Temple City, Religious Fervour

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The temple is massive, and a little hunchback of Notre Dame. Lots of gargoyles. Was batted on the head by an elephant. A blessing in exchange for a rupee. Hinduism seems so practically commercial. Also saw the Gandhi museum, he was a dude. Sneakily ate meat when he was young so that he could be strong to withstand the Brits. His bloodstained loincloth was on display. A little gory, but makes him seem more real and less legend.
In the evening Emili, Sarah and I joined a Hindu procession which may have been putting the gods to sleep. Or some other party. Jasmine wigs were everywhere, a little like lilly pads on a pond of black hair. A big Shiva was being carried on a four poster throne lit up like a disneyland parade moving with a drum, trumpet and cymbal entourage.

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Photos

Gandhi's Bloodstained Lunghi
He identified with the outcasts wearing a loincloth. Now most South Indian men often look like they have miniskirts.

Part of the God Bedtime Party
A procession member. He Head-Wobbled with the flower-covered metal pineapple-like ornament balanced on his head to give me permission to take his photo. (Indians tip their head from side to side as if their skulls are on an axis through their forehead to say yes. The type of yes changes depending on the frequency and angle of the wobble. A very useful form of communication once it is mastered that can easily be mistaken for a "no" to the untrained eye.)