Something resembling routine

---

A week in, I am pretty close to being in a daily routine, such that it is.

I get up at 5:30am, about 2 hours before yoga practice at 7:30-ish, so I have time to drink tea (I’m pretty much off coffee) and eat a little bit to give me sustenance through the practice. Traditionally, you’re supposed to do the practice on an empty stomach, but eating before exercise doesn’t bother me the way it does others, and I like having energy through the practice. Around 7:30, we walk the 3 blocks to the yoga shala, and wait for an opening on the floor to step in and start practice. Yoga takes a couple of hours, but more about yoga next time.

On days when there is no yoga (Saturdays, new moon, full moon, and “woman’s holiday”), I go for a run in the neighborhood. I’m afraid this might be against the yoga tradition “rules”, so I’m preparing my defense (only half-kidding).

Back home, I clean myself and some clothes. We don’t really have hot water in the morning. There’s a solar water heater for each apartment (see photo), but that really only gives “hot” water in the middle of the afternoon. There’s an electric geyser in my bathroom, but I’m not sure how it works, and the cold water is just fine. I try to keep up with laundry by washing a few items each day (soaked overnight in bucket of soapy water). There is laundry service accessible, but from what we understand, they beat the clothes with a stick, which is rough on clothes; since I have so few clothes, I need them to last the whole trip. Besides, I have the time to do it, so hand-washing is fine.

I usually then head out to get a newspaper from my favorite (the only) newspaper seller in the nearby commercial area, and sit in one of the many local parks to read. There are 3 English-language daily papers, all national papers with a local (state-wide) edition. I have been alternating between them, no allegiance yet. The most famous TIMES OF INDIA (remember Midnight’s Children’s young Sinai, who was awarded R100 by the Times for being the first born in independent India) was established in 1838!

The newspaper is fascinating: the language differences, what’s covered, as well as the substance. This week, there’s been continual coverage on the death of 4 elephants found in a canal, who were poisoned with cyanide, likely because they were destroying crops. And a leopard sighting. Obama, US economy, auto industry, all well covered.

Other activities include yoga sutras class (three times a week), cooking classes (once or twice a week), shopping excursions (food and other items), out for lunch sometimes, exploring neighborhoods, reading, and playing on the interweb.

Evenings are usually spent at home, reading, cooking. We rented a video yesterday, which was bootlegged (someone recorded it in a movie theater, you could hear the theater audience laughter from time to time). To bed early, usually by 9, and then start again.

This routine has lots of variation, since yoga practice on Fridays and Sundays is extra early, classes get rescheduled, and so on. Today is Saturday, we’re hopping in an auto-rickshaw to take us to the Mysore Palace, then a delicious traditional South Indian thali lunch (set plate, about $1). More next week.

---