This is the small city where Ranvir lives. After breakfast we went to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in the ninth and tenth centuries by the Chandela Dynasty which dominated Central India at that time. The intricate erotic stone carvings here have come to symbolize the important role of love and prana energy in the Hindu religion. I was pleasantly surprised that this site was cleaner and more impressive than Angkor Wat in Cambodia. There were very few people visiting the site while we were there.
Then we went to eat lunch at a small outdoor restaurant run by Ranvir’s nieces. In front of the restaurant some men with defanged cobras in baskets greeted us. Eeek! The food was not spicy. The way they cooked eggplant was tasty. They used smaller eggplants like the Japanese eggplants. They dipped very thinly sliced pieces into a mixture of egg white, cornstarch, and salt. Then the pieces were fried.
Next, we drove to the airport and checked in for our flight to Varanasi. I had my peepers puppet in my pocket, and the lady checking me asked what was in my pocket. I took them out, put them on my finger, and said, “Hello!” to her. She laughed and waved me on. While we were waiting for the plane, I checked out the gift shop. After some bargaining, I bought a necklace and a bracelet for cash so the vendor wouldn’t have to pay tax.
Before dinner this evening, we were entertained by two musicians. The uncle played the sitar and the nephew played the dumbak before we had our farewell dinner. Then we went to a shish-kabob restaurant in the hotel for dinner. We had chicken, mutton, lamb, goat, and fish plus various bread, sauces, and desserts. It was a delightful evening.
