A Night of A Hundred Sitars

Dear Daughter,

Last Friday, Papa went to the Meenakshi temple and there were musicians there inside the temple with over 100 sitars! The sitar is a stringed instrument like our guitars, but you play them sitting down and across your lap. There were also some Tabla players, which are the small, Indian drums that you like to listen to. It was an amazing experience.

Here are some pictures, and when I get back, I will show you the videos I made so that you can also hear them!

I love you,

Papa

Blessed by an Elephant

Dear Daughter,

Last evening, Papa went to the Meenakshi Temple here in Madurai. It is a very large complex of hallways and buildings, filled with amazing statues, paintings, and even an elephant! There were many families there and lots of candles and incense burning as well as chanting and music. The elephant lives in the temple complex and was giving "blessings" to many of the people there. They would bow down and she would touch them on the forehead with her trunk to bless them. It was a wonderful experience.

I love you,

A Very Different Cathedral

Dear Daughter,
Papa walked into town today and went to see the very, very old Temple here in the middle of center, just like there is the one we went to in Antwerp the last day I was there, but this one is very different. It is a large Hindu temple dedicated to a goddess named, Meenaskhi, which means "fish-eyed" in Sanskrit. She was one of Shiva's consorts, and he is a very important God here in India who is said to have created the universe just by dancing! What do you think about that?

There are four temples around a large courtyard, but Papa did not go in today yet as there was not enough time today. Outside the temple, all of the little girls had their hair braided with very sweet-smelling flowers in their hair, and they wore jingling-jangling bangles on their ankles. And, in order to go into the temple, you have to take of your shoes, so everyone was barefoot too.
I love you. Papa