2 days ago, instead of riding bicycles and swimming into Ganga, we've been for a walk to Swarg Achram. First I got shaved in a barber shop.
Then walking on the very pleasant road from Laxman Julha to Swarg Achram area, a 2km road not crowded, only disturbed by jeeps blowing horn.
We spent like one hour in a jewelry shop, talking with all the family about gems, it was interesting. The road leaded top an area with a few temples. There were staying a lot of Sadhus ( indian mystical men) on the benches next to the temples.
We went down the path to the centre area, stopping some time watching monkeys jumping from a big tree to a building. The Swarg Achram area is very lively, a lots of shops and a lot of people, there is another suspended bridge also. At sunset, we followed curiously a crowd of indian people as they seemed very decided to go to a particular place on the river banks.
Indeed they gathered for some sunset celebration. About one hundred people were here sitting around some old man who should be some religious man. The indian started to sing songs and the old man spoke for 10 minutes. An indian lady was leading the sing, she was looking very passionate. Then everybody turned towards the river and stayed silent for some time, like meditating. After we turned back towards the old man and heared some more singing, we left back to Laxman Julha. Night was already here.
Yesterday was a very interesting day. Mor went to get information about didgeridoo lessons, meditation classes and trekking possibilities and I went to investigate about music stuff, get my laundry. I went to meet Shoval to hear him playing his Sithar lookalike instrument. Actually he was not here but his australian friend Cat showed me the instrument who looks very nice, it seemed to me it is a sithar except there is no case to block fingers just like a violin, so it is possible to play sliding on the metal arm.
I played some melodica to Cat and her friend here, they enjoyed and took my picture. Then walking in the streets, I met a snake dompter, with a blowing flute sounding like a bagpipe and impressive cobras inside nets.
I accompanished him with melodica in a very oriental and snaky melody. It was good fun. Meeting Mor in the streets we went back to put my laundry at the hotel where we met Yael. We all had some teatime at Oasis restaurant and walked to swarg achram to attend a classical indian music concert.In swarg achram, we had some difficulties to find Sadhu Samaj Achram where the music was and had to ask for directions more or less successfully. At a moment we arrived at a very crowded place where there was a ghat and a clock tower.
We thought at first it was the place as there was some music, but some man told me it was not the place we looked for. Finally we got to the right place, where very young children brought us joyfully to the rooftop. The music had just started with sithar and tabla, audience sitting on the ground.
It was very windy and cloudy, the moon saying hello from time to time.
The concert was very funny in indian style: there was a banderole behind behind the musician and many times the wind got into it, bothering musician. A large number of incidents happened mostly because of the wind, speakers falling, carpets flying on a dancer, light shutting down, it put some laugh in the atmosphere. Apart this, the concert was excellent. The first part with tabla and sithar was magical, the sithar resonates long.
There was a dancing performance by an indian lady. She fisrt summerized the story of what she was going to dance and then danced/acted as it was a mix between dancing and mute theatre, it was the first time I saw this type of thing, really amazing in moving and expressions and very indian especially with the move of the head and then hands.
It continued with a tabla and flute music, which was very long and meditative.
When we arrived in Laxman Julha, there was some music coming from the inside a shop, but it was closed down, we could see anyway people gathered in some kind of party with percussion and singing. Sunday was very musical.
Today morning, a walk on the east banks of the Ganga to see some waterfalls. It is quite a long road (4km) and the sun was already beating hot on our shoulders. Hopefully, as we asked for directions to local indian with scooter, he proposed to give us a lift. Mor sitted on the back of his scooter and I sitted on the back of a man driving a Hero Honda (the indian motorbike by excellence), in fact we were 3 on the motorbike. After some time we stopped where the path starts.
Drinking a coke with the indian young men who helped us, they were going to Nil Ganj, 20 km away but accompanied us to the waterfalls. Indian here are very curious about western people. There we ve been in the water, showered by the falls, very refreshing. Then the indian guys left as we were staying to get dry. Of course I got their adress to send them some pictures :-), indian like a lot pictures ! It was a cool time writing a little bit, drying on rocks.
Then we got back on the road, hitchiking again, this time a car brought us back near Laxman Julha.
