Eunuchs, Bats and Wine

We started out for a long day of driving on towards the city of Ahmedabad. We drove down a typical Indian one and half lane road. We shared our road with on coming trucks, herds of goats and cows, camels, and generally congested traffic. Driving in India is like an “E” ticket at Disneyland, very exciting! Pedestrians do not have the right of way, however animals do. So even on the Indian equivalent of a fast road, sometimes traffic comes to a complete standstill as a herd of goats or cows crosses the street.

We stopped at 3 very different Hindu Temples. The first one was an active Hindu Temple, and we arrived just as various services were starting. This is the only Hindu Temple in India devoted to Eunuchs. They are thought of as special people in India. In the picture you can see them sitting and chatting. They were happy (as all Indians seem to be) to have their picture taken. The temple is named Bahucharaji.

From there we went to one of 3 Sun Temples in India. It is no longer an active Temple, but rather a historical site. The Sun Temple of Modhera was built in 1050 and it was designed so that the sun always shone through the building lighting specific holy spots. It is a testimony to their knowledge of both engineering and astronomy. The building was covered with carvings of the gods and lots of erotic images from the Kama Sutra. The Temple is quite beautiful except that when we looked up we noticed the ceiling was covered with hanging bats. We don't like bats.

We then went to the most spectacular Temple: Rani Ki-Vav, it is located in the former capital of Gujarat, Patan. The top of the Temple is flush with the ground. The entire temple is built in an excavation in the ground. You descend into it via steep stone steps. As you walk down you are surrounded with sculptured reliefs. It is quite amazing. The idea of an “upside” temple blew all of our minds. We climbed down, below the surface of the earth approximately 5 stories. The sense of being below ground and in such an elaborate religious excavation is overwhelming.

We then went to visit the very famous weaving family of Patola. They have a unique way of weaving that has been in their family for generations. They are the last family of weavers that are left using these techniques. Once again all of the residents of this very poor area came out to wave and smile at us. I am overwhelmed by the friendliness of the people.

We continued driving and eventually arrived at our hotel in Ahmedabad. We were ready for a drink. Instead we got a good taste of Indian bureaucracy. The State of Gujarat is a dry state, no bars, no alcohol in restaurants, etc. However you can purchase a license to buy liquor. So I started the process. The wine shop was in the basement of our hotel. I went to the basement to buy some wine. They gave me a short form to fill out and told me to take my passport and the form to the front desk. I didn’t have my passport with me so I went up got my passport and then went to the front desk. They took my passport, Xeroxed it and my Indian Visa, and officially stamped the form and signed it. I took the form back downstairs to the Wine Shop and they had me fill out a two page form about my trip, arrival in India etc. When I had finished filling out the forms they took it along with the other signed form and the Xerox, stapled them together, and told me to return to my hotel room they would call me. I really wanted a drink by this time. I returned to our hotel room and eventually the phone rang, they were ready. I went back down to the basement and was met by a new official who checked the forms, signed the forms, and told me the cost of the permit to drink was 70 rupees (about $1.50). I gave him the rupees, and he entered all sorts of data in an old ledger book. I then was told to go the counter where I could select either: 3 bottles of wine, 1 bottle of hard alcohol, or 10 beers. Which ever I selected, could only be drunk in our hotel room during the next 7 days. I am not allowed to buy any more booze. They signed the official permit to drink, stamped it twice and I was good to go. One small problem no one had handed me anything to drink. I looked forlornly at the wine sitting on the counter and said something to the man like “That’s my wine”. He said the man who just left the room would be returning shortly and put it in a bag for me. I waited, the man showed up, he put the wine in the bag and I returned to my room, thinking next time its Cathy’s turn to buy.

We then went out to a traditional Gujarat meal. I didn’t like it, oh well, I have lots of wine to drink!