What I love about life in India...12 rickshaws

Next on my list of "What I love about life in India" is

Rickshaws

Here in our town we have three varieties to choose from:

My personal favorite is the cycle rickshaw, any season these are available and a very inexpensive way to get from point A to point B. Because our town is quite small you can get just about anywhere fairly quickly for about fifty rupees which is approximately one dollar in North America.

I have a few I always choose to go with, they are the guys that are strong and have never tried to rip me off, When they see me coming there is a race to get to me first, it's an ongoing joke among them.

What I love most about cycle rickshaws is that you can get around easily and still check out the sights along the way!

The next type of rickshaw is a tuk tuk or in this area it is knows as an "auto"

Although much faster they do tend to be double the price and I find the drivers often rude, they have always attempted to charge me more than double the going rate despite my Indian garb and Hindi capabilities and on top of that they often take on more passengers stuffing as many people into the ride as possible, which in India is about ten more than there are actual seats for. I rarely utilize there services to be honest.

The last form of rickshaw just became available in our area this year; the electric rickshaws are much better for the environment than the traditional tuk tuk and the price tends to rival the cycle rickshaw, the only downside is the lack of shocks to help absorb our bumpy road conditions.

Maneuvering our streets can be difficult by car but all three of these can get down our narrow ally ways and vehicles are technically restricted from our marketplace but cycle and electric rickshaws are are allowed and even the autos find their way in, which makes them all super convenient.

Living here I often find it easier to hail a rickshaw then worry about traffic or parking, all forms are always around which takes the stress out of getting anywhere, plus it adds to the Indian experience!

Still more to come in this series be sure to check back next weekend!

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Wednesday's Wisdom

Wednesday's Wisdom

I am as guilty as the next person getting caught up in the day to day goings on of life and not cultivating the time to do what my soul aches to do.

Why is it we often forgo doing that which is good for our soul?

Why do we put it off until we are on vacation,  have alone time, less work or a different living condition, etc.?

I haven't been able to figure out the answers to the questions I've posed, perhaps its conditioning, or it somehow feels easier to go against what feels great. Maybe we feel it needs to be saved as a reward for our hard work. Whatever the reason I am vowing from this point forward to do more of what feels good for my soul! 

Doing what is good for our soul, in my humble opinion is the purpose of our existence. It is why we are here, to enjoy and connect to that authentic part of ourselves that comes alive when take the time to listen to our soul prompts.

I'm going to share my experience on my facebook page and twitter account with the hashtag #goodforthesoul I hope you will too, perhaps we can inspire one another!

Will you join me in this mission!?

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A list of things I love about life in India...11 Chai

Next on my list is...

Chai


Chai translates to tea, but in India its not just a drink it's an experience.

Now let me back a track a little about me; I have never been a coffee drinker or tea drinker. Many North Americans can't start their day without caffine but it never appealed to me. I like the aroma and the taste and have indulged occasionally in one of the designer cups of coffee trying expresso in high school to fit in with the now crowd, sitting in the popular chains writing and fueling myself with one of their flavoured coffees and while I like them I didn't long for them and never wanted to it to become a habitual.

I have also and still do enjoy a cup of Green tea or any number of herbal teas but none have ever been a daily occurance.

When I first traveled to India I didn't indulge in the sweet fluid called chai, I had adopted a sattvic diet shortly after arriving and when my friend and I began touring around meeting locals she would secretly exchange her empty glass for my full one and finish it for me so I wouldn't look rude to our Indian hosts. In fact one day she ended up drinking about twelve cups of chai and was a bit strung out by the time we returned to our ashram! But that's what dear friends do for each other.

*refusing chai can be considered an insult to the Indian host


When I moved to India my husband insisted I drink chai stating its importance; many Indians feel it's a life sustaining fluid that should be drank a minimum of two times a day, one cup in the morning and one late afternoon and it is the cultural norm to fed it to children and babies alike. 

I resisted at first but when I made the move to India I also made a promise to myself that I would be up to fully adapting to Indian culture, well at least trying it on and what felt right I would keep, the rest would be discarded but that is a whole other series!

