Braving the rain

Huge thunderstorms during the night - very muddy today so I bet the farmers are happy. The rain was so heavy on the verandah roof and the thunder so loud it drowned out the drumming and music from the neighbouring school where an old man was being feted. He arrived escorted by a drummer and  friends who carried him shoulder high to the school entrance where he was garlanded with marigolds by members of a reception committee.  He took off his turban and another very long and colourful one was wound round his head leaving a red cockscomb on top and a long red tail down his back.  Then he was led into the school where obviously festivities took place all night as people left this morning with suitcases and bags. Today I took a rickshaw between the showers out to see the monkey temple through a wooded area where these peacock were perched high up on a tree top.  Got to the temple complex where there was a water lady  sitting in a small cave in a tower to give water to pilgrims.  The Temple is the second most important Brahmin complex in the country - the main one is in the south of India - and there were many young boys, aspirant sadhus, waiting for lunch.  They chanted in Sanscrit for some time before eating and then the rains came down again.  Didn't get to see much of the temple complex as it was cold and I was wet so we dashed for home and I'm now in my bedroom drawing and reading for the rest of the day - tomorrow the weather should improve a bit.