Kanchipuram
Trip Start
Feb 07, 1993
1
5
13
Trip End
Mar 19, 1993
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
Thursday, February 11, 1993
We had Tiffin for lunch - rice, chapatis, pappadums and small bowls of vegetable curries (the south of India is almost exclusively vegetarian) for 15R - about 75 cents. Ridiculously cheap by any standards, but even more so as this was absolutely delicious. The last stop of the day was Kanchipuram where we visited the Perumal temple with its huge goporum or temple gate. This is covered in carvings depicting prominent characters and events from the Hindu Scriptures which while now white would originally have been painted in brilliant colours. As members of the lowest caste (Dalit) were not allowed entry into the temple proper, the goporum allowed them to feel at least somewhat included in the religious experience by viewing depictions of it from outside.
Oddly enough even though some devout Indians were precluded from entering, two white unbelievers were more than welcome. There were some white robed Brahmans (the highest Hindu caste) sitting cross-legged in a little raised pavillion near an ablutions pool. I asked them if they would mind having their photo taken with me, which they kindly agreed to. Our guide suggested that I buy a temple sweet from them for 4R, which I did.
Smoked cigarettes with the locals when we got outside and went shopinf\g at the littl emarket near the temple gate. Bought two saris, three pairs of shorts, two shirts and a towel from a shop the tour guide dropped us at for 900R (including discount of course). My Corporate AmEx seemed to confuse them as it took about 45 minutes for the transaction to be concluded.
Our final stop of the day was Sriperumbudur where Rajiv Ghandi was assassinated by a suicide bomber a couple of years ago. The bus just stopped by the side of the road and there didn't seem to be anything there, but as soon as we got out we were surrounded by kids demanding Australian coins for their "coin collections". I distributed a few $1 and $2 before getting back on the bus and heading back to the Himalaya. Had a quick meal at the vegetarian hotel downstairs then called it a night.
