Pilgrimages

Back in north India, and it couldn't be clearer. The cold is having me layer up again, two shirts, sweaters, shawls and other cold-weather accessories. At least I change much less (not sweating buckets anymore). Two days ago, I was sippin pineapple juice. Today, I found myself am sharing a meal of butter tea, chapati, "chopsey" (supposedly Chinese food), and mutton with other Bodh Gaya pilgrims(well, mutton was only for me and the other layperson in our group, a Tibetan elder from Canada).

So chances again twist things lightly, and so goes my adventure: on the long train ride to Patna, I was talking to my bunkmates, a young professional from Bhopal who had been in Chennai for 6 months, and two older guys who were doing engineering work on the electronic voting machines in Bihar. The discussion turned towards how horrible Bihar is and that they're just going there for work. They weren't worried, because they were going to get picked up by their company. Since I was to arrive during the day, it shouldn't be too much of a problem, but state elections were going to happen soon, and tensions were high.

I glimpsed a young nun going back and forth between the our car and the next and asked if she was going to Bodh Gaya. Yes, but through Varanassi, not Patna. (doh!). Anyway, after some time, the elder from Canada approached me and invited me to join them -- to disembark early, at Mughalsarai, which was close to Varanassi, and to head with them to Gaya the following day. Yes, I found the party I was hoping for. My bunkmates were really sweet -- and it seems to be this way in India, that they care enough to help you out with these little things -- they all chimed in that it was the best route to go.

Thus, I am today, in Saranath, the little woodsy suburb of Varanassi where the Lord Buddha gave his talk on the Eightfold path (hence the birthplace of Buddhism). Visited a few sites today. Tonight, we head for Gaya and onward.