Recommended

India (2005)

Third Book, Titik Nol (Point Zero) is Coming

Faraway. Why everybody is obsessed by that word? Marco Polo traveled faraway from Venice to the Mongolian Empire. The explorers adventured through dangerous seven seas. The climbers put their life on the line just for a few moments conquering majestic peaks. He was also overwhelmed by the “faraway”. The Traveler decided to get involved in globetrotting journey. He sneaked to the forbidden land in Himalaya, staying in mysterious Kashmir, and became witness of warzones and massacres. Started by a dream, flowing like a series of dreams, this is a journey of a traveler searching for a meaning. Until to the point that he had traveled very, very far, he was forced to return home, kneel down besides his mother’s bed. And from the story of the very mother who has never traveled anywhere, little by little he revealed the meanings of journey that he was missing. Paperback, 568 pages Published February 2013 by Gramedia Pustaka Utama ISBN: 9789792292718 edition language: Indonesian For the details of this book, please visit : https://agustinuswibowo.com/TitikNol ——————————————————————————————————————————————– My third book, Titik Nol, is being released in Indonesia. This book is so special for me. It [...]

February 7, 2013 // 0 Comments

A Small Note about India

December 13, 2005 So, the trip in India has finished. It was started by a frustration, my failure to get the 3 month Indian visa as I expected due to the Indian incredible bureaucracy and arrogant officer attitude and also inconsistency in its embassy in Kathmandu. The days in India itself were also started by the frustrations in Delhi. To get my camera repaired was a struggle. To escape from the rickshaw drivers was also a struggle. And Pakistan visa was as difficult as next to impossible. These frustrations was added by diarrhoea, fever, etc etc that made me almost give up India. But in the situation that I lost almost everything, I lost my spirit of travelling, I lost my sence of observation and communication, suddenly came this heroine. Lam Li, a journalist from Malaysia, whom I shared most of my idea with her, who made me learn about life behind photography, who made me read many, many good books. And almost a month together in Rajasthan made me discover again what I have to do, what I want to do, and what I must do. Suddenly I feel that I love India. Despite of the cheaters and scammers, [...]

December 13, 2005 // 7 Comments

Amritsar – Sikh

December 12, 2005 Kanda Guesthouse 150 Rs Pernah mendengar tentang Sikh? Jumlah penganut agama Sikh di India sekitar 6 juta orang, dan Amritsar, kota di perbatasan Pakistan-India ini adalah kota suci umat Sikh. Pada saat sebelum partisi (pembentukan negara Pakistan), di Lahore dan Amritsar banyak terdapat penganut Sikh. Bahkan hingga ke Afghanistan. Pada saat partisi, negara bagian Punjab dibelah menjadi dua, satu untuk Muslim (Pakistan) dan sisanya untuk non-Muslim (India). Pada saat pembelahan inilah terjadilah migrasi besar-besaran dari dua sisi Punjab. Dan pembelahan ini dibarengi dengan pembantaian manusia yang termasuk yang terbesar dalam sejarah. Sekitar 10 juta manusia berpindah dari kedua sisi, dan tak kurang dari sejuta orang yang terbantai. Hindu/Sikh yang berpindah dari Lahore dibantai umat Muslim di sisi India, dan demikian pula takdir yang dialami umat Muslim yang berpindah menuju Pakistan. Selepas partisi hanya tinggal segelintir umat Hindu dan Sikh di Lahore, namun masih banyak umat Muslim di sisi India. Dan sejak saat itulah kebencian antara dua negara terus berlangsung hingga sekarang. Umat Sikh dikenal dengan aturan mereka yang tidak memotong rambut atau mencukur jenggot seumur hidup. Kaum laki-lakinya seakan tak pernah terlepas dari surban mereka. Kaum perempuan juga tak boleh memotong, mengetrim rambut, atau mencukur alis. Ajaran [...]

December 12, 2005 // 0 Comments

Amritsar – Calo Pakistan

December 11, 2005 Khanda Guesthouse 150 Rs It has been since weeks ago I wanted to write about this. How I felt guilty of not going to Pakistan as soon as I got my “professional” pakistan visa, and instead I travelled around India. I indeed have something to do in Mumbai that I had to go there for a business. But because of my healthiness, I even didnt finish my business in Mumbai. The trip to Rajasthan was due to relive again my photography instinct. The first days in India was very frustrating for me, with the visa and camera problem that I lost all mood of travelling right after that. And I needed something to relax me up. OK, maybe I am just excusing. And God punished me with this jaundice problem. Anyhow, when I visited the border of Pakistan and India today in Attari/Wagah border to watch the flag ceremony, I felt really, really guilty under the green flag of Pakistan, the Land of Pure. There is an Indian insult, “Calo Pakistan!” which means go away to Pakistan. The Indians always consider that Pakistan is such a bad and dangerous place to go, and that’s where the bad [...]

