Kawalai

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When Randall and Brittney were in Bundi they met an Indian barber by the name of Arjun. After drinking chai with him a few nights, Arjun suggested that they come and visit the village where he lived once they were in Pushkar. his village is a 5km bus ride from Pushkar and so they journey he promised would be wonderful and not too difficult. So on our fourth day here we gave him a ring on his cell. A fascinating feat since he lives in a tiny village with no more than 500 people, and yet still has a pretty nice Nokia he totes around. So we reached him and he said he would meet us the next morning and take us to meet his wife and kids and see his home in the tiny Kawalai.

9:00 came around and sure enough into our guest house walked Arjun with a gigantic grin on his face. Namaste! he yelled as he ran up to Randall and gave him a huge hug. We introduced ourselves and through his broken English I could tell that he didn't ever get American visitors to hang out with. We hoped on a bus and made it to the smallest village I have ever seen. As we walked to his house, a little cinder block enclosing with a tied up baby goat, 2 doors connected to a living room courtyard area, and a beautiful woman wrapped in the most vibrant yellow sari i have seen since being in India. Soon after meeting his wife, whose shyness was quickly overshadowed by her powerful grace, a mass of teenage boys came into the tiny enclosure. After introducing each one as either his nephew or brother or neighbor , he took us around the village while his wife prepared lunch.

We wandered though the little farm operated solely by a woman with a sickle and a sari, up to the tiny temple atop a hill, and to the local school where all 100 children jumped and screamed upon sight of some white people. It was clear that very few foreigners had ever come to this village, and watched these people living their live, so far outside the world that I thought i knew. As we continued around the village, gathering more and more people behind us, Satpat, Arjun's nephew, took my hand. "My good friend," he said to me after we sat talking for a while trying to understand each other across a language gap wider than the ocean. We walked hand in hand as they proudly showed their homes. After making a few stops at homes to share a small cup of chai with the owners, we wandered back to Arjun's for some lunch.

The most amazing food awaited us: Warm chipati, dal, sabji, and cur, with the most incredible flavors. We ate together on the floor of their house, exchanging smiles, and groans of delight, until i was stuffed to the brim and they were brimming with happiness. After having a nice photo shoot and little relaxing, 5:00 had already come and we left the village, happier and more full than I have been in years...

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Comments

[Megan FitzSimmons]

Fantastic
This is awesome Tony. I am so happy for you. It looks like you are really having an amazing experience so far. I think thats sweet. Peace my friend!