Loving Life in Rishikesh
Rishikesh is divided into several parts: There is Ram Jhula, with the biggest ashrams, two ATMs, a bustling market, a bunch of temples, and loads of people. There is Laksman Jhula, with its decidedly backpacker feel, restaurants that cater to westerners, an equaly bustling market, and more temples. Both Ram Jhula and Laksman Jhula are spread over two sides of the Ganga river and have pedestrain bridges that connect the parts. These areas are fairly calm, and are serviced by jeep taxis but not autorickshaws. Then there is Rishikesh town, which is a typical Indian crazy, zoo-y, horn-honking, crowded, busy place. The town is accessible via autorickshaws (the most obnoxious of the horn-equipped vehicles).
From Laksman Jhula to Ram Jhula it is about a 20 minute walk along a paved road, or you can walk along the paved path that skirts the Ganga river. I take the road, for two reasons. The first is that it is home to all the familiar faces of the people I know here. Granted, I don't really know them, but every day for two months we have exchanged "namastes" and smiled at each other in that way you do with people you see often but never talk to.
Just after leaving Laksman Jhula I pass the police station, whose force offers "Friendship / Service / Security", in case you need any of those things.
Next I pass the old man sqatting next to his fire-in-a-can who sells papadams (a round, flat, crunchy, snacky kind of thing) on the side of the road. After that is the man with the bathroom scale, who you can pay to learn how much you weigh (I never did). I pass four or five beggars, depending on the day. One is blind, one has only one leg, one is (literally) only skin and bones, one has only one arm. The man with one leg is the only one who is aggressive. Or at least he was, until a western man helped him with his English so he could solicit money in a way that was more palatable to westerners. 
In the final stretch coming into Ram Jhula I pass the Indian Office Depot, with the very-friendly proprietor who speaks very-good English. He and I sometimes chat.
The second reason I take the road is because it drops me directly at my favorite place, the Moondance Cafe, in Ram Jhula. I was introduced to Moondance on my first day in Rishikesh, and I go there nearly every day. The food is delicious and hygenic, and the menu offers Indian/Tibetan/Nepali food along with a full selection of western dishes. And it's all vegetarian. In fact, Rishikesh is all vegetarian; meat is illegal here. The food is great, but even if it wasn't, I would still come here.
And that is because of the Nepali guys who work here, most specifically my sweet friend, Dev (pronounced 'Dave'), who I have completely fallen in love with.
I forgot to mention the butter cookie vendor - there are several of these around town. For 10 rupees you can get a small bag of super delicious, freshly baked butter cookies. They are really good! But this is about the last job I would want in the summer in India; that oven puts off a huge amount of heat.
From Laksman Jhula to Ram Jhula it is about a 20 minute walk along a paved road, or you can walk along the paved path that skirts the Ganga river. I take the road, for two reasons. The first is that it is home to all the familiar faces of the people I know here. Granted, I don't really know them, but every day for two months we have exchanged "namastes" and smiled at each other in that way you do with people you see often but never talk to.
Just after leaving Laksman Jhula I pass the police station, whose force offers "Friendship / Service / Security", in case you need any of those things.
Next I pass the old man sqatting next to his fire-in-a-can who sells papadams (a round, flat, crunchy, snacky kind of thing) on the side of the road. After that is the man with the bathroom scale, who you can pay to learn how much you weigh (I never did). I pass four or five beggars, depending on the day. One is blind, one has only one leg, one is (literally) only skin and bones, one has only one arm. The man with one leg is the only one who is aggressive. Or at least he was, until a western man helped him with his English so he could solicit money in a way that was more palatable to westerners. In the final stretch coming into Ram Jhula I pass the Indian Office Depot, with the very-friendly proprietor who speaks very-good English. He and I sometimes chat.The second reason I take the road is because it drops me directly at my favorite place, the Moondance Cafe, in Ram Jhula. I was introduced to Moondance on my first day in Rishikesh, and I go there nearly every day. The food is delicious and hygenic, and the menu offers Indian/Tibetan/Nepali food along with a full selection of western dishes. And it's all vegetarian. In fact, Rishikesh is all vegetarian; meat is illegal here. The food is great, but even if it wasn't, I would still come here.
And that is because of the Nepali guys who work here, most specifically my sweet friend, Dev (pronounced 'Dave'), who I have completely fallen in love with.I forgot to mention the butter cookie vendor - there are several of these around town. For 10 rupees you can get a small bag of super delicious, freshly baked butter cookies. They are really good! But this is about the last job I would want in the summer in India; that oven puts off a huge amount of heat.
posted by No Day But Today | 5:13 AM
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