Sangam House day 2

The garden in the morning

Cows and birds

Beautiful morning here at Sangam House. There was a green hummingbird outside my window. They take very good care of us here. Arshia made us a "gentle stew" for dinner last night, of chicken and potatoes and carrots.  I fell into bed around 10 p.m., suddenly overcome by losing a day somewhere over the Atlanic.  And I fell asleep to crickets and faint music from somewhere.

Mangala is sweeping my room and her bracelets are tinkling. That sound of sweeping is an almost constant backdrop here, the gentle rhythmic brushing of grass brooms against stone walkways or fallen leaves. Now I hear the drone of an instrument, not sure what it is or where.

I went for a walk; I'll post a few photos. They may be a bit fuzzy, as I have to use my iphone camera; I forgot the cord to transfer photos from my camera. It's very rural here and slow-moving, like rural places everywhere. I walked down the red dirt roads through open fields and passed cows, each with their own attendant white bird, something like a heron. A few people passing through on motorbikes. Women walking in the most beautifully coloured saris and salwar kameez: saffron yellow, emerald green, orange, turquoise. Some wear orange flowers in their hair. I was thinking the men seem plain in comparison when a man in a bright orange tunic came by.

The fields around Nrityagram

Poinsettas grow here and are in bloom now. Also hibiscus (coral), bougainvillea (pink and white), bananas and papayas, and magnolias (very fragrant).  Marigolds, squash, basil, various other kitchen garden plants. Sangam House is in a dance village called Nrityagram. The dancers start their practice at about 9 each morning and we can go and watch them. Visitors come from all over, too, and walk the grounds and watch the dancers.

An interesting fruit of some kind

A small temple