Forget the personal ads, here in India they have the matrimonials section of the newspaper! Listings include information such as height, weight, salary, and caste. Fascinating. The arranged marriage is still very much alive and well here, while "love marriages" are rare. Apparently the success rate is pretty high, but my definition and the Indian definition of successful, particularly in regard to the role of women, is quite different.
Highlights of the day (although this term may be inappropriate) included seeing my first dead body floating down the river, taking a motorcycle ride through town, and buying a cell phone. I have yet to visit the burning ghats here, but I'm sure I will. Apparently not all bodies are burned; it depends on how the person dies. The motorcycle ride was a blast, zipping past cows, people, rickshaws, and cars, right in the thick of it all. The driver was a former ashram resident who now lives in Delhi. He has a law degree and is working on becoming a judge. He also had his wallet and cell phone stolen in the metro there and needed to get a new one. I decided to get one for my travels over here. The day ended at the pizzeria, awash in the lovely sounds of Italian. Bellissimo.
Each day gets more intriguing.
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