Maduri

This weekend we went to the city of Madurai. We left at 5am Saturday morning and stayed at a seminary in town. We took a tour of the facilities and ate lunch. Afterward we visited several sites where the seminary ministered like an old people’s home and a shelter for abused women. Then we toured a big Gandhi museum which was very interesting. Next we went to a sound and lights show in a palace. Right before they allowed us to enter the palace we saw an auto-rickshaw come out of the gates SPEWING smoke. It REEKED. We could not see a foot in front of our face because of the dense smoke. Interestingly, this was the insect repellent sprayed before every show! It definitely did not work. Or maybe it did and the mosquitoes would have been even worse without it. Either way, we spent most of the show covered by our dupattas or scarves.

                Side note: I am so thankful for our dupattas. Though they can be very annoying because we sometimes forget to grab them before we leave. It is also very hot to walk with something wrapped around your neck! However, when bugs are surrounding you- it becomes a mosquito net. When something smells foul- it becomes a gas mask. When it gets cool in the evenings- it becomes a blanket. When you are trying to sleep on the bus ride- it becomes a pillow. When there is nothing to dry your hands on- it becomes a towel. And when you just need a moment alone- you can throw it over your head.

                The next morning we had a small worship service. Then we went to the Meenakshi Temple. It was so crazy packed because at least 15,000 people visit the temple everyday! We had to weave our way through the throngs of people. Then we left our shoes at a nearby shop and walked the rest of the way barefoot. How to describe the temple? Big. Crowded. Sad. The temple was huge with an outer and inner court and then lots of hallways and rooms inside. It had several high towers on the outside. It was so crowded with people everywhere. But the temple was also crowded with replicas of gods. The entire outside of each tower was completely covered. We joked that if someone could find an inch of free space they would win a prize. Inside the temple was completely covered with statues everywhere and little tiny alcoves with more gods. It was saddening to see all the people praying to, worshiping, and offering sacrifices to all these gods. They would ‘clothe’ the gods, bring food to feed them, and pour oil on the gods. The statues had label signs because there were so many thousand that no one could possibly remember the name of each god!

                On our way back to Coimbatore we stopped at a orphanage for HIV+ kids. We got to play with them out on their playground. They called us ‘Auntie’ and were absolutely adorable. It was good to get back to Coimbatore and our apartment buildings which feel more like ‘home’.

                Busy week ahead of me with lots of classes, grocery shopping (which takes several hours), and my Indian fashion show debut!!! Stay tuned.