Sunday, February 3, 2008

THE WEEK


I am busy trying to upload full-sized photos to a public web album- it's taking a while, but it should be up and viewable in the next 24 hours. You can access it and future albums at http://picasaweb.google.com/jayerhodes by clicking here or on the link that I've added to the top of this blog! It's Sunday morning here in Gokulam and the day is starting to heat up already. I've got a cold, which makes the mid-afternoon somewhat miserable, but I'm working hard on the cure with Emergen-C, plenty of fresh coconuts, and rest. Today is a day off from practice, but Hannah and I got up early to watch the advanced student's led class of the secondary series, an impressive and extremely humbling sequence to watch. While I am trying to build up my arms to do a proper pushup, they are busy defying the laws of gravity.

I am starting to get used to life here in Mysore. The city is starting to feel smaller and less intimidating, as I've gotten used to getting around by rickshaw and started to understand the orientation of the markets and such. This week I toured the Mysore Palace, ambling along slowly in order to take in the architecture, royal portraits, sculpture, crystal thrones, vaulted painted and stained glass ceilings, temples, and gardens. There are some exterior pictures to the right- no cameras allowed inside. Nicole and I also went to the temple on the top of Chamundi Hill (1000 stone steps above the city!) overlooking all of Mysore where I ate my first street food, Vada masala, and had to stamp my feet to chase away monkeys that wanted my snack for themselves. In order to go into the temples you have to check your shoes outside and then skirt around the cow pies between you and the gate. I scarcely missed one.

I think about my mom and my sisters a lot throughout the day as I find joy in things that I sometimes think would appall them. It's funny, I remember reading before I came here that if you visited India for a week or less, you'd likely find it very unappealing, but if you stayed for any length of time you'd develop a tricky love affair. I think there's a lot a truth to that. I relish in personal satisfaction as I sit cross-legged at my meals shoveling rice into my mouth with my fingers knowing that there are no napkins available to put in my lap. I laugh as I throw all my previous manners (that I never adhered to very well in the first place) out the window, wipe the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, and ask for more samba (spicy!) curry and chutney please. Here in India it seems fairly obvious that we are not very far from the dirt we came from. There's only so much distance you can put between yourself and that dirt- most of the time you just have to embrace it, appreciate the beauty rising out of the mire, and for the necessary moments, carry your own soap with you.

Highlights from the week: The peacock painted ceiling and temples at the Mysore Palace, the Nandi Bull statue below the main temple on Chamundi Hill, Lunch at the Indian Song House (see the plate-licking picture below), strolling around the university lake, watching Rambo II in the theater, kirtan singing, and a birthday party for the kids that live across the street.



MMmmm mmm good.
(Partners in crime)



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jaye!
Great photos, great stories. Listen, we wanted to keep you apprised of our current culinary adventure. Katie and Lee and I are here at Chuck's and I was fixin' to brew up a little tapioca pudding, which I managed to pull of all by my little self, despite a near egg-fiasco. Yes, here we are spooning it into our mouths right now. Which got us to thinking about you. So continue to keep us stocked with bedtime stories and then come back to us when you're all done.

edibly,

ty

Unknown said...

Hi Jaye!

Great photos and stories! Just like being in India again. Thanks for saving me the cost of another trip to India!

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Tom

Unknown said...

Jaye....Happy 25th birthday!!!!! It is 10 min. until Feb. 9th and my thoughts are with my little sis! I just got off the phone with Lindsay and we were both saying that we wish we could wish you a happy birthday in person. We miss you. Hope you eat some wonderful food for your big day. I love you lots. Be safe & have fun. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXO LIZ