"India is like LSD" the hotel manager of The tucked away Hotel Ganesh says to me "sometimes you have a very good trip and others times a very terrifying one." "But," he continues "all you have to do is sit and watch the gentle waves of the Gangama (the Ganges River) and your worries will float away for the Mother Ganges is like life itself".
The power of the holy river is palpable in it's cooling breezes. In a place where holding ones breath may at times seem healthier than the air, the river provides a chance to breath deeply. As we glided across it on a small row boat this morning, coated in a foggy layer which faded seamlessly into the darkness I thought of how nice it might be to buy my own boat and row people from around the world along one of the holiest rivers. I would show them the ancient city with it pilgrims bathing and mourners watching their loved ones be released from their physical form by smokey flames. After a hard day I would relax at karki's authentic Italian restaurant and enjoy their homemade pasta before returning to my quite flat overlooking the 2000 year old holy well.
The rhythms of the temple drums brought me back from this day dream to realize what a special spiritual trip we are on and how fortunate we are to glimpse so intimately into the beauty of so many people and cultures.
-Hali
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