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In December 1998 we went to Tamil Nadu where we spent two interesting and sometimes adventurous weeks. Of course we also went to a Bharata Natyam function where various schools from all over India performed dance items and dramas. Both featured children who impressed me the most. I normally don't like it when children are used in show business just because they look sweet and therefore help selling. These children (besides one boy all of them girls) were totally different: they weren't a cute decoration but artists with their own pride. Some of them had started their Bharata Natyam studies at a very young age and impressed us with their technique and most of all with their unbelievable presence on stage which also lasted through longer dance sequences. What else was there to see? Temples of course! I found it very interesting that there are not just old, dead walls to be visited but many active temples. You can't just "take a look" at them (only maybe in a protected tourist group). If you are open minded and curious just leave your shoes at the gate and walk in, it may happen very quickly that you are part of what's happening. In Madras (now Chennai) for example a priest immediately took care of us. He lead us to the altar of the god he was responsible for, where he prayed for us - for a little donation of course. Religion and business work together in the Hindu temple. Too bad that we had been given the best places in the front so that we couldn't watch what the others were doing with they gray ash we had been given. So we stood there stupidly until someone showed us. Then there were other helpful young men who wanted to pray of us... It was a big temple and the choice of gods and goddesses accordingly vast. Well, after so many prayers, nothing bad could happen for the rest of our holidays! So now that we where at the source, of course we also visited a tailor. It's not expensive to have a dance costume tailor-made. At Shanthi Tailors the measures can be given in advance. It's quite practical because for a classical Bharata Natyam costume 15 measurements are necessary. But then it also fits perfectly. Part of the costume are the jewels which can be extended endlessly. Indians are very creative in finding yet another place where to put jewellery (no navel piercing needed).There are 3 kinds of nose rings to be worn at the same time - of course cheating (clipping) is allowed. False hair is also very popular but only available in black. If you're dark blond like me, you have to help yourself. After putting "business" behind us, we went for the adventure train. I didn't tell the man behind the counter that we would like to travel first class - so we had our seats in second class... After thinking of the horror stories we had heard, we remembered the most important two words in India: NO PROBLEM! And then, although the seats were not very comfortable and the open barred windows made us think of a prisoners transport...The compartment was clean, not overcrowded, our booked seats free and our travel companions very friendly. OK, I didn't sleep much on this 13 hours journey although it was unexpectedly quiet after 9 o'clock - but then everyone got up at 6.30. In Madurai we went shopping! Well, everybody invited us so politely to have a look inside their shops... We also encountered the fast tailors who produce every kind of clothes within no time - in various qualities. But of course we also visited the famous Meenakshi temple. It's huge and very easy to get lost inside. If you pass by the temple elephants for the 3rd time, maybe you should change direction? It was also here that we saw the most impressing cyber cafe: with a/c and 6 shiny computers to send your people back home news about our travels. Generally, e-mail can be sent from every village. We always found a way to the Internet and if it was only a computer with black and white monitor in a back room. After some more sight seeing (palace, Gandhi-museum...) and spending many rupees we took the train back to the north. This time first class. Difference: closed windows, a/c - and first class snoring! No sleep again... In Kanchipuram the (very interesting) temples are so crowded by greedy people that we fled the town after 24 hours. Tip: never enter a temple without small change - or you will have to give the large bills. But after 2 hours by bus everything got better: We arrived at Mamallapuram (also Mahabalipuram - practice!). We liked this village by the sea, only 2 hours south of Madras. That's why we stayed for 4 days. Finally not go to sleep to the noise of endless traffic but to the sound of the waves... And fresh seafood! And more temples!!! This time ancient ones. There's a lot of stone carving going on and the store owners from cashmere are always happy to show their treasures. (Where has all our money gone?) To go riding on an Indian Enfield Bullet is part of it all. And then there's this romantic sound of rain on the roof... Well, the monsoon wanted to say hello too after some days. So we went back to Madras. First I was glad to get away from there but now it was good to come back. Because there's not much going on in a little village in the rain but in a big city there are lots of things to do. Our rickshaw made their way through flooded streets. But then I decided to buy 2 umbrellas - from this moment on the rain stopped. On Friday we even had the pleasure of a general strike. The air in Madras never was better! And everywhere there were boys playing cricket in the streets... Of course nearly everything was closed. Luckily we had met someone on the train who joined us in hanging around and also took us to his home. Like many other Indians his people were very pleased that I wore a Sari. Several times total strangers had complimented me for it and some even took pictures. Indians are very proud about their culture and like it if someone from so far away takes an interest in it. And then I tell them that I study Bharata Natyam...! So, now I'm back. Hey, I found 300 rupees I had forgotten in a pocket. I could buy some nice things for this... India, I'm coming back! PS: A note about the links: Indian servers are not 100 % stable. If you can't connect, try again later.
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