So I was met at the airport by teachers from Madurai. they took teh The Royal Court Hotel and I rested from my days journey. I was met the next morning and taken to my room to be dressed. Lakshimi had brought a sari and jewellry and Jasmine for my hair..as well as the bhindi and I was magically turned into an Indian woman. I felt very beautiful. Lakshima and her son Vidya and Robert another teacher and a friend took me throughout Mandurai..the best day in India yet.
Our first stop was teh famous Sri Meenakshi Temple.....HUGE. I was very appreciative to have the guidance. However I also become a site seeign attraction... western woman dressed in saree, with mendhi hands and after a special pooja ceremony, completely garlanded with wedding garlands from Meenakshi... so I was surrounded by people from Kerala who wanted to know who I had married...not married just feeling like a Hindu princess.
I took pictures with some of the ladies adn one of a little girl that was simply beautiful.
We headed up the mountain to a temple that had water flowing from the depths for over 3000 years...I was again was given a special pooja ceremony and taken down into the specail bathing area..where I stepped in and joined the rest being blessed by the water but looking slightly like coralled animals. It was brilliant, Vydia, Lakshima and me were first to dip in and splash. We then finsihed with a little picnic right in the temple of rice wrapped in banana leaf and some very sweet treats. I was blessed with the ash and garlands and then we finished our day with a stop at a coffee shop and walk through of a Mahatma Ghandi memorial... all in all a very Hindu day the left me in awe. I did not have enough gratitude for the kindess of my hosts...I was heartbroken to see them leave. It was a very special day.
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