Sumgum and Shopping

Yesterday, we arose early and drove to where there is a Hindu holy site where the Ganges River and another two rivers meet.  Hindu followers will come at sunrise and wash in the river.  They will buy flowers and candles and ;put those on the river.

 This is a platform that they put where the rivers meet (Sangum) so people can buy their flowers and dip in the river.  It's a shallow area.

 You can see the two different colors of the river here.

 More platforms with a man in the cold water beyond.

 Vendors in the area to take advantage of the many visitors.  In January and February, there are hundreds of thousands.  Andrew says India really only has one God.....money.

 Aren't these two guys adorable?

Yesterday, Morgan and I had some time together.  We went out for coffee and then some shopping.  Have I said I LOVE shopping here?  That's only because I don't do it all the time probably.  As Morgan has said, you have to go to many little shops to get all your shopping done.  But, I love the narrow streets full of rickshaws, animals, bicyclists, pedestrians....We went to a kitchen shop.  It was one aisle where you could only sqeeeeze by someone else.  Goods hanging from the ceiling and packed into every nook and cranny there is.  The lady asks what we want.  We tell her and she sends her son here and there and in the back of the store getting what we need....laying it out for us and then starting over if it isn't just right.   Then we go to a clothing shop.  The clothing and fabric is folded neatly on shelves on the wall.  At the base of the shelves is a platform that the shopkeeper stands on. In front of the platform is a row of benches  which we, the customers sit on.  We then point at different pieces/colors we want to see.  He pulls the items down, unfolds them and lays them out on the platform for us to look at and handle.  If we say no, he tosses them in a pile to the side to refold and put back on the shelf.  We say,  "too fancy"...."sleeves too short"  ....."too much blue in that green" ....."too expensive"...."I want a fuller skirt"....and all those picky things that people who can be choosy say!!  Of course, Morgan helps put things in Hindi when the English of the shopkeeper wears out!  And usually that's very quickly!

Today we are packing to go back home.  Our flight leaves Allahabad this afternoon.  We will spend half the night in the Delhi airport and fly out of there around 3:30am.  It has been a wonderful trip, and we appreciate your prayers for good travels home!