Once back at Mayank's place we give a hand changing over a tire and then we are off to the Rock Garden. Mayank, Anuradha (Mayank's mother) Soph and I. Amazing place made predominantly out of domestic and industrial waste to form sculptures and an overall creative environment, water features etc. Quite impressive especially when considered started by one guy without the awareness of the local authorities, who later came on board when they saw what he was doing.
The scale is incredible, we spent a few hours walking through together with a mass of Indian tourists. Every now and again we were mobbed for photos and questions re where we were from, Christian name etc. Again weird especially as I could not speak due to lost voice and was coming down with nasty cold.
From the rock garden we headed to the Lake which was another must see on the Chandigarh route. Again heaps of Indian tourists and school kids. Outside from the carpark across to the lakeside park there was a zebra crossing, however this was discussed and confirmed as just pretty markings rather then any indication of traffic expectation. We ran across looking in all directions as we did so.
Besides icecream, coffee, paddle boats etc the lake also appeared to attract a healthy crowd of geese. These little snappers knew the tourist crowd well and lapped up the opportunity to grab crumbs, chips etc. Along the lake a little further guys were training in kayaks, Canadian canoes and rowing skulls. We were approached by the tourist police who asked if we could write in their comments book. After which mine also asked if I could add a comment about the tourist police, of whom we had not met until this moment. Still glad to oblige tried to write something positive from our short exposure.
Headed to Sector 17 for diner, as we had enforced our shout. Went to a South Indian restaurant and tried various dishes as selected for us. The meals were great but numerous and we all struggled to leave a good impression by finishing as much as possible.
Then invited to Anuradha's temple where we sat and listened to a fantastic ceremony/sung story with great live backing music. The music was absolutely pumping and the singing first class. Soph and Anuradha disappeared, when Soph reappeared she had the red dot in the middle of her forehead. Pre entering we had to remove our shoes and wash our hands.
Anuradha asked if we were keen to go and check out a wedding, at this stage we were up for anything and so jumped into a land cruiser sized four wheel drive with the crew and Mayank's "uncle" behind the wheel.
First we pulled up to one celebration where a punjabi band were in full swing and the groom was sitting on a horse outside the marquee, the crowd had spilled out onto the street. We jumped out and joined the crowd for a while before being told this wasn't the wedding we were going to. Back into the car with a few more passengers in the back and off again. This time to a large auditorium. Turned out to be the wedding of the police commissioner's daughter. Introduced to the man out on the steps before the auditorium and photographed doing the handshake. Invited in.
Once inside, the place was massive as was the crowd. We were ushered to the front seats before the wedding dais and dance floor, again bizarre especially as we looked like garbage and I was feeling about the same. Still this did not deter the wait staff who kept on trying to ply us with food and drink that all looked great, but unfortunately we were both really full from the South Indian restaurant from earlier in the evening. Seriously if the guys were bringing red wine and I were not feeling ill nor on Malarial tablets I would be in serious trouble.
It wasn't long before the camera / video crew turned up with the sweat as you smile tv bright lights mounted to the top. Again i hope we are edited out of the final cut.
Then we headed outside to an equally large area where people were seated and eating their meal and catching up. We sat down at one table and were no sooner plied with ice-cream and sweets. Not long now and I will explode. Still waiting for the bouncers to rock up and remove us, people were not in the least fazed, in fact had a range of photographs group hugging with unknown associates. Best part though was this turbaned guy who had aspects of Johnny Depp who was plying these sweets that were combined and wrapped in a beetle nut leaf. Served with the character and placed directly in your mouth after Johnny delivered a blessing / joke to the recipient. Groom yet to arrive and rain lightly falling we departed.
Back into the land cruiser and back to the temple, where the ceremony was just coming to a conclusion. Outside food was being served, and though declined we received a couple of sweets that I believe had been blessed. No sooner had we finished this then fire crackers were being set up outside on the path. Not just small, discreet crackers but stuff that really took off and lit up the sky. By this time it was about 10.30pm but no one appeared to be at all concerned, apart from when I strayed unknowing close to one. Given cracker night ceased when I was about 10 or 11 it had been along time since I had been in the close vicinity of non licensed cracker lighting. It had all the classic markings of an unplanned cracker event, the cracker that you think is dead only to go off as someone is heading over to investigate, the cracker that tips over having been lit requiring someone to hastily run over and straighten prior to exploding either toward the crowd or a car, the bangers that people used to blow up mailboxes with (or so I heard).
Finally we were off again, but first to a market for another snack before heading home where I mercifully fell into bed feeling half dead.