3rd March 2012

Set off to Bardoli to first visit an Ayuvedic (ancient holistic medical system) doctor, set up under the Patanjali label by Ramdev, the guru who has brought yoga back to the ordinary Indians through TV programmes, and mass teaching meetings here and abroad. The herbalist gave Savi advice on how best to manage her breathing to help with her asthma, which included sitting her down cross legged, doing the right "pranayama" breathing exercise for half an hour in the poky little room! The dry hot air has really helped Savi's asthma, but don't know how she will be when she returns.


Then into town to do some REAL shopping. Geoff separated from the women and bought a couple of water sprays that you can fit adjacent to the W.C. to make it easy to wash your bum: you don't need language skills to mime spraying your bum!! Then whilst walking along the main street he noticed what he thought were priests (long haired raggedy people with a smattering of orange colour!) who looked to have dishes in front of them like a snake charmer, but they were carved in the form of a cobra. One of them called him over and then showed him photos of naked old men who seemed to have their genitals pierced. One of them proceeded to lift up his own dhoti and show him his own decorated penis. Before they could pull him in and mutilate him Geoff beat a polite retreat!! On the way back tried to take a photo of these men, but now only one was there and he was not keen on being photographed!!


Took a short video of a sugar cane squeezing machine that makes a sugar drink

Later went to visit Meena, Sunil's sister, where we met her extended family who live in an idyllic setting amongst sugar cane fields.


We had a late lunch ( vegetarian tally made from fresh produce from their fields) and picked star fruit


Below are "patra" leaves, which has become a favourite of the Yoga ladies courtesy of Diane Watts. The leaves are de-veined, pasted with a chickpea flour flavoured with spices, rolled and steamed. In the UK they come in tins and taste nowhere near as good as the ones made freshly here.


Back to Gangpor, a sleepy little village with the best Skype and Internet connection we've found anywhere: so a quick catch up with all the folks back home, whom we are really beginning to miss now. Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Gangphor