India and Sri Lanka part 2

The last of my people pictures.  Ted and I were two of only four non Indians to attend this Pongal Festival in a small village in Tamil Nadu.  Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated on January 14th each year

There is a parade led by an oxen, with lots of dancing.

Even the local police let me take their picture.

Around 200 women were lined up in two long rows on the street, boiling milk in these pots, allowing it to boil over, then adding rice, vegetables and sugar cane.

The women seemed genuinely happy to see us and encouraged us to take part, stirring pots and shaking hands.

Our guide told us Indians tend to want to look somber for photos, smiling afterward

They loved posing in family groups

The dots are placed on her face to ward off the "evil eye"

kayaking on the river in front of a houseboat. Probably going to market

washing her dishes in the river

Muslim school girls

A contrast between young and old

Muslim men.  In a few days (If I ever get over this jet lag) I'll post a few more pictures

Southern india and Sri Lanka, part 1

If you follow me on Facebook, you already know I was in southern India and Sri Lanka for three weeks.  It was amazing and whirlwind and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. We've started sorting through the pictures and I am posting them, little by little. Some you may have seen already.  Today and tomorrow I'm focusing on the people.

It seems like everyone in India owns a motorcycle, it's certainly the easiest way to get around.  The most people we saw on a bike were five, two adults, two kids and an infant. none wearing helmets.

This is at the flower market, and I would say the majority of men wear this kind of dress, with the younger men tending towards pants.

The back of a truck is seldom empty.  I found everyone in India incredibly friendly.  If you smiled or waved, they broke out in great smiles, shouting hello.

Women in the back of the truck this time, all wearing saris. I don't think we saw any women in India in anything other than saris.

Priests at a temple where people were bringing them offerings to pray for something they needed.

A line of people at another temple, waiting for a free meal the temple would provide to a certain number (depending on the size of the temple) of people. This was not for beggars, but for pilgrimages.

Another priest, waiting to put a red and white dot on my forehead

This little boys first haircut, given by a priest after many blessings and gifts.

It was such a wonderful, busy, intense trip, and a beautiful culture, so different yet in many ways the same as ours.  More pictures tomorrow