mumbai: haji ali shrine

legend has it that the saint, on his way to mecca, passed away from the world, and his casket magically floated to this place.  at high tide, that is -- at low tide, here, there is no floating going on, but a mass pilgrimage procession across stone and sky and sea from the city to the afterlife.  on the right hand side of the walkway are hundreds of beggars -- frisky children, women with muslin draped over their faces, ancient men with seamed faces and missing limbs, chanting islamic prayers.  traditionally, the pilgrims donate to the beggars on their way to the saint's tomb.  but ... on the left hand side of the walkway are hundreds of shops, and it seemed to me that the modern pilgrim pays his alms to the god money.  a magical place, a place that raises questions, a place that makes a body feel that the divine within knows the answer, even if this meatbrain has yet to grasp it.

at marya's request (marya:  "honey, i love the blog and all, and your pictures are great, but what people really want to see is you, rockin' it out!"), the experiment is now going to include more human interest photos.  yes, this is still what i look like.  even though india is already exacerbating my more spiritual tendencies and i may emerge out of this place radically changed -- or at the very least more open about expressing my spiritual life -- at least you'll recognize me when i get home.