THE GUIDE in Varanasi (Benares), gives yours truly the SP (starting price – a racing term). We disagree with him on the translation, even though the guy is a caste Brahmin. The first is persistence (dhriti) and not patience. And we certainly disagree that Ma Ganga is so great she can wash away your sins. Because we don’t believe that Hinduism has any sense of sin. Although Brahmins, being professional priests, are bound to disagree, we understand that when Hinduism went east to Java, there was no Brahminism. No doubt scholars can debate that point endlessly. But Bali is full of a potent mix of Buddhism and Hinduism, and the varnas (colours) there in Indonesia are far from clear cut. ♥
