The visitors (18)

        In winter the night temperatures in the desert can go down to 4 degrees or below. Frozen taps start functioning only after the sun is high in the sky. We  have built -in bath tubs in our bathrooms. A luxury you would say. Sadly lost on us. We are true Madrasis and so we use them as water receptacles only. 

            Then slithering the visitor enters. We spy him in one of the bathrooms. Quickly Appa and the orderly give him the death sentence. A six foot viper with diamond patterns. No peta to protest then. Amma does some pooja,  though it is not a cobra. We the children of a brave army officer I am sorry to tell you just refuse to enter that bathroom ever again.

                 The second visitor is not so handsome but nevertheless equally deadly. He is given a fiery send off along with the veranda screen which is made of twigs.  A sorry to you squeamish folks.

              Over to rats. No we are not invaded by the rodents. We are just on our way to the Karni Mata temple at Deshnokh a few kilometres away. The temple is overrun by rats of all sizes. The sighting of a white one is said to bring instant bliss. We are not enamoured. Cannot wait to rush out.

                Oh!  I have forgotten the peacocks and peahens. What an utter nuisance they are. You cannot leave any food item to dry out in the open. A flock would appear at once.Literature and the movies portray them as beautiful graceful creatures. Have you heard them call. Loud and raucous, nothing endearing about that voice  I can tell you.

                    

             The Tamil Nadu elections are over and DMK is in power for the first time. One knowledgeable girl shares this news with me. She is  a third generation Tamil in Bikaner .Her grandfather has settled there as a doctor to the royal family. She insists it is KaZAkam . I try to educate her into the intricacies of the three Tamil la 's to no avail. What was I thinking.  Today you can see people born and brought up in TamiI Nadu mispronounce the la's. The North Indians just give it a wide berth and  say DMK or AIADMK to be safe.

                The North , specially Rajasthan and Bikaner in particular is the place for the best dalmot bujias, all varieties of namkeens , sweets  ,pumpkin petas and of course  khus serbet. We have our fill whenever we go into town. Naturally at Haldirams.

            Final exams are over. We are however not to enjoy our holidays here . We have a very long journey ahead.