Arriving at the jetty after 45 minutes, we stocked up on sugary drinks and snacks not knowing what was at the end of the long pier (so long there's a train on it to take you to the top). In the searing sun, we walked.
Chandrankat approached us, his arm laden with typical Indian tourist jewellery. 'No thank you, No thank you' we kept repeating. Then he just started to chat - was I married, did I have children, where was my husband, where did I live. Understanding my reticence, feeling like I was going to be guilted in to buying something, the communication was friendly, but not exactly 2 way. Then Chandrankat said 'Don't worry, you don't buy, we just talk'. And talk we did, all the way to the end of the jetty.
He lived in the village, had been born there. His wife lived in Mumbai with his 3 daughters. He made the jewellery out of stones he bougt in the markets around Mumbai and sold them to tourists coming to Elephanta. We had a good old chat. When we got to the end, he pulled one of the necklaces off his arm 'Matches your dress, present from me, I like to talk, no one ever talks'.
Despite feeling I couldn't take his hard work, he absolutely insisted. And so I made a friend, Chandrankat. He came back on the boat to us in Bombay, it turns out he speaks Russian and Italian too. We chatted about the price of education, his family, my family... and when we docked, he went off for a beer, and I went off for my interview with Impact magazine.
He says if any of my friends or family need a guide on Elephanta, he would be glad to take you for R 250 (£3.50). He's always on the jetty, dressed all in white, selling his necklaces.
No comments:
Post a Comment