India 3
25 september 1998, british airways 143
To India again. It's obvious that British Airways isn't going to
maintain its standards. This time only a bun, a twix and something to
drink. They also said I had to close the window the moment it becomes
light outside (while I would enjoy looking out of the window,
especially when it is light there). This way the pleasure of flying is
taken away from you. It is clear, outside. The flight to London, 443,
had a huge delay. This made it necessary for me to run for the next
airplane, and during this I was halted for a security check, in which
they put my ASA 3200 film through the X-ray device even though the
film says `do not X-ray'. This only happens in Heathrow, in Schiphol
and Calcutta they don't mind inspecting it by hand. However, in
Calcutta they don't allow batteries on board, which is even more silly
(there is, after all, aways a battery in someone's watch, and who is
going to take that away?).
However, when I developed and printed the pictures, it turned out that
there is no problem X-raying (at least, in Heathrow) this kind of
film. They came out perfect. The delay, however, also made sure that
my bag wouldn't arrive. Bags don't run for airplanes. In fact, they
handle the luggage from delayed flights in such a way that it gets
delayed even more.
But well, this is all not problematic, things should work out fine
nonetheless :). Soon I'll be in India, with Gargi-didi. I'm just
restless because of all these events at this moment. Maybe I should've
flown with Air India (I don't know how that flight went, but I do know
that Air India is now number one on my top-list of airplanes, because
British Airways had to be lowered one position).
29 september 1998.
The bag was lost indeed, but there were enough clothes (made and
bought by Gargi-didi for Puja) for me to make sure this wouldn't be a
problem. Only a small beard is growing in the mean time, as my shaving
gear was also in that bag. Today we should be able to fetch the
bag. This morning I did onjilo during Puja, which consists of two
parts:
- The priest says something, which is repeated by everyone, while
holding their hands together, pressing some flowers in between
them. At a certain point they all try to throw these flowers against a
fruit on the lion's back (under Durga, the goddess that is killing the
demon). The priest is standing bent in front of the lion, and gets
flowered a lot too as aiming is difficult from such a large group of
people. Before this, people offer food to the goddess Durga, which
they eat afterwards, as a break of their fasting. At the end of phase
one all people are sprayed with the water of peace.
- Starts with the sound of drums, the blowing on conch-shells and
other musical instruments. More flowers are hung around the neck of
the Goddess. There is a specific time at which phase two starts, but
at the request of the people, phase one was repeated. Kalyani was very
upset about this. When the garlands were hung around the goddess'
neck, her crown fell off, but this was repaired quickly. The lion is
sometimes biting the demon as well, and Durga sometimes stabs the
demon in the shoulder or belly with a spear. Next to Durga are Laxmi,
Ganesha, Sareswati (with her swan) and the general of the gods (on a
peacock). Then the fire of peace is rubbed on everyones hair. The
clothes I'm wearing during all this were selected by Kalyani and are
the prettiest. Women seem to be more interested in doing Puja than
men.
Yesterday we say a lot of the panels that are spread around
Calcutta. The most important criterium on which these are judged are
the decorations other than the panel itself, that are spread around in
the building (made of bamboo and cloth). That evening we also saw more
panels, and during the afternoon we didn't eat, but tried to get a
permit for Sundarban. This didn't work well, though. It also turned
out that Gargi-didi had made a double booking. First I thought this
was for the Sundarban trip, but it turned out to be for an immersion
trip, on which you see all the goddesses being immersed in the Ganges,
thereby returning to their base form of clay and straw.
Gargi rag hocche (yes, I'm learning Bengali). I'm feeling quite well,
still, fortunately. The day before yesterday I was at home most of the
time. Only in the evening we went to the city, and saw more panels. At
that time it started to rain heavily, the streets filled up with
water, my sandal got damaged (but it is repaired now, I was amazed at
how easily these people sitting at the edge of the street can repair
and glue these things). However, we reached home safely. My cold got
worse because of this, though. More rain then there would ever fall in
a day in the Netherlands, falls down within one hour. I doubt any
sewage system could hold it, especially not the one in Calcutta, which
was made fifty or more years ago by the British. Of course, since then
there have been improvements, but still.
