Entering plain south Assam

Entering plain south Assam

The Sikh priest is called Granthi and been a truck driver for 34 years. Now he takes care at this temple where nearly only truck drivers are his ‚clients‘. This temple offers beside the religous servises, a washing opportunity and a toilet to the mostly Sikh truck drivers. What a nice idea. Opposite side of the road is a Sikh Punjabi restaurant. Best culture service.
At the early afternoon the Granthi switches on the water pump, which runs by a loud generator. He waters all the plants, washes the entrance area and fills up the water bottles in front of the temple and inside the house. Because I just sat down for a meditation I just continue with my practice of observing…. one hour meditation, one our generator….
The generater is followed by one hour loudspeaker devotional songs and another hour of reciting the holy book. After the television is turned on.
Just before I go to bed, done from the penetration of sound since 5h, its the second night at the Gurudwara, while coming back from the toilet, there are two leeches at the foot of my right leg. One is already attached, the other one busy to find the right spot. I know, its good to let them behave to take a portion of blood, then they fall off. It’s even benefitial to the host, but I am so exhausted, just want to sleep, not in the mood to wait for another half hour or so. I just want to lay down. I show the Granthi the situation. He runs into the kitchen. Before I really can react, salt is on the leeches, they cramp and fall down and immediately die. I thought, they would just fall down, could maybe crowl away…. I feel so sorry for them. But its to late…..

Coming from very Christian mountain Meghalaya, having two nights at the Sikh Gurudwara, now I enter a very Moslem area in plain south Assam. Seems, that the Gurudwara was something like a bridge between this two cultures. The Moslems folk roots belong to the Bangladeshi, also language wise.
I realize, that I still have a little prejudice against Moslems. I have been guest at so many Moslem families, I even practised while being in Moslem countries, the prayer movements in silence, enjoyed so much hospitality. But still there is this little rest of uncomfortableness with ‚Moslem collective behaviour that Moslem believe, they will be the winner and somehow will overtake (other religions)’…..
I really do not like this feeling in my system and start doing some forgiving exercise, forgiving myself for cultivating this feelings and where it comes from (what I don’t know). First I think of a Christian forgiveness exercise, which I love very much (from Christine Ponder), but I end up with the Ho’oponopono by Hawaiian Kahuna culture and a melody accoures inside of me from a Jordan band, guided by Atef and Rawan from Amman. It says and its supereffective and deep

‚I am so sorry
I love you
Please forgive me
And Thank you‘

I am aware of my sensational area in my chest/upper belly, where I feel this uncomfort reguarding this topic. I walk for a while with this…. (sometimes I thing also of the leeches last night)
After some hours I meet Dr Ohi Uddin Ahmed, so he puts himself in my adress list. He just finished his Dr in philosophy by writing about the cast system in his local Moslem society. He lives some km further in my direction…. the sun is strong and hot today, so it’s perfect to stop walking at midday. I accept happily his invitation.
His family is overwhelmingly friendly. It feels they have at least 30 members, he himself grew up with 5 brothers and 5 sisters. Also here an interview for the local online news channel.
Moslem culture is very hospitable, but in India I had until now little contact.
If there is a guest in the house/houses the women stay in the kitchen to prepare food… as the guest, in this case, sits in separate room/house. The responsibility of the men is, to talk with the guest and comfort him with all of his wishes…. Sometimes Ahmed is taking care of me, if he has to leave the room, a younger brother takes over… here Didarul, a musician, still waiting for more success. In the moment Ahmed comes back, the younger one makes space… So, also today, as I am the guest, they keep me busy all the time, uninterrupted being asked questions. The family tried often, to invite a foreigner from the street, but until no one had accepted.
For my body refreshing I get guided to a fish pond, where the whole family takes care of the fishes, they like to eat. This pond is also the washing pond for body and clothes. Didarul and some other male relatives are standing at the side to look, how I wash myself, carrying a underwear. After the washing procedure one of the teens boys says ‚you have very nice legs‘.
Little rest time followed by a short walk through the neighbourhood’s and little while after to Ahmeds sisters house, where other young men, young teacher, were delighted to see me. One of them wrote one Facebook (with a pic of me ‚today we have a guest out of our dreams‘)

While walking next day again on the street, greetings and friendly interest from all sides. Overwhelmed I cant respond to all greetings, request, to come to there shops, sit with them, talk to them. I hope I did not harm anyone by refusing here and there a invitation.

Because of this ongoing flow of invitations and free stays in the peace walk manner, since about nearly 2 weeks, (after the Corona aria) I dont want to interrupt this wave and contact Narendra from Rampur/Himachal Pradesh, who offered earlier, to book me a hotel, when needed…. Its so comfortable to arrive in a place, here Silchar, when someone, even online, arranged a place to stay.
Thanks Narandra.

Slowly or not so slowly I promised myself, to find out here, how the Myanmar Visa issue is to solve, who could help me in this Corona times to get a half year Visa, what is wise to do or not. And again, even after this lots of journeys, I still have a uncomfortness in myself, when I have to get permission, have to ask someone (embassy) who could decide about my fate, even though I have clear instructions from inside.
I want to walk over the border. In this case it is possible, that I have to get to Myanmar embassy in New Delhi, to get a stamp there, have to travel back, and cross the border.
With an online application its proparbly so, that I cant enter by walking, so I maid need to get by plane to Yangoon or Mandalay airport, getting a transportation to the east side of the border, to continue walking inside Myanmar.
So, how can I get a Visa without travelling somewhere and be able to walk from Indian side over the border into Myanmar?…. I dont want to make a mistake….. Want to get a long Visa…. want to walk over the border….

I can only say in trust again

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you

Love
Thomas