The Sounds of India

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Here is a compilation of some of The Sounds of India:

The loudest horns used as frequently as possible.

That truly unappetizing sound made by collecting phlegm in the back of the mouth, usually made just before spitting. HHHHHHckhttt!

The beating of laundry on a rock, usually near our bedroom window and always at about 6:30 am.

Something - anything - on a loudspeaker full blast.


Mamallapuram: world-famous for its shoreline temple. But what's not in the guidebook is the eyesore of a chain-link fence ,keeping out the non-Indians who've decided to pass on the $10 entry fee (!!!) Indians pay 10 rupees (about 25 cents). I couldn't possibly satisfactorily describe how disgusting the trash and effluence was, literally FLOWING across the beach.


Fortunately, we had already gotten lunch out of the way, where we happened to spot Ralph the crazy German! We invited him to our table and he immediately got into an argument with the cafe owner about why soda cost 1 rupee more than the other cafe. Ay-yay-yay, Ralph, give it a rest. Walking to the shore, we were treated to lots of new items being thrust into our faces (I mean offered for sale) including stone carvings, slingshots and **gasp!** stuffed squirrels! No wonder there's a market for those slingshots - ugh. I've gotten into the habit of walking around with my earplugs in while on the street or at a bus station. But at the beach, I wished I'd brought a pair to stuff up my nose. India doesn't "saturate" the senses as the guidebook states, it ASSAULTS them.


Okay, beach aside, there are some really interesting things here, especially the 7th century boulder carvings: the absolutely tremendous Arjuna's Penance and the bigger-than-life-sized Krishna's Mandapam. 600s a.d!! These are older and more intriguing than any of the temple carvings I've seen yet.


In a little shack, we noticed two Japanese travelers drinking the highly sought-after "illegal" beer. When the stern-looking, heavily-moustached owner approached us, we shifted our eyes back and forth and used a code word we'd learned in Hampi: "Special Tea". "What you want?!" he barked. We sunk down, not wanting to offend him and asked,"Special Tea?" A light switch must have gone on in his head as he broke out in a huge grin, threw his head back and laughed, "Oh, you want BEER?" We slumped in relief while he brought over our beers, laughing and repeating "Special Tea!!! Ha ha!" We'd never worked harder for a drink.

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Photos

Goats on the rocks
in Mamallapuram