December 11, 2005 // 3 Comments

New Delhi – Magic Healing

December 10, 2005 This man looks just an ordinary old Indian man. Owning a shop which sells bicycle spareparts and repair bicycles. His shop looks dirty and dark, with spareparts everywhere. There are several young guys working in his workshop. And yes, his two eyes are yellow. But this old man is so unusual, that almost everybody in Paharganj directed me to him. When I had breakfast in my favorite restaurant (Golden Cafe) I told the guys that I needed non oily food as I have jaundice. The guy then brought me to the old man’s workshop, just two doors next to this restaurant. He insisted that this man was a very strong magician, specially dealing with jaundice. All patients get well only in 3 days. I initially refused. The guy said, “It’s for free. Why not try?” Oh yeah, why not. So I went to the old man’s workshop. He first looked at my eyes, using his both hands. Then he looked at my fingers, holded it with his palms, and start reading mantra. He asked the boys to bring him a cup of milk. Then he read mantra on the milk, spitted something on it, and asked me [...]

December 10, 2005 // 0 Comments

New Delhi – Indian Hospital Experience Part 3

December 9, 2005 Hari ini sudah merasa segar bugar. Nafsu makan sudah mulai terbit, walaupun suster masih menyuntikkan vitamin K ke dalam pembuluh venaku. Seperti kemarin, hari ini pun aku menjadi bahan ujian para calon dokter wanita itu. Sebagian besar short case (hanya ujian diagnosa umum), tapi ada pula yang long case (diagnosa sejarah penyakit). Banyak pertanyaan mengganggu dalam diagnosa sejarah hidupku, hiks, misalnya sudah pernah melakukan hubungan seksualkah? Dengan berapa orangkah? Menggunakan alat kontrasepsikah? ….. Apalagi yang nanyain gadis muda gitu. Yang mengherankan ini diagnosa hepatitis pake acara ukur tinggi dan berat tubuh segala. Benar-benar mengagetkan, beratku sekarang cuman tinggal 51 kg Lebih dari 11% berat tubuhku hilang dalam 5 bulan perjalanan ini. Apakah memang aku terlalu mengencangkan ikat pinggang dalam menghemat uang yang aku punya? Dan penghematan yang berlebihan itulah yang mungkin telah membuat hidupku jadi demikian sengsara. Dokter kepala kadang tersenyum saja melihat dadaku diraba-raba oleh gadis-gadis itu. Sambil berkelakar dia bertanya bagaimana caraku melatih tubuhku, apakah aku ikut bodybuilding. Aku bilang cuman berenang. “Angkat besi?” “No. just swimming.” Padahal sudah kurus kering begini masih dikira angkat besi. Tapi setelah 5 kali menjadi bahan ujian, aku sudah benar-benar bosan dan capek. Apalagi gadis yang terakhir juga kurang [...]

December 9, 2005 // 0 Comments

Delhi – Indian Hospital Experience Part 2

December 8, 2005 “Selamat pagi.” Dan suntikan vitamin K itu menjurus tajam melintasi pembuluh venaku. Sakit. Suster kembali memasang jarum infus. Selama semalam aku dirawat tak hentinya asupan gula dimasukkan ke dalam tubuhku. Sehingga tanpa makan pun aku merasa cukup segar hari ini. Di sebelahku ada seorang amerika yang juga diopname tanpa alasan yang jelas. (Sakit kuningku juga sebenarnya sakit ringan saja, seharusnya tak sampai diopname). Dia demam saja, selama 1 minggu. Dan dokter bilang mesti opname. Kadang aku berpikir apakah karena aku ini orang asing, sehingga bisa mendapat prioritas opname? Jika mengingat ranjang rumah sakit yang terbatas, serta ratusan orang yang tidur di luar rumah sakit (mungkin menunggu ranjang kosong?) ada perasaan berdosa juga. Hari ini aku dipindahkan ke Ruang Opname Laki-laki. Jarum infus masih tertancap, tapi sudah tidak ada lagi infus bagiku. Aku sudah merasa lapar yang teramat sangat, tapi masih belum sempat menikmati sarapan pagi (yang juga gratis) aku sudah dibawa ke Ruang Pemeriksaan Hepatitis. Di sini ada seorang pelajar kedokteran perempuan dengan jubah putih dan nomer urut di dadanya. Nampaknya seperti peserta ujian. Dan memang benar. Hari ini adalah hari ujian pagi pelajar kedokteran (semua perempuan) di institut Lady Hardinge. Ujiannya adalah melakukan diagnosa. Dan aku [...]

