in search of holy water.
in search of holy water.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Arvind and I took our final hike together before we make our visa run to the States in a couple weeks. Driving east of our city, and past two small towns where two pastors were recently threatened, we arrived at a temple tucked away in a wooded climb.
The town is neatly divided between Muslims and Hindus. Squat, domed mosques with sea-green minarets face towering, colorful temples. One is image-less. The other teeters with roughly designed figures of armed gods. One is color-sparing. The other explodes with every conceivable hue. One is attended by black burkas. The other, brightly flowing saris.
There is power in their contrast. They are a pair of religions born in different worlds, from different eras, thrust into a shared neighborhood by a sordid, bloody history.
We made our way up concrete steps to a Hindu temple built atop a fresh spring. Men and women bathed and filled jugs. It is believed that the water washes away sin.
Beyond the temple we spotted lots of wildlife – lizards, monkeys, and a variety of birds including wild peacocks. It was a great trek.