Wednesday 20 April 2011

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

Durban, South Africa

In Durban with temperatures in early morning
approximating at 15 degree Celsius, there is comfort.
Having left Mauritius I find myself in new territory,
South Africa, the site of last year soccer world cup game.
Usually that means taxes are up and local folks will be
paying a debt for years to come on all the expenditure on
urban cosmetics arranged for the game.

I visit Durban every year for the Easter weekend Ratha
Yatra. New features for this year’s chariot Ratha Yatra
festival are promised – a youth’s veggie lounge, a kid’s
tent with massive sculpted animals and a wondrous
procession on Friday not on Saturday. Good Friday!

I’m here to inject some dramatical entertainment. Some
back-by-popular-demand dramas “Gods and Demons” and “The
Jagannath Story”.

I like the Durban Temple setting across the road from
Ghandi Park, on top of the hill. I try to avoid venturing
on foot beyond our property because outside it’s risky as
far as crime is concerned. I stick by the temple in a
clockwise fashion with the deities of Radha Krishna whom
are the natural centripetal objects for the region.

It’s my twelfth year coming. The moat surrounding the
building is in full swing except for a belching fountain
to one side. At least some water squirts out. Things
aren’t perfect but attempting to be.

Never give up. A winner never quits. A loser often can’t
even get started.

Every morning I will do my prescribed chanting around the
temple and I will circumambulate and I will not quit until
I complete the mantras for the time that I’m in Durban.

8 KM

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