August 2007 Notes from Ahmednagar

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Here are some notes from the four days that I was in Ahmednagar last week. The city is approximately five hours east by bus from Mumbai.

• Downtown Ahmednagar was swarming with people. The streets were so crowded.
• -nagar means town or place.
• I bought two pairs of sandals. I also had three pairs of draw-string pants tailored for me in gray, black, and maroon color. The cost for all the polyester fabric, same-day tailoring, and delivery to our ashram was only Rs800 (US$20).
• I would not get draw-string pants again. The draw strings are a nuisance to tie. I will get elastic next time for my casual pant tailoring. Otherwise, the pants are fantastic - very lightweight and cool.
• The primary reason that foreigners go to Ahmednagar is for pilgrimage to the tomb of a religious guru named Meher Baba. This tomb and accompanying ashram is located about 10km outside of town; most foreigners rarely leave the guru's compound. Wherever I went into the city, I was always greeted by strangers with shouts of "Jai Baba!"  (very roughly translated to "Hail the Father!"). I heard this phrase no less than four dozen times per day.
• There must be lots and lots of "little" towns like Ahmednagar with populations larger than the whole of Atlanta. Now I can see how India has over a billion people. 

• Fat lizards
• Flying chipmunks
• Butterflies
• Small swarms of large frogs
• New birds
• A pack of baby wild pigs (and their mother)

Plus the usual bull, cow, dog, cat, goat, horse, and elephant.