December 8, 2005 // 2 Comments

Delhi – Indian Hospital Experience

December 7, 2005 Rumah Sakit Lady Hardinge, yah, itulah nama yang direkomendasikan oleh pemilik hotelku ketika aku menanyakan ke mana harus pergi merawatkan penyakit kuningku. Menurut banyak orang, ini adalah salah satu rumah sakit terbaik di New Delhi. Memasuki rumah sakit yang tidak jauh dari tempat tinggalku, aku hanya terkesima oleh keramaian orang-orang yang lalu-lalang. Tidak ada tempat registrasi untuk menanyakan ke mana aku harus pergi. Tidak banyak tempat untuk bertanya, karena semua orang sibuk dengan urusan masing-masing. Di balairung utama puluhan wanita duduk di lantai menunggu giliran. Dan sampah-sampah berserakan di setiap sudut koridor yang gelap. Dengan susah payah aku menemukan ruang konsultasi. Tampak antrean panjang. Semua orang membawa formulir registrasi masing-masing. Tapi di manakah aku bisa mendapatkan formulir itu? Susah payah kembali aku menemukan wanita pembagi formulir, eh malah tidak dikasih formulir. Katanya aku langsung antre saja. Aku kembali ke ruang konsultasi untuk antre, tapi dokter menolak melayani karena tidak ada formulir. Terpaksa kembali lagi mencari wanita pembagi formulir, dan MEMAKSAnya untuk memberiku formulir. Dan dengan formulir ini aku kembali lagi antre dari awal. Total dua jam terbuang sia-sia dan bagi penderita sakit kuning yang lemah ini, dua jam adalah perjuangan. Dokter menanyaiku beberapa pertanyaan. Gejala mata kuning, [...]

December 7, 2005 // 2 Comments

Mumbai – Jaundice???

December 3, 2005 Delight GuestHouse 250 Rs Today when I went to the post office to settle my account in the philatelic burau, the guy told me that my eyes looked yellow and whether I had infection. I was so surprised to hear that, as nobody told me before. In the morning I looked myself behind the mirror and everything was OK. And this was the first time I heard about jaundice. The man told me that probably I got jaundice, after the long train journey from Jaipur to Mumbai. Indeed I felt very, very exhausted after the train. It’s not common for me, as usually I take much, much longer train journey in China with no sleeper class but I am always energetic. Arriving in Mumbai in the first day I lost my appetite quite significantly. My urine was very thick and tea-coloured. And I always feel tired. Right after the post office visit, I went directly to St John Hospital next to it. The hospital boasts as Mumbai Hospital No. 1 as what is written on the gate. Not far from the building’s gate in the hospital complex, there was an old man, leprae, laying down on the [...]

December 3, 2005 // 5 Comments

Being Raped???

November 29, 2005 Suddenly I remember this my experience. This happened somewhere in India, sometime during my trip here. I wouldnt like to disclose where the exact place and when it happened. I was terribly weak at that time, with a severe diarrhoea I just layed on my bed. Sleeping. As in this part of India with lack of electricity, everyday there are at least 2 hours of power cut. There was no sun in my room, so I had to keep the door open when I sleep. Suddenly, the manager of the hotel came and asked me of what happening. I was just too weak to answer. He put his head on my stomach, laying. And then I told him that my stomach had been so painful. He, pretended to be a doctor, gave massage from my belly and down. I was revolting as the massage was so painful, but I was too weak also, so I just put my hope on this doctor. The massage continued to the places under my belly. And he insisted to open my underpant, giving massage right on that place. He closed the door. I was submissive at that time. He saw my [...]

