Tonight a family from my school invited me and my neighbor over for dinner. It was a wonderful dinner prepared by their maid. The evening was full of good company and lots of laughs! We started walking home and when starting to turn to go home we could hear drums beating in the opposite direction... so of coarse we h
eaded towards the noise!!! Great decision! We found a procession of family members. The teenage boys were beating their drums and the women, men, and children all danced their way down the street. Following the people was the family's small black car and in the car was Ganesha sculpture! Welcome Ganesha Chaturthi Festival! Ganesha festival is where the Hindi celebrate Lord Ganesha the Lord of Beginnings or Lord of Learning and "Remover of Obstacles". (Depending on what web site you read) Anyhow the Hindi buy a clay idol in the shape of Lord Ganesha and display it in their house for 10 days. During the ten days there are parties, feasts, dancing, music, fireworks, you name it! Then on the 10th day they take the idol out to sea and immerse it into the ocean. Well tonight was night 1! I am looking forward to the week ahead!
Lord Krishna's birthday just passed as well, the celebration is called Janmashtami. That was last Wednesday, and what a day that was. I left school on the first bus I could get outof that place.
I had heard that traffic would be intense and that the celebrations would start early. I got hom
e changed cloths and hit the streets with a few neighbors looking for the birthday parties! To celebrate Lord Krishna's birth you must first
understand the story. So here goes the KG version! Long ago when Lord Krishna was a boy, well youhave to know... Lord Krishna was a naughty little guy.... and he loved to steal butter and curds, and one day he and his naughty little pals they all climbed on top of one another to reach a clay pot on a high cabinet. So to celebrate his birth all over the citygroups build huge human pyramids and try to reach clay pots filled with butter and curds!!What an awesome time! We stumbled upon several spots
where they were building the pyramids. It was greatbecause the people were as excited about seeing us as we were about seeing the
pyramids! What a sight to see. One group we saw was of all women! Go GIRLS!!! They even asked us to join! Now we only got to be catchers! But they included us! We did our job and when the pot was broke the honey
and paint and goodies... and parts of the clay pot fell down on our heads. One pyramid... the last one for the night, had a little boy on top. They built the pyramid up up up and the little boy climbed on top of everyone and then he grabbed the pot... and then THE PYRAMID FELL!!!!!!!!! The crowd went breathless and we all ran forward.... the little boy held tight to the pot and they rebuilt the pyramid! Amazing! Everyone had a great time. Even the little street children stopped begging for a little while to enjoy themselves! Really fantastic!!
I've actually gotten to do a little bit more than just work lately as well. I went last weekend down to Chor Bizarre, also known as the Thieves Market. I went with my TA (who is local and was so handy to have
around) and another teacher. The story goes that back when the English thought they ran the show the Queen came over on a boat. When the docked here in Mumbai the queen went to get her purse and
sweater. They were missing. The did a full our search for the items. Later the next day the queen was visiting Chor Bizar
re and found her items for sell! My PTS told me that actually the story is that if you drive your own car down to the bizarre that when you leave you will find that you have no hubcaps...but have no fear for you will find your hubcaps for sell in the market! I didn't buy anything but it sure was good fora laugh and browse. After the bizarre we started to head to lunch, but ended up having a little bit of a fender bender on the way! No one was hurt though and we got out of that cab and into another! We headed for lunch and another shopping street. After lunch we met up with another local girl
who also works at our school. We sort of wandered around but heading toward THE Gateway to India. As we were walking around the girls started telling me that the area we were in was the area that was attacked by the terrorists almost twoyears ago. What a surreal moment. Hearing three different perspectives... all different but all the same. We walked into a restaurant that still had bullet holes in the walls but yet was full of people enjoying themselves and the beautiful Saturday afternoon. We walked to the ocean and looked at the Taj Hotel which was
bombed. The hotel has been restored and is back to it's beautiful historical self. But the girls couldn't look at it and not talk about seeing it engulfed in flames. As hard as it might be for me to say this... I love those real - raw life moments... it's when I learn the most. We then stopped and took pictures at the Gateway. The port where the terrorists entered from.
Things continue to be crazy in the Mumbai Madness! There's not many places that you can go and see cows in the middle of the road and goats on the freeway! I have gotten used to seeing all of the homeless street children and people. I am always heartbroken when I look at their little faces and swollen body parts, but... unfortunately I have learned that no matter what I hand out the window of my car, it doesn't make a difference. The only thing I can do to help is volunteer my time and service. I saw first hand a man give a street child ( a tiny little girl barefoot and no bottoms) a Rupee. The little girl held the money up between two fingers to show it to the man on the street corner who was waiting for her..... the mob... or gang... or whatever they want to be called, but I get it. I have been scratched by a little street boy and I think cursed by a Unix (a transvestite who wears a sari). There are also dogs everywhere. Indian street dogs. They even have a name for them, Pariah. They are the sweetest dogs ever. I haven't even needed that rabies shot yet! I want one so bad. They have them up for adoption all the time. Again... I want one so bad. I kinda think it's only a matter of time before I have one.... but I am not sure that I am responsible enough... than goodness i can hire a dog nanny to sit when I am out of town!! I am open to your opinions on the matter.
Oh, this life.It can be a bit much at times... But all in all I LOVE MUMBAI!!!!
