Category: Uncategorized

Exploring the Rat Temple in Bikaner and other Unique Cultural Experiences

March 9, 2025

Rat Temple and Local Fair


Traveling in India never ceased to surprise us with its diversity in languages, food, and beliefs rooted in thousands of years of history and customs. One example of a remarkable story and a highlight of our journey was visiting the Rat Temple in Bikaner. In this temple, rats are considered holy and revered.


The origin of the Rat Temple dates back to the fourteenth century. According to legend, the Goddess Karni Mata lost her youngest son, Lakhan, who drowned. In her grief, the Goddess commanded Yama, the god of death, to bring Lakhan back to life. Yama, however, explained that he could not do so but that Karni Mata (an incarnation of Durga, the Goddess of war, power, and protection) could restore her son’s life. Karni Mata decreed that her family would be reincarnated as rats.

Today, around six hundred families claim to be descendants of Karni Mata. These descendants maintain the temple, clean up after the rats, and prepare food for them, often sharing meals in their presence.

To enter the temple and enjoy the experience of 20,000 black rats running freely, you must be barefoot, as some rats may even scurry over your feet. Upon entering, we removed our shoes and felt the rats scampering across our toes. This experience is certainly not for the faint-hearted! A deep sense of emotion ripples through the worshippers when they spot an albino rat, which is believed to bring good luck. Kathy spoke with several visitors who had made the trip, hoping to see a white rat to enhance their fortune. Unfortunately, on the day we visited, we didn’t see an albino rat or anyone else. We stepped outside the temple for refreshments and regained our sense of reality.

Our next stop left a deep impression on me. Our guide, Shyaam, took us to a local festival with arts and crafts, Rajasthani foods, and entertainment. Although the festival’s nature was familiar and similar to North America’s, the begging scene that enveloped us shocked me. Beggars were prevalent, and Westerners present were their primary focus.

The most grotesque and upsetting memory that I have is of a skinny, undernourished boy of maybe ten years of age who had only one leg and was running after me on his two hands and his one leg like a spider, reaching with one hand to me begging for anything. I was unable to escape him. His tenacity forced me to leave the venue and go to the parking lot before he would leave me alone. He chased me from the festival!

I felt sick to my stomach and dispirited to see this deformed beggar. I read about the maiming of children by the begging mafia in India who steal children and maim them to make them more profitable in begging, but seeing one was awful. It was the most disturbing experience that I had in India. Although I read Rohinton Mistry’s Fine Balance and we had gone to see the Slumdog Millionaire film before we went to India, seeing the slums and the beggar children in real-time was shocking. Seeing this poor, deprived child made me think about the unfortunate circumstances that led to his life in begging.


Still, I knew that despite being a tough moral choice, giving to beggars inevitably meant being swarmed, overwhelmed, and in danger of physical harm in such crowded situations (we had such experience in Asia).


When driving, Shyaam delighted us with his discussion of the unique aspects of Indian culture. On our drives, he explained to us the caste system of India, which he was proud of. He was a Singh, implying the second highest caste: the warriors and rulers. Military service ran in his family. Caste, we learned, does not guarantee wealth or even education, but it imparts status. Shyaam was a tour guide and lived a modest life. He explained Brahmins were priests and teachers, comprising the highest caste. Next to the warriors were the farmers, traders, and merchants, followed by the laborers. The Dalits were outcasts, the street sweepers (and not part of the caste system).

Interestingly, India’s history includes a prime minister who was a Dalit, and many merchant classes have become quite wealthy. I was initially unsure about the meaning of the caste system, especially since individuals from various backgrounds could become prime ministers or pursue higher education, leading to what we might describe as an upper-class lifestyle filled with money and possessions. We observed that the caste system was more apparent in the North of India, where there are more Hindus, compared to Chennai or Tamil Nadu, which has a more diverse population that includes non-Hindus.

