Colors and Spices

The Israeli Doctor

30/3/08 Rishikesh

At my first morning in Rishikesh I got up to a loud cry of a child.

It was very painful screaming voice to hear and to wake up to, but the main thing was that most probably it was a very painful reason for that child to cry up so loud, I thought.

As I did not like the room I stayed in, at that family Guest House, I packed my stuff to move to a better room in a near by Guest House. I had my morning shower on ease, I got my stuff ready to move, but all that time the cry of the child continued. It was a loud painful cry.

I went down to settle the account. A group of women were sitting on a scruffy sofa in the entrance of the house. Some young woman and one older woman that was probably the grand mother. (Also the mother-in-law, as in the Indian tradition the women join the husband’s family… but that’s another story.) There was one young woman in charged on the lettings of the rooms, but she was chasing a very young child, at the age of two, that was screaming Loudly.

Way’s the child is crying? I asked.

He got burned with a boiling tea. She replayed.

Can I see? I asked.

She showed me a naked bum that was marked badly with hot tea.

Do you have anything to put on it? I asked.

Nothing. She replayed. All the women were looking at me with great interest.

I have something! I said and opened my big bag.

I took out my Kupat Cholim ‘department’ and gave the woman the Desitin past.

She covered gently te cream on the burned area.

Than I suggested that she will put clean SOFT pants on the young boy.

The medicine calmed the boy, but maybe also the attention that was given the child eased his pain and he stopped his crying.  He was looking all ever with his big eyes.

Are you going to see a Doctor? I asked.

I never see a Doctor! She replayed with confidence.

Put the kid to sleep. I suggested and left.

As I felt for that young painful child, I came after some hours again. The women were sitting at the entrance.

The Israeli Doctor came! Called the mother of the child, and the boy was brought from another inside room. The women were smiling at me. The child looked sleepy.

I came on the next day as well. Each time I came I was greeted with loud voice: The Israeli Doctor came!

Today, before leaving that side of the river, moving to Luxman Jhula, I went to see the kid.

I do have the Cream! the woman said to me in a nonchalant voice.

I went to see the Doctor! She said proudly, and moved on to her busy Sunday morning duties.

26/3/08 Rishikesh

last I am in Rishikesh!

I heard so much about the place, and longed for it, that it’s like coming home, strangely enough.

I travelled from Delhi, hardly sleeping in the long night train. It’s not light yet, and there is only one sign in English that passed rather quickly, so it’s a bit like gambling… I arrived to Hariwar, just a bus ride from Rishikesh. I got off the Train. It’s the first place that’s got Electronic boards with Red writings, & the trains time table!!! So modern!

Immediately I got help with my bags after a short negotiation.

My bags were dropped off and again I am in the centre of hustlers. I will take the bus! – I said and they quickly evaporated. The blanket of the sleeping town changed into a thin veil, and the voices of the awaking town got louder. I got into the bus with the early workers, it’s 06.00 AM. A woman with Krishna picture, candles and scense sticks is bagging for money. After a 40 minuets ride I got to Rishikesh. The main road is still asleep. In the corner there is a gathering of men round someone selling hot tea. They smoke cigarettes & chat. I didn’t know were to go. I did not prepare my homework properly…. I read the Lonely Planet again and again but it made me more lonely & more disorientated. I sat on a stone, looked and stared at the world, than smoked a Beedy (a local hand made cigarette), just like the Indians.

It seams that I put all my attention on how to get there and not where to go to. I waited for a miracle, that didn’t came so I made my move… 

On arriving at last to the Swiss Cottage Guest House I met 2 men of my age group. (It’s only common to meet women travellers, not men!) After a short chat in English the Hebrew accent gave them away. One of them was very unhappy in India, he complaint about every thing. I thought to myself – it’s very important to blend, to except the rules & customs of the place & the local people. If a Tourist wants to go with his own habits he should have to hire a car & a driver and to stay at a 4-5 stars hotels… other wise he have to accept the local customs, rhythm etc.

“We have to be nice to you – you are our guest!” – That’s a mantra I heard from locals saying it to me with a smile, and I think they really mean it.

Whenever there is a talk about our political situation in Israel, if we are seen as provocative (in most cases), aggressive etc. I always suggest: Come to visit Israel, blend with us for a while, than you will understand us!

Blending does not mean one looses his identity, but seeing the other.

I am trying to read the local papers, to see a bit of television, to read local literature, all to understand the place I am visiting, trying to blend a bit.

It means trying to listen, to see the other, hearing his special voice & sound.

The View from the train was flat. I was told that it’s better to go by train as the roads are narrow and crowded with Lorry’s. There was a sleep steel mine for years, but 2 years ago the Chinese rented it and it’s full in use. Now the heavy Lorry’s are blocking the roads. The Chinese do not wait for any body and lots of lorry’s are heading to Puna ports. The police is very strict and does not let to over take the chain of lorry’s. Itzick told me that he saw with his own eyes that the police smashed some car’s window’s, just because the drivers disobeyed.

