Magical India and The Tale of the 4 Glass Bangles....

I never mind paying a bit extra for things in India..as I feel that I am already getting a good deal, and if you pay a little more..so what. At least that's how I look at it.

But today was a different story altogether...here's why...

I was out and about taking my daily hour walk and needed to make a phone call to the Meditation teacher that is here in Mysore...so I stopped by a local phone booth in front of a fruit stand and made my call. Narasima wasn't in yet so I figured to kill some time and try back a bit later I would mosey across the street and look at the pretty glass bangles they had out front. I have never purchased any before...but I have loved hearing the sound of them "tinkling" together on the Indian women's wrists...and as I began looking at them and trying them on..I LOVED them. The colors were so beautiful and they were all so magical to behold!

There was a young boy working behind the counter and I asked him the price, he said "5 Rupees for 2" and after he spoke those 4 words he looked at the woman he had been helping whom I had gathered was his friend. and they both giggled and make a smirky smile to one another....that's when my antenna went up....but I thought, you know what, that's OK. They are pretty and that's OK.

So I continued to look and had decided on 12 bangles...in pairs of 2, in lavenders mostly..but of course other colors as well....but i LOVED the lavender ones the most.

I go to pay him and he say's to me "These 10 rupees for 2"...Whoa....Whaaaaat? "I thought you said they were 5 rupees for two" says me...."No, 10 rupees for 2" says the boy. So of course I told him never mind and I walked out. I figured I didn't need them anyway...I was just killing some time.

So I walk back across the street to the phone booth and fruit stand and before I pick up the phone to make that call...I asked the woman.."Excuse me, how much do glass bangles usually cost"?

She tells me they are approximately 22 rupees for 12! "22 Rupees for 12" I scream....then I begin to tell her my little situation across the street and she says "Oh no Madam...too much they are charging" Then.....all of a sudden she tells me to come behind the counter and sit...to watch the store for her...and she runs upstairs and comes down with 4 BEAUTIFUL Lavender Glass Bangles and say's me "Madam, these I give you freely, Please take, my gift" I couldn't believe my eyes or her gift to me...I had never seen her before until today..and the magical mystery of it all is...

I never told her the colors I loved, nor was I wearing ANY lavender in my clothing!

India is Magical! And Nothing Surprises me here.....

p.s. you MUST click on the picture to see the real beauty of them!!