We had an interesting discussion with our guide about ultrasounds for pregnant women, which Shyaam explained can be dangerous for women. I was about to debate with him when Kathy quietly suggested that I stay silent on the topic. I understood that in India, there is a preference for boys because they provide support to the older generations, benefit from a dowry when they marry, and light their parents’ funeral pyres. Having a boy ensures that the family name continues.

I’ve read that there is a worsening gender imbalance in India. In 1994, a law was passed to address this issue; the law discourages prenatal sex determination, monitors these procedures, and prevents the gender imbalance that could lead to a shortage of women for marriageable men. The murder of baby girls has become an ethical concern in India, according to articles I’ve come across

Jainism and the Ranakpur Temple: Understanding the Principles

March 7, 2025


During our journey from Jaisalmer to Udaipur in Rajasthan, India, we stopped to visit a Jain temple in Ranakpur. After a long walk, we arrived at the temple’s entrance. Upon entry, the building’s dress code mandated covered knees and shoulders. Despite the temperature being in the upper 30s Celsius outside, the dress code prohibited sleeveless shirts. Fortunately, we were well-prepared to meet this requirement since we always wore long-sleeved shirts and pants while traveling.


Temple entry required removing all leather items, such as wallets and belts. Jain temples prohibit leather because producing it involves killing animals, directly contradicting the core Jain principle of “Ahimsa,” or non-violence. The temple provided lockers for visitors to store their items, and we had to improvise to keep our pants up after removing our belts.


At the entrance, we saw a sign advising women not to visit the temple while menstruating. This caught my attention, so I decided to research the source of this custom online. A social media comment explained, “In India, people are not allowed to visit a temple unbathed or in dirty or unwashed clothes.” Similarly, temple authorities prohibit any bleeding man or woman from entering, to maintain the temple’s purity and hygiene.


People have practiced Jainism, an ancient religion with more than five million followers for over five thousand years. It is based on the principle of peaceful coexistence and offers guidelines for living harmoniously with others. I was ready to become a follower. Unlike many other religions, Jainism does not worship a God; its followers revere the Tirthankaras. Jainism admires the 24 Tirthankaras—enlightened teachers or saints—for their teachings and wisdom, but does not worship them. They have achieved liberation from the endless cycle of birth and death.

A vegetarian diet is essential for all Jains, reflecting the core principle of non-violence or non-injury. Jains are very conscientious about their food choices. For example, they avoid root vegetables, such as potatoes, because harvesting them results in the death of the entire plant. Many Jains also operate animal shelters throughout India, showcasing their commitment to this principle.


We learned that the Ranakpur Temple is one of the largest and most significant temples in Jain culture, recognized as one of the five most sacred sites for Jains. Remarkably, a dream inspired Darna Shah, a local Jain businessman, to build the temple in the fifteenth century. Of the renowned artists and sculptors he invited to submit designs for the temple, architect Deepak presented a plan that profoundly impressed Darna. Deepak promised to create a temple based on Darna’s vision. The king of the province provided land for the temple and suggested building a town near the temple, which has become Ranakpur.

The temple covers an area of nearly 48,000 square feet. It includes 29 halls and 80 domes, all supported by 1,444 intricately carved marble pillars, each uniquely designed. Four distinct doorways lead into its chambers. These chambers ultimately guide visitors to the main hall, where the statue of Adinath, the first spiritual leader of the Jains, is located. Remarkably, you will arrive in the central courtyard regardless of which of the four entranceways you choose.


The temple’s architecture is so well-designed that artificial lighting is unnecessary; natural sunlight illuminates the entire building. Construction began in 1389 and finished in 1458. The numerous openings and high ceilings kept the air inside significantly cooler than the scorching temperatures outside during our visit.

Exploring the Thar Desert: A Unique Rajasthan Adventure

March 6, 2025

While driving through the Thar Desert, the temperature soared into the upper 40s Celsius. Despite the heat during our travels in Rajasthan, our trip was filled with unique experiences, including an Ayurvedic massage, a camel ride in the desert, and accommodation in a Maharaja’s palace.

