« The trip... | Main | Jetlag »
September 10, 2005
Gokulum
Gokulum
We are staying in a part of town known as Gokulum. I would say it is the ritzy part of town for Mysore. This is where the shala is that we are practicing yoga at. It is about a 5 minute walk to the shala from our pad.
What to say about the area. The houses are amazing. They are huge and have all this really intricate detail to the gates and windows and each house is very different from the next. No cookie cutter houses here. They combine many different types of materials into building the houses which gives them a unique look. They also have tons of potted plants all around the outsides of the houses which makes them look really lush and green.
The best way to get around town is on a scooter or bike. People also have these super small cars, but the streets are crowded and there are lots of pedestrians and it seems safer to me to have a smaller mode of transportation. It can be a little disorienting at first to drive around because it seems like there is no order, but after a while you realize that there is a method to the madness. Maybe not the best method, but still a method.
We also have an umbrella stroller here and have been taking walks with Rowan. It is nice to walk around and soak everything up and also unsettling sometimes to see beautiful houses and cool parks and mounds of trash on the side of the road. You always here about cows roaming free – and they do – but I haven’t seen that many. I have seen more wild pigs than anything. They eat the trash. There are also TONS of dogs. People keep them as guard dogs for there house, but then there are just tons of street dogs running around. I also have not seen any monkeys YET, but I have heard them early in the morning.
\
Another thing I like is to see the women of the households every moring draw these amazing mandalas with this white chalk powder on their front stoops. Then the family walks across them throughout the day (I think to bring good luck) and every morning they wash off the one from the day before and draw another one. Some are so intricate and beautiful.
Posted by Tara at September 10, 2005 04:43 AM