Rollin' with the Ganges

The road to Rishikesh was long and bumpy. I sat squished between the window and a woman in a hot pink sari for eh, about nine hours. I stared out at Indian guys with one hand on their hips and the other elbow resting on or draped around their boyfriend's shoulder, all while maintaining a piercing stare at everyone on the bus. Schoolboys lined up with arms locked, old women dragging kerosene tanks across the street, cows and monkeys and forests? Delicious street stand thali and ipod listening and the time flew by. Then switched buses for another hour and a half ride into the beautiful land of Rishikesh. A land flooded with religious pilgrims eager to ring bells and do puja and bathe/swim/dunk themselves in the Ganges. I found a lovely clean guesthouse for less for four days than I had to pay for one in Shimla. With a balcony I can hang my laundry on and crickets at night that hum and remind me of summers in Reno. I read two books in three days, I drank a boatload of Chai, and wandered around staring at the beautifully clad Indian women. I walked over to check out the ashram area where I will be doing my yoga course and then wandered down to the Ganges after that. The water here is nothing like in Varanasi. The river begins here so it is clear and cool and rushing rapidly past over rocks and across the massive banks that split the town of Rishikesh in two. I walked down a bathing ghat and put my feet in DAMN it was soo cold. And watched the people swimming and bathing and doing various ceremonial somethings I have no clue about. I was about to leave but saw a "Ladies Ghat" and so wandered over there and sat with these three elderly Indian women in bright red and pink saris. A mother and daughter were frolicking in the water and so I looked around and said why not? What am I waiting for? I'm in India. I'm going in the Ganges.
Fully dressed I removed my shoes and made my way down the cement steps of the ghat. Whoo! So cold it took my breath away but I inched down and down the steps and chatted with the mom/daughter duo. Then took the plunge and dunked myself in the holy water of the Ganges River. It felt amazingly refreshing and bone-chillingly cold but so awesome. I lay on my back floating in the river and smiling. The young girl was so cute. "Could I be having your email address?" "Pardon me but what is your nationality?" "Did you know that the Ganges River is a holy river and that when you bathe in it all your sins are purified and washed away?" This girl was full of information. And so cute and a hilarious swimmer I might add. The equivalent of doing jumping jacks but in water I think is a fair comparison. I hung out for a bit, did some more dunks and then waded to shore to dry off. The hot Indian sun was scorching and I totally got a ridiculous neck sunburn as I sat there watching the flow of women and children migrate to the ghats to dunk in the water. Skinny and Old women in puse green saris held onto long chains and slowly lowered themselves into the water for a good dunking. Aunties and Moms and Daughters all joined hands and dunked in unison laughing all the while. Little babies play with their feet in the water and bless themselves as they trickle water on their own heads to ease the heat of midday. I just sat and drew and smiled for hours. Little boys came up and asked my name and country and who was I drawing madam? Women held either side of long red scarves and let the wind dry what the river had made damp. Young beautiful girls in elaborate outfits and gold bracelets and earrings shyly descended into the water and did the ceremonious three dips. I sat there basking in my love for this country and for the beautiful women I encounter everyday and for my luck in stumbling upon the Ladies Ghat.
Eventually I had to go, hungry and hot I wandered back through town. Stopped to get a mango to eat along the way. Now I'm pretty used to being stared at but this one was hilarious. A big family was all sitting around eating ice cream by the side of the road and they all started staring and pointing and talking about me from a while away and then I heard one person shout "It's a mango! She's eating a mango!"
Why is this so interesting? I have no idea but it still made me laugh. Oh the spectacle of a gringa walking around India eating a mango.
I head back over today to begin my yoga course at Parmarth Niketan Ashram. So adios for a few weeks! Its Yoga, Its Yoga tiiimmee.