Many Maharajas lost their wealth and status after India gained independence, forcing them to find new ways to make a living. Many were left with nothing but their palaces, which they transformed into hotels. Our room in one of these palaces had an authentic atmosphere characterized by heavy curtains to keep the heat and noise out, aging period furniture, and a slightly musty smell. It was huge by North American standards. The luxurious palace made us feel important while we stayed there.

We had arranged for an Ayurvedic massage, advertised in the palace’s lobby, to be performed in our hotel room. Ayurveda, a practice that has been around for over five thousand years, focuses on balancing the body and mind. Practitioners use hot oils to promote healing and restore imbalances, and we were eager to experience it.

Two young therapists arrived—one woman and one man. Their English was limited, but they instructed me to lie on one bed and undress to my shorts, while Kathy undressed to her bra and shorts on the other bed. The therapists, dressed in business attire, covered our faces with towels before opening massive suitcases filled with various oils.

The room was quiet, and the warm oils, infused with fragrant herbs, helped us relax. I remembered a massage I experienced in Thailand, which ended with painful toe pulls. In contrast, the Ayurvedic massage was incredibly soothing.

The therapists advised to remain on the bed after the massage to allow the oils to seep into our skin until they dried and removed toxins. We had no trouble relaxing further; we were half-asleep by that point. After an hour of blissful peace, we got up to explore Jaisalmer (population 65,000 in 2011, 90% Hindu).

Walking around the city was challenging due to the narrow streets and roaming cows. At one point, a group of cows blocked Kathy as she tried to navigate her way. Many towns in India have laws against cows wandering freely, but Jaisalmer is an exception, marking our first encounter with numerous cows meandering about. (Cows are considered sacred by Hindus).

It was hard not to feel sorry for the cows, many of whom appeared half-starved and abandoned. I learned that volunteer veterinarian groups from overseas come to India to trim the cows’ hooves, allowing them to walk more comfortably. We often saw people feeding the cows before having their meals in the mornings. In the evenings, the cows usually rested or slept at the edges of the streets, having nowhere else to go.

On our way back to the hotel, we met an Indian man from Britain who expressed great disappointment in visiting his hometown. Contrary to his childhood experience, he found Jaisalmer to be backward and dirty. While we accepted what we saw as the norm, he wished the local government had done a better job in the city.

Our overnight camel safari in the desert began the following day. Due to the camels’ unique characteristics, we were advised to wear long pants to prevent irritation from their swaying and straw-like hair. Sunglasses and face coverings were also recommended in case of a sandstorm.

The safari started with a challenge: how do you get on a camel? We learned that when the camel is seated on all fours, one should climb up onto the saddle attached to its hump and lean back to avoid falling forward when the camel stands up, starting on its hind legs.

We began our camel trip on the outskirts of Jaisalmer, where we felt strange riding a camel. The roads were busy with motorcycles, trucks, bicycles, and two-wheeled camel carts with used airplane tires. People used camels as work animals. I initially thought I needed to control the camel in the traffic, but I quickly learned that this was not the case—camels listen only to their masters. In addition, our camels seemed to know exactly where to go.

Our leader walked beside his camel until we left the town and entered the desert. My camel followed the guide, a Raika tribesman. Kathy rode behind me, followed by two tribesmen and three additional camels carrying our gear.

The desert gradually enveloped us, and we continued riding in the heat until the leader suddenly stopped and unfolded a small prayer rug for himself to kneel and pray on. We also dismounted and stretched our legs to relieve any stiffness. Resuming the trip, we knew how to mount the camels.

At our camp, a couple of tribesmen set up an open-front tent equipped with cots and a small toilet tent for us. They also erected a collapsible table with chairs while the cook prepared our meals a short distance from our camp.

The temperature dropped significantly after sunset. The cook prepared mouth-watering curries for us, and we finished our meal with hot chai tea infused with cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom. A spectacular view of millions of stars in the sky appeared when darkness had fully descended.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Gypsy family appeared with musical instruments. They began to play music next to our campfire, which was fueled by camel dung. The young girls started dancing in flowing, gold-braided dresses while their parents played unique musical instruments I had never seen before. The entire Gypsy family was dressed in colorful embroidered shirts and skirts, with the father wearing a turban on his head.

