Through the Streets of Rishikesh

Hello to all from Rishikesh, India!
Monsoon rains
pour from dark, misty skies,
washing litter, urine, phlegm, and cow dung
through dirty streets trodden with Ganges-soaked Indian
pilgrims,
primarily males between the ages of 15-40.
They come on spiritual holiday
to wash themselves aclean in India's sacred Ganga River...
its brown waters rush along unconcerned...
Watch your step!
Piles of soaked cow dung
steam
in the 90+ degree heat and outrageous humidity.
One cannot help but breathe in the stench...
Sadhus wander
dreadlocked, bearded, and nearly naked,
wrapped in dirty orange shawls...
one wore a human skull around his neck as a necklace...
Beggars approach with open hands, mauled hands, missing hands...
Cripples limp... babies cry...
Packs of visiting Indian youth march through the streets
shouting "BUM BUM"
as they make their way to the river... brown, wide, sweeping
river...
Stores welcome western visitors:
YOGA, MEDITATION, MASSAGE...
Amazing book stores beckon
with racks filled with spiritual books
on every imaginable type of yoga
by every imaginable yogi:
Ramakrishna, Yogananda, Swami Rama, Vivekananda, Babaji...
A British traveler said:
"India is a rollercoaster,
about all you can do is hang on and try to enjoy the ride."
One American had the time of her life studying yoga for 5 weeks
in Varanasi...
One Brit was mugged there...
One Israeli was knocked off her scooter and had her backpack
stolen...
Some had marvelous experiences with local people...
Others ended up on I.V.'s in Delhi due to terrible food
poisoning...
You can't control India,
you can't fight it,
eventually you just succumb to it...
or - if you're capable - relax into it...
and almost become it.
One doesn not travel through India,
rather Indian travels through you.
Its very essence surrounds and enfolds you...
You breathe India,
you wear India,
you sweat India,
you cough India,
you defecate India,
and if you're really unlucky -
you even vomit India.
(So far I haven't been that unlucky yet.)
This is India...
in all of its wretched glory...
This is India...
in all of its lovely insanity.
All in all,
it's one of the most mindblowing
and ENCHANTING
lands I have ever visited....
Hope you all are well!
Ari (in Rishikesh, India)