11.18.12 - Jaipur

November 19, 2012

11.18.12 - Jaipur

This morning I awoke at 3:00 am. What to do, what to do. Guess I went to bed too early. Blog. Read. Play Tetris on my phone. Read some more. Then came the 5:00 am call to prayer. A man's voice blasted on a loud speaker in the distance. I feel like I have been taken back in time. A time when Tetris didn't exist. A time when phones didn't exist. I'm enthralled in my book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I would recommend it, about the lives of girls and women growing up in Afghanistan. I feel different reading it here than I imagine I would back at home.

I go down for breakfast which is not quite ready, as I seem to be the only one awake. Rare for me, but I wait for some time so I can eat some Indian pasta (!), pakora (fried balls of different vegetables), and bhaji (potatoes with a sauce eaten with chappathi) and a banana. A pretty heavy breakfast. And 2 cups of coffee and one tea, and a liter of water! I'm so thirsty, always even though I seem to be chugging water all the time. I suppose tea and coffee in between isn't helping. I am surprised with my affinity for tea and coffee here in India, as I am uninterested back at home. It is different here. I love my masala tea.

So then! It is night now, and had the most amazing day! I told the hotel manager that I was going for mehendi (henna) and he said no, you don't go to the city and pay, you go to my home. That his wife will do it for me, it is close by. So he drives me there and there is the most welcoming and amazing family. In Jaipur they celebrate Diwali (festival of lights) all week, and it is just wrapping up, as can be heard by the firecrackers and fireworks all night long. So they have some family staying there also. So there are three women, their 6 kids collectively, and the grandfather there. One boy, Saurabh, who is mostly the translator, although everyone speaks a little English. He is about 14, and immediately invites me to his wedding, in about 8 to 10 years. I tell him I will come if I am still in India.They are so curious as I am I. We talk about school, family. The others are Maya, Sunita, Rajmi (the mothers), Murli, Manish, Lovely, Breeth, Briyanka, Ranak and Nandini. Some of the hide coyly behind their mothers, smiling, looking quickly away when I meet their curious gaze. Others are outgoing and want to know everything about me, my family, my work, my trip to India, customs of Americans. Two of the girls paint me with mehindi, with everyone gathered around on cushions on the floor. Without asking, they start painting my nails and doing my makeup and brushing my hair. Then the women dress me up in a sari. The most complicated of dresses, it is tucked, folded wrapped, and hung with ease. They put a bindi on my forehead, jewelry, everything. They are so pleased with themselves and with the way I look. Since I walked in the door, they are enamored, I believe and watch me like a doting grandmother. They tell me how beautiful I am, how soft my skin is, how light and beautiful my eyes are, how sweet I am. This endless stream of attention would make me uncomfortable in most situations, but they mean it so genuinely, and with love and without judgment. I return the compliments. Not because it feels obligatory, but because these are beautiful women with intelligent and caring children. I mean the words I tell them, and genuinely feel touched to be a part of this. This is why I am in India. Please remind me of this rampant kindness when I have forgotten why I am here.

They feed me bhaji and chappathi with tomatoes. No one eats with me, as they are fasting. They just watch, but not knowing how they eat I try my hardest not to get laughed at, but no one laughs. I eat with my hands, I am getting the hang of it. We sit and talk some more, but I am getting tired after being awake so early and by now having been with them for 5 or 6 hours. A few of them walk me back to the hotel, which is good since I wasn't paying attention on the way over. They invite me to dinner, and I accept. After a long nap, which may be a mistake when I am trying to go to bed, I wake up and walk to their house. They had made some fresh bhaji while I was there, and fed me, again not eating with me. We talk more of traditions and customs, and Saurabh tries teaching me Indian math. He is a very smart boy who wants to be in science and math competitions some day. He beams when I tell him how intelligent he is.

They walk me home again, and we stop at a relatives house along the way, as they are getting ready for bed. They invite me in for some sweets (barfi) and mineral water. There is a wild little naughty boy who is about 2 years old, throwing a ball wildly, then settling to roll it back and forth on the table between him and I. A feisty little guy! We let them sleep and walk on. Maya and Sunita invite me again tomorrow, first for breakfast then they want to go shopping with me. I am excited for this opportunity to be in the city with others, although it might prove a little difficult to communicate without my translator Saurabh.