Thursday, October 11, 2001: A visit to Guru Nanak's fountain and back to Bugdal! -- Bidar - Bugdal (25 kms)

Namaskar (local greeting),

Got up and attempted some internet but found the connection so slow and often disconnecting, so decided to bag all attempts to send recent pictures and journals to the Hometeam.

Met D.P. and Saurabh (his roommate) and the three of us went to the Sikh Temple in Bidar. I learned here that Guru Nanak, the first guru of Sikhism, made four extended journeys, and one of those was south from the Punjab. On this journey Guru Nakak stopped by Bidar and, according to DP, miraculously brought water where there was a drought. According to DP, the people in Bidar at the time told him that their was no water and he struck the ground with his foot in a certain spot and pure, clean water came out of that spot. Water is still flowing from that spot, and at that site this temple has been built.

The three of us took off our shoes and socks and covered our heads and then walked towards the temple. At the bottom of the temple there is a foot bath that you step into before you walk up the stairs to the main building. There is a worship building where the Holy Book is, which is considered the last Guru. A devotee bows to the Holy Book, then bows at a few other places and is given a sort of porridge food - just a spoonful - to eat, symbolic of receiving a blessing from and being part of God. Another larger hall is for group prayers and special events such as Guru Nanak's birthday.

After visiting the temple the three of us went to the top of a nearby ridge. On the top of this ridge was a pole and on the top of this pole was a spire or spear-shaped object. DP told me that wherever there is a pole with a spire on the top there is a Sikh temple nearby. From this vantage point we could see at least 15 tombs or small domes. I asked about these, and my friends said they knew little about them and that they were Muslim buildings. I perceived a lack of interest in that which was Muslim in this city from my two friends. I was also quite aware of the number of drawings showing Muslims torturing and killing Sikhs in the Sikh temple. I wonder how these images inform one's identification as a victim?

As we walked back towards the city we met six of DP's classmates as they were walking to the temple. They were all quite polite to me and curious as to why I was in Bidar.

D.P. and Saurabh and I stopped at a hotel (restaurant) where we ordered a rice meal and juice each and then I interviewed them both about how Sikh beliefs were applied in their lives. This was a commisioned interview, in that a Friend of PeaceBike sponsored the interview. This program is in a experimental "prototype" stage.

By the time lunch and the interview were finished it was high time I get on my bike and on towards Bugdal as I had phoned Ismail from Hyderabad saying I would be coming yesterday or today.

By the time I had packed to go to Budgal it was 3:30 and I was on the road just before 4:00. The ride to Bugdal was truly bliss, with curious and friendly, but not overbearing fellows riding along with me, chatting in our "Hin-glish" mix. The breezes were with me, the clouds were blessing me with a color show, and the sun cast its last golden rays across green fields. There were many groups of people harvesting jowar as I had seen in Andhra.

I recognized Bugdal's new mosque (masjid) from a distance and knew I was close.

Feelings of coming back to a familar place welled up in me, and I started feeling excited. I didn't quite find my own way to the family house. A growing number of kids kept joining our little parade and a few came up to me and helped me with the last few turns until I recognized the door to our friends’ house. While I was at the door I recognized Fatima, Sultan's wife, even though she was outside the home and completely covered (except for eyes, hands, and feet) in a black outfit called a burka here.

I came in with my bike, just barely squeezing through the door. Soon I met Sultan with a handshake and a "Salaam wualekum". For dinner that night I was treated to coconut chutney, omelette squares (andeka omelette), a yellow rice (kichidee), yogurt (dahi) with some spices and a touch of oil, a bindi dish (okra), and a few flat pieces of chapatis. I was prepared to be well-fed and had not eaten any snacks that afternoon. Later that night Sultan and I went to the Dak Bangalow and got my gear all unloaded. I settled in and felt thankful, very thankful to be back in Bugdal.

A thankful heart, a cool breeze....in Bugdal again,

TAD