Inside the Fort

I met up with the guy and gals from the night before over breakfast.  We had planned on exploring the town and do a bit of shopping.  The girls were bargaining rock stars, I was very impressed.  The Jain temples were spectacular, as the usually are.  There are supposed to be seven of the, but because they were all interconnected it looked like only 3.  When I went to buy my admission ticket the ticket seller said, no, no Indians are free.  Most of the sites have resident and non-resident admission tickets.  I've usually been getting resident rates.

A significant theme of my experience so far in India has been about figuring out my level of Indians.  A lot of my identity growing up had been that of an Indian.  I may not have been particularly involved with the Indian community, outside of family, but to westerners I was exotic and I went with it.  In India I identify much more with the tourists.  We can relate to the experience of navigating India as an outsider.  It really is very different than any other place, more unique than any place I have ever been to.

When asked where I'm from, if I answer Gujrat I feel a bit of a fraud but if I say USA they say "You look Indian, but not Indian."  I'm obviously a Non-Resident Indian, but people still wonder.  I get stared at constantly.  It's not a bad-intentioned stare, just curiosity.  But it is a little awkward when everyone in a train is looking at you for hours and they don't look away or smile when you meet their eyes.  If they speak English they want to practice and that's really uncomfortable.  You don't want to be rude but if you're doing something you really don't want to make small talk through a barrage of inane questions.

I'm also starting to figure out who is starting a conversation because they are genuinely interested in getting to know you or if they are trying to be your friend so you go to their guest house or their uncle's shop.  The problem is that many folks are genuinely helpful and curious so sometimes you miss out on a real interaction because you don't realize until the end that they don't have anything to sell you.

I dress a little differently than the locals, but not like a tourist either.  Indian clothing is quite flamboyant.  The men wear bright flashy shirts and skin tight pants that flare a little at the bottom or jeans with wild embroidery.  I don't wear shorts but I do carry a backpack.  I usually wear solid colors, long loose pants and a long sleeve cotton pull over shirt.

Another Indian fashion phenomenon is the notorious mustaches, especially in Rajasthan.  I had the barber give me a "Manoj", that's a goatee but with the link between mustache and chin hair shaved, which would be the "French Cut".  It's not quite as traditional as a handlebar mustache.  I think it well embodies my insider/ outsider status.

I may be more passable if my Hindi improves.  Sab Kuch Milega.