It's hard to believe that my journey is coming to an end in a couple of days. I flew from Varanasi to Mumbai today, and checked in to VITS Mumbai, which bills itself as an elegant business hotel near the airport. My room feels downright luxurious!
The little couch in the separate seating area is perfect for meditation. I got checked into my room just in time to call in for meditation club, which is 5-6pm here. It was a great way to start my stay!
One thing that always strikes me about India is the dichotomy between luxury and poverty, and sanctity and trash. This is the view from my room in this four star hotel. If you zoom in, you can see there are people's homes among all that trash. Trash lines Temple Rd in Ganeshpuri, and chokes the Ganges River. Yet there's no questioning the powerful sacredness in this country. It's a great lesson that everything is Shiva, from the opulence to the filth.
On a lighter note, I'm enjoying kicking back in my big air conditioned room. I've ordered some room service for dinner. I've got my housedress on that I had made from one of my saris. I was inspired by a housedress one of my housemates had at Yogini's house. She let me borrow it one morning to bring to the tailor in Ganeshpuri. The sari was one I purchased on my last trip to Ganeshpuri in 2019. I was so attracted to the colors in the sari, I didn't even think to ask how much it cost. I was shocked when the bill came to half of my spending money for the trip!
Turns out, the sari was made from handspun silk. Pricey, and not that comfortable to wear. It's hot, and it wrinkles easily. That sari hung in my closet from when I got home in 2019 to when I packed it for this trip. I'm so delighted with how my housedress turned out! I will definitely be putting it to good use now. And the best part? My custom made housedress cost 400 rupees, which is about $5.
Tomorrow, I'm off to see some sights in Mumbai. Good night! đâ¨ď¸đ´
you are right, the contrast between the poverty and luxury is striking there! I've heard a lot about the poverty of India, and I was wondering reading your blog and looking at pics if you see any of it there.
How about the 2 previous places you stayed in, Ganeshpuri and Varanasi, have you seen the poor neighborhoods there as well?
You are glowing. What a pilgramage and some more to come!
You cannot stop traveling. Weâre enjoying your travel blog too much. The pics, the different sights, the cultural explanations.