Day 3 in Varanasi and I held a snake in my hand. Probably I'm not as much of a daredevil as thought I was that day. After all, I know the snake's poison glands were removed and the snake charmer was right next to me. .
It is not everyday that you meet a snake charmer while strolling. Or a lady selling a kasturi or deer musk. Deer musk is a substance with a persistent odor, obtained from the caudal glands of the male musk deer. (Caudal glands lie in a sac located between the genitals and umbilicus and scent of the gland is used to attract mates). I didn't know what kasturi was. The lady gave me a furry ball to hold. She also rubbed it on the sleeves of my sweat shirt. It had a very sweet odor. Later when I asked her what the ball in my hand is, she very casually replied that it's a deer's navel. Like it's the most common thing in the world. It might be normal for her, but not for me. I dropped it immediately. She said she'll sell it to me at a very cheap price. However, I was is no mood to buy a deer's navel. I don't think I ever will be. I'm no animal rights activist, but I do feel it's cruelty. She told me kasturi has a persistent odor, and it did. My sleeves had a sweet odor till the end the day.
So, on my third in Varanasi I held both a snake and a deer's navel in my hand. Varanasi is not an everyday place. It's place that has it's own charm. A charm I'm sure I can't explain. A charm I thought was strange. Strange in a beautiful way.