I fell in love with our morning ritual of quietly sipping the sugary yet spicy liquid, some days it would be served as "bed tea" other days we'd sit on the rooftop and shortly after moving into our families joint home preparing morning chai for my husband and in laws became my first official duty. To this day five years later I still wake before my family and prepare chai not because it is a "duty" anymore but because I love to do it. It's a special time for family and friends to come together and connect, words don't even have to be spoken.

Here in India chai flavor tends to be a little more simple than in the west. Our family recipe is simple we bring a bit of water to a boil, add loose tea, then add fresh crushed ginger, after this to has boiled we add sugar then milk, After the milk has been added a total of three boils should take place to prepare the perfect cup of chai.

We do vary it up from time to time for instance in the winter we add fresh cracked black pepper to bring some warmth to the body, throughout the year it is not uncommon to add a couple pieces of crushed cardamom (this is also great if you have an upset stomach) but my favorite is in the summer months when we pick fresh Tulsi leaves from our courtyard, Tulsi is renowned for its healing property and adds a light earthy taste and is great with or in place of the ginger.

Chai is a constant presence in India and stalls line the streets of our town and while I love home chai when we journey to a stall the wallahs are always excited to have us there and it adds another element to the chai experience!

Be sure to check back next weekend for more of "What I love about life in India"

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Wednesday's Wisdom

Wednesday's Wisdom is back!

This one made me stop and really contemplate life and how easily it can shift...

So much can happen in one day. our worlds can be forever altered.

I remember when I was just twenty one years old and I had just moved back to my home town my best friend and I went out for an evening of dancing and fun, the next day she wasn't feeling well and I had a million things to do i.e. finding job, renting an apartment etc... I was to busy over the next couple of days for a visit, we chatted briefly on the phone then on the third day I received a phone call from her mother, turns out my bff not feeling well was actually kidney failure and she passed away. My world forever altered in one day.

My husband looked at me and smiled, my life forever altered in one day.

After reading the above words of wisdom not only did it make me for grateful for my days, simply as they are, no trauma or drama's to report, but also for the excitement of what else can unfold in just one day...

There are so many more examples I could share but I'm sure you get it and you too have experienced this "change" in just one day. I'd love to hear your stories and if you'll agree I'd even share some of them next week. Tell me how has one day changed your life? You can comment below or email me 1balancedsoul@gmail.com

My series "What I love about Life in India" will continue this weekend!

A list of things I love about life in India...10 Holi

There is so much more going in and around my world that I need to voice so much so that I've actually developed a bit block in my throat chakra!

So I have decided since there is still a lot that I love about India and want to share with you I'm going to continue with this series but I'll only post the series once a week, the intention is the weekend so if you've been following make sure you stop by on Saturday or Sunday each week.

I will also try to get a post in mid week about some of the things that are transpiring in my world but for now the series

Number ten on the list is...

Holi

The "Festival of Colour" or better known in India as the "Festival of Love" now I could generalize and talk about all of the  Festivals, and it's true I love many but Holi by far, is my favorite and something I look forward to every single year!

This picture here on the right is from my very first Holi celebrations five years ago where I played with children in a charity school.





Our auspicious town is quite special this time of year since one of the stories surrounding the origin of Holi explains that Krishna who was darker in colour decided to paint the fair skin of his beloved Radha. He did so in such a loving and joyful manner that everyone wanted to join in on the fun.



So thousands of people flock to our town to partake in the festivities; the crowds walk the streets and attend temples where colour is thrown with wreckless abandon.

It can reach a feverish tone and I for one tend to avoid the crowds now and just play with my family and children in our home and neighborhood. The kids love throwing colour on passerby's and the giggles and shouts of "Holi Hai" can be heard all over.

No one is safe; if you leave your house there will be colour thrown on you, my in laws turn into children on this day and to watch them laugh and enjoy themselves so much makes my heart swell with love.

 My kids are at such fun ages for this festival and were real troopers outlasting some of their older siblings!

Have you celebrated Holi? If so please share with me your experience and if you've never had an opportunity consider joining us here in India next year for this celebration at our Guesthouse!