Ajmer and begging

When you wake up at 4 or 5 am, there's not a lot to go and do.  It's dark until about 6:30.

I went out last night to look for food and enjoyed the tramp through the markets.  This town is heavily muslim.  Khwaja Muri-ud-din Chishti settled here in the early 13th century.  He was a highly regarded muslim Indian who at the age of 13 gave his inheritance to the poor and adopted a pious and simple life as a Sufi fakir.  He believed that there was one higher power, and that the different religions were material manifestations of the same, thus promoting tolerance and unity between Hindis and Muslims.  I am no student of Islam but this is different than anything I had ever heard of.  Anyway, apparently the feeling is that this attitude still prevails in this area today.

I haven't written much about the beggars.  I think India is famous for them, and rightly so.  They are everywhere, particularly at central locations such as temples, mosques, railway stations and tourist areas.  There are different schools of thought regarding what the appropriate response is to them.  Regardless of what one decides, the sight of people so disenfranchised is wrenching.  In Pushkar, there was a man without some or all of each of his hands and feet, rolling about on the ground right in the street.  I don't think a few rupees from me would make any difference but it is hard not to be affected.  The old woman over on the curb with her hand out is someone's mother.  And the dirty little children whose hair looks as if it has never been brushed, barefoot with dirty, torn clothes and a dark look in their eyes-they are probably hungry.

If you give to them, are you perpetuating a habit that will keep them from other possibilities or are you helping them eat their next meal?  Or are you giving money to their 'pimps'?

If you refuse, are you being a cold hearted rich bastard or are you avoiding a con game?

None, and all, may be true, and each person decides for themselves.  It is hard to look at them, but for sure it's harder to be in their shoes.

I'm in Bundi now, a delightful small town where people are actually friendly, they say hello constantly, not just kids either.  This is a first so far on this trip.