Diwali welcomes the kinnars

Nov 9 was Diwali - think of it as New Year’s, Christmas, 4th of July, and Mardi Gras all rolled into one. All the buildings are decorated with flower petals and all variety of Christmas lights, candles and oil lamps. Across the city, you see people with packages clad in metallic wrapping paper strapped to the back of motorbikes (along with a wife sitting side-saddle clutching a baby or two). But what's most endearing are the marigolds… long strings of marigolds adorn every banister and doorway.

But it is not Christmas for everyone – as there are clearly “two Indias.” Families live by the side of the highway in makeshift tents or perched atop irrigation or sewage ditches being constructed. Old women and babies it seemed were the primary residents. It was hard to imagine how or why these nomads had chosen this noisy, dusty spot as their temporary home.

My favorite beggar so far was a tiny, incredibly cute boy who had a flamboyant, French handlebar mustache painted above his lip. He smiled sweetly at me and began doing cartwheels while banging a rather good rhythm on the drums roped around his neck. Well -- either him or the kinnar who reached inside the rickshaw and wouldn't stop incessantly tugging on me with his dirty painted fingernails. Apparently they show up at weddings and annoy people until they are paid to leave! Oh the days of being attacked by lady-boys are back.