This temple is very close to Alandi. We stopped here the last time I was here but there was construction going on. The beautiful new area leading up to the temple on the hill is beautiful.
Of course the people …This is the area that was under construction last time I was here.Me, Nana & JillLooking up the hill.Looking down at the grounds from on top of the hill.Looking out over the city and countryside.The ceiling inside one of the temples. This is the only photo I have inside. I got reprimanded …There’s Nana.Now traveling to the next temple.Street corner fish market.Now this was scary. These three cows were swaying back and forth in this very small “truck.” I wondered what the weight maximum is for this vehicle.Entering the town of Saint Tukaram Maharaj Temple in Dehu. Vendors selling souvenirs and “offerings” to place in the temple.
Let’s talk about toilets
On the other hand, let’s not … But here’s another one for the kids (also young and old) – a couple pictures of public toilets. These are women’s toilets (because I didn’t go into the mens’ …). I’ve now used several of these toilets and they aren’t so bad. However, you might run into a “situation” if you can’t do without toilet paper. Soap can sometimes be an issue too …
I leave tomorrow and there’s no wifi in our flat. I’m currently sitting in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel using the wifi so I can get this last post out before I leave tomorrow evening. I have a ton more photos to share but it looks like I’ll be sharing them after I leave India.
It’s getting late so I’ll say farewell for now. Stay tuned. There’s more to come.
Blogged from Amma’s MacBook from the Marriott Hotel in Pune with LOVE!
It’s Wednesday evening here and I’m counting down the days before I go home. Three days. This might sound crazy (because it is), but I’ve devised a highly scientific method of counting down the days using eggs and watermelon. That’s right, eggs and watermelon. You see, I have six eggs left. That’s two eggs for each morning – Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And I now have one whole watermelon which means I have half a (very small) watermelon for tomorrow night and the other half for Friday night.
I’m finishing up some business here with Sudhir, the owner of Dimpex, who handles all my batiking. It looks like he’ll be done with most of the t-shirts I brought, but he’ll have to parcel the long-sleeve hoodies. The rain we had the first half of the month put a damper on this project because they don’t use dryers here and the batiking process requires the different colors to be done in stages, and each stage requires the shirts to dry before the next stage.
Sudhir with a few of the t-shirts he brought for me to check out yesterday.
Alandi
Here is the remainder of my Alandi photos, including a video that gives a good picture of what it’s like by the river. As I mentioned in an earlier post and posts from prior visits, Alandi is a pilgrimage town and resting place (aka Samadhi) of Saint Jnaneshwar. There is a very old and popular temple here. We opted to not go into the temple this visit, but I’ve been there on all my prior visits. If you want to know more about it I’m sure you can find more information online.
This (above) is a video. Click on it.Several people sell flowers and other offerings to be placed in the temple.
People literally beg us to take their picture and take selfies with them. It’s like we’re celebrities there. Queen for the Day (remember that show?).
It started raining.
All these people were taking shelter from the rain under this foot bridge. I was able to get their attention and all of them looked at the camera for a photo.
Selfie under the foot bridge.The Warkari man.Another Warkari man.In this photo you can see that the water level came up very high here during the monsoon rains earlier this month and there’s a nice trash heap along with the river debris.Selfie on the bridge.This is one of my favorite photos of Jill. She looks like she’s got a big pillar growing out of her head. Awesome! This was totally random, btw.And here’s our fearless rickshaw driver relaxing with his cell phone.
This is a week of lasts. Tomorrow will be my last early morning (7am) class with Prashant. I’ll also be attending my last class with Abhay tomorrow who’s been a wealth of information and a great help.
Saturday Jill and I said goodbye to our flatmate, ManYee. ManYee is Hong Kong Chinese and lives in Australia. I met her here in 2013 when she and I shared the same flat. We didn’t know each other before then but now ManYee, Jill and I are “Pune Sisters.” There’s no doubt we’ll stay in touch and hopefully meet up in Pune again.
ManYee in her element, at the street food cart. Every day she’d bring home and eat street food of all varieties.Pune Sisters having an FNO (Flatmates Night Out) at the Pune Marriott.Pune sisters friendship bracelets.
This is the best thing ever in the whole wide world. You remember Daisy, right? Well I spotted her today without a care in the world. The below image is a YouTube video. You may not see the arrow in the middle of the image, but you have to click on it to view it. Trust me, you do not want to miss this. Maya, Alo, Sparty and Kando – I love you very much. This one’s for you!
From the backseat of an Uber – water buffalo. Yay!
These water buffalo were crossing the street just ahead of us.This big truck is a “Goods Carrier.” It, you guessed it, carries goods.
I realize the next two images look to be poor quality, but I took them through the flat’s mosquito screens one early overcast morning. I did a little research online and learned they’re the Indian Gray Hornbill. They’re a fairly large bird and unusual looking, but beautiful. We get very excited when they come hang out with us in the morning.
Back in an Uber – cows in the fast lane.
