Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Rain fresh

It has been really really hot, and then the power cuts which meant no fan help, plus mosquitoes, I have been a bit impatient with India for the last week. And today it rained! to cool it all off. I can feel the effect in all, in the air first of all, then in my mind and then in people... This morning we met for breakfast for Gale who is leaving tomorrow. She will be coming to Istanbul in May, so we gotta prepare her for it a little... I don't think much preparation needed for those who has been to India anyways... After the breakfast I drove to Mysore city because I wanted to buy one of those zippered plastic bags. So I went to the Devaraj Market. The ground was wet, muddy, had to be careful while walking to not slip. I walked slowly, and got to my destination where I knew I would find the bag I was looking for. He said 85, I said 50, I got it for 60, probably I could get it for 50 but I did not want any drama... Then, I walked just outside of the market, got the fresh jasmines which were threaded on a string from the same man who sold them to me last time. I wandered a little bit further, looked at the shops which sell coffee but decided I will buy it from Jois Coffee shop which is in Gokulam. I went back into the market, walked through the flower sellers this time. As I walked by, one of them asked where I was from and I said Turkey, and then he said come and, I did not feel there was any ulterior motive, so I stepped back, he wanted something from the man behind him and gave me two small peach coloured roses and told me to put them in my hair, he asked my name, I told him my name and he repeated it and then I went on my way... This was a good moment, this little trip to the market made me see India with fresh eyes again, maybe it was the rain. Since I left Goa, it has been difficult for me sometimes, especially with Indian men. During the trip from Pondhicherry to Bangalore, the bus driver and the attendant getting really mad at Arnaud, the rickshaw drivers pulling us in every direction after we get out of every bus trip, the boy who grabbed my bum in the street, the guys who were driving towards my scooter to touch me, the man who spitted on my foot while I was walking in Mysore city... so I have been feeling more threatened than ever this time... But this morning, it was really calm n the market and the man who gave me those roses really didn't want anything more than knowing where I am from, what my name is and to see those flowers in my hair...

About the practice... The led intermediate classes now feel fine, I am getting the hang of them... On Monday something which was significant for me happened. As I went into back bends, I heard Sharath called my name for the very first time! He was yelling me "Dwi Pada, Dwi Pada, Ahu Dwi Pada". Him calling me with my name rather than just saying "you" was much more important than receiving one more asana. And today, again while I was doing back bends I heard him" Ahu, Ahu." and then when I was a bit slow in looking at him he said "Maya" (Peter says "so he knows both of your names!") and then he asked me "Dwi Pada, you did?" I told him that I did, he said "show me". Of course when he is looking I try to get into it faster and each time I go right foot first even tough I know it is left, ahh! Well, I am not so good at this, and plus getting into it faster, I was not able to raise my head so much while he was saying "head up, head up". The thing is one of the questions in my head is answered now... When P filled his application mentioning our plan and me, I was saying that he probably does not know my name or that I am from Turkey so it is fine... but yes he knows my name and I guess where I am from also... so what is next???

3 comments:

Boodiba said...

Yes I always thought you had only one name - Maya! Which do you prefer btw?

Must be really nice to realize Sharath knows your name out of the hundreds there.

Ahu said...

Linda, read the previous one I have written, you will understand...

Boodiba said...

OK! :)