Hot or not

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This morning I couldn't find the special geezer I normally ask to turn on my special geyser, so I had to make do with someone else. I don't know whether he didn't know what to do, or whether there was some problem with the geyser, but what I do know is that after half an hour of faffing about, with the power cut deadline looming, he had to admit defeat and ask me to take my shower in another room nearby.

I was forced to hand in some clothes for laundering, and am hoping that the purifying powers of the Ganges will be stronger than the effect of the chemicals and numerous types of debris floating around in there.

My plans to have a pleasant morning on the terrace watching the river go by were scuppered by the arrival of Mr Pottymouth. Reading my book and writing my journal were no bar to his constant expletives, and even when he was eating his breakfast he kept turning round to me for another blast of effing and blinding. I finally claimed I was going for a walk and disappeared off to my room, with a few obscenities of my own muttered under my breath.

I ended up heading for Bharat Mata Mandir, a temple to Mother India, which was a huge disappointment. The RG had made it out to be an enormous relief map of India, showing major cities and tirthas. However in reality it was so faded and dusty that you could hardly see anything on it. In the attached shop, amongst various books about India's history, geography, and religions, were a number of offerings from Dan Brown's oeuvre, which seemed to be an attempt at appealing to a more populist sensibility.

After dinner, I had a long discussion with one of the staff (no idea what he did - I just knew he worked here), whose name was Ramesh and, even after I'd introduced myself, insisted on calling me "England". His father had died 2 days ago, and I saw at first hand just how differently this had affected him compared with the average Westerner. There was no remorse at all, just happiness that his father was in a better place. I trod lightly around the subject, but he was keen to talk about it, as well as wider questions of how certain things that happen in life should be viewed with equanimity rather than sadness.

I still felt bad when I thrashed him at pool, though.

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