After the performance, we relaxed on our cots, gazing at the countless stars outside our open tent. I found myself wondering if the Gypsies were simply nomadic people who happened to see us in the desert or if, more likely, the organizers of our tour had arranged for them to perform for us.

Before drifting off to sleep, I thought about how majestic the camels were, with their slow, ambling gait. I also reflected on the Raikas, a local tribe in Rajasthan, who are actively working to protect the diminishing number of camels. Thanks to their advocacy, the government declared the camel the state animal of Rajasthan in 2014.

Entertainment at night in the desert.

Elon Musk’s Misguided Cuts to Civil Service

February 27, 2025

Many consider Elon a genius. Being the world’s richest implies intelligence, correct? Despite his business acumen and engineering brilliance, his DOGE outfit’s approach to firing government employees is senseless and inhumane. They wreak havoc; they do a great job if this is their purpose. The proposed cuts to civil service are a monument to stupidity and cruelty.

 
In 2024, civil service payroll reached $275 billion against a total expenditure of $6.75 trillion. Firing all civil servants would save 4% of the budget. A fifty percent reduction in staff would result in a two percent reduction in the budget and a total demoralization of the public service, leading to low productivity. Elon, that’s hardly any savings, and the destruction of civil service would accompany it!

The US civil service, comprising 3 million people, has remained stable over the past four decades, with 2.93 million employees in April 1984 and 2.99 million in March 2024. So, why do you think it’s bloated, considering the US population grew from 235 million in 1980 to 335 million in 2023? These figures suggest the US civil service is remarkably efficient, serving a 43 percent larger population with the same number of employees.

The big savings, if there are any, would reduce program and not staffing expenditures, which have increased from less than one trillion dollars in 1984 to 6.76 trillion dollars in 2024 (it is not a surprise that local and state government expenditures have also increased substantially from half a trillion dollars to over four trillion dollars, in the same period).

All you have done, Elon, is ask your green-eared young people to use keywords to identify people to be fired (such as words related to DEI; have you tried to define DEI?). Any manager worth his/her salt knows that this approach to reducing staff is destabilizing, creating uncertainty that leads to no work being done in the organization.

A more effective approach to reducing staff and streamlining the organization is to ask managers or department heads to identify a five percent or ten percent reduction in personnel. Management is aware of any excess. But you are not interested in approaching the cuts professionally but in making headline news!

You responded to criticisms by admitting you had made mistakes and would correct them. That’s a reckless approach to management, especially when dealing with real people.

We should evaluate programs like USAID and analyze their goals and implementation to cut staff and budgets more effectively. Elected officials develop programs in the public sector to address public needs. Before elected officials approve new programs, consultation, negotiation, and evaluating options with stakeholders are conducted. We should regularly evaluate programs to determine whether they met their objectives, were updated as needed, or should be ended. Elon, you have not done any of this!


Your actions to date, Elon, have included the demoralizing, indiscriminate, and cruel firing of federal public servants and the sending of inane and confusing emails to millions of them. Smarten up or get lost!

Exploring My Evolving Reading Preferences

February 19, 2025


Reading competes for my time with other activities, such as exercising at the gym, shoveling snow to clear the driveway, watching the Super Bowl and the four-nation hockey tournament, and keeping up with news, including Trump’s parade of executive orders announced daily. But I belong to a book club, and our get-togethers, served with a light lunch, are highly enjoyable.

The book club met to select readings for the coming year. We each recommend a book, host the group, and lead the discussion. To my surprise, many of the choices were nonfiction this year.

