So. here i am, weeks later, sitting at an internet cafe, trying to sum up the past three weeks. holy hell, how has it been that long since i've written? I don't know.
ok. so. we went on our second trip as a group two weeks ago, this time to Santiniketan, to a Kali temple, and to check out that sector of West Bengal. While the trip on a whole could not compare to the afternoon spent on the bay of Bengal at our last trip, the ethereal setting of the temple was amazing. we had gotten a private roof-top concert from some local musicians and danced along (including the famed Cotton-Eyed Joe line dance!) and almost forgot that te power would go out during the night again and we'd be swamped in pitch-darkness, fanless, suffocating-sweating with the muskeeto net being the only thing keeping the critters out. and the bed bugs in--did i mention there were BEDBUGS?! so.
the temple. it was open on the sides, situated by a small pond with ceiling fans and some musicans chanting and drumming and fluting along to the praise of Kali. The trees around us were tall, there were cicadas, and a ligt breeze, and cows. (again, we forgot how one of our drivers hit a baby goat on the trip to the place.... baaaadeath.) it was so beatiful though, i can't even begin to describe it in as little time as i have right now. (impending lunch+need for pepto+leaving for our veranasi-agra-jaipur- -day-jounry this evening) the sages were in bright orange, set against the green treees. mmmm!
anyway. then came dugra puja--i'm just hitting the highlights here. Durga puja: for the past month and a half the city has been under contruction, building "pandals," HUGE temporary temples to Durga, the consort of Shiva (one of the trinity--> desutruction-preservation-creation. Shiva is the former) which are made of bamboo, cloth, gold, banana leaves etc. and i mean HUGE. 100 feet tall, some of them, with chandeliers, life-sized idols of DUrga and her spawn, the lion what carries her, the demon she slays. and then, last night, everyone feed the idol in their neighboorhood, and carries her (on foot, usually, but only Brahmins. or is it Brahmans? the highest caste/priests can carry her) to the Ganges, where she is ceremoniously dumped in there, and everyone beats drums, covers their faces with vermillion powder, and cheers. and drinks a little, the young ones do. Josh Dan and I were lucky enough to see this with a friend from Loreto college, Swagata, and her fmaily, who are so nice and live in the most bitchin' house EVER.
so. anyway. i have to go. photos?
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