I have had a nagging cough for about two weeks now. It was annoying before I left for the Punjab and it has gotten progressively worse. Today I was walking home from my lesson with M.N. and I actually got short of breath. It scared me so I went to the doctor again just now, despite having gone only two days before. He recommended blood work and I had that also at a clinic down the road. They charged Rs 160 for several tests and I saw their lab – they do gram staining and whatnot there themselves.
Amritsar was great. I stayed in a temple to Sri Chand and was fortunate to find an excellent guide who tended all my needs for the two and a half days that I was there. I took notes and will relate the info later – it is mostly a historical narrative about a sect of Sikhs.
The weather has become oppressively hot. The clothes which I have worn till now will not suffice. I still refuse to wear shorts and t-shirts; I will look into getting some more kurta-pyjama type dress, because that is cool and it counts as semi-formal here.
Nandan asked me almost right away as to whether I ate meat in the Punjab. I told him yes, I ate fish once and chicken twice. I think it was a matter of curiosity to him.
When I decided to leave Punjab for Benares I assumed that Amritsar was enough of a tourist destination to have a tourist counter at their railway station. I thought this despite only having seen two groups of Westerners – six people total – while I was there. My guide advised me to book in advance, but I was sure I would get a good seat. I was wrong.
I got a seat in the general car. It is quite fortunate to have a seat. The 1200km journey cost me Rs 206, or about $4.50. It was no bother for me because (1) I had a seat and (2) I knew that I really did not have to be there if I did not want to be. But I saw the real India… double occupancy on seats, standing room for all else, people in the overhead baggage compartment, people overhead hanging off things in general, and at every station on the whole trip more people always got on than left. No one ever checked tickets because there was no room to walk, but the boys selling tobacco and samosas managed to climb over the crowd at every station. I am sure that a great many of them make no more than Rs 50 a day.
I was dirty and exhausted when I arrived home after 25 hours.