Cricket is for India as footbal is for us

My idea about cricket was very limited. I knew it was a bit similar to baseball but I didn't know any of its rules.

India received the world cup on February and it went till the beginning of April. So I had the opportunity to follow some of the games. The first thing I found very surprising was that the game would start just after lunch and end by the end of the night!!! It took so much time!! In fact, in Cricket there's no time rule instead there are different versions with different duration. Normally in the championship the game lasts for about three hours, which I find reasonable. But there's also the one-day and test version. In the one-day version the game lasts for about nine hours while in the test version it goes for five days!!! I found very impressive that so many people remained in stadiums for nine hours. They must really like this game. Cricket doesn't seem physically very demanding so the players can handle playing for so long. They have a break with food and tea! Awesome!

The rules are simple. In the center of the field there are two bases at a distance of twenty meters from each other. In each of these bases there are three wood sticks called wickets as you can see from the picture below



Additionally there is a batsman and a runner both from the same team and a bowler from the opposite team. The objective of the bowler is to make the ball touch the wickets while the batsman tries to avoid that by throwing the ball as far as possible. Then the game is a bit like baseball. Once the ball is up in the air the batsmen and the runner run back and forth between the wickets getting points called runs. If a player of the opposite team catches the ball before it touches the pitch then the batsman is out. If the ball goes straight outside of the field you get six runs while if it touches the pitch before leaving the field you get four runs. Once the ball is caught by a player of the opposite team he has to throw the ball towards the wicket before the batsman or the runner arrive. If this happens then the batsman or the runner is out.

The bowler has a limited number of balls to throw, and that number depends on the version of the game.

India was one of the favorite teams to win the world cup along with Australia, the current champion. They have been impressive along the championship but my friends were not so convinced of the final victory. The big first shot came when they defeated Australia in quarter finals and they started to believe. In semifinals they played against Pakistan, the all time rival. This was the big match perhaps more important than the final. It was a real fight but with no guns.

At the time I was already in Mumbai and I had the opportunity to follow the last part of the game. I really enjoyed. You feel compelled to support and follow the vibe of the game. It was a great victory for India and now they were going to play against Sri-Lanka in the final. This time I went to see the game in some bar in Colaba, Mumbai. The environment was awesome! The bar was full and people were making the party. With this fever for Cricket I stayed about four hours supporting India, shouting, jumping, dancing... It was a fantastic victory and India exploded of happiness.


Lots of people came to the streets to celebrate. They were really crazy!!... jumping over cars, dancing, shouting...





Ive also celebrated!!



Namaste!

Agra and Taj Mahal

In my way to Mumbai I decided to go first to Agra, famous for the majestic Taj Mahal. I went by train and it took me about eight hours from Allahabad. After a nice trip I arrived early in the morning. These days India is getting very hot so I thought it would be better to visit all those places when it is fresher and also because I had a train to Delhi in the evening.

As expected, there was already someone waiting for me. Not someone I knew but one of these guys that tries to sell you a guided visit. I had my luggage so I didn't want to walk around with it. After a short bargain he accepted my price. The deal was to carry me to the touristic places.

First stop: breakfast. I had a good continental breakfast, with some toasts, jam, coffee and juice. What happens next is the begining of the how to loose a considerable amount of money in a touristic place in India. I think I knew this but things happen in such a way that you don't notice. First thing, there is a new guy waiting for me outside. It's the guide that Ive never asked for. So now I have a driver and a guide.

He's always very nice. It seemed a really nice person even if he was just working. He became my personal photographer! I knew that every move had a price so I would have to pay him a nice ammount at the end of day.

Next stop: Taj Mahal. Ah! the place is crowded of foreign people, so Im not a star anymore. Anyway... The entrance is expensive. For a foreigner it is like 40 times the price for an indian. I paid 750 rupees!! which is like the price of a one day Louvre entrance. But it is worth the price. Taj Mahal is really a beautiful monument, of a very simple and harmonious architecture. Look at these pictures






This is me meditating!



With a personal phtographer you take a lot of photos.

He told me the story of the Taj Mahal. It was constructed by Shah Jahan, an emperor, to express his love from the deceased wife. She died after having her 14th child.

The Taj Mahal is smaller than what I was expecting and the mosque only contains the tombs of the emperor and his wife. The marble gives a sensation of simplicity and harmony that I like very much. Unfortunately people create all these silly stories like it was built by 22 thousand man during 22 years and the stairs have always 22 steps. This is unecessary. The funny part was that those 22 thousand man belonged to the same family!!

