A Beloved City, Mysore

We thoroughly enjoyed our week in Mysore, an historic city, seat of the maharajas (kings) for centuries. Its historic architecture and tree-lined streets reminded me a little bit of Savannah. However, the incredibly opulent Mysore palace, one of the most popular visitor destinations in the world, has no comparison in Savannah – or the entire US. “Joy Rides” on an elephant or camel are also hard to come by in the States. Our hosts and GSE coordinators in Mysore were excellent and really helped us gain an appreciation for their beloved city.

Holy Cow Part Deux. (Ever seen a yellow cow?!)

I keep saying it: India is such a vibrant and chaotic country that it makes American seem dull and over-orderly in comparison. Thursday was no exception as the many Hindus of India prepared for a multi-day harvest festival celebration called Shankranti. For this special day, people stay home from work, prepare special meals, decorate their homes in spiritual adornment and pray in special ways to their sacred deities. For our group, the most exciting part was the ceremonial rubbing of the cows with turmeric.

A yellow spice known for its antiseptic qualities, turmeric both cools the cows and repels pesky insects. For at least one festival a year, these lucky cows are bathed and rubbed down with turmeric. (It’s the Hindus’ way of thanking the holy animal for their milk and dung, which is used as fuel in many rural and poorer households.) All over town you could see bright yellow cows cruising down the roadways, munching on roadside trash piles or lingering in front of their homes. What a sight to see!

Many thanks to all the Rotarians and their families who spent part of their special holy day with us. Special thanks to Suchita, my Mysore host mother, for taking the group of us on a highly successful shopping trip. And to Nagaraj, our wonderful driver, who chauffeured us around.

For those of you back home, hope you enjoy the photos…