It is Sunday, most of the shops are closed, but my breakfast stand is up and running so I go for the usual and then proceed to take a different route for a little walk. I hear music from a bandstand and walk into a huge cadet parade of teenagers in uniform... with Generals and Indian officers on stage. I take out my camera and some army person, beckons me over to take photos from the stage
. I shake my head but he insists...suddenly they put a chair next to the woman general who looks very stylish in her army shirt, army cap and army coloured sari! They ask me to write my name and where I come from on a piece of paper..They are talking in Telgu....the General tells me I am next...."what do you mean?" I say. She says "just make a speech on what you see and how they look"....Inside I am hysterical, how has this happened I was just walking past!!!! Anyway before I know it I am in front of a microphne and I am thanking them and telling them that discipline will stand them in good stead...and as long as they focus on life etc etc....TG I went to bloody Drama School, talk about improvisation!!! I am applauded and take my seat back with the Generals of the Indian Army. Now there is some dancing depicting the Gods...and then I am invited for breakfast. (But I have just had breakfast....you see you can get fat in India!!!!!) They will not except refusal, so I am off to the dining hall THE GUEST OF HONOUR......THE SURPRISED GUEST.....the cadets salute me....(I am pissing myself inside).....SO I eat what tastes like a SA koeksuster...very sweet and then have rice and vegetables, so no lunch for me! And what do you know the official photographer asks me why I am here and I tell him MM's Ashram and he says his sister is Mangelou the carer....6 degrees of separation I know her well. In fact only last night I had suggested that I would take the kids for an art class...what a number, first I had to ask Francois, then Mangelou, then Adalakshmi, (Ma's Aunty) they would refer to Mother, and let me know. I also had to tell them what I was teaching and what materials I was using. I had been told off for taking photos of the kids...you may do nothing without asking Ma's permission, it is all about privacy and protection, and I respect that....but the laws are strict. She has asked us not to give beggars money or food, she doesn't want the Ashram to be associated with that. The other day I went inside without taking off my shoes and got into trouble....I was showing no respect and felt bad, but I just didn't realise! NO EXCUSE! In fact every day the kid's get food in a lunch box and get told off if they do no finish everything...they have to appreciate what they receive....SO I have collected those long pods from the trees ( the one's we used to get in Zim, when you shake them, the sound is like a rattle) and we are going to paint designs on them...I would love to teach them an African song, but I would have to run that by mother, and I can't be arsed.....(Michelle, that is not a good attitude) but I can't really! Last night I walked the streets with my Argentinian friend, we went to the Moslem area for the best juice....pomegranate, and two types of oranges - all freshly squeezed...then we did the coffee/chai circuit.....there is a huge sexual buzz going on between us....but I have told him that for 2 weeks I want to be 'pure' no smoking, no alchohol, no sex.....not too much to ask for.....so we just talk, walk arm in arm, laugh a lot and have a big hug before we go opposite directions to our hotels.......how wonderful to be in control without any effort!!! I am lying I would love a cigarette over a shag right now!
. I shake my head but he insists...suddenly they put a chair next to the woman general who looks very stylish in her army shirt, army cap and army coloured sari! They ask me to write my name and where I come from on a piece of paper..They are talking in Telgu....the General tells me I am next...."what do you mean?" I say. She says "just make a speech on what you see and how they look"....Inside I am hysterical, how has this happened I was just walking past!!!! Anyway before I know it I am in front of a microphne and I am thanking them and telling them that discipline will stand them in good stead...and as long as they focus on life etc etc....TG I went to bloody Drama School, talk about improvisation!!! I am applauded and take my seat back with the Generals of the Indian Army. Now there is some dancing depicting the Gods...and then I am invited for breakfast. (But I have just had breakfast....you see you can get fat in India!!!!!) They will not except refusal, so I am off to the dining hall THE GUEST OF HONOUR......THE SURPRISED GUEST.....the cadets salute me....(I am pissing myself inside).....SO I eat what tastes like a SA koeksuster...very sweet and then have rice and vegetables, so no lunch for me! And what do you know the official photographer asks me why I am here and I tell him MM's Ashram and he says his sister is Mangelou the carer....6 degrees of separation I know her well. In fact only last night I had suggested that I would take the kids for an art class...what a number, first I had to ask Francois, then Mangelou, then Adalakshmi, (Ma's Aunty) they would refer to Mother, and let me know. I also had to tell them what I was teaching and what materials I was using. I had been told off for taking photos of the kids...you may do nothing without asking Ma's permission, it is all about privacy and protection, and I respect that....but the laws are strict. She has asked us not to give beggars money or food, she doesn't want the Ashram to be associated with that. The other day I went inside without taking off my shoes and got into trouble....I was showing no respect and felt bad, but I just didn't realise! NO EXCUSE! In fact every day the kid's get food in a lunch box and get told off if they do no finish everything...they have to appreciate what they receive....SO I have collected those long pods from the trees ( the one's we used to get in Zim, when you shake them, the sound is like a rattle) and we are going to paint designs on them...I would love to teach them an African song, but I would have to run that by mother, and I can't be arsed.....(Michelle, that is not a good attitude) but I can't really! Last night I walked the streets with my Argentinian friend, we went to the Moslem area for the best juice....pomegranate, and two types of oranges - all freshly squeezed...then we did the coffee/chai circuit.....there is a huge sexual buzz going on between us....but I have told him that for 2 weeks I want to be 'pure' no smoking, no alchohol, no sex.....not too much to ask for.....so we just talk, walk arm in arm, laugh a lot and have a big hug before we go opposite directions to our hotels.......how wonderful to be in control without any effort!!! I am lying I would love a cigarette over a shag right now!
2 comments:
Unbloodybelievable!!!
Love
E
I am still hysterical about it !!!!
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