbed, while vehicles nearly crash into each other to avoid them. This picture is an example of a very relaxed dog sleeping balanced on chairs occupied by people.

We're coming to the conclusion that it's all about the fear factor and that we're too scared to relax most of the time!

Food

Simply superb, tasty, different in each state, so full of flavours and spices. We eat with the right hand (the left is for other things - so never ever touch food with your left hand) on banana leaves or stainless steel plates. Most restaurants have set times for certain food. For example idly and tea in the morning. Thali (full meals) only at lunchtime and dosas, chappatis, pooris, etc in the evening. The 'Veg hotels' are not hotels but restaurant/canteens serving fresh vegetarian food and a thali will cost you 25-40 rupees (about 35-45p). It is very easy to get good vegetarian food in India.

Paratta and curry. Harriet's favourite: rava idly.

Harriet attacking that massive paper dosa.

Sylv's favourite: Uttapam.

The tea is with milk and sugar as default and served in a stainless steel cup with a deep stainless steel saucer and the trick is to pour the tea from the cup to the saucer and vice-versa until the tea is not too hot. A real art ;-)

H enjoying her chai. Balanced food at the Sri Aurobindo ashram.

And cure for the Dehli-Belly... (love the branding too)

Hygiene and toilets

Not your usual subject in a blog but hey, I'm am sure you are wondering what the business is about toilets (especially since I mentioned above that the left hand is reserved). Well, there's no loo roll (except in the tourist shops). It is seen either as disgusting or a luxury item for the rich city people and westerners. All excrements are understandably thought of as dirty and should be discarded and cleaned with water. So why would you use toilet paper and keep your dirty things on a piece of paper? Instead there is water. The toilets are also mainly of the squatting-style (here called Indian style) so that makes the whole cleaning process easier and to be fair we are finding this technic much more hygienic and clean and a bit of coolwater is always welcome ;-)


This is a fine example of East meets West. The western style toilet that could also be squatted on. No idea how you use it Western style though and it is rather dangerous to get on and off, we're dicing with broken ankles here!!

What's also quite surprising, especially the first time as you sort of don't expect it, is that there are urinals for women. Sylv took a picture to prove it!

Ladies' urinals.

That said, toilets are not always used or available and it is quite shocking for us to see so many people busy at the side of the road or in empty patches of land, beaches, etc.... The need for sanitation is so great, a shared loo such a luxury.... so much to do! This poster is trying to educate people in Hampi where a row of loos without walls or doors stood abandoned

Washing

And you thought that emptying the washing machine was a chore?! Think again. Here washing is done by hand in the river or at the pump and clothes get a good bashing on a stone. They are then dried on the grass or on bushes, whatever is available nearby. We have become very good at hand washing too but from the comfort of our hotel bathroom - we're trying to keep up with everyone else, surrounded by clean saris and perfect white shirts!

People

What really has made our trip so far have been the people we've met. So many smiles! So many 'welcome to India's and so many long conversations about who we are, where we're from, why we're here and what we're up to - usually to half the population of the town/ village and have started asking the same of everyone we meet.... Here are a few pictures (amongst maybe hundreds as we are asked for pictures all the time - H looks like a teacher and Sylv's working on her Madonna impression..)

Boys playing football.


The whole sales team in a clothes shop after an afternoon trying things on, drinking tea and discussing jobs, family relationships and internet dating (!).

And we loved this meeting: a bus load of police-women in uniforms who took care of us ;-)

Christianity

Religion is ever-present in India. Other posts on this log are full of temples ;-) What's interesting is how the religions cross over. For example, in Christian churches, Mary or Jesus will be worshiped and decorated (with flowers, flashing lights, etc) like a Hindu god usually is. See pictures below.

In short - we're enjoying ourselves and learning lots - and wanted to share some of it with people who aren't here (yet!)....

H and Sxx

Henna hands

Yesterday, as we were doing our evening speed-walk in the park in Hassan, we met 2 lovely ladies who invited us to their homes. So welcoming, nice and hospitable. We spent the evening with them trying lovely sweets (more tours of the park for us today...) and the daughter, Misbah, did Henna on our hands!


