Once, during my second trip to India in 1986, I visited the remote Vishnu temple of Badrinath set high in the Garwhal Himal. Set deep in a valley surrounded by 20,000 foot mountains, Badrinath is both one of the most beautiful and remote temples in all of India. After securing a room in a local dharamsala, I wandered down the hill towards the temple compound. The temple is set beside a rushing mountain stream and naturally occurring thermal baths. The temple is situated on a small rise on the far bank from the small cluster of rest houses and tea shops. To reach the temple a cable suspension bridge has been constructed for pilgrims to cross., As I made my way across the bridge a sadhu walking towards me grabbed my wrist and said "it is very good, my son, that you have come. It is a great blessing to have darsan of Badrinath! Now that you have reached here you must walk 108 times around the temple and your trip will be most good!" Having said this the holy man released his grip on my wrist an continued on past me. I shouted my thanks to the old man and was about to continue my trip across the bridge when a young Bombay man (I fancied the son of a rich industrialist) stopped me and said in an exasperated tone "why do you talk to this man! He is a sham just like all of these other holy men" pointing to the saffron clad ragged beggars sitting on the far bank near the temple. I was startled by his effrontery but I was able to stammer something like "…well I don’t know, he seemed kind of genuine…" Paying no head to what I was saying the young man continued "…nevertheless, it is a good thing that you have come here. I, of course am really religious and do not believe in pilgrimage, but nevertheless it is a good thing to do." With that mixed message of encouragement the young man walked off towards the temple. As I was about to the same a third fellow came up to me. This man, a policeman from New Delhi, spoke no English at all but held out his arms to stop my passage. He looked at me as if he was confused and waved his upturned hands as if to say "what in the hell are you doing here?". Without a moments hesitation I used my rudimentary Hindi to say Badrinathe darsan, that I was here to witness the god of Badrinath. With that answer the policeman smiled and kindly motioned for me to continue across the bridge and up towards the temple steps.