These are two quotes that make me think so much of my experience here:
"She has to stay indoors. She's very delicate. If she gets dirty, she'll die." This was said contemptuously by a child who thought her white guest was getting too much attention.
"On the wall behind him there was a benign, mouse-haired calendar-Jesus with lipstick and rouge, and a lurid, jewelled heart glowing through his clothes. The bottom quarter of the calendar (the part with the dates on it) frilled out like a skirt. Jesus in a mini. Twelve layers of petticoats of the twelve months of the year."
I'm going to get a picture of a Jesus that is painted on a wall near the entrance to Venus colony. That is a perfect description. Jesus with highlights. Jesus with mascara and eyeliner. I don't know what the Indians are doing with their visualization of Jesus, but it's really unusual. And sad. I've see so many images of Jesus that are kitschy, and he's just the beginning. It seems to be part of Hindu dogma as well.
The quotes (I almost forgot) are from Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things. It's good thus far, but I don't want to comment until I'm finished. It was from before or around p 220.
Two more quick things: First, I bought my train ticket for Delhi yesterday. I'm leaving for the Lotus Temple et. al. on July 12th and will return on the 19th. The train ride will be around 33 hours, I think. Two nights, one day. LONG.
Second, I know that there are people reading my blog that are not commenting. This is the official invite: all are welcome to comment. All are encouraged, actually. And, props to my mom, who has left a comment along the way. But, don't feel like you're obliged to do so. That's it. Have a lovely day.
