Mysore Adorned

Everywhere you look here things are adorned with color and beauty. Mostly there is symbolism and tradition, or simply aesthetically it is just the way it has been and continues to be. People have their puja, where they pray, and usually there are garlands of flowers which you buy all over the place draping, the sidewalks in front of peoples houses are decorated in mandala's on special occasions and including, you guessed it, the women. The women here dress in fancy, colorful sari's (pronounced see-rie here)to do the laundry - and pretty much every married woman has her nostril pierced, left side means you are married, and it's all gold, and not these little teeny tiny silver specks we see all the time in the US. So of course I had to get mine pierced - what is this my fifth time? We'll see if this one heals, maybe that was the problem all the other times, it's too clean at home, and all the polution, dust and whatever else here is what I need for it to heal - or it could be a few weeks without chubby little hands clawing all over me that will do the trick - (though I can't wait to see those chubby little hands.)

In any case here is the deal if you want to get your nostril pierced while you are in Mysore (by the way Lars did not give me this information). First you go buy the jewlery, which means going to a gold shop, and there happens to be a small reputable one right around the corner from the ATM machine that is closest to the Shala. Then you take it to the hospital which is a short walk, like 100 meters up from the Coconut Stand. You go in and ask for a consultation with the doctor, they bring you to this room, and the next thing you know you've got a nose ring! $108 ruppees for the doctor, the nurse and someone else all involved. I was feeling a little wierd about that part and hoping there was not someone with a more urgent medical need who was waiting while I got my nose pierced - but obviously that didn't stop me. A photo will be forthcoming as well as other news for the day. But it is looking like the power is now out.