The tribal tomato seller

Couldn’t resist showing this lovely lady who allowed me to take lots of shots of her as she sat behind her tomatoes and joked with her neighbour at a larger market today. There was a cattle market on the outskirts of the village and a goat one at the other end and lots of different tribal people were there (but not the beaded ladies of yesterday). It was fun watching the bargaining, walking away, the chasing and finally an exchange of money for the stock.  Because most of the tribal areas are off limits to tourists the only way to encounter them is at the markets so I now realise how privileged I was to go out to many villages 17 years ago with the district leprosy nurse on the back of his motorbike. It has also been fun to see all the different facial features that I remember so well from the hospital.  
 
It is Shivaratri today so many shops were shut and beautifully dressed people were visiting temples.  Both Pravat and Lokia said they were fasting but it didn’t seem to stop them from drinking juice and eating sweets and fruit.  After the market we visited a potters’ village where all the men sat under the trees with their wheels spinning and clay being made into dishes for temples and larger pots for householders. It was a rich village compared to some we have visited.  Then we tried to go to the Tribal museum but found it closed so went to the Jaganath Temple which I as an unbeliever was allowed to visit.  There are pictures of my day here
Thank you so much for the lovely response to my blip of yesterday - I am  so glad you enjoyed it.