"tack, tack, tack" of the chisels the stone carvers use to make their millions of different gods and godesses into marble masterpieces. Being like a display case of great Indian stone work, look to your left and there's a giant bull (nandi) from an ancient civilisation, look to your right, and there's a street of 1000 miniature nandis for sale and export. Because it's so close to a major city (Chennai) it's a place frequently visitted by tourists, many staying for months purely because they can't bring themselves to leave. I was so happy to be somewhere with food and a decent room that I was worried I might do the same.I eventually managed to find a part of the beach to go for a swim, which I'd expected to be a relaxing and refreshing experience. As I was told by a Canadian woman in a restaurant in Pondicherry, "don't expect ANYTHING!" It was more like a game of dodgeball. You prepare to duck under a wave, but the water beneath sweeps your feet out from under you, you go under the wave, coming up thinking it's safe, only to be tackled by another wave right behind it. While it was nice to cool down, the relaxing part was getting out of there and back on solid ground.
My new friend Anand helped me to find a new room, since I was happy to spend a little bit more here, and the daily construction work was reminding me too much of Melbourne. H
is brother offered me a room in his guest house, directly on the beach front, with a balcony overlooking the fishing boats, with the shore temple in the near distance. I'd been intending to have some kind of spiritual reading, be it palms, astrology, some kind of voodoo whirling trance, I was open to anything, but I was dubious about many of them, until I saw the pamphlet sitting in my new room. Shaman Remedia was from the philipines, born into a tribe of healers, and when I went to ask her some questions about her practice I couldn't resist her charm. I booked a sessiong for the morning of my birthday, as a gift to myself to make the day more interesting.
is brother offered me a room in his guest house, directly on the beach front, with a balcony overlooking the fishing boats, with the shore temple in the near distance. I'd been intending to have some kind of spiritual reading, be it palms, astrology, some kind of voodoo whirling trance, I was open to anything, but I was dubious about many of them, until I saw the pamphlet sitting in my new room. Shaman Remedia was from the philipines, born into a tribe of healers, and when I went to ask her some questions about her practice I couldn't resist her charm. I booked a sessiong for the morning of my birthday, as a gift to myself to make the day more interesting.
Until then I drowned myself in my drawings and in the ocean. I met a beautiful girl from Finland named Kirsikka, who I quickly made friends with. Not with any effort or intention, we just happened to keep bumping into each other everyday, everywhere. Mind you, I had shaved my head only a few days before I got there, and it appeared she had also, and it's not really that difficult to spot a big white egg amoungst a sea of black bouffant hair. One of the places us egg-heads found each other is the dance festival, and in true Indian style there was no holding back in terms of entertainment. 
Each night at dusk, a different part India would come on stage and showcase their talents, costumes of every colour, ear-bleeding music, and all set in front of a cliff of rock carved ceturies ago, the lighting catching each character in mid-air as though they were dancing themselves.
Each night at dusk, a different part India would come on stage and showcase their talents, costumes of every colour, ear-bleeding music, and all set in front of a cliff of rock carved ceturies ago, the lighting catching each character in mid-air as though they were dancing themselves.I woke up on my birthday to the sound of the ocean and only one mission in mind, to find my laundry I'd handed over to the guest house days ago. After being told the 15th time to "come back in 2 hours," I told them no, I would not wait, pulling the only singlet I had up to my nose, making a sniffing gesture, and then pretending to cry. I think the message got through, because within half an hour I was in clean clothes and having my aura and chakras read by Remedia. With the help of her husband Richard (since her English was limited), she proceeded to tell me about past lives, loves lost, inner fears and true talents. At one point we were interupted, and while Richard was speaking to someone out of the room, Remedia told me that I had spiritual talents too, and told me to close my eyes and try to see her. I tried, and when it wouldn't work I just tried to clear my mind. After 5 minutes she started giggling, and asked if I could see her. I dissappointingly said no, and she told me she could see me as a young boy. The whole thing put me in a completely different frame of mind, and I walked into town feeling light, happy and open to the world. Whilst talking to Kirsikka in the street just before she had to leave, a nearby cow must have picked up on my energy, and walked accross the street to start licking the back of my hand. I considered it a birthday blessing, and after some more dancing Anand took me to his favourite local street kitchen.
I'd made plans to leave the day after my birthday to head back north, however I was loving it too much and delayed my train, and also changed my destination. Eventually the day came, I felt sad about leaving (and the 28 hour train trip ahead of me), and yet again, by the skin of my teeth, got on my train to my next destination. The journey required a stopover in a place called Jhansi, and when I found a room with a hot shower (it's cold up here at night) I turned on the telly, and what did I see? "Indian Idol!" It was much the same as the American or Australia equivalant, just better outfits, and I
can't understand what the judges are saying. The next day, a short trip brought me to my new town, Orchha. This place is already a favourite of mine, both because it's surrounded by beautiful old temples and palaces in every direction, and because I found a cheap room with no effort at all. Almost everything in India can be catered to suit a tourists needs, but they still haven't got the hang of making doors tall enough for the average westerner. After bumping my head so many times, I find myself walking into rooms bowing, as though I'm paying respect to the objects in that room. I bow to the bed, I bow to the chair, I bow to the little bucket next to the toilet that is intended for you to was yourself with, I am at their service!
can't understand what the judges are saying. The next day, a short trip brought me to my new town, Orchha. This place is already a favourite of mine, both because it's surrounded by beautiful old temples and palaces in every direction, and because I found a cheap room with no effort at all. Almost everything in India can be catered to suit a tourists needs, but they still haven't got the hang of making doors tall enough for the average westerner. After bumping my head so many times, I find myself walking into rooms bowing, as though I'm paying respect to the objects in that room. I bow to the bed, I bow to the chair, I bow to the little bucket next to the toilet that is intended for you to was yourself with, I am at their service!Enough from me now, I'm too eager to go exploring, and I have to go meet a local family I had dinner with last night, but more about that later.
Baba Shaun
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