Haathee!
For the past seven days, Bombay has been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival which honors Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed god. During the festival time period (which lasts around 11 days), Hindus set up shrines to Ganesh by placing elaborate sculptures in their homes, workplace, etc. They honor him daily by performing a soothing chant with rhythmic clapping. We have a beautiful one set up at Prana and every night at 6pm people gather around the shrine to do the chanting. The ones in people's homes (and at Prana) are fairly small - however, there are HUGE ones set up around town. One in particular is a few meters high and bejewelled with precious stones. Eventually, the statues are brought to the ocean via a large procession of people and immersed into the water. I asked my friend Amit how they decide when to do the immersion and he replied (in a very respectful way to Lord Ganesh), that they do it when they are tired of performing the daily ritual. (Apparently, it's a lot of work).
So last night I went down to Barista for some coffee and one of the processions went right by the coffee shop. People preceded the truck carrying the Ganesh statue by playing drums, dancing, and setting off fireworks. It was insane. They were covered in a bright orange powder that glowed somewhat. As I've mentioned before, Indian dancing is so free and spirited. I can't begin to describe the joy with which these people were dancing...it was electrifying. Speaking of electrifying, as much as I like fireworks, I can't say that I like them exploding a few yards away from me. It's loud and scary...but seemed to fuel some of the energy of the parade. As I sat there drinking my coffee, watching orange covered Indians dance amongst fireworks, I had one of those, 'whoa...I'm living in India' moments. It was great.
Afterwards, I met up with some friends at a place called Club 9. Club 9 is located in the area that I want to get my apartment...and I am so glad. I LOVED it. The music was so fun (They played "How Bizarre." You just can't dance to that song without a huge grin on your face.) After Club 9 shut down, we went to the club in the hotel right across from mine for more dancing until the wee hours.
It's funny, ever since I made the decision to stay here for the year, I've really started to feel more settled and happy. A duration of six months is long, but not enough time to truly allow yourself to be absorbed into a city. To stay a full year, you have to allow yourself to be absorbed. And I have.
For the past week I've been listening to Pete Yorn's new album, Nightcrawler. It's the first album that I've really connected with while I've been in India. Since I've been here, I've been listening to a lot of different music. Although I still listen to some of my standbys, there are certain songs and artists that I used to listen to all the time back in the US that I haven't played since I got on the plane in LA. It's weird...there are just certain songs that I sort of "left" back home.
The new Pete Yorn album is truly amazing though. While I felt that he faltered a bit on Day I Forgot, this album matches, if not exceeds, musicforthemorningafter. "Georgie Boy" is awesome. If you want the current soundtrack for my India journey, download this album.
In transportation news, I've started to really get to know and become friends with some of the local taxi drivers here. Last night, when I arrived at the club, the taxi driver (who I know pretty well), told me to give him whatever I felt like giving him. (For taxi drivers, that's a big deal). In the mornings when I get in the cab to go to work, they get somewhat offended if I tell them where I'm going:
Me: "Good Morning! I'd like to go to the Bandra-"
Taxi Driver: "I know! I know! Bandra-Kurla Complex, ILFS building! I know! I know!"
Me: "Okay! Okay! Sorry, my friend!"
This morning, as I was walking to Barista (again), another one of my usual taxi guys pulled over and asked me where I was going. I told him (it's only about a two minute walk), and he told me to get in, he was taking me (for free, of course). It's funny to me because taxi drivers here are often the most difficult in terms of price negotiation. You really have to haggle with them. So, the concept of getting free rides, or having them tell me to pay whatever I feel like, is insanity to me.
And finally, my on-line Hindi lessons are going very well. So far, I've learned how to say dog, cat, boy, girl, man, woman, airplane, ball, horse, and elephant. The fun part about this is that there are stray dogs and cats everywhere. So, as I walk along the street, I pass by dogs and say "kutta!" And then I walk by a cat and say "billi!" I cannot wait until I see an elephant.
