Temple Bath

So far on our travels through India, the shower situation has not been up to par for me. Water overall has been a difficult subject. You cannot drink it, brush your teeth with it, or eat vegetables washed in it. Every time I do shower I am reminded that I am cleaning in dirty water. That's if I can even have a proper shower. So far I have had cold showers, bucket showers {where there is no shower head}, poor water pressure, too much water pressure resulting in water spraying all over the bathroom, but somehow not getting on me, and no showers at all. I long for the day when I can take a proper shower in the right temperatures throughout the entire time I am in it. With perfect pressure to rinse the shampoo out of my hair. To not have to wear sandals on my feet while in the shower! This is a constant topic of conversation I have with Jonathan.

At the moment we are still in Vashist, and leave for Darhamshala tomorrow. That should be an amazing 8 hour car ride!! We opted to go big and rent our own taxi for this ride, as the only bus option would take at least 10 hours, and is of an even lower grade than the "semi deluxe" bus we had already enjoyed. We have quite enjoyed our time here, but my shower situation has not been so good, as expected. We knew that there were natural hot spring baths here in a temple, but up until today we have been so busy with excursions, being exhausted, and planning for our next stop that we had not checked out the baths yet.

Yesterday over breakfast on a balcony overlooking the cloud swept mountains, I noticed all the steam rising up from inside the temple grounds. How could I have not thought about the pools until now??!! We had much to do yesterday, so I promised myself I would soak today.

This morning I got up, and it was a brisk and rainy day. The mist and cloud cover is very mystical and has a tinge of an eerie feel to it. I took a non sensical shower, and headed for the temple. The two pools inside the temple ground are segregated. One for women, one for men. They are in completely different walled off areas, so that you cannot see inside the pools until you are all the way inside. Jonathan had warned me that the woman would most likely be all the way covered up, since skin is not flaunted in this culture. Well, once inside it is a different story. Since the pool is all women there was no such modesty. They all had on bottoms, but that was all, and it seemed like a very natural place for the ladies to be free of all their daily constrictions.

Vashist is a traveled village, so there was a very interesting mix of women in the pool. Classic Indian women with their little ones, a group of younger village friends, 2 very old and wrinkled up Tibetan ladies, ex-pat white ladies who spoke both English and the local language, traveling girls like me, Asian, and European. I am pretty positive I was the only American though. We actually have not met many Americans here in India, most travelers are European of sorts.

The pool is fed by a natural hot spring coming out of the mountain. This was the cleanest, warmest most amazing water my body has been in in months! Attached to the pool is also a multi faucet area where the local woman bathe on a regualr basis. This is their bath.. They come with their soap, shampoo, oils and cleanse and soak whenever they please. The temperature of the pool was just right. Steam was billowing up all around me, and I just closed my eyes and relaxed. There is no ceiling to the pool, and as I soaked in the perfect water, resurrecting my muscles and joints, a cool rain washed over my head. I was in such a tranquil dream state. Listening to the quite conversations in languages I cannot understand, along with the constant trickle of fresh hot spring water and drips and drops of rain gently splashing into the pool was like a sweet lullaby to me.

I soaked, and sat on the edge of the pool, as my warm body steamed off, and soaked again. I could not have been happier. So far this is most defiantly one of my best moments in all of India. Well, at least one of the most relaxing in a country that is constantly testing me!!!!!

xoxoxo
Alicia Claire