It is HOT! Without bag, money and reconfirmation of my flight I was
taken from the airport by Gargi-didi and Shamit-dada and taken around
the city, to see how all the panels were built everywhere. Durga-puja
is a very big festival. The temperature is about 37oC, except when it
has just rained. The houses stay, even though it rains, much hotter.
Now I'm at the airport, waiting for my bag. It's here, they will get it, but customs is busy. They said to wait for ten minutes, wait for another ten minutes and now another fifteen. I'm beginning to think in English. The British Airways planes are slowly getting weird tail colours and are therefore quite recognizable now. It is cool and pleasant here: airconditioning and fans. Gargi-didi is waiting outside. Lots of nuisance because of the bag.
1 oktober 1998.
My throat is hurting a little bit, but otherwise everything is quite
fine. Yesterday we stayed away for a long time, to Puja, to see many
different panels and also a temple (where we waited until it
opened). We also saw lots of things in the city. We walked a lot, ate
some things, drank some things. The last panel was very crowded,
people pushed a lot of pulled a lot and there were men with sticks
that hit people to make sure everyone behaved, but they didn't. Women
were requested to walk through the gutter, as a special `Lady's line'
but they did this after the big problem that was before that time. The
gutter was full of lost slippers. They guided me through the lady's
line as well, but I had my walking shoes, which are quite effective in
crowds. I got the bag now, But they promised me Rs.2500,- which they
didn't give me yet. I will have to return on monday for that. It is
warm. We returned home at 5:30 AM. Kalyani wasn't happy with this.
When we went to the airport by taxi, the taxi driver drove the wrong
way at the airport, at which point Gargi-didi fetched the police to
make sure that he asked the way next time, instead of just driving
around, making the meter increase and increase. The police took this a
bit too literal, though, and wanted to beat the taxi
driver. Gargi-didi stopped this in time.
3 oktober 1998.
Now I'm sitting on the boat to Sundarban. My head is stuffed, as I
have a cold, but no other problems are present. Because of the fact
that the river is too undeep, the boat isn't moving at all. The sun is
slowly setting. The environment is very beautiful, with fishing
villages and trees. It is warm too. The lunch, consisted, as usual, of
cold rice with dal and curries. We'll sleep somewhere below, in the
heat. We arrived on the boat via another ship, full with bottles and
little bottles. This boat is therefore well stocked. It's only a pity
that it is stranded as well. The bus-ride was fun with breakfast (egg,
bread, et cetera) and mosquitoes and bumps (high bumps). There was
also a great view on old huts and the people living in them. They
mostly swam in pools of water, something that I would also do in their
case with this heat.
Yesterday evening we were on a boat as well, over the Ganges, to see
all the goddesses being immersed. A strange ritual, but quite logical
too. Hinduism, even with all its rituals, is probably the religion
that makes most sense of all religions in the world. The goddesses
change back into clay and reed.
We are now saying on. The night was hot and hotter. The air moved
because of the fans, but that was all. Other than the movement, it
just got hotter. Outside lightning was everywhere, except where we
were, same for rain. No thunder could be heard. The stars where
shining, and very pretty. Now we're sailing throw all the different
rivers. People throw, even in this natural reserve, things from the
boat into the water, like plastic cups and such. A pity. They're even
teaching their children how to do this. Of course, we in the
Netherlands have already cut down all our forests, so I'm not sure
who's wiser.
5 oktober 1998.
Yesterday I called home, and put a message on voice mail. Getting back
to Calcutta went quite well. Today we fetched the money from British
Airways and went to the botanical garden. There were only few lotusses
but many beautiful plants. Krishnabad leaves on the Banyan trees and
such. Gargi-didi is a bit annoyed. She didn't like it that she didn't
see any tigers in Sundarban. Today it is Laxmi-puja. If you want a lot
of money, you should worship her. On the way back to Garia we went
past a great lake filled with lotusses, to make up for the lack of
them in the botanical garden. I still drink cold drinks, even though I
have a cold.
