chai and glass slippers

Each day in northern India grows more hot and unrelenting.]
After lunch I have taken to hiding out in the downstairs yoga hall where it is cool. My room has become a trap for the heat and becomes uninhabitable from the hours of about 11 to 5.

My usual neighborhood internet place is closed. The guy who runs it probably overdid it on whiskey and Tibetan momos (dumplings) last night (his favourite) and that’s why he isn’t opening shop by 9:30 in the morning. So I had to stroll a bit further afield to find a connection to the outside world. This just means that I’m going to really bake on the walk back.

This internet place just offered me chai (tea). Typically I haven’t been drinking caffeine, but its early yet I have time to wear it off before sleeping. And the typical Indian chai as served and offered by friendly storeowners from their friendly neighborhood chai stall, is always the perfect blend of spices and sugar, served in just a thimble sized glass, so it hardly counts as anything at all but just a nip of tea. And offered as a symbol of friendship and just plain good business, it is very hard to say no.
Harmless and enjoyable.

Its been several days, perhaps a week, since I stopped teaching yoga at the ashram. I am still staying there, but have relinquished all teaching duties. Its very quiet, there are few people staying there. The atmosphere gets distinctly quieter as the weather heats up. I still do my morning yoga practice on my own, before the sun gets up and gets going. I take my meals there and help out in the office sometimes, help the girls with their English sometimes. And they dress me up in saris and gold and parade me around the ashram and mata ji, the mother of my teacher, sits me down and braids my hair for me. Sometimes I get Rajni to give me a massage. She makes good money doing it.

Lately I’ve been shopping. Shopping in preparation for my departure. I will be returning with exactly double what I left with. Shopping is fun when it is for other people and not yourself. The storeowners are happy and triumphant to finally sell me something after months and months of me walking by, perhaps chatting, but buying nothing.

Providing you with tea is one of the pleasures and courtesies that shopowners seem to enjoy. To be able to show their hospitality in just this small way.

I am still marveling at the fact that I do not get sick in India. As the season changed it seemed everyone was getting sick. Something water borne or food borne, that lasts for days and is hard to kick. And still I remain faithfully healthful. Knock on my head (wood)….

Aah, here is my chai.
Well,
This is all there is to say for now. The days melt by like they do in the summertime.
I put some pictures up yesterday that we took wearing our saris. I don’t know how Indian women work in the fields wearing such a thing. I could barely get up the stairs without tripping on my face. But the garment makes you feel so beautiful and elegant, when you wear it, like you should be heading to a grande ball somewhere in glass slippers.