The next stop is the Agra fort few kilometers away.

The story tells that the emperor Shah Jahan was imprisioned there by his son. It is believed that he ended dying in one of the towers.

The fort is architecturally very similar to the Taj Mahal but it looks more like a walled city. It has many divisions. You can see the rooms, there is a library, and also a market place. I took some pictures





It was about lunch time and my guide was already stressing with the money. I could note that he was losing enthusiasm. So he said to me: "Now you have seen this and that, you will go for lunch and then you can go to a nice bazaar to buy souvenirs... You can now give me the money." Ok, I was thinking in giving you like 500. But he didn't like, he wanted more. So he showed me some card where it is stated that he is an official guide and the prices he does. For indian it was 500 and 750 for foreigner. I said: "Look 750 is too much, I think 500 is very reasonable for you. Im not giving you any more money" He kind of hesitated but he agreed. I really think he deserved less but It's fine. The thing is that you leave 500 here, 500 there and at the end of the day the money has flied away. I didn't mention but along the trip he took us to most of his friends that are local sellers. So you buy this and that, really nice things but for foreigners becomes expensive as you may think.

After lunch I went to the promised bazaar. I wouldn't call that a bazaar, it looked more like a commercial area. I was expecting a kind of street market. Anyway... I bought some souvenirs and than I went for a coffee. At this time of the day it makes very hot, so nothing better than a nice irish coffee in a fresh place.

It was time to leave so I asked my driver to leave me on the train station. I gave him a nice tip that he didn't complain, and than I walked towards the station. Some guy approaches me and asks me where I am going, "Im going to Delhi". Bingo!! thought the guy. He tells me that my train is very late, about 5 hours. This is normal in India, don't worry. And he tries to sell me some car trip for the beautiful price of 3000 rupees (50 euros). Of course I would never do it. First its very expensive and second is very dangerous to drive in highways here. So I tell him " calm down, Im going to check if there is a different train". But he insists and insists and he doesn't leave me, following me everywhere. I confirm that my train is very late, but they also tell me that there are other trains later. So I try to book a different train but this guy is becoming very annoying. He's trying to convince me that I won't probably get a place, that there will be a big waiting list. He's right, the guy at the desk tells me that Im in a +100 waiting list but he tells me not to worry, he will try to do the best he can. Im relieved! At this point I start to think that I will have to bribe him...

Fortunately I got rid of the other guy and now Ive to wait for 4 hours. It was a very long wait. It is very hot, you don't have a place to sit, I had to carry my luggage everywhere and you have to handle with the smell and all the beggars. This is the most difficult part because you have to say many times no, to kids mostly. Here it is not a question if they need or not. They really need money, that is obvious. The problem is that you cannot give to everyone even if it is just some rupees.

I was half hour for the train to come and I was waiting on the platform. It is already late evening so there are not so many people. You become more exposed to beggars. I have to say that I don't like to express myself this way, treating beggars as if they were some bugs. On the contrary. I hate seeing kids, babies badly fed and all dirty. They personify the most selfish part of ourselves and should make us sad. For an european is as if the world was cheating me. They sell me a life with best comfort possible and where I can do everything I want. But when you see this, that seems ridiculous and you feel shame. But after being hit by beggars like hundred times a day you become cold.

So I was waiting... I see some kids approaching. One of them doesn't have the lower part of the legs. It is shocking to see him creeping around. Having only ten rupees, I dumbly ask if they can share. Of course I don't do that. I stand up and buy two samussas for them and they nicely thank me. This is really a nice sensation being able to help truly. Even if it is like a drop in the ocean.

The train arrives. It looks more like an european train and it is very fast. My trip to Delhi is nice and calm.

Namaste

Au revoir Allahabad

That's it. Two months in Allahabad and Im about to leave. Tonight train to Agra to see Taj Mahal, then stop in Delhi to say goodbye to friends and finally Mumbai. Ye Mumbai, city of Bollywood and all that.

Allahabad won't leave me with so many good memories. Its a small city and the word fun doens't make part of the vocabulary. Of course I won't forget amazing times I had with my friends. The Sangam, the river, the hinduism and all those characters.

