From Bohdgaya

Quote | Posted on January 4, 2014 by pbruvry

Jan 4, 2014

I arrived in Bohdgaya yesterday and was met at the plane by a smiling Deepak. I am staying at his house with his wife and 3 children. The accommodations are better than most of the hotels I have stayed at recently. We went for a drive last night through the town and saw some temples by night. I saw Buddhist monks, shaved heads, red robes, riding in richshaws, wearing dust masks. a surreal sight to be sure. There is a 22 year old lama here, the Karmappa, whose presence these thousands of monks have pilgrimmaged to Bohdgaya to be near. Its like a cult of some kind. Karmappa has a big throne, where he grants 3 seconds to people who make an appointment, He spent millions for a gold spire on top of his temple. And there is so much poverty surrounding him.

Today, I went to Rescue Junction in Gaya, the next town, to meet the children who live there. There are about 40 in all, who have been rescued from traffikers or lost or run away or even thrown away. I taught an art lesson to them. I will finish it and make another one on next Tuesday. It was heart wrenching to look at all those lovely faces. One little girl was only 4 years old. The staff reunites them with their families or gets them to school or a job training. Apparently they have a 99 percent success rate. They are doing so much for the people in this area.

I am using Deepak’s computer to write the blog so I will not be able to keep up as well. My ipad depends on wifi so there will not be pictures unless I can get to an internet cafe. Namaste and su vra tri (good night in Hindi).

Leaving Jaipur

Posted on January 2, 2014 by pbruvry

January 2, 2014
On the road at 5 am. The driver does not speak any English and me no Hindi. This might be a problem. It’s a 4 hour drive to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and it’s so cold that people have outside fires going to keep warm, adding to the pollution. I’m surprised how flat the countryside is, only a few red jagged hills made of sandstone with mostly fields along the way.
It was VERY exciting to see the Taj Mahal. It is absolutely breathtaking. Well worth the effort to getting there. I had a young man to guide me through it. It all worked out perfectly. He was also able to do a little translating with the driver. Back to Delhi by 5 pm, making this one long day.
Tomorrow will mostly be travel time to Bohdgaya.

A Day in Jaipur

Posted on January 1, 2014 by pbruvry

January 1, 2014. New Years Day This morning, Umar, my tuk tuk driver, picked me up and we headed for the Amber Fort, high on a hill, a palace built by a maharaja from marble and sandstone in the 1700’s. It took 25 years to complete. It must have been amazing in its prime. (Before the advent of tourists, and motor bikes) The royals got around on elephants or they were carried around. On the way back, we stopped for a visit to a block printing shop and a spice shop, then to the royal tombs. More marble and carvings. It was quiet there, birds singing, a welcome change from the hectic tourist attractions. I’m working on shipping my stuff. It will be a relief not to have to schlep it across India. It’s quite reasonable considering an extra bag costs me $100 with United airlines. Tomorrow the drive to Delhi via the Taj Mahal.

Arrival in Jaipur

Posted on December 31, 2013 by pbruvry

December 31,2013
New Year’s Eve
The train was an experience for which I was not prepared. I will be more prepared on my next train trip, back from Bohdgaya to Delhi. Between the horrifying squats and the cockroaches, I couldn’t wait to get to Jaipur! At least it was on time and three of my bunk mates were great, two girls from Sikkim and young sound engineer from Delhi.
Jaipur, the “Pink City” is as crowded and noisy as every city I have encountered and riding through traffic in a rickshaw reminds me of riding the bumper cars at Playland at the Beach.
Ever on the tourist track, I saw the Hawa Mahal, a palace inside the old city built by a poet-king, whose harem was only allowed to look out of all those windows to see the outside world. This area really is all pink from the sandstone they used for materials. It’s incredible! I missed the music last night here at the hotel as I crashed early.

Farewell to Buhj

Posted on December 30, 2013 by pbruvry

December 30, 2013
My train leaves today for Jaipur at 4.15 in the afternoon, an overnight trip of 16 hours. I packed and said good byes to Punkaj and Meena at their office.
The Qasab office is a busy place, full of bell makers, lacquer artists and appliqué designers. Two village girls sit in the corner in their native costumes with bracelets all the way up their arms and they are embroidering and finishing quilts. Everybody is eating the See’s candy I brought and drinking chai tea.
I had a Gujerati lunch at the hotel. My rickshaw driver picked me up and loaded me on the train. As I watch the countryside slip by through the train window at sunset, I think of all that I have seen and done so far and the hospitality of the Indian people I have encountered ( I think that I am the only foreigner on the train). What a trip.