Shiva, Pushkar

I saw Shiva no more than three brief periods of maybe 15-20 minutes each, before he invited me to his cousins wedding in Pushkar, a 40 hr train ride from where we were in Gokarna, on the Karnataka coastline. And with my ever cautious western mind, I needed some time to think about this amazing offer from a virtual stranger. After a few days lazing on a nearby beach, I decided that I would be crazy to turn down this opportunity. In making this decision, I had changed the entire plan of my visit to India. Instead of covering both coastlines of the south, I would instead head north to the deserts of Rajasthan, and afterwards onto the cultural Hindu heartland of Varanasi, then North east to the Himalayan region of Sikkim. It's always good to keep an open mind!

So one month later I met up with Shiva in Pushkar. Everywhere I went I was offered food and chai. I was introduced to Shiva's entire family, and shown around the families farm. All his friends and relatives were incredibly welcoming. The hospitalty shown towards me was very heart warming. Life has been very tough for the farmers in Rajasthan for a few years now, like many farmers the world over. One of my favourite meals was a few varities of of chapati, a dahl (all prepared over an open flame in a mud hut come kitchen), and some deliciuos, rich buffalo curd which was fresh that evening. I was served first and made to eat twice as much as anyone else. Even though times are financially difficult and very frustrating for Shiva's family, I was amazed by their generosity and happiness. Food has never tasted so good as when it has come from someone who cannot afford to share it. This is one meal I will always remember.

This is not so much a story about the wedding, that is another one entirely, but more about friendship and generosity. Shiva just wanted to share with me, a complete stranger, some of his culture, to have a new friend. Our friends are one of the most important gifts we have in this life.