Through Stoned Eyes

Vijayawada is in “the heart” of Andhra Pradesh. Billboards are scrolled out in beautiful Telugu script, even while advertising toothpaste. But, what I have found is that speaking English gets you farther than learning Telugu. Even while walking along the rapid Krishna River, which runs through the city is a main attraction and active port. After trotting along feeling cool from the river’s breeze, we stopped our main attraction, the 7th century Undavalli Cave Temples. The caves were the first of their kind we had seen. A large looming cliff that housed detailed craved sculptures of deities. Three levels had been burrowed out and the passageways were magnified with chiseled rock pillars. As we were about to venture into the stone caves, a little boy with mismatched sandals approached us. With a teethy smile, a handshake, and 10 rupees, this neighborhood boy would be our unofficial tour guide through the ruins. He would point or stand near things worth viewing and waited patiently as we took pictures. At a statue of Vishnu, our guide squatted down close to an engraving. Though we could not understand him, the boy read the passage aloud. The intonation in his voice proved that this script meant something important, and he felt that without full comprehension, that the message would be understood. The boy’s smile was unbroken after he finished reading. There was a mutual exchange of respect. I am obviously not Hindu yet, religious strangers, at these temples, in unadulterated ways, have welcomed me into their place of worship, and I could not be more thankful.