The langur monkey is hired out to scare off members of the local tribe of monkeys that live in the jungle near our house, but who become pests this time of year in their search for food.  Several mornings ago, our housekeeper reproted a monkey had been sitting on our dining table helping himself to Evan's leftover strawberries, gingerly plucking them one at a time, alternating with finger scoops into the butter, impervious to her shooings.  When I was sitting out on our deck enjoying my morning coffee this weekend, she brought me a stick: "You hit monkey when it come."

Mom arrived and on our first walk through the neighborhood we came upon the beginnings of a wedding celebration.  The groom rode astride the white horse under a sequenced umbrella while a 20 piece bank played loud, jovial music, and the well-dressed guests danced Bollywood-style in the streets.   Eventually 1000-rupee notes (~USD 20) were flung into the air, much to the amazement of the street waifs who had gathered on the fringes to gawk (like us).   Lots of foreigners were among the guests.  Apparently it is chic to invite all yoru foreign acquaintances to your wedding, no matter how limitd your connection. 





My yoga teacher Raju invited me and a couple of her other AES students to a party to celebrate Holi, the start of spring and the celebration of new life.  Powdered color, most of it containing toxic metals, is pressed into one's forehead, or if you are being playful, it can be smeared especially on the face, or diluted and sprayed with water guns and thrown in water balloons. Years ago, the streets were said to be in utter mayhem with roving intoxicated gangs 'attacking' anyone in their path with color.  There is a special drink of milk with almonds and spcies containing some derivative of hashish that is commonly ingested on this special occasion, and getting 'high' is appropriate for even the most upstanding. However we weren't invited to by anyone to partake, and had to settle for theparty at the American Embassy.  Out on the baseball field in a contained area were vats of colored

water, no doubt inspected for safety, and on the barbeque, burgers of course. Nobody was getting high.  Even our lime sodas were virgin. We haven't truly lived the Holi experience this time around.  However when Mom and I went on a morning walk in my favorite Delhi garden, Lodi Garden, families were picnicking and enjoying water fights, and mischievous boys topped and asked us for a photo, and proceeded to smear our faces in color, doubtless toxic. So we know how to live dangerously. 

For more and better images of what Holi is like, go to my colleague Eric Johnson's Smugmug