two funerals and some historical sights

August 14, 2016

Today is Sunday. On Friday I went upstairs while Sankar was cleaning and he was on his cell phone. When he got off I could tell he was upset so asked if he was okay. He started crying and told me about the call in Hindi. Through his acting out the scenario I could understand that a child had been bitten by a snake and died but had no idea who the child was. When Rahul returned a few minutes later from taking Ron to work we went back upstairs and discovered it was his brother’s son who was 15 years old who had died quickly after being bitten. There are four poisonous snakes in Rajasthan.

I insisted that Sankar go home and take care of himself. He refused and wanted to finish his work which is standard for him. He didn’t have the money to go home for the funereal so yes I gave him the money. He finished his work, showered and arranged for a sub while he was gone. As he was leaving I expressed my sorrow and held my arms open not knowing if he would accept a hug. He fell into my arms sobbing and calling me mother, hugging me tightly. Rahul heard him crying and came inside and said that it was in God’s hands and he, Rahul, could die tomorrow, it was beyond our control. As Rahul massaged his shoulder Sankar tuned to him and again sobbed while holding onto Rahul. Rahul offered to take him home or to the bus station but Sankar had already arranged it.

That night his sub showed up but it took all of ten minutes to clean up the kitchen as we had eaten leftovers. It is now Sunday and the sub has yet to return. It’s okay with me. But a neighbor who lives on the other side of the society came to the door on Saturday and asked for Sankar. I told her what happened and she asked me ‘who is cleaning your house?’ I said no one. Well, I was once again reminded how things work here. People at this income level do not clean house or wash dishes or do laundry. It is all done by servants, always. The last time she came over here she had spoken with Sankar in the kitchen and admired a dish towel and asked how much it cost. I didn’t know but told her where I bought it. Since then I had checked the price and told her it cost 470 for a set of two. That’s $7.00 for two well made, absorbent, attractive dish towels. She said that was too much. I said ‘but feel it, it is very good quality’ and she walked away without even touching it. I am sure she thinks I am nuts for paying that price, a real bargain at home. You can get really cheap textiles here but as always you get what you pay for.

Saturday morning we walked up to the vegetable stand near our house. I suggested Ron bring his camera as the entire family is often there: three kids and mom and dad, all of them smiling often. 

Ron and I went to the Hyatt before lunch and had a 90 minute massage which was wonderful. We came home for lunch and he went to CEPT for an afternoon committee meeting.

While he was gone I visited with Kamla whom I haven’t seen in a month. She had left for a treatment in Pune before I left for the US, then I was gone when she came back and she left in early August for her surgery in Bombay. She returned this morning and I saw her briefly so I was glad to get a longer visit after her nap and mine late in the afternoon.

Ron and I went out for dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant where we have eaten several times. They had moved but Rahul found the new place easily as he really does know Ahmedabad well. The new setting was all wrong for us. The music was blaring. Rahul said he could hear it all the way out on the street where he had parked. They had switched from comfortable booths to picnic tables that you have to crawl over the benches to get in and dang it they were hard on the hinny after about 15 minutes! It is an outdoor but covered restaurant but it was hot inside because it has louvered screens for the walls allowing dirt to pass through and consequently the table was gritty. The final offense was the hookah smoking two tables over. The menu was expanded and the food was delicious but it was our first and last visit to this location. As we now like to say ‘We’re old!’

We are still fighting jet lag and adjusting to a 12 hour time difference. By 10:00 Ron was asleep and I was making my way to bed. I woke up at 2:30 and didn’t sleep well after that. By 6:30 we both gave up.

August 15, 2016

Today is India’s Independence Day. Ron has the day off so we decided to see some Ahmedabad sights. We left the house around 10:00 and drove to Old Town. Our first stop of House of MG, a heritage hotel built in the 1920’s as the home of a textile magnate Sheth Girdhardas. It is a lovely old place and we popped into the gift shop. OMG we both were drooling on the merchandise, particularly the scarves and stoles of every description of India’s wonderful textiles. I wasn’t in a shopping mood but will return to purchase gifts.

We crossed the street to view the Siddi Sayid Mosque built in 1573. It is noted for its most exquisite and delicately carved jali windows. 

From there we walked to the Bhadra Fort built in 1411. All that stands now is the gate, a magnificent structure of carved stone. It is surrounded by a teeming market place.

 We also visited the Jami Masjid Mosque built in 1423. It ranks as one of India’s most beautiful mosques. Again the stone carvings, particularly the tree of life motif, were a feast for our eyes. 

We ended the morning by stopping by some of the charity soup kitchens located in the marketplace. There are four adjacent to each other and the first time we came and today there are people hoping there will be donations because then they can get. As soon as I gave two of the kitchens some rupees the poor jumped up and came to the counters to be served a hot meal. Rahul didn’t think it was a good idea to give money without a receipt to ensure that the money was used wisely but it was obvious to me a receipt isn’t needed here.

We came home, relaxed and then had a great lunch of three kinds of leftover salads. Afterwards I spent time on the computer trying to get a flight to Sri Lanka as my dear friend Geetha who was our housekeeper when we lived there is quite ill and in a coma. I called the airline to book the flight and while on the phone got an email that my dear, sweet Geetha has passed. I cancelled my flight and rebooked when I received an expected date for the funeral.. I had a good cry and I am so sad but thankful for the special relationship she and I shared for 11 years. Before I left the US last week, I had sent her birthday card and gift money. I am sure it didn’t arrive before her hospitalization. I leave Tuesday night of for an overnight flight. I go to Mumbai, a short hop and have a two hr layover and then a two or three hr flight to SL. I leave SL on Friday night and arrive here at 3:00 a.m. I think I may be too old for this kind of schedule. TBD.