Mayapur, India
Meaningful Means of Transport
Some walking, some standing by way of ferry
and some sitting by way of toto were my means of transport today.
To get to the local city, Navadvip
(population 40 – 50 lakhs,) where I needed to pick up some supplies, you have to
cross the holy Ganges River. The wetless
way to go about it, is by purchasing a two rupee ticket with which you earn a
ten minute boat ride to the other bank.
The boat or ferry is a primitive-looking, gondola-like, rustic
contraption with a motor that does the job.
I asked my friend Basudev, a Napalese
native, what the sign in Bengali says that’s propped up in the middle of the
ferry.
“This facility can reach maximum capacity
at 250 passengers. Smoking and drinking
prohibited.” That capacity was not
reached on our passage. Many bicycles
and rickshaws—with their personal operators—filled up the space. Some carried filled containers of milk which
had cut straw, moulded inside, over top of the milk to keep it from splashing.
Usually on every ferry I’ve ever been on in
the area, there’s always some passengers who carry japa mala (beads) for
chanting. And that usually means they
are loyal to Krishna. However, many
folks in Bengal are goddess worshippers.
Saraswati or Durga are honoured in the spring, as in now.
A toto means of transport is a
battery-operated, quiet and environmentally-friendly carriage that gets you
around. These I like.
Despite the presence of gout, it is now
less painful and so I’m getting some walking in. Thanks to Keshava and Suniti for the excellent meal.
May the Source be with you!
3 km
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