My Second Trip To India – Season 1 | Episode 1

I went back to Bengaluru in the fall. “It’s going to be a breeze,” I told myself. Customs were easy and I had booked a room in a new comfortable hotel close to a small park, looking forward to my daily jogging and exercise routine.

 

On the dental schedule were an implant, a wisdom tooth and some little extras. So there should be a lot of time for relaxation and enjoying the city.

 

Next to my hotel, there was a construction site with much hammering. To my astonishment all work was done in manual labor! No heavy machines, no cranes! They shovelled the gravel, cement and other materials into sacks, these sacks on top of their head and then carried them up the floors. The scaffold was made of sleek logs fastened together with cords. That seemed quite adventurous to me. However, the construction workers appeared to be at ease! Working in flip-flops or even barefoot, no helmet, no security belt, no gloves, no breathing protection! Any U.S. or European company would lose their license immediately. 

 

But in India – the first thing they mount on the scaffolding of a new construction site is the mask of a demon: Dhristi Bommai(in Tamil) or Dhristi Gombe (in Kannada)! With his terrifying eyes wide open and his aggressive tongue protruding, he is supposed to avert all evil and misfortune! Obviously- Dhristi Bommai does a spectacular job and saves insurance!