india introduction

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hey everyone! we arrived in india safely and have officially begun the next leg of our journey...

different flavored aromas approach my nostrils as i set foot on the indian filled flight. leaving thailand with a bang, experiencing one more insane taxi drive to the airport. already nostalgic for the amazing experiences thailand has offered me. immediately understanding the craze of our next adventure as rude men carelessly push us aside, as they rush just to wait. sarah and i both smirk at each other as we realize that our true meditation is about to begin- practicing patience in india. our first introduction to the culture begins with the passenger sitting next to us. a true giver of smiles, laughter, advice, and compliments. i attempt to understand the notes of the new accent i am hearing, speaking our same tongue but struggling to understand what sounds so foreign. he brags about his amazing country until arrival and leaves us with a phone number and open invitation to his home. as soon as we touch his turf, he looks at us, wobbles his head, and proudly states, "welcome to india." appearing as if we could be anywhere in another crazy airport but reminded that we are here, in india, starting the next chapter. after waiting for our bags we set foot outside and immediately cook ourselves in the dry heat. priest pranab is there for us dressed in pure white attire which is the cultural custom of the kali temple that he is affiliated with. he leads us to our ride and takes us to our brand new guesthouse that is situated steps form the temple. as we pass through kolkata, my senses are hit with change. i feel as if i am in a different time era with bicycle rickshaws and true simplicity of the bare necessities of life. an ancient culture so new to me. beautifully dressed women in saris color the dark and dreary streets. thailands golden wats replaced with delapitated cement structures. new characters on billboards and signs that are barely standing. sharing crowded roads with emaciated cows that stop to endulge in trash. the orchestra of honking horns persistently emanates through the city like music to our ears. we settle in dakshineswar. 30 min from kolkata, and learn the customs that we must quickly adapt to. covering ourselves respectfully from head to toe and carrying ourselves confidently aware. staring acquires a new definition as emotionless wide eyes follow us with each and every step. the only foreigners in sight. pranab shows us around as we cluelessly follow close behind him. standing on the side of the road with our clay saucers, we make sure to stop for a breath and dabble in some tea. and as evening approaches, i feel dizzy from the kaleidescope of altering sights, smells, feelings, and sounds. we close our exhausted eyes and try to take it all in.

the next morning we arise to the celebrations of the holi festival- india’s new year. color painted bodies of canvas! we once again follow our leader as he continues to treat us with special service. wanting to ask questions but only receiving one word answers. consistently reminded, "dont worry, i take care." he leads us to the forbidden area of the kali temple, where nobody is permitted and has us blessed with bindis on our third eye. feeling the strong presence of this potent female goddess surrounded by fresh colorful flowers. aware of how lucky i am but also yearning to know and learn more about where i am and what i am experiencing. we then sit down for food. remembering to only use our right hands, we stuff our already full bellies because we know that leaving anything on our plates in not an option. granted with the gift of food, we reluctantly finish and thank pranab with a smile. as the sun goes down the crazy festivities begin to fade. we return to the temple and listen in on a puja. vibrating sounds of chanting accompanied by banging symbols, tablas, accordians, and conch. a picturesque scene of amazing music played by amazing faces. pranab then takes us to his house via bicycle rickshaw. we relax on his rooftop and watch the sunset while bats, black crows, and mosquitos come out of hiding. sitting in lotus position, face to face, we continue to ask more questions about his intriguing culture and he continues to avoid answers. we then eat a home cooked meal and join the rest of his family at his mother in laws. after much welcoming family time we return to the village alley ways lit by the full moon and safely curl up into bed. my first introduction to india is nothing short of surreal!

blessings and love to all!

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