Christmas Caves

FROM DECEMBER 24TH.
Xmas Eve and exhaustion overcomes us sitting in our six am second class seat, chai in hand, I watch the sun rise as we leave the masses of Mumbai behind for the wide open land. A hazy mist hovers over the earth, bullock carts carry people to work, isolated men squat in the fields. On the outskirts of a small town a settlement of raggy tents --- the rural shantytown. But a teepee seems better than corrugated iron and cardboard, to wake with the damp smell of the earth and the song of the birds seems prefferable to the relentless city traffic and exhaust fumes. Surely these people are better off in the countryside than in the slums of mumbai? I think of Gandhi and how he tried to bring dignity back to the rural populations of India, how concerned he was about the loss of village life and urban migration.
We arrive in Aurangabad to find 'there's no room at the inn'... the town is 'full', Unknown to us, Christmas turns out to be the biggest school holiday, the 'Caves', NO 1 destination. Oh NO!
We settle for a dingy, dirty little room for way too much. Grubby walls and dank bathroom, the thought of a shower or lie down is unappealing, even after our long and sleepless journey. It's Christmas Eve and I feel tired and sad remembering Evan's lovely 7 Fishes dinner with my mum in New York.
At the 'tourist office' we're harrassed by a relentless rickshaw driver finally giving in to his plea we take a trip to the Aurangabad caves. His driving is boneshatteringly wreckless as we bump and jump over potholes and narrowly miss bikes and cars at crossroads. 'Hurry, hurry! No discussion!' he shouts as we reach the caves.
This is our first glimpse of cave sculptures prior to the glories of Ellora and Ajanta. Amazing Gods and creatures, Devis and Demons are carved out of the rock face... beautiful and quiet in the stillness of the warm evening air, there are very few people around. Deep at the back of one cave a large Buddha sits serenely in the gloam. My foot reaches down for the invisible floor as I step through the doorway and of the inner sanctuary. Stillness and darkness engulf me, the massive silent figure receding into the shadows.I stand still drinking in the peace and quiet like a thirsty dog.... as I'm about to leave a girl enters with a flashlight, she shines it around the cave and to our amazement the Buddha does not sitting alone. Out of the darkness emerge two huge figures standing either side of him, in the corners more kneeling devis and devotees, and on the ceiling hundreds of hanging bats! Utter amazement! this must have been what they felt, the pioneers of old, discovering these caves with their flamming torches.
As we emerge, the sun is setting, streaking the sky with luminous coral flames behind the white minarets of Aurangabad's miniature 'Taj'. Peace and space at last, away from the noise, away from the city, away from the room .... Christmas Eve.