I needed a change of scene. Emily(AUS) and I hopped on a rickshaw and travelled the 45min down the road to Haridwar. It was recommended to me by many people as a "must see" as it is located on the Ganges and is famous in India for it's amazing Aarti ceremony that is held every evening and attended to by thousands of people. I would compare it to a major concert in a park. The question I ask myself is how these events run so smoothly and we require hundreds of cops, security guards and rules to keep our civil society in line. The chaos in India just has a way of organizing itself.
On day 3, Emily and I separated on the side of the highway as she hectically struggled to pack herself into an overloaded rickshaw. I was once again alone and looking forward to it. But lo and behold, I quickly had a new friend take her place. His name was Kuldeep, he was 15 and new about 10 words of english. Combined with my 5hindi words, we somehow managed to entertain eachother.
We cruised around Haridwar all day and night weaving and overlapping streets several times. Due to his 15 year-old hormones, we were not allowed to stop too long in one place. But somehow his speediness and presence supplied me with a strange comfort. He would answer for me when one of the many beggars would ask for baksheesh and steer me, zigzagging through the maze of people at a pushy teenager's pace as he guided me through the bazaars, over bridges and in and out of temples. The dinner and new shirt I bought him were a small consolation for what he led me to discover.
Walking along the Ganga late at night, it was packed with beggars, saddhus, and homeless families living and spending the night along the riverside. Unexpectedly, I felt safe despite the eerie, dark surroundings. I realized that even though India's population is vast and it's energy overwhelming, the people are innocent and full of love. They just want to meet me and shake my hand and share their english phrase with me. It is amazing that I can turn the staring, confused, furrowed brow of an old man into a bashful, appreciative, head-waggling grin with a simple smile and heartfelt "Hello".
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