November 29, 2005 // 9 Comments

Jaipur – Muslim Wedding Part 2

November 29, 2005 Melanjutkan liputan tentang pernikahan keluarga Muslim dalam dua hari ini, maka tibalah juga hari H setelah satu minggu penuh yang penuh acara. Yang paling berkesan dalam benak saya adalah pemisahan jenis kelamin yang sangat kentara dalam setiap upacaranya. Para tamu pria dipisahkan dari wanita, dan bahkan, mempelai pria dan wanita sama sekali tak bersanding bersama. Mempelai pria berada di kumpulan tamu-tamu pria. Penghulu pertama-tama melangsungkan akad nikah bagi mempelai pria. Setelah berbagai surat-surat ditandantangani, doa dibacakan, penghulu langsung meninggalkan mempelai pria dan bergegas menuju tempat mempelai wanita berada, yaitu di rumah yang terletak 20 m jauhnya dari tempat para tamu pria ini. Demikianlah akad nikah pun tak mempertemukan kedua mempelai. Daerah khusus wanita pun sebenarnya tak terjamah sama sekali oleh laki-laki, namun dengan posisi saya sebagai fotografer, saya bebas keluar masuk kedua wilayah ini. Acara makan-makan pun tetap membedakan jenis kelamin. Para tamu wanita terlebih dahulu dipersilakan menuju ruangan besar yang dipersiapkan. Setelah selesai, mereka dipersilakan kembali ke rumah mempelai wanita, dan tiba giliran para tamu pria. Pernikahan kali ini agak luar biasa, karena dua pernikahan berlangsung sekaligus. Mempelai pria dan kakaknya bersama-sama menjalani akad nikah ini, sehingga di dalam rumah ada dua mempelai wanita, berpakaian merah [...]

November 29, 2005 // 0 Comments

Jaipur – Indian Wedding Culture

November 28, 2005 Hotel Abhinandan Inn, free Masih menyambung tentang pernikahan kemarin, saya ingin berbincang-bincang tentang adat pernikahan India secara umum. Seperti kita ketahui bersama, sebagian besar pernikahan di India adalah hasil buah karya pilihan orang tua kedua belah pihak, dan bukannya pernikahan hasil perpaduan kasih kedua pasangan. Tak jarang mempelai pria dan wanita belum pernah berjumpa sama sekali sebelum malam akad nikah. Dalam adat India, yang mungkin juga masih berlaku di Pakistan, mempunyai anak perempuan bukanlah hal yang terlalu menguntungkan. Bukan hanya saja anak perempuan tidak bisa meneruskan keturunan dan pada akhirnya nanti akan “diserahkan” ke keluarga suaminya, kewajiban untuk menikahkan anak perempuan adalah beban berat yang harus ditanggung seumur hidup. Tak jarang kita mendengar orang berkata, “Anak-anak perempuanku sudah menikah semua, aku sudah tak mempunyai beban apa-apa lagi dalam hidup ini.” Di India, mas kawin diberikan oleh keluarga mempelai perempuan kepada anak perempuan dari keluarga mempelai pria. “Dowry” atau mas kawin inilah yang menjadi beban terberat bagi keluarga mempelai perempuan. Jika dowry yang diberikan terlalu murah, keluarga mempelai laki-laki akan memandang rendah mereka sebagai keluarga yang tak mampu. Karena itulah, untuk menikahkan anak perempuan, dowry yang harus diberikan mencapai nilai yang fantastis, tak kurang dari 40,000 Rupees (10.000 [...]

November 28, 2005 // 0 Comments

Jaipur – A Muslim Wedding

November 27, 2005 Hotel Abhinandan Inn, free Sekali lagi, aku kembali ke Jaipur. Kali ini karena untuk memenuhi undangan pemilik hotel yang menikahkan saudara perempuannya. Aman, pemilik hotel itu, menolak menerima pembayaran kamar dariku. Bahkan di buku catatan tamu dia menuliskan “Family Most Important Guest” pada namaku sehingga manajer tidak bisa memungut uang sewa kamar. Aku nggak enak hati, tapi dia tetap bersikeras untuk memberi tumpangan gratis. Hari ini adalah H-2 pernikahan. Pihak keluarga Aman adalah pengantin perempuan. Kedua mempelai belum pernah bertemu hingga hari ini, pertemuan pertama mereka akan terjadi besok lusa, hari H. Seperti pada umumnya pernikahan di India, pernikahan ini pun adalah buah karya kedua belah pihak orang tua. Hari ini para perempuan dari keluarga mempelai wanita bertandang ke keluarga mempelai pria untuk menghibahkan mas kawin. Kami berangkat dengan bus yang disewa oleh keluarga Aman. Semuanya berpakaian cantik. Berbeda dengan umat Hindu, Musliman umumnya mengenakan shalwar qamees dan bukannya sari. Beberapa di antaranya bahkan membungkus dirinya dengan burka hitam, menyembunyikan kedua bola mata dibalik kain tipis. Selama perjalanan di Rajasthan, tak jarang hati ini, yang masih picik dan egois, berontak, melihat warna-warna muram kelabu burqa-burqa hitam bertebaran di jalan yang dipenuhi oleh warna-warna liar sari dan shalwar [...]

