New Years
The first time I visited a Hindu temple was a few weeks ago with Kanakdeep. (He’s technically Buddhist, but here Buddhism is mixed with a lot of Hindu undertones since the majority of Dalit villages converted en masse in the 1950s.) The experience of the temple is not nearly as relaxing as I imagined it would be, but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it. We prayed to Krishna, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Ram, and of course, Saibaba. Before leaving the caretakers of the temple gave us sheera to eat—a wonderfully comforting warm paste made from flour, ghee and sugar. Delicious. Then we went for pani puri and bhelpuri.
The other night we took the train to Mumbai Central and then a taxi to another, bigger temple near Mahalaxmi. We made offerings (puja) of an assortment of mainly flowers (phul) and a coconut bought at one of the dozens of stands lined up in the alley outside the temple. Kanakdeep had already visited the temple and knew one of the vendors so we left our shoes with him. Coming back for them and returning the tin offering plate the man inquired about who I am, and strangely enough, whether or not I can spend “my currency” in India. His curiosity was satisfied when Kanakdeep explained that Americans have to exchange dollars into rupees when they arrive.
Sometimes, if you can’t go to the temple, the temple comes to you. Yesterday, all day long a red cart with a picture of Saibaba painted on the side and a Hindu shrine in the back rolled through the streets, wailing prayers from a loudspeaker. It’s New Years Eve 2010! The first New Years to fall on a lunar eclipse since 1901, and a day that Kanakdeep tells me is full of “bad energy.” Of course, that didn’t stop us from looking up places to ring in the New Year. “We need a Bollywood party. If there are not stars there, you will get bored.” Um yes, I often tire of parties without celebrities.
We still managed to see one, even despite opting for a small bar without an entry fee. I, of course, cornered the guy with one of my classic just-trying-to-make-conversation-but-it-sounds-like-I’m-hitting-on-you lines: “So, I heard a rumor you’ve been in commercials.” Needless to say it didn’t go over too well. I didn’t have to endure the embarrassment for very long, however. After midnight people began lighting fireworks off the roof. Chunks of fiery debris began falling on revelers and we decided to get out of there.
