The music shop I have lesson in is much like many others in Varanasi. The floor is padded with a thin futon and the various instruments are are placed on the shelves around. shops in general are raised about a foot or two above the street level and shoes are always removed on entry. Varanasi is a city of learning and especially music. My lessons are quite different to the formal classical learning environments i have experienced in Australia. When i get to class I revise and warm up whilst Kailash does his puja (morning prayers and offerings) with much flower sprinking and insence twirling. The studio and me get a good splish of Ganga juice and Kailash settles in front of me to start the lesson. Within minutes chai will be ordered and one will ... read more

The presence of death in Varanasi is seen mainly from the colossal Marnikarnika Ghat which burns 24 hours a day as well as a smaller burning ghat a little further down stream. At Dasaswamadh Ghat there are people who will shave the heads of others who have lost loved ones. For a ghat that is supposed to be burning 24 hours a day I noticed there was nothing but ashes this morning. So I just stood around there for a while and watched people raking ashes. Marnikiarnika is a colosal ghat that has a few different tiers where burings may take place. There are huge stacks of firewood on either side that are at least two storeys tall. the shores of Marnikarnika are thick with ash and strewn with spent orange garlands of Marigolds. Bodies are ... read more

Did I also mention to my list of animals goats, ducks, squirrels and rats? when i mention these animals I don't mean to day I just saw one or two I mean to say that these different species represent whole social subgroups like the sadhus, buddhists or shop keepers etc. i used to like all the animals here at varinasi but as each day passes I hear more stories of their anti-social habits and it's not just shitting in the street I'm talking about. Lara got charged by a bull the other night The monkeys as you know are outrageous theives and cause street riots just for fun and a rat made a lunge for my toe as I was climbing some steps today. the dogs hang out in street gangs and telepathically decide on who ... read more

My djembe teacher is a petit man with shoulder length hair, his hands are beautiful and eloquent hands of a tabla and we play djembe i a kind of beautiful eloquent way too...He taught me Din Din Na Na Din Na.... and when he praised me I would completely lose my focus and ose the rhythm completely. It's strange how you often search for one thing and end up discoving somthing cmpletely the opposite of what you thought you'd get. Here was I thinking I would be getting a lesson in rhythm and started to realise that what I was really getting was a lesson in melody. the quality of your strokes on the drum will determine how "in tune" you are. Sorry if this sounds like the most basic f realisations for all you ... read more

Doesn't the last day of work seem so sweet!? Hoorah for annual leave. This is my first proper job ever and I have become innitiated into the world of designated free time enjoying weekends and now a wonderful 4 weeks annual leave! I'm basically all ready to leave on the 11th and there's not much for me to do in the mean time except potter about, stewing in my own anticipation which I have stymeed in this past month since booking the ticket. Now I can drop the whhole blase attitude of dissinterest and indulge a childish attitude of "are we there yet?". My bag is super empty and am comtemplating going down a size but who knows at this stage? Should I tell you about wonderful Wollongong? People do come here for holidays too and ... read more