The course is over; my classmates left yesterday, and I left PV to go to the guesthouse where Matt and I will stay for the next week. I still haven’t really processed the fact that our six-week journey is over, so I’m trying to articulate a very small bit of it here, in photos.
A treat, a refreshment, a small icon of our days: Mango Sip.
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Garland with hand-hammered ornaments in a temple.
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A small statue in the terra cotta museum. Will forever remind me of my visit to the Lanka Police Station.
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The Lok, the physical representation of the Jain cosmology. Hellish beings at the bottom, we’re all in the middle, heavenly beings in the top level before they reach moksha and ascend. This is in Jumpudweep, the strange Jain “creationist Disneyland” we visited. You can go up in this Lok in an elevator.
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Mother Matiji, at Jumbudweep.
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We pay homage to Mother Matiji with dance.
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A tirtankara, in Hastinapur.
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Silver plates and cooking utensils, left out to dry in the sun.
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A heavily decorated temple in Hastinapur. My kind of decorating: more is more.
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Hand-carved bells.
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On the bus to the Taj, singing.
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At the Taj.
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A fantastic hotel in Jaipur. We had a wonderful tea service here.
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Lovely baby at the Fort, in Jaipur.
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The Fort and Palace grounds.
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Strange dolls for sale near the Fort.
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One of the elephants.
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Street food.
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During the taping of the Indian talent competition.
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At the Indian wedding.
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Naan at the wedding.
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Ganesh at the Monkey Temple.
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One of the temple priests, preparing to anoint us.
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An open air temple, under Jaipur sky.
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Street food: fried spicy patty, with yogurt. Delicious.
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Chai at the most famous chai house in Jaipur.
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A BBQ joint “our” tuk-tuk driver, Rishi, recommended.
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Block-printing by hand at the textile factory.
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Our first open-mic night. Tarot card reading, singing, recitations, two ghost stories, journal sharing, and a sing along.
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The Holy Ganges, before a Puja.
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One of the card catalogues at the library at VP.
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Nelda with a giant savory, crispy, pancake filled with a spicy potato mixture.
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“When the Meadows on the Body Turn Gray,” by Hafiz.
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The view from Open Hand, one of our luxurious haunts, with good coffee and AC.
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Me, at Open Hand.
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The view from my berth before I left for Delhi.
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A strange wind storm sweeps over the ghats.
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Sunset in Varanasi, our final night together.
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I devised a system for our last open-mic: we all wrote a sentiment, thought, or note to each classmate on slips of paper, and put the slips in corresponding envelopes. I handed them out right before our departure; we’re to open them on our own, when the time is right.
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He’s carrying my luggage through the market place and to the guesthouse. I’m on my own for the time being, for one day until my love arrives.
Sweet sorrow. This is an adventure that you will remember for a very long time. The people you shared it with will have a special place in your heart for a long time. I cannot wait for the slow spilling of the details over our two weeks together. Enjoy your week with Matt showing him all you have experienced and travel mercies as you head back home.
What an amazing journey you have been on. I can’t believe that it is already over. It seems just like yesterday you left. Thank you for writing your expereinces and taking pictures and showing us India through your eyes. I hope you and Matt have an awesome time and safe travels. I look forward to hearing more about your trip when you both are back home.