7 oktober 1998.
Yesterday I vomited, most likely because the lemon I ate was rotten. I
already thought it tasted odd, but since I can't distinguish between
most of the wonderful fruits here, I didn't know whether I should
continue eating or not. Before this I went to Science City, which is
quite like the New Metropolis in Amsterdam and a lot of fun too. Pity
that, unlike in the New Metropolis, the water pools are reserved for
children only, and children are defined as being lower than the age of
twelve.
Seta chilo ekta ghono ondhokaar ratri. Ekta bon chhilo ebong sekhane
ekta agun jolchilo. Aguner charpashe dakatra boshechilo. Dakat-sordar
taar pasher dakat-tike bollo: Ohe Kalu, amader ekta golpo bolo. Ebong
Kalu shuru korlo: Seta chilo ekta ondhokaar ratri...
I made a list of things to buy, but we went to the shopping center
five times, but the first four times it was closed for a variety of
reasons. Finally, the fifth time, it was open.
I also went to the technical museum, which is older than Science
City. Lots of things in Science City are also there in the technical
museum. It was fun though, as they have lots of demonstrations of
things you can do, including making bombs for Diwali.
That night I put on my T-shirt, but it turned out that red ants had
found it first and were wearing it too... Even though the red ants are
very small, they can bite quite painfully.
10 oktober 1998.
Yesterday we went to the zoo and saw lots of animals, including tigers
(finally!) and a lot of birds. There was a toilet filled with
mosquitoes. The sun is shining again, it is 9:30 AM. The cards are in
the mail and I'm curious whether they will arrive or not (they did
arrive even before I returned). I still have to think what I will do
today. I recorded many animal noises.
We went to the Indian museum again, where I finally got to see the
art-part. The first trip the museum closed, just as we reached this
part. On the second trip this part was closed for maintainance, and
only this time I could see part of it. The painting gallery was still
closed.
At some point we also went to the temple of Ramakishna, where there
was a museum about thjs order. The museum was filled with all sorts of
objects, with a notice saying `Things used by...' and then a
name. However, who these people were was never explained, it was
assumed that went you went to the temple and the museum, you would
come for these people, and that you therefore didn't need this
information. I'm still a bit in the dark about all of this, but I'm
sure that later in my life I'll be able to connect it to other bits of
infomation that I get regarding this. From the temple we went to
another temple, that I had visited during my first trip as
well... Here I bought lots of gifts.
As for shopping: I didn't buy the carpet that I was planning to buy. It's still lying there, in the Kashmir emporium. It wasn't the size that I wanted, and also, it is still quite expensive. I should shop around more. I bought a dress, though.
13 oktober 1998
I went to the marble palace, saw Sounak and Gargi-didi's computer
(sold by him to her), and took the luggage with me to the Marble
palace, but left it at Gargi-didi's grand father's place just before
we entered. The Marble Place is huge, and filled with marble statues
of all kinds. All clocks work. There are also birds flying in
cages. The statues were all moved to the exhibition rooms, making the
living rooms free (and these are kept private). The dancing hall, will
huge mirrors made of Belgium glass, wasn't danceable because of
this. There was a painting of Rubens too, quite big. Many statues of
Napoleon, greek mythology and Christianity. The garden was full with
marble lions, geese and pelicans (!). All servants asked for tips.
Now I'm at the airport. Gargi-didi was quite sad to see me leave, and
I felt sad too. I took batteries with me on the plane anyway. I had no
desire to leave them in Calcutta. Also, I still haven't heard a good
explanation why I should leave them. I now know it is because of the
lethal combination with semtex, but other airports don't impose this
restriction. Also, their checking isn't too good. It will become a
long night.
In the plane I met another nice person from Washington, who was Indian
and had married a Turkish woman. I talked a lot with him, and watched
the movie six days and seven nights.
14 oktober 1998.
The trip back went quite well. Now I'm in the train, heading for home.