Interesting and Bizarre things to watch or do

My wife and two boys (9 and 12) and I will be in India for the month of Feb '08. We have most of the "must do" things planned, like Taj Mahal, Camal safari in Jaisalmer, boat trip in Cochin, etc.

However, I'm looking for some cool, bizarre, out of the way activities that can be taken in here and there. Fire walkers, intersting and bizarre rituals, activities we can watch or participate in - anything a wierd dad and a couple of gross boys might find cool.

Here are the cities we'll be in from Feb 2 through Feb 28: New Delhi; Jaisalmer; Jaipur; Cochin; Allapey; Varkala; Nagercoil; Hardiwar, UP; back to New Delhi.

I'd appreciate any suggestions for things you've seen or done that you recommend.

For a western family, just walking down an Indian street is amazing. The sounds, smells and sights will be like nothing you've seen before.

I took my family to India in April 2007. We didn't go far off the tourist trail, but some of the experiences my kids enjoyed the most were:
- a Bollywood movie, preferbaly in the Raj Mandir cinema in Jaipur. It doesn't matter if you don't speak Hindi, just laugh when the locals do and enjoy the experience.
- if you can change your schedule I'd recommend Varanassi. Seeing human bodies burn will fascinate any boy.
- practice haggling over small inexpensive items that you are prepared to not buy if you don't think you've got a fair price.

Our Family In India

Watching bodies burn, so cool..

Thanks. We would find Varanasi very interesting but I'm not sure we'll make it over there.

Anyone have favorite places to get horoscopes read or beginner yoga classes?

Movie advice: at the Raj Mandir, a movie called Jodha Akbar will open on Feb 15. It is a lavish - amazing - historical movie about the emperor Akbar and his Rajasthani princess wife, Jodhaa. Probably 16th century.

Excellent director, top stars, very lavishly filmed historical movie, I'd predict 50/50 romance and warfare -- think armies of elephants. I know the costume research is supposed to be brilliant, including jewelry from the period.

If you go Feb 15, look for me, I am hoping to get there for "first day first show."

In India this is a highly anticipated movie - if you have a tv in your room in any hotel you'll see.

You'll be able to do both of the above in Laxman Jula, Rishikesh, about 30kms from Haridwar, and at the same place you'll be able to watch monkeys trying to rob tourists on the very picturesque bridge across the Ganges, it's also a good place to watch tourists going completely over the top, all good fun.