Well, just as I anticipated, my plans got all scrambled. I was supposed to catch a 6:50 pm train tonight from Mumbai to Jaipur, but luckily my friend Ankit emailed me before I left, warning me about some riots that broke out in Rajasthan, which are getting worse. The riots started a few days ago, when one particular community in India, the Gujjar, began a protest campaign for more government benefits. The BBC gives a rather tidy synopsis. It's crazy. At least 23 are dead. There's a shoot-on-sight order in two districts of Rajasthan. Needless to say, I won't be going to Jaipur right now. I'm really thankful for Ankit's warning, glad he knew I was headed there. My train was one of the few that was not cancelled, or else I would have blithely gone on. And now I know to check ahead for such news before traveling.
So I'm making a few changes. Going to head further south to Goa. If the riots don't cool down in time for me to take a train up to Delhi (all train and bus routes wind through Rajasthan), I will fly to Delhi, where it's supposed to reach a cool 115 degrees by Friday.
2 comments:
Aren't you glad Ankit survived those punches you gave him on behalf of Gowoon? ;-)
Greetings from NYC, Ankit!
Ankit *just barely* survived the onslaught of punches, hugs and noogies ordered by various TDC'ers. He limped away, muttering something about "damn yankees."
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