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A million different things happened today. How do I start?
Morning: Went looking for Vishwanath. Didn't find him in the house. Met his daadi, apparently a great woman. So, walked my classic street, my gulley. Bumped into him. Was meant to. He was looking for me too. Sat. Had chai. Spoke to Milan. Then, 12:00 at Mona Lisa. Met Japanese pundit, Dharamdas. Class chap. Spoke of hinduism, the vedas, agelessness, "amar" and hey, he is aware of Doshi. Going to send him a copy. Then, Rodrigo.
(Brief History of Rodrigo.
Rodrigo is an Angolan tabla player. I met him when I was living in London. He used to busk at the Tottenham Court Road station. We instantly connected. I sat and spoke to him as passers by were too busy passing by too busy to listen to him play. He was so passionate about the tabla and loved India. He specially spoke of Benaras. I accidentally bumped into him in Benaras on my first trip. Serendipity in full power in the capital city.)
Rogrido and me spoke, spoke, ate, spoke, smoked, drank coffees. He left, Lorena came. She was looking for a violin teacher. Japanese pundit knew of a teacher, called him, arranged to meet. Went to violin teachers house. Sukhdev Mishra. What a great musician. Just outstanding. And a great soul, a brilliant aura, a sense of nowness. Warm. Drank chai after hanging there and hearing his genius and seeing Lorena struggling to find the Indianness in her and digging it out with an axe, made of double strong steel.
More. Then went to Sanskrit University to meet Ram Pujan Ji (person I met on Shiv-Ganga express on my way to Benaras). Another class session. A great mind. Aware of why he is here. Oh that reminds me of a docu idea - set of people interpreting why they are here in Benaras, movement and stories - roads, boats, those people's stories, the dying wanting to die. After a lovely time with Ram Pujan Ji, his wife and pretty daughter Souwmya, I was dropped to the riska (Vishwa called rickshaws riska's and said ricks for risk!) by very sweet 21 year old Sanskrit history student. Hats off, this town rocks. At the ghats, the fights between Vishwa and Manoj continue. I somehow dragged Vishwa out and left for the concert at Tulsi Ghat. Hopped on a riska after being stopped by cunning Saddhu wanting me to pay his monthly rent of 600 rupees. Funny. Had bhaang at Assi Ghat. Went for concert. Couldn't do lotus for too long. Got too blown. Way blown. Watching all the characters, like masks, all seemingly still quite lost, looking. Not fully satisfied with exotica Benaras. Left after "ded-gante". Hopped on riska, recorded Vishwa talk. So fascinating. Then, dinner at Luv Kush with same two clowns from last night. The drunk overpowering insignificant other and the red sweat shirt clad supporter. Waa! Kya baat hai. Ride back. Walk. Vishwa spitting everywhere, walking looking down finding nice places to make his mark. Not to forget the angry cow near Lila Guesthouse that wanted to hit us. Ouch! Class.
7 Feb, 2009
Another class day in the capital city. Woke up at 7:40. Hung with the lads Vishwa, Manoj and Milan having the first of many chai's. This place survives on tea. The real meaning of "a whole lot can happen over a cup of...". More than "coffee and conversations". Real. No fake superficiality. Only the heart. Totally accessible. Then walked with Milan to Dashashwamedh Ghat. Prof. Ram Pujan Ji is going to show me how to take a "snaan" (bath) in Ganga Ji. The water was freezing but everyone by the ghats said this is hot and it gets much colder. Sincerity in a life sans hot water showers. Everyday begins by giving up so many things I am used to. After the dip, got smeared with "bhasma" (Bhasma is a calcined preparation in which the gem or metal is converted into ash. Gems or metals are purified to remove impurities and treated by triturating and macerating in herbal extracts. The dough so obtained is calcinated to obtain the ashes) and the "third eye". Then we went to see the Jyotirlinga at Vishwanath Temple. Jyotirling or Jyotirlingam is a shrine where Lord Shiva, an aspect of God in Hinduism is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam or "Lingam (pillar) of light." There are twelve traditional Jyotirlinga shrines in India. It is believed that Lord Shiva first manifested himself as a Jyotirlinga on the night of the Aridra Nakshatra, thus the special reverence for the Jyotirlinga. There is nothing to distinguish the appearance, but it is believed that a person can see these lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth after he reaches a higher level of spiritual attainment. There are twelve Jyotirlingas in India and they are spread all over India. Mad rush at the temple. Somehow found my way in - slipperless, walking through a million separate experiences. Inside, every pujari was smearing my forehead with bhasma. It is so immediate here. Prof. also bought me a delicious breakfast of Kachori and veg curry. What a chap. Honest and cultured. Aware of his roots, of his culture. Unlike me. Its been west all this while, maybe time to switch east.
Walking back bumped into Hungarian photographer. Spoke. Exchanged cards. Then Vishwa took me to Assi ghat on the nav (boat). There sat and drank tea, hung with Rodrigo, went to see him tune his tabla, then took riska to Lassi joint. Had bhaang with V. Back on the boat back to Mansarover Ghat the nasha began as I sat with Somnath baba listening to him vent his anger on business, politicians, material possessions, money (and the lack of need for it). In the beginning he was pissed with me for not seeing him yesterday after promising him I will come. And then he sees me lighting a chillum with "nakli" saddhu. He is very angry. Took him for chai. At Balu's chai shop. Then when he split, I started shooting footage of the lads lighting up, singing, Vishwa telling me about the stray pups, Manoj sucking the flame from a match. Then packed my bags, hung out a little more with the lads. Sri Lankan boy learning Hindustani vocals stops to talk with me. Have two chai's with him. So many moments. Need pages to describe each one. Woah! They also know all the neighbourhood cows, the good ones and the "danger" ones. This is their life. Gave Vishwa my favourite Stone Temple Pilots t-shirt so that my spirit remains here by the Ganga. Dilli-6 has been the soundtrack of this trip. Rehna Tu.
Post Script
On my way back to Delhi in the Shiv-Ganga express both my still and my video camera got stolen. All the photos I took, the videos I shot, all gone. What would I have done with them anyway. Put them up on facebook for people to "like"?
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