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leader carrying a lantern, as he walks it floods light between his legs, flashing through the veil like material of his dhoti. He is followed by four men carrying a dead woman covered with the red cloth on a bamboo stretcher. Two men straggle behind - all are silent. A woman calls in piercing voice "Myee, Myee". Three dogs sprawl in a group on the stone. While a fourth stands by scratching himself with his hind leg. Two of the dogs are black, two spotted black and white. Five boys pass with a loud large transistor radio. A boatman running after them, shouting, he argues with them the radio is shut of. Quick - patter - double - speed -words - spin from mouths like dud-ballets. The refuse to give more money, the boatman retreats, at least having tried. The transistor goes on, the boys go off. A drum sounds from far. The river is ever present in the darkness. A man descends

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from the temple, cigarette glowing in his mouth, clay jugs in each hand, muttering a prayer. Bathers call to each other laughing. The man with the jugs filled, returns from the Ganges, what I thought was a cigarette glowing, turns out to be the light catching on a gold pendant hung tightly around his neck. Maya still reigns calling all into question. The river remains ever present.

Sarangi

The sarangi is about two feet long. Hollowed out of a single block of wood and covered with parchment - four main tuning pegs - usually three strings of gut of varied thickness are used sometimes a fourth string of brass is used as a drone. Played upright with a horsehair bow. The fingers of the left hand are used for stopping the string by pressing against the strings at the sides. 35 to 40 sympathetic strings made of brass or steel run under the main strings and are tuned according to a raga to be played. Originally a folk instrument, used for centuries and came into vogue in the 17th century. Used mainly in the north of India as an accompaniment