My selection was also nonfiction: Dr. Schwartz’s book, Grey Matter, a detailed neurosurgery biography. The book features case studies on prominent individuals, including Senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy, both of whom had brain tumors or aneurysms. Dr. Schwartz explains the treatments administered to them. While reading the book, the medical terminology, descriptions of brain anatomy, and current brain cancer treatments overwhelmed me. Though fascinating and well-written, the book’s five-hundred-page subject matter tested my patience. It was also quite time-consuming, even for someone who reads quickly.

The previous month’s selection was a science fiction novel, The Martian, by Andy Weir. This novel tells the story of a team of astronauts on Mars. The author’s captivating tale, set in 2035, is rich in scientific detail, featuring meticulous observations of Mars’s climate and surface and the challenges of surviving there for a year and a half. The plot moves much faster than the one in Grey Matter, but again, I felt overwhelmed halfway through the book by the scientific details of how to live on Mars.

While I liked these books, I considered which of the recent books I read had a significant impact on me. One was Alice Munro and a collection of her short stories. I couldn’t put the book down; the prose flowed effortlessly, and I felt a strong connection to the characters as if I knew them. While bizarre, her storylines inexplicably moved me. Despite the criticism of Munro’s portrayal of female suffering and her relationship with her daughter, I saw my life and familiar settings reflected in her work.


I was also captivated by Red Notice, Bill Browder’s account of the Russian stock market’s rise, his triumphs, and his exile under Putin. Twists fill the narrative, highlighting the dangers of life in a corrupt society, where dissent can lead to prison or even murder for nonconformists. The book brought back memories of my early years living under the communist regime in Hungary. It also reminded me of my brother, a PhD candidate at Yale under Bill Browder’s late father, Felix Browder.

Unforgettable was reading Rohinton Mistry’s Fine Balance while flying to India in 2008. Was it ever a sad book? I kept reading it and thought it could not get any worse, but it did, and the ending was terrible. But its historical and cultural context made a deep impression on me. It described Indira Gandhi’s forced sterilization program. The storytelling was smooth, and I observed characters closely resembling those in the book when we landed.

Beyond books that had a memorable impact on me, I considered the genres I was interested in and recalled all the Westerns, thrillers, and travel books I have read.

I must have read most of Louise L’Amour’s works, which are those of a popular American author of Westerns. L’Amour is a smooth storyteller with fast-moving plots describing good and evil characters in which the good people always prevail. While his stories have some historical value, they are not comparable to the scientific details in The Martian, the medical information in Gray Matters, or the cultural/historical context of Fine Balance.

Like many people, I have a fondness for thrillers. However, I now reserve time to read this genre when flying, on vacation, or resting while sick in bed. In this category, I read many books by Agatha Christie, Nelson DeMille, Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, Robert Parker, and Tom Clancy. I particularly enjoyed Parker’s Spenser adventures.

Travel writing has also interested me. Kathy and I love traveling, and reading about the countries we have visited makes it all the more interesting. My favorite authors in this genre are Paul Theroux and Bill Bryson. They both have smooth writing styles, and Bryson is humorous. When I read their books, I am right in their location; their descriptions are very convincing. Theroux’s conversations with locals add an extra dimension, providing insight into what people in different countries think about global events. For example, his book Deep South evoked memories of my North Carolina stay, particularly his insightful portrayals of villages I knew.

Thinking about my favorite authors, books, and genres, I realized how cultural and historical influences had shaped my reading preferences. My early memories include my grandfather reading Jules Verne to my brother and me before sleep when we were under ten. My grandfather’s library included every book Jules Verne ever wrote. So, of course, we read many of Verne’s works. That was in Hungary in the 1950s. In addition to Verne, our staple for reading then was the German author Karl May’s books, including the Winnetou series, stories of the American West. And while learning English, I practiced by reading Somerset Maugham. I found his easy-flowing storytelling style and his use of simple English words easy to follow. Remember Ashenden or the British Agent?

These days, I seldom read Maugham, Clancy, or Westerns. Instead, my interests have evolved toward travel writers, biographies, and nonfiction. My reading list includes a book on cryptocurrency, Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk, and “Sapiens” by Yuval Harari.