For the past seven days, Bombay has been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival which honors Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed god. During the festival time period (which lasts around 11 days), Hindus set up shrines to Ganesh by placing elaborate sculptures in their homes, workplace, etc. They honor him daily by performing a soothing chant with rhythmic clapping. We have a beautiful one set up at Prana and every night at 6pm people gather around the shrine to do the chanting. The ones in people's homes (and at Prana) are fairly small - however, there are HUGE ones set up around town. One in particular is a few meters high and bejewelled with precious stones. Eventually, the statues are brought to the ocean via a large procession of people and immersed into the water. I asked my friend Amit how they decide when to do the immersion and he replied (in a very respectful way to Lord Ganesh), that they do it when they are tired of performing the daily ritual. (Apparently, it's a lot of work).
So last night I went down to Barista for some coffee and one of the processions went right by the coffee shop. People preceded the truck carrying the Ganesh statue by playing drums, dancing, and setting off fireworks. It was insane. They were covered in a bright orange powder that glowed somewhat. As I've mentioned before, Indian dancing is so free and spirited. I can't begin to describe the joy with which these people were dancing...it was electrifying. Speaking of electrifying, as much as I like fireworks, I can't say that I like them exploding a few yards away from me. It's loud and scary...but seemed to fuel some of the energy of the parade. As I sat there drinking my coffee, watching orange covered Indians dance amongst fireworks, I had one of those, 'whoa...I'm living in India' moments. It was great.
Afterwards, I met up with some friends at a place called Club 9. Club 9 is located in the area that I want to get my apartment...and I am so glad. I LOVED it. The music was so fun (They played "How Bizarre." You just can't dance to that song without a huge grin on your face.) After Club 9 shut down, we went to the club in the hotel right across from mine for more dancing until the wee hours.
It's funny, ever since I made the decision to stay here for the year, I've really started to feel more settled and happy. A duration of six months is long, but not enough time to truly allow yourself to be absorbed into a city. To stay a full year, you have to allow yourself to be absorbed. And I have.
For the past week I've been listening to Pete Yorn's new album, Nightcrawler. It's the first album that I've really connected with while I've been in India. Since I've been here, I've been listening to a lot of different music. Although I still listen to some of my standbys, there are certain songs and artists that I used to listen to all the time back in the US that I haven't played since I got on the plane in LA. It's weird...there are just certain songs that I sort of "left" back home.
The new Pete Yorn album is truly amazing though. While I felt that he faltered a bit on Day I Forgot, this album matches, if not exceeds, musicforthemorningafter. "Georgie Boy" is awesome. If you want the current soundtrack for my India journey, download this album.
In transportation news, I've started to really get to know and become friends with some of the local taxi drivers here. Last night, when I arrived at the club, the taxi driver (who I know pretty well), told me to give him whatever I felt like giving him. (For taxi drivers, that's a big deal). In the mornings when I get in the cab to go to work, they get somewhat offended if I tell them where I'm going:
Me: "Good Morning! I'd like to go to the Bandra-"
Taxi Driver: "I know! I know! Bandra-Kurla Complex, ILFS building! I know! I know!"
Me: "Okay! Okay! Sorry, my friend!"
This morning, as I was walking to Barista (again), another one of my usual taxi guys pulled over and asked me where I was going. I told him (it's only about a two minute walk), and he told me to get in, he was taking me (for free, of course). It's funny to me because taxi drivers here are often the most difficult in terms of price negotiation. You really have to haggle with them. So, the concept of getting free rides, or having them tell me to pay whatever I feel like, is insanity to me.
And finally, my on-line Hindi lessons are going very well. So far, I've learned how to say dog, cat, boy, girl, man, woman, airplane, ball, horse, and elephant. The fun part about this is that there are stray dogs and cats everywhere. So, as I walk along the street, I pass by dogs and say "kutta!" And then I walk by a cat and say "billi!" I cannot wait until I see an elephant.
posted by Steven | 11:43 AM
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