Misbah at work.

Look how nice! I am so happy with it!!!

Temples 3 and visiting Jain

Before giving into fatigue and a few more fresh nights (oh yes, at least 20, if not the forecast 13C) and lazy picnics in Hassan, we did what the guidebook said and made our way to the Hoysala temples in Halebidu and Belur. These are from about the 12th Century, so post Chola, but in a very different area - made of black stone that's apparently 'easy' to work and goes hard when oxydised, made in a star shape, and very very fancy!

The two towns are in beautiful contryside too - green, green trees and paddy fields, distant mountains and birdsong rather than rickshaw engines...

The temple in Halebidu was apparently never quite finished. The detail on both temples is amazing though, telling stories on one layer, decorating with another and showing elephants, warriors on horses and birds all over.

The columns used were 'turned' like you would a wooden banister post and added to this are rings of very detailled flowery decoration that are just wonderful!

This is the temple at Belur where the dark stone Hoysala building is surrounded by collonades and a spectacular white entrance gate (gopura).

From Hassan we also made a trip to Sravanabelgola - to see the statue of Gomateshwara, on top of a very steep hill set in, again, beautiful countryside. There are a number of Jain temples here and it's a major pilgrim site - the main one is on a hill up over 600 steps (luckily we got there early, we couldn't go up the other hill as the stone burned our feet after lunch!) and every 12 years they have a big festival to 'wash' the statue.

The statue is enormous and set in the couryard of a 'normal' sized temple, so looks even bigger! The shrines in the Hindu temples we've been to are usually quite small statues, usually covered in flowers so there's just a little head sticking out - this is something different! You can see anthills and vines growing up the legs of the statue - Gomateshwara spent so long standing meditating in the forest that it started growing up around him...

Down in the valley between the rocks, there are further Jain temples. The caretaker of this one grabbed us as we walked past and showed us around the peaceful enclosure. The main buiding houses a shrine and is similar to the other Hoysala temples, the little house behind houses another statue of one of the 24 Jain figures, all standing or sitting meditating.

Each of the 24 figures are identified with what they hold/things that accompany them, a bit like how we've been identifying the Hindu deities... but they're not dressed in dhoties and saris, they're all 'au naturel' like Gomateshwara. The Jain temples are different to the Hindu ones less in form than in feel - they're quieter, calmer, maybe because there are fewer devotees, maybe because of the meditation?

Still learning...

Mysore... home to great sweets!

Mysore - small, but beautiful town full of extremely nice or extremely odd people (mainly the former, you'll be glad to hear!).... a palace that is full of the most luscious decoration you have ever imagined, inlaid marble floors combined with many-pillared halls, etched windows, stained glass and a few chandeliers to finish off the effect - amazing! unfortunately, no pictures allowed.

The palace also lights up (over 1000 light bulbs, environmental nightmare - I like the idea of a slowly illuminating palace covered in low energy bulbs, might write them a letter..) on "sundays... and saturdays... and public holidays... and tomorrow night 'cos it's good friday" - we were lucky enough to catch the sight, disney meets moghul dynasty!

The palace is pretty by day too - here's Sylv looking lovely infront of the flowers!

We eventually gave in to a picture request from India's Evil Knievel in his performance outfit - due to perform wheelies and 'look no hands' manoeuvres on Chamundi Hill the next day. Hope it went ok...

After a tip off from Gemma who told us about it in Kerala many months ago, we also found where to buy the best Mysore Pak - a sweet vaguely reminiscent of shortbread but with more butter and less flour.... melt in the mouth caramelly sugar experience - and indulged most days. We didn't have time to take any pictures before it was eaten up (no fridge, surely it would go off if left in this heat for too long?!)... here are a couple off the web (where there's a u-tube recipe too!)

Cheery-eau from the goodlife for now!

What's a pallava? - temples chapter 2

Chapter 2 in our easy guide to temples starts in Mahabalipuram - just up the coast from Pondicherry. Again, pictures for those who don't want the details - if you fancy a little info, that's all I've included!