November 27, 2005 // 1 Comment

Jaipur – A Lesson from a Bus Journey

November 26, 2005 Perjalaan dengan bus di India selalu penuh warna. Dan pengalaman saya kali ini, dalam bus dari Pilani menuju Jaipur, adalah salah satu pengalaman yang sangat biasa dalam perjalanan di India. Bus-bus di India didesain untuk menyempalan 50 kursi dalam sebuah bus yang sebenarnya hanya untuk 40 kursi. Akibatnya, sebuah jendela bus terkadang harus dishare oleh dua baris penumpang. Penumpang di depan saya, seorang perempuan berbungkus sari, bersikukuh membuka jendela di samping kursinya lebar-lebar. Akibatnya, separuh bagian dari jendela yang terbuka itu tepat di sebelah saya, mengalirkan angin yang luar biasa dinginnya ke dalam bus. Penumpang-penumpang yang ketiban sial mendapat sapuan angin dingin itu semuanya marah. Bahkan ada ibu-ibu yang membawa bayi, dan bayinya menangis kedinginan. Tak heranlah, musim dingin seakan dipindahkan ke dalam bus, sedangkan perempuan yang membuka jendela itu hanya bersejuk-sejuk saja karena angin tidak berhembus langsung ke wajahnya. Semua orang teriak, histeris, minta agar jendela itu ditutup. Tapi orang India memang terkenal dengan konsistensinya, demikian juga sapi-sapi di jalan yang tak mau peduli dengan kendaraan yang lalu lalang. Perempuan ini pun keukeuh dengan tak mau menutup jendelanya berapa milimeter pun. Dua jam perjalanan yang menyiksa. Saya masuk angin. Dan bayi yang menangis itu akhirnya diam [...]

November 26, 2005 // 2 Comments

Jaipur – Life on Manual

November 26, 2005 Sebuah catatan yang diilhami oleh perang omelet di Jodhpur. Pernahkah kita menengok betapa hidup kita ini sekarang selalu dituntun oleh apa yang disebut panduan, tuntunan, guidebook, manual, atau apalah namanya. Mulai dari membeli alat elektronik selalu ada buku manual yang menjelaskan dengan detil tentang mekanisme bekerja alat itu hingga bagaimana menggunakan, merawat, serta apa yang harus dilakukan jika alat itu mengalami kerusakan. Demikian juga sebelum tiba ujian UMPTN banyak lembaga-lembaga bimbingan yang menyediakan trik-trik menghadapi ujian. Di Cina ada les TOEFL yang mengajarkan bagaimana trik menebak jawaban dengan probabilitas paling tinggi untuk mencapai hasil maksimal dalam ujian. Bahkan kini sudah bermunculan les-les kehamilan yang melatih ibu-ibu hamil untuk merejang, mengkontraksikan rahim dan sebagainya hingga jika jatuh hari H nya nanti, proses melahirkan akan berlangsung dengan cepat, efektif, dan ces pleng. Hidup kita pada abad ini memang sudah tak terlepas dari manual, bahkan hingga ke detil-detil sendi kehidupan. Yang kita kagumi sebagai petualang, backpacker, traveller pun hampir semua pernah memegang guidebook macam Lonely Planet. Guide book ini berisi informasi tentang daerah yang dituju, hotel-hotel, jalur kereta, bahkan restoran yang direkomendasikan dan lain-lain. Kini Lonely Planet pun mengeluarkan panduan untuk fotografi (Travel Photography) dan menulis (Travel Writing), sehingga pembaca [...]

November 26, 2005 // 4 Comments

Bikaner – The Rat World

November 23, 2005 Hotel De Luxe, Station Road, 90 Rs (24 hour room rental) Arrived in Bikaner in early morning, 5:30 pm, when the day was still dark and dozens of rickshaw wallahs welcomed me with the annoying hassle of hotel recommendations. Touting is very common in India, where the drivers get commision from the hotel owners if they bring you the hotels. It was frustrating at the first time, but now I am used already to deal with the rickshaw drivers. But still, my arrival time was not that good as I didnt have so much choice wandering in a completely stranger city in a complete darkness. So, have you ever read any folktale of a world occupied by rats? Here, in this corner of Rajasthan, there are only rats rule. In the temple of Karni Mata in Deshnok village, 30 km from Bikaner, the holy rats occupy the temple and people pray for blessings from the rats. As I have difficulty in descripting the temple, a quick online search will bring you to this temple. Thousands of black rats running and flying from every corner, resting, hidding, kissing, smiling to welcome people, eating the corns from the devotees, [...]

