It is hot today.

In the mornings, I awake and go outside to see and feel the rising sun. The atmosphere is hazy and lazy with humidity as the world comes to life. The large chipmunk-like creatures, usually in pairs have such fun running all over the place. The birds are very interesting and so different from the West. I do not have a Bird-Book, and so it is difficult to recognize them, but they are profuse in number and variety. I have not seen the weird crow on the street light. He usually sits there and looks at me with a critical eye, and “caw-caw” his comments. I can just imagine what he thinks of this foreigner.

The cows are ubiquitous, and they all look quite healthy, as they scavenge food wherever they can. This morning I saw what I am told is an Eagle, with prey in its claws, flying off to somewhere quiet to have breakfast. I have seen them in numbers gliding the air currents so close to the buildings. What strikes me as unusual, is that there is a preponderance of wild life, right in the town, living, seemingly in harmony with each other, including the humans.

Even though the hygiene here leaves a lot to be desired it is not so toxic that prevents these animals from prospering. Even though it is a developed urban area, the wildlife seems to be living with it in harmony. Strange, but true. In the USA, I did not see this. As humans developed an area the animals had to recede or they died. Not so here. What is the message? I do not know. Let me know what you feel. I have not seen one cat. Dogs, yes. Plenty. No cats.

About 4 days ago I came down with the dreaded “diarrhea,” which seemed to me to more like dysentery. Not good at all. Dr. Partap treated me, and I recovered in 2 1/2 days. Now I feel very well, although a little weak still, but getting stronger by the day. I was given Ayurvedic medicine to help clean out the bowel and strengthen my immune system. After I had naturally released much of the toxicity, I was given Rasa Shastra medicine which stopped the diarrhea almost instantaneously. This Rasa Shastra system is the most fascinating aspect of Ayurveda to me, for they use heavy metals, poisonous metals (mercury), arsenic and such, treat them in an alchemical way according to the ancient, I mean thousands of years ancient texts, and the erstwhile toxic substance becomes a powerful healing agent. This is pure magic. Anyway, here I am, back in the land of the living. Hello folks!

Last Friday night was the eve of the Festival “Holi.” Here is the legend…Once there was a king with a very big ego, and he wanted his son to worship him. However, the child was quite enlightened and only worshiped God. The king was furious, and he conspired with his dreaded sister to change the boy’s focus of attention. Her name was Holi Kar, and she tried several tricks to either get the boy to change his mind or to kill him. At one such attempt the legendary figure of 1/2 man, 1/2 lion came to the boy’s aid.

Finally, Holi Kar, who had a shawl that was indestructible, and she placed this around her as she held the little boy and entered a raging fire. Unfortunately for Holi Kar a wind blew up (divine intervention) and blew the shawl off her and onto the boy. She was killed and the boy saved.

Today at this time Holi is celebrated with use of coloured powders, with which to wipe all over the person you are greeting affectionately. The colour goes all over, in your hair, ears, face, clothes, everywhere. Then you dance to traditional music, then water is thrown at you, or even better/worse you are firmly guided to the hose pike and are drenched. Last Friday night was a dress rehearsal with the employees, and it was fun, although I did not get too involved. All that changed when the family of Jiva all got together, about 40 of them and we had a blast. I, and the various clinic patients, were all welcomed to festival of fun, laughter and dancing, and I participated fully.

Here are the photos. The pictures came from others in emails. I also have a few of my own to show.

1) Friday night. Eve of Holi. Me in a Kurta on left, the Magali from France, and Owandia from Sudan.

2) Group of dancers. 3rd from right is Neerja, Dr, Chauhan’s niece. 6th from right is Sargam, the housekeeper. I do not have pictures of the other members of the family dancing, including Dr. Chauhan, as I was concerend for the safety of my camera.

3) Me and Robert (Poland) and Oleg (Latvia)

4) Me on Saturday, the actual day of holi. Here I dressed far more casual and got really zapped, with water, the works.

5) Friday evening.

On last Sunday after Holi (Saturday) I accompanied a French lady and a Sudanese lady, both patients here taking the treatments/panchakarma. They wanted to go and see the Taj Mahal, and I decide to go with them. Boy, that was quite a trip.

We were collected by one of the calmest taxi drivers in Faridabad, but, please do not let that lull you in to a state of peaceful security. No, it is all relative, as we will see….

The little car collects us at Jiva clinic at 6:30am on Sunday (about two Sundays ago. I am losing track of time here.). We drive to the outskirts of Faridabad and we stop. It seems the car we are in is a private car, and we must now wait for the official taxi. We stopped on the side of the road, while still being on this two lane divided highway. Madness really. The vehicles charge by us, and I felt it safer to be out of the car. There was a cow lying down quite peacefully right in the middle of the highway, on the median. Totally unaffected by the noise and the mayhem. (see pic) Then I saw a nicely parked auto rickshaw. The driver may have been drunk. (see pic.) The new taxi arrived and we went on our way. A pleasant drive through very interesting countryside, as we headed South and East to Agra. I forget the distance but it took about three hours. Maybe 150 miles +/-.

We arrived in Agra. The story will unfold in the next “Letter from India.”
In the meantime, I bid you adieu.
Tony