The temples and carvings at Mahabalipuram date from the time when this was a major port for the Pallavas - it's now a small fishing village with a large tourist trade and many identikit kashmiri shops. The carvings were stunning though and the sea breeze welcome!

The Shore Temple here pre-dates the Chola temples we saw in Tanjavur, Chidambaram etc. You'll see that the shape is similar, but these were made between 500-900AD. The site away from the sea is home to carvings on the rock face, others (the last picture here) are inside hollowed out rocks made into temples and decorated with wall scenes. They're not sure what the stone carvings were for but they might have been for worship (and some are curiously in line with the current temple of the town).

- another theory is that the craftsmen in the town were just showing off what they could do... there's still plenty of evidence of their skills, with workshops all over town and statues in different stages of completion everywhere!


From the coast we took the bus to Kanchipuram - city of so many temples! We went to the oldest first, an empty, peaceful, grassy park place on the edge of town and a great contrast to the one we visited later in the evening, where day 7 of a 9 day festival was well underway (think big wheel in the courtyard, candy floss and flashing lights!).

The old temple dates from the 8th Century and it was easy to see from the work and the shape what would be taken into the Chola temples. What was different was that the outer walls were not collumned walkways, but rows of little (very little!) cells for meditation, some facing each other and others facing outwards... it was a nice calm place, and the carving so detailled..

The oldest templet was very quiet and not used very much anymore. The next day we took a cycle rickshaw (comical journey communicating with the driver with no english and fighting the urge to get out and push uphill at least..!) to the largest temple outside town, where the Pallavas work has been added to and the temple is still very much used. We didn't get to see muich here as the temple brahmins were not so open about letting non-hindus (read: tourists) into the inner courtyards. The thousand pillar hall (a special building for weddings and other ceremonies) was open though and a great example of the detail and fanciness of the pallavas... this chain is cut out of the rock, the corner pillars were decorated with not one but 3 horses and there were quite a few nauthy pictures in there too!

In the evening, after a long chat with Florence, a French traveller who we keep bumping into, the innner shrine came to us as the gods were taken out for an evening visit to the town. Lots of music, flowers and brahmins - sunset outside the main temples entrance, centuries old carvings and buildings.... lovely!!

The Two Temple Tarts xx

We've been to the Zoo!!

We went off the tourist trail yesterday: we went to Mysore zoo! So much fun and so peaceful. Green, full of trees, away from any traffic noise and for once we were on the other side of the fence ;-) The lion was much more interesting to look at than us!

Here are a few pictures. First a few interesting signs ;-)

Not only will the animals eat you, but above all, you might make them sick. And if the tiger leaves enough of you, you will be punished ;-) Maybe thrown to the lions?

Yes, that's the toilet sign. We are slowly being converted to the benefits of the 'indian style' toilets actually. More details on request.

Some of the animals which turned their heads around in the right direction for us:

And this last one for my mum:

there's a place where...

As much a reminder for us when we finally return... and a gentle one for you too...



Whatever you're up to on a Sunday night, you can be sure that on the beach at Mamallapuram, as the light begins to soften after another bleaching bright day, the spaces between the fishing boats and their nets will slowly be filled. As the sun sets behind the village, the group of girls and the group of boys will be taking turns playing on the bouncy black rubber buoy that the sea brought in. A young lad will come to join the boys, sent by his mum with his little brother who's just walking and who will be promptly buried to his waist by his brother's friends. There'll be a group of older lads playing cricket and shrieking each time the ball is hit, watched by two brothers as they take a break from walking their dad's sandals along the beach on fishing lines. An older fisherman is proudly walking a dog, watched by tens of strays weighing up the situation. Another group of girls dancing are as if they're on the telly and a couple more strays are settled in piles of drying nets to watch them. The fishermen are picking slowly through their nets, no longer caught under the palm shelter that protects them during the day. A cotton-clad tourist struts semi-confidently across the sand, wondering quite what his foot will find next and a lone women walks along the shoreline, keeping her head down and trying to enjoy the evening light too. Neither are noticed by the family of the sandal-walkers, dad stretched out on a net, mum sat nearby, boys running and girls playing in the welcome breeze...