Delhi in July

Delhi. Aurinko lepää olkapäillä painavana. Minulla on yksi osoite, ja se tuurilla sattuu olemaan kävelymatkan päässä. Ylitän monikaistaisen tien parin paikallisen peesissä ja tunnen olevani videopelissä. Väistä tuktuk, väistä kaikki autot, väistä taksi, väistä kaksi linja-autoa. Joka sadan metrin välein saan seuraajan: olen opiskelija, en halua rahaa, haluan oppia englantia, mistä tulet, mihin olet menossa, etkö ole juttutuulella, tule näytän, mistä olet kotoisin, hymyile. Olen niukkasanainen ja -ilmeinen, minulla on viisi viikkoa intiaa joka solussa, tungos kyynerpäissä ja pölyä nenässä.

Sovin treffit kaverin kanssa. Ennen kuin löydämme toisemme, häneltä loppuu akku. Olemme onneksi jo näköetäisyydellä, kunhan vain osaamme katsoa oikein.

Sattumalta törmään toisiin kavereihin, taas. Kuinka todennäköistä on törmätä tuttuihin Delhissä? Ilmeisesti hyvinkin todennäköistä. Meitä naurattaa. Vasta jokunen päivä siitä kun näin heidät Rishikeshissä. Vitsailemme, että kuinkakohan monesti lopulta sanommekaan hyvästit. Seuraavana päivänä taidamme päästä lukuun neljä.

(Delhi heinäkuussa. /Delhi in July.)

Sharing by the Ganga

There were floods in the north, in India I mean, Mother Ganga got big and fat and mountains were spitting rocks and mud. (We got news from the ashram, they are all safe.)

Thinking of the people who suffered from the floods, the bridge that collapsed, the houses washed away. Om trayambakam, that's the tune.

Disposable camera gave me a sweet dessert. That makes me happy. I call this picture ''Sharing by the Ganga''.

Just be happy

Just be happy.

I'll be back

I can't explain India. But I think I'll be back.

Weather diary

A weather diary, alongside the holy Ganga.

This is the view of my India. Can you hear the Ganga roar? They say that dip in it will remove your sins.

Monsoon

Monsuuni. Sumupilviä ja sadetta.

Rishikesh.

Happy, relaxed, yoganized

Happy, relaxed, yoganized. Rishikesh!

Hello Rishikesh

After the month of teachers training I said bye bye to Netala and helloooo Rishikesh!

Rishikesh is known as the yoga capital of the world and it is a fully vegetarian city.

My camera started to get hick-ups, but I quite like the outcome (last picture).

I became a yoga teacher

I spent a month in an ashram learning, studying and experiencing all sort of aspects of yoga -and became a yoga teacher on the go! I am a certified yoga teacher now, from the Sivananda school of yoga, and it feels fantastic. I made it!! I am proud of myself and of my 30 fellow students, a bunch of wonderful, fascinating and lovable yogis.

I had dreamed of this, it had been my 'one day I will' -thought, on my bucket list to say so. And now, already, all of a sudden, dream come true!

I also turned 28 on 18th of June, it was the first official day of the course. I said nothing, but the others had spotted it online -don't ask me how, we did not have internet- and spread the word. So in the evening it all came totally out of the blue for me. I was very touched. A special birthday, followed by a very special month. What a way to start a new year.

Feeling blessed.

(Pictures taken at the village of Netala.)

Pink café

Pink café, Netala.

Hairstyles

Sadhu hairstyles.

Sadhus

Kirtan with the sadhus (holy men and a few holy women, too) in the ashram. The are no words to describe the energy.

Netala kids

Kids in school uniforms. Netala.

All same but different

I haven't been to India before and I don't know that much about it, but during my stay I never really got surprised. It was more of an 'oh yes, of course' -kind of an experience.

Maybe because the world is always the same, the same planet I mean. We human beings are always the same. Animals, plants, same. Food is food, drinks are drinks. Rain, shine everywhere. Happiness, anger, frustration, confusion, enthusiasm, fear, love, bliss taking place all over the world.

I was the same, too, but I was also different: it was me and how I reflected on the surroundings.

All same, but different. All different, but same.

Small town cosyness

It was one of the very few times I was completely on my own and I really appreciated that hour. I had a walk with my camera around Uttarkashi and it made me happy.

I like Uttarkashi. Small town cosyness.

Pharmacy

Pharmacy, Uttarkashi.

I had a consultancy to get a prescription for an ayurvedic massage.

A cup of chai

A cup of chai, Netala.