I am the only stranger in the train. I am odd & strange to the people here. Lots of eyes were watching me. It’s Holi Holiday so the train is pucked with travelling families. I do not think it was such a good idea to take the train on a holiday. On each bench there were 6-8 people sitting instead of 4-5. I felt that there was a lot of tension between me & them, at list 50 people were staring at me, from the close circle. There was the language barrier, as they did not speak English, just simple peasant people. I wanted to ease the tension, I started to take pictures of the view out side. Each movement of mine was checked precisely. Most of the travellers were men, but there were 2 women close to me that were full of curiosity. I ask them if I can take a photo of them? They understood immediately and laughed with excitement. The minute I started to take interest in them and took their photographs, the tension eased up. all the faces looked happier. I showed them the image on the camera, and they posed for me again and again. It was extremely interesting to see the magic touch of the Camera on the people’s faces, on their behavior – It’s just like a magic touch!!!

At last, an English speaker arrived to see me – the odd one out in that train.

As he came over from the other wagon, I asked him: “It it less crowded over there, at the other wagon?”

“The best place is where you are now,” he said in a simple voice.

Yes……… It took me a long minuit to understand him.

“Yes, I am sitting at the best place now,” I said.

How to choose the colours for your curtains

21/3/08 Humpi – Mumbi – Delhi

Today is an extra special day as it marks the events of 5 different faiths and it’s a full noon too.
it’s Purim for us – in Judaism, Holi – in the Hindu tradition – the festival of colours, Good Friday for Christians and Id-e-Milad of Islam. It was very nice to read in today’s Daily Newspaper that they did not forget any one of the above.

Oded Alfasi an Israeli guy from Chulon, a guest at Itzik’s Home, looked every were to get the Bible as he wanted to read Megilat Ester. Even that he fasted on such a hot day, and he was out and about on the motorbike, in the evening with candle lights (there was an Electricity strike) he read the Megila. Each time Hamman was mentioned he asked us to tap on the table, so we were a few active listeners.

When ever I hear Megilat Ester I always question why Ester was given to Achashverosh as a wife? from the true Jewish point of view. What is definite that she was the most beautiful woman at that year, compare to the rest of the competitives. It’s most probably that she had some other qualities – the quality of a political leader, the quality of a woman that wanted to gain power trough her beauty, the quality of a woman that after being the wife of…, she used her power to get what she was asked to do for her people – by her uncle Mordechi.
My question is what was her real drive? To use her beauty to gain political power? or Was she so deeply politicaly conscious that she scarified her personal freedom for the nation?

I was lucky to be here in India in the Holi festival of colours.
Old, young & kids are trowing wonderful colour powders on each other and dance to loud music.
I learned that there is an old colour therapy. One uses colours to heal illnesses, some really have to see the colours, some can imagine them.

The love of people for a particular colour is not just per say, some say it’s a deep feeling and need. That colour can ease, can relax, can adjust ‘things’ in the body. As the colours in nature change according to the season, so WE need to feel the need for NEW colours – we should change the colours we wear too. Each one should listen to his inner need for the right colour. Even at home there is a need to change the colours of the paint in the walls to a new colour (from time to time) according to our needs.

Also, do not forget the curtains – they can be changed with new simple material, but with new colours! It will give you new start & relaxed feeling, just be particulare in choosing it with your inner feeling & voice.

and visiting new strange places

20/3/08, Hampi, India

One of the most interesting things in my journey is meeting strangers.
I must admit that since young it fascinated me – meeting with strangers.
It means that you are all by yourself in that confrontation. There is not an introduction or a meeting at some kind of social or family event.

One have to make it’s own steps to create the occasion of the meeting to occur. We people are quick in making the decision if it’s in our interest & if we want to talk to a stranger. Since young, we recall faces, view them and store them in a special part of our brain.Young children will remember very clearly an unpleasant meeting with a person, and the baby will start crying immediately in meeting that face again.

Even after many years I can recall a face I met in the past, not remembering his name. It’s probably build-in in human nature to make quick connection with our kind. Young kids will show that kind of natural skill to integrate with oters. On meeting other kids, even if they do not speak the same language, they will ‘measure’ the other quickly and after a short time they will start playing together.

Later, in our youth we get a lot of information how dangerous it’s meeting strangers, and rightly so. Eventually, as adults we feel safe in making our new relationships mainly in familiar social circles. We get ‘cold feet’ and discomfort in meeting new people out of our circles, and definitely with complete strangers.

Most probably in a journey to India we are freer in our mind to make new connections. No doubt it’s the need too, especially when traveling alone. It’s a quick way to get quick information, some times it’s taking precautions and some times it’s the simple need if social contact.

In my journey I meet a lot of young people. For myself I do not have any problem talking to young and even socialising with them, but strangely I will not approach just anybody. I do not have foundation of a research, just my simple reservation and feeling – that the young people I meet that tend to make quick contact with me (an older person), I think they have good & friendly relationship with their parents. They will be the one that the age gap between us will not make the deference, on the contrary they will be open and curious to meet an older person that’s travels alone. The barrier is there, and I can see it, when I resemble their parents, than it can be even a treat. If I do want to succeed in connection with them, I have to take a long time to gain their confidence, and to start with a very low profile. Not to resemble bu amy means their parents!

I do not waisting my time making the world friendlier, but am observing it.

There is a big connection between meeting a new place and meeting new people.
In New Zealand as I was not a backpacker the transformation of a new place was different & I had the time for the instant observation to see & feel the beauty of a new place. There was no disturbance of beggars and offerings of goods & services all ever.

On arriving to a new place it’s similar to meeting a new person, it’s exciting and immediately my blood pressure go’s up a bit.
One can fall in love with a place just like with a human being, or even feel a quick dislike.

For me a new place is always exciting. I am trying to move with the rheum of the place.
I am full of pride & curiosity looking at the new passel, the new views and it’s people.