We awoke at 5:45, not because of the plaintive yet loud Muslim prayers or the cacophonous Hindu worship, the fighting neighborhood dogs or the roosters, but to an alarm, because we had to get ready for a 6:30 am bike ride through Jaipur. Who agreed to this trip, anyway ?!? This city, which, like all Indian cities of any size is clogged with horrendous and chaotic traffic, was very pleasantly free of traffic at 6:30. We were told to “walk fast”, in our cleats on cemented pavement of the palace grounds, and came upon this group, which we joined for our first session of “laughing Yoga”. Literally, the session opened with three sets of reaching our hands to the heaven and belly laughing, at the world and at each other.
Then, to the famous Lord Krishna temple, where a “normal size” group of about a thousand worshippers gathered, sang together and danced, while offering “holy fire”, the songs rising to a fever pitch by the time the priest revealed the statue of Lord Krishna. Once brought to life by a Brahmin, the god idol requires loving tender care every day by the family that hosts it (including being clothed in little sumptuous gowns and jewelry and being offered first bites of the daily meal). It is unthinkable to throw out the worn and broken idols or religious artifacts, except at the “peepul tree”, which acts as the repository of the “godly trash”, according to Umesh.
To make up for having made us miss our hotel breakfast, Umesh treated us to the best masala tea, pakora and lassi.
Seong was the subject of selfies again today
Later, Amber Fort and palace, our favorite of Indian royal structures thus far.