Even in the most random places I visit, with little to no tourist footprint, the locals can guess that I am an Indian. I am not sure how – maybe because of Bollywood? Or maybe some odd Indian traveller has reached the place earlier however unlikely it seems. Conversely, in India many rural folk think I am a foreigner. Obviously an Indian girl won’t be meandering alone like this!

On any typical travel day, I would be wearing a t-shirt. The round neck of the t-shirt means that my rudraksha bead necklace is clearly visible. Out of my 4 t-shirts, 2 have a big AUM sign on them. (I am a yoga girl). I mostly wear whites, oranges and browns. And in Indian urban areas people may joke about me being a right wing political supporter due to my obvious Hindu-yoga look.

In Thailand, as I was cycle touring, I still had my rudraksha beads, I was mostly wearing shorts, head uncovered unless too sunny, and my t-shirts had big AUM signs on them. So it was very, very odd when people kept assuming I was a Muslim.

This was a total first for me.

The first couple of times it happened I assumed that person was nuts. They probably didn’t know anything about India and so came up with this idea. So I explained to them that India has largely a Hindu population. (I am Jain but why complicate things.)

Thailand being a Buddhist country I thought they would know a rudraksha mala and AUM sign. And they do. They also know that India is predominantly a Hindu country. A lot of Thai people have visited India – usually Bodhgaya and Varanasi.

So when the nth person asked me if I was a Muslim, I asked them,

“WHY do you think I am Muslim?!”

“Ohh even Muslim people cannot eat many things”

*mind boggled* I am a strict vegetarian avoiding even onion and garlic. And to my mind Muslims are largely non-vegetarian.

But then realisation dawned on me – PORK. Muslims don’t eat Pork.

“Muslims don’t eat only one thing. I don’t eat lots of stuff.”

But then I guess they were also thinking of Halal restrictions.

So bizarre it was.

And it happened again.

I was staying at a youth hostel with a Muslim caretaker. Very relaxed and helpful chap.

“I need to use my camping stove in the yard to cook something, cause I am a strict vegetarian blah blah…”

“is OK”

As I was cleaning up, he came around to watch. A lot of people like to watch the cooking stuff – small camping stove, gas cylinder and also my cycle touring gear when I am loading/unloading on the bike and such. And he casually said,

“I understand, is difficult. I also cannot eat.”

“Oh.. You vegetarian?”

“No, no.. I Muslim. I cannot have Pork”

I was a little stunned but couldn’t really show it.

But after a bit of thought I can understand it, if he goes out with other Thai friends he probably can’t eat a lot of stuff because there would be many Pork dishes. Plus he has to keep checking if the meat is Halal or not.

*Kind of* similar when I go out with friends and only have a drink in a mixed restaurant because the food is suspect. And then I go to the supermarket and check the fine print of ingredients on everything I pick up. Mostly raw materials for a meal I would cook on my small stove.

It was a startling revelation for me. I never imagined being taken to be a Muslim because of my “Je” diet.

And that’s the funny thing, Thailand has a lot of “Je” restaurants which serve completely vegan and no onion-garlic food. So they understand the concept of vegan and no onion-garlic food. It is a Buddhist religious thing for them.

A “Je” food stall in the Mae Sariang market street

So why do they think I am a Muslim when I opt for Je? I even have Buddhist Tibetan flags draped on my cycle. So why wouldn’t they assume I was Buddhist?!

I can only attribute it to Thailand’s pork obsession.

“What you eat Je food? means no Pork? Are you a Muslim?”

😀

Many a pig heads I have seen.

Skinned and bloody.

And flabby slices of its flesh arranged neatly on the vendor stalls

Little flappy fans hung over them to keep away the flies

Buyers come and take their pick

Of the most succulent flesh.

Of course, no muslims would ever come hither

No muslims, nor this Indian girl.

It was shocking to see the display of meat and animal slaughter so often. But as a yogi I must see what is there without unnecessary mental distortions. Mostly I can manage. Sometimes I feel aghast and slightly nauseous. Karuna.

Quite a bizarre and amusing story from the road 🙂