A Final Full Day In The Ganj

After 18 months in a place you have come to love, how do you spend your final full day?

It does seem somewhat fitting that I am invited to John´s house for lunch today. John is a Christian Indian who runs a small handicraft business on the Bhagsu Road. He has complained to me about his poor health since I have known him and frequently has asked me for about US$800 for medical tests he tells me he needs in Chandigarh. I tell him to go to the Tibetan health centre where he can be checked out for US$2 but he remains unconvinced. I did pass him four Precious Pills left over from my broken toe last May and I am not convinced he even bothered to take them.

Blue eyed Christian John. Does he look sick to you?

John had promised me chicken “special” biryani, but feeling a little bereft, I am pleased it just transpires to be a regular, rather tasty and ultra spicy chicken curry and radish side-dish. He lives with his wife in a sparton dark apartment above the shop and today he has 3 of his sons, his daughter in law, a brother in law, 6 year old nephew and 3 year old granddaughter around for lunch also.

We all squeeze into the tiny living room / 2nd bedroom where most of his family sit glued to a 1970s Bollywood classic on a TV which takes up a quarter of the room. On top of the television is a small sculpture of Jesus on the cross sitting next to a large blue Shiva.

As the only “international” amongst them I am given a rickety stool as a table and am the only one who is allocated cutlery – an old bent teaspoon. Everyone woofs their food down quickly using hands and chapatti, whilst I struggle with my spoon. Hands would be easier, but I don´t want to offend my hosts.

There is much excitement today as John´s eldest son has just been given an Indian passport. He is now saving his money to travel to LA both for pleasure and business, for he is hoping to import chillums into the US. Best of luck Sir!

I don´t think John´s nephew has seen many Westerners before, and he spends most of the two hours, with his dark, curious eyes transfixed on me. John´s granddaughter has no such reservations and is happy to have a new friend. She tries to teach me Hindi whilst I try to enlighten her to English. We both fail miserably.

John gives me a small present and tells me I will be back in The Ganj…and he is right. I will, but i fear not for a long while.

I return to the apartment about 4pm, brew up the last of my coffee in my cafe tier and spend an hour or so meditating on the veranda. The temperature drop is considerable, but the sunset it perfect over the upper valley and peaks. The colours run a full spectrum both in the sky and the hillsides.

today´s sunset

My mind drifts back to our late arrival in the Ganj in July 2008 with the similar soft light playing on the opposite valley slopes and the symmetry seems appropriate.

last of the light

Normally i am tight with money, after all my savings can´t last forever and there no paycheck due in anytime soon. However to ease my lament I have splurged for my departure. I am taking the 4.40pm flight from Dharamsala tomorrow and over-nighting at the very comfortable Hotel 55 in the exclusive Connaught Place area. My flight leaves Delhi for London lunchtime on Wednesday.