It's a great place to think about things, about your life. It can be shocking sometimes. You can see things that go beyond your imagination. All that pauverty and lack of hygiene. People struglling for some rupees and others asking for food. This is a big problem here. They are so many and so less resources. But India is growing fast and I hope they can handle this situation. But the main thing is that it makes me think about all the selfish things we carry with us. We get nuts if we loose the bus, if someone makes a scratch in our car, if the waitress is not fast enough, if the economy is not ok and Im about to loose money, if its raining... All those little selfish disturbing things which don't have any comparison with what people have to handle here. It's just retarded. We know very less, at least I didn't, of how bad could be the world.

Once I was having a tea in the street with a local friend and he said something I won't forget: "India is very poor but has higher thinking". Of course it made me laugh but its a cute idea. And most of it is true. Their culture is impregnated with philosophy of life. The eternal battle between myself and I. The illusion of life. Ego and true self. God and human.

There are hindus, muslims, christians all living in peace. People are simple and humble.

Here everything goes very slowly. No stress, just relax. Perhaps is the sun and the high temperatures :D.

Here are some pitures:









I love this picture!


And many more. I love all those flavours and colors!!


Ive many more but it would make this post so big. Instead I show you the place where Ive been working. The now famous HRI.













I leave you with this beautiful shot,



Namaste!

Holi

I don't have many words to describe what happen today. It was just beautiful. A show of colors, music, happiness, that's Holi.

Here are some pictures







People dance and sing. Everybody throws colors to everybody and when we expect less. It's so damn funny!!



























And in between we have sweets and bung. This a drink made with milk and cannabis. I think you can imagine the effect. Super coool!!



And the color doesn't come out easily. I was a bit afraid when Ive realized that. I had a couple of showers and Im still all colored. Would I rest like this for all the rest of my life? It seems it takes 3 or 4 days. Hope so!!

Isn't this the coolest thing ever?

Sangam

Sangam means meeting in hindi.

By January people start filling Ganga's riverbed which by that time goes almost empty. It is impressive to see so many people in the same place. The field is full of tents and people stay for at least two months. They come for the sacred waters of Ganga. They pray and have baths.

I went for a walk with my friends. The spectrum of people is really very large. There are so many hindu congregations and "churchs", if I can call them this way. People come to pray, make business or just visit like me. You can see the famous Sadhus. These are men that left everything behind, home, possessions, family, to dedicate exclusively to the gods. They are also known as Guru or Baba. You see them wearing very few clothes and in some extreme cases they just walk nude. They have their own space of connection with the gods, and they seem to be in a kind of trance. Of course smoking hax helps a lot. Here is a picture Ive took during Sangam



Seems pretty nice decorated this place. The people you see in the picture come to pray and receive his blessing.

You can see also amazing characters. Usually they carry some symbols which are associated with a particular god. I think this one is carrying a trident much like Shiva does



Others seem coming from a movie. Check this one with fashioned glasses. Pretty cool!!



and this one



The other guy in the picture is Chopno. A cool guy from HRI. He's a student there.

And many many more!! Look at this












Here is a small video Ive made. You see people having bath in Ganga waters. This is one of the most sacred things an hindu can do. It means a lot for them. If the water wasn't so dirty I also would have done it.



Namaste!

Two months in Allahabad

Hey folks, friends and fans!!

It has been a long time I don't post here. Somehow reflects what has happened here in Allahabad, nothing!! In indian standards, Allahabad is a small city. It has about 3 million people which in a country with at least 1 billion is considered small. Allahabad is known for its religious traditions, for the Ganga river and the universities. There are a couple of good universities and of course HRI. The institute for atomic and nuclear physics where Im right now. Certainly the best physics center in India and one of the leading in the world. It has amazing physicists that Im proud of being working with.

HRI also represents what I consider the future of science. People, students and professors live on campus. They have their own houses with garden and garage and they live with their families too, it's like a small city. You see kids playing around, filling a space which is normally occupied by theoretics. It's a very friendly environment. Here you have almost everything. There's a football field, gym, swimming pool, gardens, animals, etc. I shall post some photos. And of course here is always sunny.

Allahabad is a small place. There's not much to do. Though there are two shoppings. In one you have a cinema and there's also Mcdonalds, of course with vegetarian food. This a vegetarian land. Im 90% vegetarian now. The roles of vegetables and meat have been inverted. Very rarely I eat meat. Food at the cantine is far from being good but outside campus you can find very good food, including vegetarian.

People are very simple and nice. I feel like a star walking in Allahabad streets. Everybody stares at me as if I was coming from a different planet. They even want to have a photo with me. I just laugh!!

