Rishikesh and Orchha

RISHIKESH & ORCHHA
Sexual Harrassment, Wonderful Friends, and an Adventurous Departure

Current Location: Orchha, a small town a bit south of Delhi that is famous for being small and having a beautiful mahal. It is, and I have taken lots of pixs. It is nice, too many bugs, but nice. Tomorrow I will be here again, taking it easy and getting deeper into a wonderful book I was told to buy - DISCOVERING INDIA by Nehru, India's firs Prime Minister. Next day to Khajuraho to two days then Varanasi for 5 days, and then Bombay where I start my southern route for November.

I am going to do my best here. There are bugs on my screen, in my keyboard and yes, all over me.

TWo days ago I left Rishikesh (the town with all the tourist). It was a sad departure. I loved the connections I made there and the Chileans and friends made it so nice. I miss them all. As it was I stayed there three more days then I intended and it was totally worth it. The Magdas, Rumina, Francesca, Phoenix, Chanda and the other women were fabulous.

SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
In Rishikesh I witnessed the dangers of sexually suppressed India. Twelve of us went to a religious festival with about 5,000 people and after it was done we all spilled onto two streets to get out. When it dawned on the 2 men and 10 women in our group that we should have waited it was too late. We were pressed against hundreds of people whose bodies were tightly pressed against ours. Immediately we knew something was wrong and immediately we were split up. I stayed with two of the women and literally shoved men out of the way that were touching them EVERYWHERE, arms, breasts, between their legs, ass,

EVERYWHERE. One of them was right in front of me and I was able to protect her, the other was in front of her and she made it through literally hitting men in her path. She slapped the, cursed at them, hit them. But, with every one man she shoved, ten touched her. It was intense and devastating and oddly enough a cultural experience which none of the women (and I) ever want to have again. Toughest were two of the women who got split up and were on their own. Their saving grace was a shop keeper who ushered them into his shop after witness the madness that was happening to them. In the end everyone was physically fine, and it took a couple of days of meditating and yoga for us all to come down. I appreciated that no one blamed India. We were all aware of the politics of manhood/machismo and its unfortunate effects.

What is this all about?
India is an intensely sexually repressed country. Men and women do not touch in public. I am told post marriage relations are awful, and men and women just don't get along in the physical sense. Add to that the fact that historically women have lacked power and it's just bad news. Today I read in the paper that a woman was taken from her home by teenagers and rapped. Let's be clear, sexual harrassment and rape happens everywhere. I am just giving you some of what I witnessed and some of what I have learned.

Interestingly, some of what I have LOVED here is the intimacy between men. Men hold hands in public, sit on each other, touch all the time. I have loved to see it, but I also feel the undercurrent of it is also dangerous and a response to sexual repression. There is a lot of debate here. But, according to some sources who have done research on the topic and some folks I have spoken to that do sexual health work here the male relationships is a way to deal with the lack of physicality with women. For the most part the relationship is non-sexual, but in many cases men are physical with each other in order to fulfill their unmet needs. Let's be clear. Homosexuality, especially fornication, in India is punishable by life imprisonement so nobody would ever say they are gay. They just are... Yes, there is a growing gay community here as in everywhere else. But for now the men are close, the women are less powerful and the relationship is very, very complex.

WONDERFUL FRIENDS
The folks I met in Rishikesh were critical in my path. As many of you know I have felt a lot of anymosity toward travelers and knowing them allowed me to accept that "travelers are people too," a realization that is necessary for my survival in the next year plus.

Beyond that the women are simply stunning. In addition to being beautiful outside they all have hearts of gold and in each of their ways allowed me into their lives and into their breakfast/lunch/dinner tables. I will see them again. Two in Goa for a birthday celebration and one in Thailand for a half-moon party.

On my last night we had a going away dinner and it was fabulous and fun and I was sad. Pictures (if I ever find a FAST connection) will come.

ADVENTUROUS DEPARTURE
I was a bit stuck in Rishikesh, but the day before I was to leave I was told to got to a shop with my bag and R250. I went and there was Mr. Parwel in his moped waiting for me. I got up on it with bag and all and we zipped through the pedestrian streets until we got to the bus station. Once there we got me ticket. But, we were 1 hour early so he said, COME TO CHAI at MY HOUSE. Off we went and I spend an hour at his very simple home with his wife and child (yes, pixs). We had chai, spoke about Brazil and he spoke about his family. As I was leaving his wife and he presented me with a picture of the G-d they pray. He said it was to protect me. I was touched and felt once again very lucky to be here. We and his 3 yr-old son got on the mopped and zipped to the bus station where I took a bus from 10pm-4am.

I arrived in Delhi (which I have kind of not liked so far) and at 4am bargained, yelled, screamed at the three wheel drivers

until they charged me a reasonable price. And, the driver got lost, and I had to help him find his way. Argh. These days I have my process. Example from yesterday morning.

First, the ride from Uncle's house to Khan Market should cost R30.

First TW: How much to KM? R70! What, it's supposed to be R30. R70! That's not nice!
Second TW: How much to KM? R80! What, it's supposed to be R30. R80! That's not nice!
Third TW: How much to KM? R40! Let's go.

I have saved here and there, but the real deal is that it's fun. Lately the TW drivers laugh at me because I have been taking the vikrams/tempos. These are TW that fit about 10 people in them instead of just me. We all get on and go from pt A to pt B. A normal ride in a R30 TW costs R5. At train, etc stations I pass by all the TW drivers who yell overinflated prices at me and they say. "It's tight in there with all the people!" I say, "I LOVE INDIA. I LOVE INDIANS!!!!" We all laugh. In many cases I do go by myself. For instance, this morning I took a R200 taxi to the train stations since I had to be there at 5:30am and I was in no mood to fight.

Ok, the bugs are all over me. Gotta go.

Love and rockets,

Julio