I want to make clear that although many touts are pushy, they often deliver marks to perfect salespersons. Faruk, for example, made a good pitch at his $135 and $160 2 and 3 piece suits. I can only wish that I had his sales skill – it would make me rich quickly.
Had I not had previous sales experience I still likely would not have commissioned his work, but I likely would have only been able to refuse in a way that was rude or unseemly. It really was to only my sales training’s credit that I left with dignity. Not so long ago, I would only have been able to refuse outright rather than come up with multiple polite excuses.
I have written much about circumstantial experiences here but there are things singular to Varanasi as compared to the US or UK. The sales experience is one, but more striking is the level of religious devotion. Icons are ubiquitous and beyond that makeup on foreheads is extremely common. Men also paint finger and toenails red – I assume this has religious significance because so much else does. Many times in the morning I have been woken by melodic chanting which I found quite foreign and pleasing. Also in any given day I either cross paths with or hear the nearby chanting of a troupe carrying a corpse to Manikarnika Ghat. They usually yell what sounds like “Ram nam satiya” and I am told that this means “The name of Ram is truth.”
I paid for Hindi lessons today – Rs 2000 for ten hours. Anu and Abi were both in the mood to discuss war relations. Anu talked about the line of control and told me that it had not moved since 72, despite Pakistan capturing abandoned Indian outposts temporarily and occasionally. I told him that I heard a Chinese American say that when the conflict between India and Pakistan is resolved then China will take Jammu and Kashmir from the claimant.
Anu took me seriously and said this was not a possibility. He said that at one time China also wanted Sikkim but no longer, and that relations between China and India were never better.
Abi specifically said that he wanted India to go to war with Pakistan. I said this is not possible as Pakistan has nuclear weapons. He said that India also has nuclear weapons. I explained that this was not important, as it was unacceptable to attack any nuclear nation. I said that Delhi could be lost.
Abi said that two cities at most could be lost and that the entire nation of Pakistan would fall in the process. He said that continually Indian soldiers die in Kashmir and in terrorist acts, such as the attempted Parliament bombing four years ago.. He said it would be better to attack now and end fear for the foreseeable future.
The cavalier attitude with which he would dismiss the population of Delhi is strange to me. It is not upsetting because I think that he thinks that Pakistan would be unable to mount a nuclear assault. If he thought they could do so – it would be upsetting, and I would hope that he would think twice