The Road to Alandi
Nana took us to Alandi two Sundays ago. I’m sharing some of those photos today and will posts more to come. Alandi is a very auspicious and holy place of pilgrimage. I’ve made a trip there every time I’ve come here. There’s a very old temple there, and people come from all over India to go inside it. Because Alandi is a bit of a drive from Pune, Westerners don’t go there often which means we get stared at a lot. The people are very friendly, and they love having their picture taken with us.
The following four photos are of the “Road to Alandi.”
Oxen on the road.Fruit cart along the highway.There are huge apartment complexes like this all over Pune.
Sai Baba Temple
We made a short stop along the way at Sai Baba Temple in Pimpri Chinchwad.
Nandi, the bearer of truth and righteousness, sits in front of the temple.Kurma (tortoise), representing sattvaguna (pure qualities), is also seen at the entrance of the temple.Here’s inside the temple.Outside – Me and Jill with Nandi.This interesting fellow had his eye on us.So we both took selfies with him.Woman begging outside the temple.Jill and I scored this orange and gold banner for Nana to hang on his mirror.
Alandi
Ah, Alandi.A lot of people come here from all over India, and a lot of people travel here in the backs of trucks like this one. This also is legal in India.Along the river.It’s ok to wash your motor scooter in the river.We have yet to be christened “Warkari” (holy person). Stay tuned …
Hello from Pune. I’ll start with some photos from my view on foot, as opposed to the back seat of a rickshaw or Uber.
Speaking of rickshaws, I realize that some of you call these motorized vehicles tuk tuks, but here in Pune they’re called rickshaws. Everyone calls them rickshaws, including the rickshaw drivers. Therefore, I call them rickshaws. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
And speaking of Ubers, during the past couple days, Uber snuck one in on us. When I arrange for an Uber, I always choose the cheapest ride which easily accommodates up to three people. Yesterday we were picked up by a rickshaw. An Uber rickshaw. Then again today another Uber rickshaw. Come to find out, rickshaw is now one of the Uber options, the cheapest option, which is about half the price of the previous cheapest option. This is great if you’re traveling a short distance, but for the long haul my body (particularly my back and neck) takes a beating in a rickshaw. After all the rain, the roads are horrible and the ride is extremely bumpy. Plus, if given a choice I’d rather be inside a vehicle with windows so I don’t have to breathe foul air and/or get wet when it rains. That is, of course, unless Nana’s driving. Just sayin’.
Veggie cart near Abhay’s studioSchool kidsThese two were blowing me kisses from their 2nd floor apartment
Below – one of the stores where we shop for food (& snacks).
Another view from the inside of an Uber, Ganesha on dashboardSewing shop
Here begins my collection of photos of the family car …
This is legal in India.It’s a good thing Mom (yes that’s Mom) has a helmet on.Look! Five people!
I think you get the picture (pun intended). Motorcycles and scooters are everywhere and there’s no limit as to how many people can ride on one (without a helmet).
Now I’m off to Prashant’s Friday evening Pranayama class.
I love Pune, I love the people, I love the crazy way everything is done, and I love the organized chaos. You know you’re at home here when you can navigate your way across any street comfortably. Pedestrians might not have the right of way, but hoofed animals certainly do!
Have you ever wondered where Daisy’s run off to? You’ll find out in this very short video (and another one for the kids). It doesn’t get much better than this!
This is a video. You have to click on it to watch.
Below are more photos taken from the backseat of Nana’s rickshaw.
Cricket in the streetWhen a block wall starts to crumble, simply fill it in with miscellaneous bricks and stones.We see a lot of structures falling down like this one.Outside Wagh Jewelers.One of many Ganesha street temples.
I had a long day today filled with lots of yoga and then when it’s all said and done, more yoga. I’m fortunate to have two roomies who share the same passion as I do.
From Prashantji – What’s outside of you is the World. What’s inside you is the Universe.
A little more than a week to go here in Pune and I’ve already taken 902 photos. I’ll be spending another Sunday with Nana so I’m pretty sure I’ll easily get past 1,000. That doesn’t include the many yoga therapy poses I’ve taken.
I’ve never seen (in person) a cow being milked. Late in the day yesterday while riding in the country in the back of Nana’s rickshaw, we saw two men preparing to milk their cows … right there in the pasture! How exciting was that? Of course Nana pulled over because he knows how excited I get, and I jumped out of the rickshaw, navigated my way across the street (a feat in itself) and walked to the pasture. Using hand gestures because neither spoke English, I asked if I could video them.
The following video is the coolest thing ever! Enjoy! If you’re reading this on email, it might not show that this next image is a video. Click on it. You won’t want to miss it.
What the video doesn’t show is a group of people (presumably family) sitting nearby under a tarp laughing hysterically at me. What can I say? I’ll do anything for a good photo or video.
Here is the remainder of the Fort photos. Well, almost. I’m holding back two photos and a video for my next post.
The young man on the left (above) was very enthusiastic about the Fort. Check out the video I downloaded to YouTube (click on the next image).
