I went for a walk around Vellore today, my first true excursion into town. It's a colourful and dusty (eye-watering!) agricultural town set in Northern Tamil Nadu, between Chennai and Bangalore. Businesses everywhere, from people with a couple of fruits or used chappals (sandals) laid out on a dirty old mat in front of them to larger retail businesses and restaurants (called hotels here). Amongst the most exotic things I saw on sale were stuffed brown squirrels (real-looking!), eagle claws and live chicken (some had a freshly slaughtered chicken carcass hanging above the live birds which pecked about ther cages totally unaware of the fate awaiting them). I bought some delicious white and red-fleshed guavas and custard apples too (sitafar/cherimoyas). As I wandered down the maze of tiny alleys just a few blocks behind my hotel, I came across a street show- a man played drums as a tiny (barely 5 years I shoudl think) anxious looking girl prepared to walk the rope that was stretched ahead of her about 10 feet above ground. Crowds of kids and adults watched on. I walked away, uncertain how to interpret the little girl's expression... I also walked on hoping to escape the smell emanating from the grey sewage water that trickled past houses and shops in that area. I could not help but cast scary glances at the curdled surface of it, almost expecting to see a recognisable form or animal- thankfully I didn't. I reached Vellore Fort, a huge monument in the centre of town dating from the 16th century and taken over in turn by invading Marathas, Mughals and finally the British. It's grounds now house decrepid looking government offices and a museum with stone sculptures depicting Hindu deities dating from before a thousand years ago and hero stones from that period from local villages which used them to pay homage to someone who had valiantly fought invaders or cattle robbers only to pay with their lives. I found the museum a calm haven away from the hustle and bustle of the town, with only occasional visitors. I now have a lazy Sunday afternoon to read and rest.