Kausik, who works with me at Turner, got me up at the unearthly hour of 7:30 to go temple hopping. He's a Brahmin, so he was going for serious piety with his family. I was going to gawk at the temples. He hired a small SUV with a big driver, who would lecture him later about stupid Americans who leave 30lak of valuables lying around in the car as they go off touring. 
There are 108 special Vishnu-cult temples with some connection between them. ( more information on this in future posts) 106 are in India, the other two are where the gods reside. If you get to all of them here, you get to get off the dharma wheel and see the other two! Today we saw 3.While I was there I did not do anything for American Tourism:
I am such a sucker.
At the first temple we go to, an ‘official’ guide said that a non-Hindi like me couldn’t go inside. But he was happy to show me around the temple grounds. We got to the back of the grounds, away from prying eyes and he shook me down (politely) for a contribution to the Temple. I gave him r200 ($5), and he said "It is so little". I was a little put off at his begging or haggling at a temple, though I don't think he sees it that way. There were plenty of real beggars around.
So I pulled out r1000($25) note and gave it to him. $30 for a private tour of a historical shrine didn't seem too much. He asked me not to tell ‘my friend’ how much I had given him. 
Originally I thought him sneaky and wanting to keep me in his confidence. I didn’t trust that they wouldn’t have let me in, and he just said that to get a lift off me. In retrospect I don’t think he expected me to just hand him r1000 and was a little embarrassed ans taken aback.
And afraid that Kausik would demand he give it back.
He offered to take us to see the other temples, and then of course to his friend’s weaving shop. 
I was ready to leave him behind, but Kausik invited him along to tour.
I was ready to leave him behind, but Kausik invited him along to tour. He took a few snaps of me, and all in all I think I judged him way too harshly. He was just scraping a few bills off a tourist in return for telling me about the temple. Though I’m sure I'll get more info from Kausik. We have an hour's commute together each way everyday.
The first of the other temples had these great wooden floats that are used in parades. All sorts of incarnations of Vishnu (I think) and wonderfully done, though not all my pictures came out. I guess I may have to go back and do this one again.
The last temple had these great mustacheod angels guarding the courners. I think they’re terrific and I want one for my bookshelf to scare the hell out of any evil spirits creeping around.
At the weaving shop,
The first of the other temples had these great wooden floats that are used in parades. All sorts of incarnations of Vishnu (I think) and wonderfully done, though not all my pictures came out. I guess I may have to go back and do this one again.
The last temple had these great mustacheod angels guarding the courners. I think they’re terrific and I want one for my bookshelf to scare the hell out of any evil spirits creeping around.
At the weaving shop,
on a second floor above some others, where he said there was no cost, 
just a demonstration (yeah, right), there was a semi-autiomatic hand loom in the front and loads of cloth.
just a demonstration (yeah, right), there was a semi-autiomatic hand loom in the front and loads of cloth. The stuff is supposedly all hand-loomed, but I sort of doubt it. There weren’t that many looms, the prices were not that high, and the real hand done stuff is probably in the back for the real folk. (Am I getting cynical, or what) Having Kausik with me undoubtaedly helped he price lots, and I'm sure our guide got some of the transaction.
Kausik’s kids Vishnu and Garuda (yes trivia fans) are great if loud and antsy. All in all they are well behaved. Especially when their father puts on his demon face. We laughed and played and I threw them in the air.
They cuddled up on me and took naps as we drove. They refer to me as Uncle, which is a somewhat respectful term for an older gentleman not related to you. Though we use it disparagingly about the boss. A boy in one of the temples saw Vishnu’s yo-yo and asked me; “Excuse me Uncle, where did that come from?”
We stopped at a large roadside for breakfast on the way there. We had this great south Indian coffee that is thick and foamy. It’s served hot and overflowing in a small silver cup which is larger than a demi-tasse, but smaller than a regular coffee cup. This silver cup is in a small silver bowl that holds the overflow. You’re suppose to slosh it from one into the other, but the whole thing is too hot for me to handle, and the sloshing destroys the froth.
Kausik’s kids Vishnu and Garuda (yes trivia fans) are great if loud and antsy. All in all they are well behaved. Especially when their father puts on his demon face. We laughed and played and I threw them in the air.
They cuddled up on me and took naps as we drove. They refer to me as Uncle, which is a somewhat respectful term for an older gentleman not related to you. Though we use it disparagingly about the boss. A boy in one of the temples saw Vishnu’s yo-yo and asked me; “Excuse me Uncle, where did that come from?”We stopped at a large roadside for breakfast on the way there. We had this great south Indian coffee that is thick and foamy. It’s served hot and overflowing in a small silver cup which is larger than a demi-tasse, but smaller than a regular coffee cup. This silver cup is in a small silver bowl that holds the overflow. You’re suppose to slosh it from one into the other, but the whole thing is too hot for me to handle, and the sloshing destroys the froth.
We stopped back at the same place for lunch and sat in the A/C section. There was a folded banana leaf at each place, like a place mat. You unfolded it and sloshed some water on it, and then no one bothered with plates. The waiter came along with the stuff in stainless buckets and ladeled it out onto your banana leaf. There was a reddish powder that you sprinkled liberally onto the rice and then mixed it in with your hands. It was terrific. (Very pleasant was Kausik’s phrase) All he could tell me was that it was made from a mixture of grains. 
Another little shop and where we had some beetle leaves wrapped around nut and spice. Good for digestion, and I think a little narcotic. We all napped after, (except the driver) either from food or leaf or both.
Not bad for a Tuesday!
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