As all of you must be realizing by now, when one goes out on the streets here, there is no end to what one might encounter. We were very excited to come across a heard of cows walking down the street (yes, right down the middle and left lanes) when we went out shopping for Kertas (our fancy Indian shirts) the other day. This seems to be the only thing to get the traffic to stop. I mean dead stop. Drivers here don't even stop at red lights. Seriously! It was almost biblical, like god parting the waters. You see cows are sacred here so they are allowed to roam wherever they please. All I was thinking when I saw them was how much I would love to get my hands on a nice juicy sirloin right now! Finding that on a menu here is impossible and the longer I am here, the more I will miss that. Good thing lamb is fair game. :o)
Now, if you think cows are the largest animals on the street, think again. As we were coming out from a side street onto one of the very busy main drags, a man on a horse went cantering by us at full speed. Yes, cantering at full speed right along with the chaotic traffic. How the horse wasn’t freaking out from all of the cars, motorbikes, autos (taxis) and horn honking is beyond me. Crazy! Just CRAZY! (see video)
Another thing about this city that isn’t hard to miss...... Considering the number of vehicles on the streets and all of the industry here spewing some really nasty exhaust, the air quality is suffering. After being here a week now, we can really feel it in our throats and sinuses. As you move around town there will suddenly be huge plumes of very black smoke released into the air from some mystery location. They do burn primarily coal here for energy, so we expect that is what it is. Luckily, India is realizing this is bad for the country, its people and the world, so the government is working toward being environmentally responsible. However, trying to educate its huge population to change its ways is going to be difficult.
Back to the street outside Shrikant & Charanya’s apartment-
It is hard for me to sit for any great length of time because every time I hear another vendor chanting down the street I just must go out to the porch to see what the next offering will be. Yesterday I heard someone playing some sort of reed instrument coming down the street so I jumped up and saw this swami looking guy going door-to-door playing songs for a handout of a rupee or two. I was able to get a bit of it on video for your enjoyment.
On Sunday the whole neighborhood erupts in religious chanting and song. With a Hindu temple on one side of the alley and a Christian Ministry on the other, the music lasts most of the day. Thank God, Allah, Shiva, Vishnu and Buddha they take turns blasting their praise!
Whew! I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted just writing about all of this. I need a nap.
