I think we’re getting more and more sucked into India. The sights are great, but there is so much more.
Eileen and I were up and out just before 6.00 – it’s much cooler then – having a walk and a coffee on the prom with thousands of others. Interestingly, Anna our driver was complaining about how cold it is in the morning – we thought it was perfect.
And then talking to our Airbnb host – really interesting background with her parents being caught up in the partition, her mother being part of the founders of the Montessori movement and her husband a politician who could pull a few strings if we fancied visiting the Odisha region next year.
Anyway, back to business. A longish 3 hours drive. First stopping temple (I knew I wasn’t going to be able to remember this one’s name):
11th Century to stop you looking it up. But what I found great was that as it is still Pongal it is a huge day out for families who use the Temple as a social venue for games, picnics and so on. And the colours continue. And it was mega busy.
And the next one – both of these are the warm up to the main event ( see tomorrow):
But then there is the weirdest thing continuing which is what it must feel like to be minor royalty ( or a hanger on in my case)! We have our driver so he drops us off right outside wherever we’re going (waved through by the guards on occasions), but then this continuous demand for Eileen to be in photographs (eventually wanting to say s*d off, we’re looking at your b****y temple!!!!
Haven’t fathomed what it’s all about. And now, of course, when we glance around we are noticing many more examples of people looking at us. Fame at last ……