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An Uplifting Experience ! | |||
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Brian was asked to keep us informed of any amusing incidents on his recent holiday in India......... Once again we are in India, quickly acclimatising to the noise and pollution and honing our skills in dodging motorcycles and cowdung in the narrow streets. We are in an area south of Delhi known as Brajbhumi. This is Krishna’s old stomping ground and much revered by Hindus. Here the mischievous K. had a habit of stealing the Gopis (cowgirls) clothes whilst they were bathing in the river. K. is always depicted painted blue here, perhaps the result of too much ‘dallying’ with said naked cowgirls! In another place he sheltered a village from the rain by holding a mountain over it and at a third he wrestled with a huge snake for three days, a feat that seems to have turned him black! Needless to say there are temples at all these places staffed by the most greedy money-grabbing priests its ever been our misfortune to come across. We suspect they could even give Gordon Brown a few tips! Anyway, the uplifting experience. One temple, at Barsana, lies atop a 300ft hill and is approached by a long steep flight of stone steps. These you can walk up or if you wish to help the local economy you can be carried up. Philanthropists to the last we decided on the latter. Now the mode of transport is an iron cage about 2ft square slung from a bamboo pole carried on the shoulders of two men. You are expected to sit crossed legged in this. Now not having sat crossed legged since I was five, a long struggle ensued with the two men attempting to bend my legs and feet round the iron posts of the frame, I suspect that they must have read the history of the Spanish Inquistion but to no avail. I finished up with my legs outside the frame facing sideways, but when they started they found this tripped them up so I was made to sit facing forward. However, my feet now banged into the steps, so I finally finished up facing backwards. Off we started again, but after about fifty steps the older man of the two virtually collapsed clutching his chest, the weight of an overlarge foreigner bringing him to his knees. This happened a number of times before we reached the top, but he would not give up. Guilt set in early on and with hindsight it would have been better for my health and his if I’d walked to the top. Moral:- if you are ever faced with an uphill struggle think twice before becoming a philanthropist! Brian Turnbull |
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