Rishikesh and Yoga Part 2

Yoga class: The last day of class featured a really hokey ceremony and I can
add yet another useless certificate to my collection. I don’t think I
mentioned that each day had a 2 to 20 page handout about the day’s pose and
the lecture notes. While I learned quite a bit from the class, I must admit
I was glad to have it over with as the ideas just got wackier and wackier.
For instance, the last lecture featured the “Oshawa’s Diet No. 7″ which
consists entirely of chapatis and black or mint tea for 10 days that is
supposed to vastly improve your Yang (of the Chinese Yin (feminine)/Yang
(masculine))and thus eradicate cancer, clean and balance your system, and
generally be a boon to your entire body. According to the teacher, the diet
can’t be published in the U.S. because of “the ignorant American government.”
See what I mean? I’ve been taking another yoga class when both the teacher
and I are here in Rishikesh that I enjoy much more as the teacher focuses
just on the poses.

Day trips from Rishikesh: Last week, I took a day trip to the holy city of
Hardwar and another to the provincial capital of Dehra Dun. The former
featured some very famous, holy Hindu temples and the latter featured a
recommended ear doctor, the possibility of getting a Visa cash advance AND a
lunch with (gasp!) chicken.

Hindu temples: In summary, I just don’t get them. I went with fellow
classmates Lelit (a New Dehli native) and Holly (an English woman) to visit
about five temples there. My visual impression was that most of them
featured a very small doll like God recessed in a small nave that you are
given seconds to view as you hand over your offering (assuming you or the
offering haven’t been crushed in the line) or you can view at your leisure
one of several goddesses dressed up in elaborate costumes spread out like
those Mexican dolls in gift stores. Those goddesses were encased behind
thick, dirty plastic which had a slit that you could stuff money through.
Other temples featured some fine glass tile work and interesting murals and
many had various religious scenes portrayed in distorted body shapes and
garish colors. So, yes, you bet I’ll be getting a book on Hindu
religion/mythology so I can better appreciate what I’m seeing and thus
focusing less on the bad art.

Transportation options: To get to and around the two cities, I used a
combination of tempos (a three wheeled rickshaw) and shared jeeps. While the
rates are fixed (only if you know them in advance as the driver certainly
doesn’t seem obligated to say or post the fare), you can jump on them at any
time by either responding to their passing yell of their destination or
yelling your desired destination on their predetermined route. Once you get
on, luck and timing play a part in whether you’ll share the 6-seater (2
benches) Tempo with 3 to 9 people and the legal maximum 11-seater jeep with
11 or 15 people. I haven’t taken the local or long distance buses yet but
overcrowding seems even more of a problem there compounded by sensitive
stomachs on twisty, mountain roads.

Future journeys: I find myself curiously reluctant to leave Rishikesh
despite all my griping about the heat. I’ve several friends among the hotel
staff now, two of whom generally join me at my not very social time of
pre-coffee and toast on the terrace every morning, and Lelit and Anu are
still around. Also, I want to quickly review a bunch of yoga books that I
purchased to send back to the America and also just finish some other undone
stuff. Rishikesh is now a sleepy town with the main push of the pilgrim
season ending by July 1 when the kids go back to school. I don’t miss being
asked to pose for a photo with families or young people as I amble around
town.