I had this big idea of having Jill take a photo of me doing Vrksasana (tree pose). Where else but next to a tree. It was all fine until I realized I was standing in muck – good thing I didn’t have my sights set on a headstand! I didn’t want to take my shoe off and get my foot all dirty so not only was I standing in muck (on one leg), but I was wearing a rubber slip-on shoe that was “mucking around” under me. It’s not pretty, but I pulled it off.
As soon as we walked outside the Fort it started pouring.
These banyon trees are everywhere here. I though this one just outside the Fort was especially beautiful.
The people of Pune are exceptionally nice. In some of the more remote areas where they don’t see many westerners we literally get swarmed by people wanting to take selfies with us. They may not speak English, but they all know “selfie.”
Tomorrow is BKS Iyengar’s (Guruji) fifth year Shraddanjali (death anniversary). I’ll be attending Prashant’s (Guruji’s son) 7am class, Abhay’s 10am class, and a remembrance talk by Prashant at 5pm.
The weather today was perfect – no rain (yet). I had 7am class with Prashant, a good practice afterwards, Ayurveda and an Indian lunch cooked by Anita. Tonight a little chanting and hopefully to bed at a reasonable hour.
Blogged on Amma’s MacBook while listening to the call of the birds in the park from Pune with LOVE!
We had a wonderful class yesterday with Sunita – abdominals! Sunita’s classes have been the highlight for me this trip of all classes at the Institute.
RIMYI has changed the classes from when I was here before. Instead of having two women’s classes a week, there is now only one women’s class on Saturdays and the Wednesday 9:30am class is now a “General Class.” I’m not sure the definition of a “General Class” but I’m pretty sure the two “General Classes” I’ve taken were more of an Intermediate 2 class geared for students about 20 years younger than me.
The Friday night Pranayama class that used to be led by Geetaji is now led by Prashant.
I’ll start with another video of the Spice Man and the parking police. While we were in his store the police were driving down the street with their loud speaker speaking in Mirathi. We had no idea what they were saying so I asked the Spice Man to explain what was going on and he was more than happy to oblige.
Here are some more photos of the people at the Fort.
By now you may have realized that the people of Pune have no problem posing for photos for and with foreigners they’ll never see again. Not only did they pose for my photos, but I was also expected to pose for them.
Here are more photos of the Fort.
A look at a building across the street
Looking down on traffic from the Fort
I’m heading out this morning to observe the children’s class, followed by Sunday morning Sutras study with Prashant. Then another Sunday with Nana.
I still have more photos and videos to share of our outing last Sunday so, wifi permitting, I’ll get those out in a post soon.
We had a special treat when Nana took us to the spice store and we met the spice man. He was so nice, had so much character, a good sense of humor and a great smile. Best of all, he had no problem being in a couple videos I took of him, one of which I’ll share with you via YouTube today.
WordPress, the vehicle for this blog, updated it’s site so I’m working with new blocks to import paragraphs and photos. The photos are now in “galleries” so I believe you can click on the first picture and you’ll be able to go through all the photos in each gallery. Try it out. The following gallery consists of photos driving through an area of Pune where there are a lot of street vendors.
Bruce made a comment that the vendors didn’t appear to have many customers. which is the reason why I was able to get such good photos of them. If I take photos of those vendors with a lot of customers, you wouldn’t be able to see the vendors. So now you know my strategy.
There’s this very old and beautiful fort in the middle of town called Shaniwar Wada Fort where we spent a couple hours. The following gallery is all about the people.
Here’s a gallery focused on the Fort’s structure.
I have more photos of the Fort and the people there and videos I’ll share in my next post.
The weather is warming up and we’re having some beautiful days here with a little rain. Let’s hope it stays dry for the remainder of my stay.
I’ve enjoyed reading your comments, and especially those comments posted by Robb, Alo and Kando. It’s always refreshing to see things through the eyes of the little ones.
Sunday afternoons are reserved for Nana who takes us wherever we want to go, and when we don’t know where we want to go he takes us wherever he wants.
First stop – chai! The following photos are of the chai and street food cart.
We went to the Honey Parlour but it was closed. Bummer. We’ll have to go another day.
Inside the clothing and material store next door to the Honey Parlour.
The next two are the alter and a painting hanging at the clothing store.
This is what Nana does while he’s waiting for us.
Views from the rickshaw…
Here are more views of the river after the water level went down a bit, and you can see a couple cars that suffered damage.
Selfie with and without masks.
Here’s a short YouTube glimpse of what it’s like riding with Nana through Pune.
We had a very tough class this morning with Raya. I should sleep well tonight!
Tomorrow is a national holiday, Independence Day, so we have the day off from classes at the Institute. It’ll be a good day for a nice practice and some rest and relaxation. Hopefully we’ll have some WiFi so I can easily do a blog post on my iPad.
Blogged on Amma’s iPhone (because WiFi is too slow) with LOVE!