November 23, 2005 // 1 Comment

The Journey from Jaisalmer to Bikaner

November 22, 2005 On the bus This is another story of travelling in India. A quite common one, I bet. Directly speaking, I have got a booking ticket for a night bus from Jaisalmer to Bikaner from a travel agency, 150 Rs. I understand completely that the price of the ticket can vary greatly depending on from whom you obtain the ticket. The bus departs at 9 pm from Hanuman Travels. So I departed from my hotel at 8 pm directly to the Hanuman Travels in Hanuman Square, Jaisalmer. Once I arrived in the travel office, the guy there, without seeing my ticket, told me that the bus was cancelled, I had to change my tikcet, I had to pay another 50 Rs for a better bus, bla bla bla. Of course I was very suspicious with this scam, as how he knew how much I had paid and how much I had to add more, and moreover, I even had not told him yet where I was going to go. Being cool, pretending not to care so much, I just told him that I didnt care if I couldnt depart. He grabbed my ticket, changed my seat number, added [...]

November 22, 2005 // 1 Comment

Jaisalmer – I’m a Brahmin, not a Holy Men

November 22, 2005 Titanic Hotel, free This is my second day in Jaisalmer, the golden city, a town in the middle of desert with all houses honey coloured. The hotel I am staying was recommended by Samkar, the owner of Sai Baba restaurant in Pushkar (what a splendid food). Polu, the hotel owner, speaks Korean very well. It seems that he is really used with Korean tourists and bets all Asians are Koreans. Not blaming him, as even the Korean tourists always think that I am also their countryman. Polu lets me stay in underground room of him, for free. The fort of Jaisalmer is the most “lively” fort in India with people living inside. But the feeling is that almost every single bit of life inside the fort is for tourism. The houses of the people have been turned to be hotels, restaurants, shops, and internet cafes. Even an old lady in a very untouched corner of the labyrinth-like fort inside town asked money to be photographed. The town is pretty much like Khiva in Uzbekistan (see gallery Uzbekistan for photos) for the colour, the buildings, and the life inside (the tourism oriented life inside an open museum). The [...]

November 22, 2005 // 0 Comments

Jodhpur – the Bishnoi

November 19, 2005 Gopal Guest House, 150 Rs Some 20 kms away from Jodhpur, there are several villages where the Bishnoi community live. This is a special sect of Hinduism, of which the followers have such an incredible love towards animals and plants. They dont burn their body after death, as cremation would require wood from the trees. Instead they bury their body. It doesnt need to mention that all of them are strict vegetarians, and they even wont kill any small insects. We visited one of the villages today. In 1815 when the maharaj of Jodhpur planned to build a palace, he requested to cut some trees from the village. The people defended the tree by holding hands around the tree. 363 people were killed in the accident, and the maharaj decided not to cut those trees. Some years ago, Salman Khan, a Bollywood star, came to the village to make a movie, Hamsathsath. One of the shoot was of him doing hunting during night time. He accidentally shot a deer to death, which angered the whole villagers. The whole crew of that movie was forced to leave ASAP and the case was brought to court also. More about [...]

November 19, 2005 // 4 Comments

Jodhpur – Can I ….?

November 18, 2005 Gopal Guesthouse 150 Rs/double bed room Today, together with Lam Li – the Malaysian traveller, we tried to smuggle into the Jodhpur Fort. The ticket for foreigner is 250 Rs, which is quite expensive for us. So, instead of directly entered the main gate, we tried the small path, climbing up and down the rough terrain behind the fort, and suddenly found that it was actually quite fantastic already outside the fort. On the back of the fort, we met two young boys. One is 17 and the other is 16. They are skipping the class today, as one of them didnt do the biology homework, and the other did accompany him as sign of solidarity. They are both Brahmin, who are supposed not to eat meat and smoke. But the guys, on the top of a small hill, smoked together without anyone knowing. The boy told me that the parents were very strict, and surely would beat him if finding him smoking and eating chicken in a food stall. As anywhere in India, the guys suddenly drive the conversation to “sexual matter” right after 3 minutes. “Are you married?” “Do you have boyfriend? Do you have [...]

November 18, 2005 // 0 Comments

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