I love the mornings here as they are cool, there's a breeze and it is so quiet. Usually the music is playing, but I think someone is sleeping in today. It's 6 am and the monkeys are up early with me. I see babies this morning clinging to their mothers.
There's very little traffic on the bridge; some pilgrims and a scooter, a string of donkeys slowly walk to the other side with their burden, and an old holy man with his 2 dogs and walking staff. A pundit blows a shell horn, bells chime, and the chanting begins.
7am - Within the last hour, the monkey have all woken up. I see five mothers with babies clinging to them, various adults, and the large alpha male now making their way to wherever they find food. One came up behind me here on my balcony and was walking into my room. I shooed it and it came right back at me. They can be quite aggressive. I gave it some nuts and it sat down to eat them as I closed my door. The lady upstairs came down to get a pole to encourage them to leave her space. She said she was walking across the bridge with a bag of fruit yesterday and they took it from her!
The small swifts are numerous with a sprinkling of crows and pigeons. I have seen what looks like an eagle - very large and solid black. Other than the birds and the monkeys, I haven't seen any other wildlife.
There's someone sleeping on the roof below me on a blanket with one covering him, head and all. The monkeys ignore him. The sun has not topped the high surrounding mountains yet and I hope the wind and clouds will remain with us through out the day. When it is still, the moist heat is stifling. I took a room with only a fan to prepare myself for the ashram, which I know will not be air conditioned.
The young man, Irish, just stopped in with a morning greeting. He serves in the dining room and we have long discussions on philosophy. He's such a sweet, respectful boy, upbeat and just happy in general.
Yesterday I walked the 2 km south to Swarg Ashram, a spiritual community made up of temples, ashrams, a crowded bazaar, sadhus, and the bathing ghats. As I came around the corner of the main temple, there were 20-30 beggars situated along the outer wall on their mats, begging bowl in hand. Palm readers and astrologers line the benches. Stands are set up to sell prayer beads and snacks to the pilgrims.
My birthday passed with little notice. That's good as I don't need to get any older! I heard from my new friend in Dharamsala and she is reserving me a room with bath and balcony there for my arrival on the 15th. It's cooler higher up in the mountains and they are still getting some rain in the afternoon; the tail end of the monsoons.
