Reunion with Jaya

Bob and I were greeted at about 12:30 p.m. today by a call from Jaya Devgan. What a treat it was to hear her voice! Jaya met us at our hotel and brought us juices, bananas, and oranges. What a gift!

We chatted awhile and then headed to a bank to cash travelers checks only to learn that the bank would not do so. Fortunately there was an ATM that functioned just fine.

We then headed to a restaurant for dosas. We walked a short way then Jaya determined it would be safer and easier to take the auto rickshaw so she stopped a rickshaw that already had 3 ladies clad in lovely,bright saris in the back seat and directed me to fill in next to the ladies in the back while she jumped in next to the driver on one side and Bob jumped in on the left. A quick block later we jumped out again and climbed the steps to a South Indian restaurant for a filling meal of dosa and sambar. Yum. Bob enjoyed mango ice cream for dessert.

Since Jaya had not called a cab, we once again hopped into a rickshaw for the ride back to our hotel. It's cooler in Amritsar than we had expected--perhaps the low 70s today. Still lovely, of course. Jaya filled us in a bit on the state. Apparently because Punjab is a rich agricultural area, there are no beggars here. The temples run by the Sikhs, offer meals at any time of day. In fact, at the Golden Temple, the meals are offered 24 hours/day.

Jaya had spent her entire life before marriage in Calcutta so the adjustment to Amritsar has been a challenge. She used the metaphor of a tree and the difficulty of uprooting and replanting a tree in new soil. It takes time for the tree to adjust.

So, too, does it take time for a person to adjust to a new situation. I was touched by her sharing because it seems that some aspects of human life are part of human nature while other aspects are cultural.

Shall see Jaya again tomorrow when she takes us to her school and then to the Golden Temple. Hoping I am coherent in the workshop Jaya asked me to provide tomorrow, March 10,at her brand new school outside of Amritsar.