The 'Real' India

02.10.11

Today was to be the day for exploring the countryside around Pune with the help of our guide Jon. We were very excited at the prospect of seeing some 'real' India and we were not disappointed!

First things first: a hearty breakfast. Jon took us to one of his local haunts to have a traditional breakfast. we each had a Dhosa, which is like a crispy gound rice parcel slightly flavoured. You can have it plain with curd and other gravy or you can it with potato masala inside; which is delicious.

Next we headed to the train station to get on one of the local trains, which would be heading back towards Mumbai. I really enjoyed the train journey. Like all the trains in India, from what I've seen, you can't move between carriages so this means you have to be ready when the train comes to run/walk alongside the train following the carriage you want to be in.

We had booked a first class ticket, not that you would know this from inside the carriage! What I most enjoyed about the journey was being able to stand by the open doors, hanging on and sticking your head out if you felt brave enough, with the breeze cooling you down and India rushing by. At the stations I'd attract quite a lot of attention, children and parents

waving and staring! Because it is just after monsoon season everything was luch and green with field upon field of wild bright orange flowers. After an hour of this beautiful scenary we arrived at our stop and had about a minute to jump off before the train pulled away again without warning.

Now this would have been quite a tricky day for us without John, but because he can speak Hindi and had done this before it was possible. We walked through the little town we had arrived in, admiring all the small shops and stalls. Along the way John was stopping people to ask where we could get the bus. We got to a junction where there were lots of jeeps (shared taxis) and rickshaws. John asked a rickshaw driver how we could get to Kamshet(pronouced Cum S**t, which of course Martin couldn't get over!). Before we knew we were surrounded by a group of men, who John was conversing with in Hindi, trying to negotiate a decent price with. In between they were chatting in Mahajariti (the 'local' language of the state). The best price we could get was 400R to take us to the mouth of the cave. We knew this was extortionate, because for one

seat in the jeep ot was 15R, but we also knew we could be waiting for ages for the jeep to fill up and full up meant 15 people! So we agreed that for 400R he would drive us there and back.

So we hopped in expectant to leave....we waited..nothing, he would not be rushed. Then out of the wood work came what felt like the whole village and in to the jeep they jumped! WE got going, along the way he picked up 3 more people. Now,I'm not going to lie we did feel a bit cheated! But we thought well this is okay if the villagers get a free ride, we don't mind subsidising their journey! But no, the cheeky b***er then charged every person that got out! Anyway he drove us out of the town and passed a small village until we reached a track at the foot of a steep hill, up the hill we could see the mouth of a cave.

It was a steep climb up to the cave, but the views were stunning, over the paddy fields with a small river tickling through and some of the village homes dotted around. When reached the top there was 2 small caves. The first being a temple,not sure of what faith, possibly Jain, and the next cave consisted of a oval room with small compartments all the way round,

which could have been quarters for the monks.

We made our way back down and called the jeep driver to tell him we would be ready for him to come and pick us up, he said he was on his way. So we ambled back through the village. Here people seem suprised to see us and smiled readily, it was really lovely. We even asked some of the locals if there was anywhere we could by a chai, and they directed us in to the main village further down, it didn't occur to them to sell us some chai, which felt quite refreshing!

After a while we had heard nothing from the jeep driver so called him again and he had turned his phone off! We waited on the road thinking he might show up yet. Of course he didn't so we jumped on a local bus when it went past. It's a good job insisted on giving him only half his money!

After our exertions we decided to get some lunch in a Dharba, where they served us up a delicious snack. We served with soft white bread rolls, more like European bread than we had tried yet, and a small dish of lentils and beans. They even brought us out a sweet desert to try.

Then it was time to head back to Pune. Once we got to Pune we walked home and John led us through the slum area of Pune. People didn't really know what to make of us, but mostly people were really smiley and friendly, no one asked us for money. All the children wanted to say hello and for us to take a picture of them. Martin was happy because he got to join in a game of football. This area was actually fairly well off judging by the bustling market running down the main street and the homes had obviously been there quite a while and were permanent. Although the home were very basic and cramped, they were all very bright and colourful, which was added to by the rainbow of washing that was hung outside most of the homes and down tiny side streets. As we made our way down thin alley ways to the river, there were lots of children

playing football, on their bikes or playing bat and ball. Women were washing their cooking utensils in the street,filling large jugs with water from a communal tap. Once we reached the river and looked along the bank, it was covered with rubbish, children playing amongst it, a few people washing clothes and themselves in the water.

We were beginning to attract quite a crowd as we walked away from the river back the way we came so we decided to head back to John's.

It was a fantastic day.