Last night was the Mehendi party for Anisa, bride-to-be, daughter of Zakir and Toni. We had lots of fun and loving attention, being fed by others while our hands dried...and listening to traditional henna-painting songs and music --at one point all the ladies got up and started dancing in a circle to the woops and claps of others! Sweets, sandwiches, namkeem (salty snacks) and chocolate cake were fed to us, while a cool breeze from the Indian ocean (visible from the apartment!) came thru the wide-open double windows...
We are over our initial shock from arriving in the city late at night...for both Assunta and myself, it was a reverse version of the story when Krishna's mother sees him eating dirt (often depicted in dances), and getting angry, asks him to open his mouth and show her what he's eaten. After much urging and tears, he finally opens his mouth for her. When she looks in, she sees the entire cosmos contained within him...for an instant she has a divine vision.
For us, it was like looking into Krishna's mouth, but this time seeing the entire dark, tamasic side of life...its hard to explain. Obviously, Mumbai is not just that -- we have recovered from the first night and are happy to be here, happy to be at the wedding, and there's a beautiful big tree outside our room, full of cawing crows, which reminds me of my very first visit to Bombay in 1980's,with Tara on my hip. But the contrast with our recent travels to villages and farms was so intense, the din and activity, late at night in the darkness. It just hit us like that--
Meanwhile, there is a railroad strike here that is keeping us from booking our train tickets (just spent almost 2 hours online trying to!!). We'll have to find another way to get there...or wait for the strike to be over. Maybe book a flight...
Thanks for the update! Don't forget to use your Coffee Day coupons if you fly.
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