At the same time there are so many poor people. Many leaving in the streets struggling to get some ruppees. It's shocking to see homeless kids that even don't know where are their parents. Sometimes I give them a ruppee or two and they leave. Othertimes I carry some food with me and I give them. I prefer to give food than money. This reality was difficult at the begining but Im now used to it. The other day there was a small girl in the streets walking around. She seem very happy, dancing and jumping. She came to talk to me. I had some bread and gave her some. She didn't asked for money. But it was the scene was surreal. Seeing that poor small girl so happy nothing have to eat. To think about...

Delhi sightseeing

I want to share with you what was one of the most difficult days since Im in India. On thursday 13 January I took a tourist bus and went for a sightseeing of Delhi.

I wake up early because Ive to meet the tourist bus in Ramakrishna metro station. It's still a bit far and it will take me 30 minutes or more to get there. Unfortunately I can't find the station on the map but according to their directions I should go to the center. I get out at New Delhi station but I don't see any bus. The time is running and I have to rush. I call Cyril and ask him to contact them. He then tells me that it is better to take a Rickshaw to Ramakrishna station (in a older post I refered Rickshaw as being a three wheeler automobile taxi, well in fact that name is for a three wheeler bike. Im still learning) and that is what I do. This time I don't bargain with the driver. Needless to say, Delhi streets in early morning are not very pleasant to see or smell but whatever! I need to get used. I finally get there and there's someone already waiting for me. We go to the bus. I couldn't belive in what I was seeing. The bus is really dirty and smells bad. I now understand why 200 ruppees for the whole trip. The guides?! Wow! I think it's better not comment...

The first stop is a hindu temple that I unfortunately don't remember the name. I have to remove my shoes and leave camera and phone in a safe. We only have 20 minutes to visit. The temple is beautifull and full of gods. As I enter Im approached by one of the guys that work there. He starts explaining which statue is which and seems wanting to guide me. Well... I think I will have to give him a tip later but I left my wallet in the safe. He's very kind and takes me to see the temple. Of course at the end he does a small pause as waiting for the tip but I apologize because I left my wallet outside. I felt it was not good but Iven't asked him for anything. I leave the place and run to the bus.

In the following, Im not sure of the correct order of events. We have visited so many places! I think we went to the presidential area where we could see the parliament and also the Indian Gate. Look at the pictures






Just for curiosity, you can see that I have something in my forehead. That's because I was blessed in the temple by a priest. As you can see there's a dense fog. If you add the polution it becomes really unconfortable. You can feel it, it's really unpleasant. My partners are super nice. They want to know everything about me and take photos. Again, I feel like a star. They help me with the indie and guide me.

The next stop is the house of Indira Ghandi. She was prime-minister long time ago and became famous for her strong personality and for the sense of unity she inspired. Some people loved her others hated her. She ended being assassinated after an etnic polemic about hindus and sikhs.

Im getting tired of walking, get into/out of bus and walking again. It's cold and the air is so polluted.

It's time for lunch. But before that we pass in by a big store where we can buy souvenirs, clothes, gold, and many other things. Of course I seem to be the main attraction. Sellers try to sell me anything they have and sometimes they are very annoying. Tired, I decide to wait outside. Finally I have sometime to rest and meet the other guys.

Now we move towards the restaurant. The bus takes us to a place that I would hardly describe as a restaurant. There are cows outside, it is crowded and cleanliness can be discussed. I look backwards in time and I start wishing never come here. I think my stomach won't survive this day. Im mentally devastated and I need guts. At the same time I know that is my mind that is causing this. Im in panic but Im aware of that and I start calming down. In fact it was not so bad... I only had to eat with my hands because I didn't trust in the forks I had in front of me. I just wanted to finish my lunch as quick as possible.

I have to say that's a difficult job we have to do to disrupt our minds from the ilusory perfection we see in rich countries. I can't imagine when I will be back to Paris. I won't stop laughing!!

In the afternoon we went to the Lotus temple, to the Mahatma Ghandi "grave" and some other places. I put quotation marks because his body was cremated, of course.





I leave you with a photo of Delhi. It's almost evening. I just wanted you to see how polluted the air is.



The way back home is a big punch in everything we think about humanity. I saw things that left me very sad, truly. Im still trying to get used to this new reality but I see different things each day. One thing is sure, I didn't know what was poverty.