Today was fairly mellow in that time was passed playing cards and practicing Hindi.
This evening we took a trip to a regional crafts exhibition where there were lovely items from all over Gujarat (the state I'm in).
While I apologize for no pics for this post, let me entertain you with some lines I penned while we supped:
8:35pm and change. Dining tonight at he Bay Leaf restaurant which is located in the Ahmedabad Gymkhana.
I placed a simple order for tomato soup (creamed) and butter toast. I also had a taste for paneer tikka. Otherwise it seems shameful not take at least some small Indian dish at each meal.
While waiting for my food, I thought back to when we first entered the restaurant. The level of self consciousness was unreal. Must look your best! Always the only "white" person around these days. A week has past and I think that I caught a glance of a blonde haired man on the back of a motorbike, but I can't be certain.
"Gujaratis are so loud. They just want to hear themselves talk." I am told. That's funny; maybe I was Gujarati in my past life.
The table across from me has two Persian looking business men. They speak mostly to themselves, it seems, even though they are with an Indian host. Their table is littered with empty and half full bottles of Coke, Sprite and soda water for making fresh lime soda. They're deliciously refreshing drinks and I myself was working on my second one.
Next to me I catch sight of cabbage strands dangling and wiggling from the corners of the mouth belonging to an older woman. This movement is starkly contrasted in comparison to her stiff cotton sari, which refused to relax at her neck and shoulders.
And that, my friends, is that.
Tomorrow morning we leave early for a hill station at Mt. Abu. I'm sure to have some nice pics and postings when we return Saturday evening.
Until then....
Peace,
A Pink American
Thursday
10.12.2006...Akshardham
The place (dham) where the Gods live (akshar).
Last evening we visited this magnificent temple.
Akshardham is made of pink sand stone and has many marvelous stone carvings decorating the interior and exterior of the temple.
Let me clarify when I say stone carving. I don't mean simple geometric shapes or small lawn ornaments. I mean seriously glorious carvings that are so intricate you can't believe that they are each carved from a single piece of stone.
In fact this temple has no metal of any form as part of its structure. It is purely stone, as is the traditional method for building temples in India.
I've seen many cathedrals around the world, and I am more amazed by the architecture and artwork found here.
As I see it building a place of worship is a communal commitment to there being a greater power than the sum of all the efforts of the community. However, humans still attempt to mimic the greatness of this power through such efforts and the results are these stunning monolith testaments to the earthly limits of human faith.
Personally, I believe the individual communion of one person with the greater power is a far truer testament to our humanity than any of these structures.
In the end I was only able to capture this modest photo from my actual visit.
In 2002 there was a terrorist attack here that made security very tight. No cameras.
I won't get into it to much here, but terrorism needs to go. Perhaps one day we will wake up to find that this has happened: people no longer feel oppressed, those guilty of oppressing have miraculously stopped, and there is a balance of resource in the world so all people can feel that they will be heard.
Why is it in human nature to be so greedy that some would deny others basic human rights whether through covert means of denial of food and medicine or through overt means of blowing people up? Both end in premature death and are equally egregious forms of terror.
With that thought I bid you adieu. Look for another posting later today.
Peace,
A Pink American
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