I was having a rough day. I decided to go to the sacred lake to chill out. It was, as usual, a battle to get there. I have to watch my back to make sure I will not get pickpocketed or groped on the street. every shop owner picks my white face out of the crowd and tries to get me into their store so they can charge me at least three times what they would charge an indian. Every man gives me lewd stares, and I must work to avoid meeting anyone's eyes as that would be interpreted as a come on. as I near the lake people try to shove flowers into my hands. I wasn't quite sure what this was about at first. eventually one of them suceeded in getting me to hold the flower. he insisted I follow him to the lake to toss the flower in as an offering. he sat me down and started performing a "blessing" I said I wasn't interested. He said everyone must be blessed. then of course he demanded money, saying it would all go to the city and the temples. I said a hundred rupees, which is a substantial amount in this country. he tried a variety of emotional manipulations to get me to give more. I stayed at 100. then, as though giving in, he told me to continue repeating after him, and tried to make me repeat I would give 300 rupees. I of course repeated I would give 100. then he continued with his haggling. This was really not feeling like a blessing. eventually I gave 100 (of which he put none in the donation box, but pocketed all of it), got colored dust smeared over my face, and left feeling very much in disharmony with the world and anything but blessed. so much for my relaxing sitting by the lake.