This morning, I saw a fascinating ritual (?) involving Kumbh Mela. Naked sadhus marched towards the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers (which is apparently also conceptually called the Saraswati River), and finally bathed.

Even though I have seen bathing in Varanasi and Rishikesh, I didn't quite understand its importance. However, seeing these serious people, I felt a little like I understood what bathing is all about.

For Japanese people, bathing in the Ganges River, which is considered dirty, might seem questionable. I wonder if Indians feel this way about bathing.
I don't really understand why they are naked. Apparently, only the followers of Shiva are naked.

Because I didn't know the exact time and location, I woke up at 2 am, left at 2:30 am, and started walking around at 3:30 am. I waited at a place that looked like it would be a good spot, and I was able to see it starting at 5:55 pm. It seems that the parade takes quite a while to start and move to the final confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. I waited at the goal, so it took quite a while, but I'm glad I was able to see it.



According to an Indian person, this is a special event that is only available on the day of the Main Bath, and it will not be available tomorrow morning. I was lucky to see it so early.
I thought that the 21st morning might be another chance, but it was not available on the 21st. Is it only available on the first day?
I am shivering because I am naked and the temperature is only 7 degrees Celsius in the early morning...

I visited a temple with a good view in Kumbhalgarh.
From here, I can see maybe a tenth of the entire area of Kumbhalgarh. It's so vast that I can't even grasp the scale. The number of visitors is high, but the grounds are so large that it doesn't feel that crowded. In fact, it gives the impression of being spacious.
I feel that the famous festivals in Japan are much more crowded.

I have been using only fixed focal length standard lenses for a long time, but this new compact digital camera has a 40x zoom, which surprisingly offers a lot of freedom in composition and is interesting.
It can take pictures from a distance, almost like a hidden shot. I used to have a mirrorless single-lens reflex camera, but this new camera is a compact digital camera, and it has such good features for a compact digital camera. I am amazed by the evolution of cameras. It is easy to use and I can take pictures as I want, so I like it.

I wanted to take more pictures of women, but actually, most of the sadhus and swamis are men, so there are only a few women, such as maids wearing saris.

The level of the Kumbh Mela camp at Panchayati Akahira Bada Udasen, near Rishikesh in Haridwar, was far superior to others and was impressive. It's the kind of cleanliness that Japanese people might imagine when they think of a camp. Although I have only seen about 20% of the entire Kumbh Mela, I would say that everything here is in the top few percent.

In some places, more than half of the camps look like slums, but the quality of this place is abnormal. I haven't seen inside the accommodation tents, but the fact that there are proper doors is a culture shock. Other tents are just separated by cloth. There are also ordinary tents on the premises, but even the ordinary tents look clean. Indians, you can do it.

Of course, the level is several steps higher than the Kriya Yoga camp. The Kriya Yoga camp is just a slightly cleaner version of a slum, so the people staying at the Kriya Yoga camp might be very disappointed by the difference in level if they saw this place.

This organization seems to offer free chai to everyone. I haven't eaten there, but it seems like food is also free for everyone.

Everyone is kind, calm, honest, and looks energetic, which is completely different from the somewhat withdrawn and slightly depressed atmosphere of the people at the Kriya Yoga camp. This place has a feeling of being a place where people are seriously and diligently practicing. You can feel the basic spirit of selfless service, which is characteristic of Karma Yoga. The atmosphere is light. However, it doesn't feel frivolous, and it's basically neutral, but they are kind and will respond if you talk to them. However, they seem to have difficulty with English, so there may be difficulties in communication.

By the way, I didn't feel much of a spirit of selfless service, which is characteristic of Karma Yoga, either at the Rishikesh ashram or at the Kumbh Mela camp. I think this place is well-founded because it has a spirit of service. I wonder if focusing only on meditation might cause a loss of balance? But I have no proof.

This ashram is in Haridwar, which is right next to Rishikesh, so it probably attracts many practitioners. There were many people here who seemed to be advanced in their practice. I just felt that way.

The problem is that there are not many people who can speak English. However, since it is right next to Rishikesh, I would like to visit if I have the opportunity.

Today, I walked a long way, but the discovery of this place was the biggest reward.

... I checked again, and there seems to be a similar name at a local temple, so I'm not sure what's going on. I can't understand it very well because English is not widely spoken. Well, for me, it's a place where only Hindi is spoken, so I can't go there easily, and there's no immediate need to do anything about it, so it's not a problem for now.

I discovered Yogmata Aikawa Keiko's camp at the Kumbh Mela 2019 in India. It really exists... However, Yogmata is not here at the moment.



I discovered Yogmata Aikawa Keiko's camp at the Kumbh Mela 2019 in India. It really exists... However, Yogmata is not here at the moment.



I discovered Yogmata Aikawa Keiko's camp at the Kumbh Mela 2019 in India. It really exists... However, Yogmata is not here at the moment.

Today, I went to a live performance at the main hall. It was a performance by Kumbamera. They seem to be famous among Indian people, but I don't know much about them. Even if you don't understand the lyrics, Indian music is enjoyable because of its rhythm. I haven't been listening to music much lately, but it's nice to experience something like this occasionally.

While I was walking around the Kumbh Mela venue, a strange Indian man approached me and said, "Smoke, smoke!" I don't smoke, so I told him that, but for some reason, he didn't back down. He pulled something metallic out of his pocket and put it to his mouth, saying, "This is it, this is it." What is this? I've never seen this metal object before. Then, the strange man took out another bag from his pocket and said, "This is it, this is it" again, but I didn't understand what it was, so I asked, "What is this?" He said, "It's drugs." Sigh. This is a place where someone is openly trying to sell drugs, right in front of a temporary police station. The police are watching.



When I traveled to India for the first time, around 2006, I was asked several times in Varanasi if I wanted to buy drugs, but I ignored them. At that time, the drug dealers approached me discreetly, but this time, they were so open, and they even let me take pictures. What kind of drug dealers are these? (laugh)

I'm seeing drugs in this form for the first time. Well, I'm not really interested, but it's just a story. I've heard that there are a lot of drugs in places like Kashmir in the north, and that there are many drug dealers in places where foreigners gather, such as Goa and Varanasi, but in Varanasi, it was like what I described above, and in Goa, I haven't heard anything about drugs, probably because my stay was short. I might have been told about it if I had asked, but I'm not interested.

However, when I read travelogues, drugs are often mentioned, and I had the impression that India was a drug-producing country. But in reality, I haven't had any opportunities to encounter drugs, and since Varanasi (in 2006), I haven't had any such experiences until this time, when I was approached by a drug dealer for the first time in 13 years. And there are drug dealers who are so open. (laugh)

Of course, I didn't buy anything, but they asked me for a tip for the picture, so I gave them 10 rupees (about 18 yen) for a cup of chai.

I discovered Vivekananda's camp. He was one of the early giants who widely spread Indian philosophy in the West, and I learned a lot from reading his book "Raja Yoga," but it turns out to be surprisingly small. It's quite ordinary, or rather, too ordinary for a giant. It seems much smaller than I imagined.

ISKCON temple camp was also discovered. The area is more than twice the size of other regular ones. It is huge and relatively empty. Some parts seem to be still under construction. In India, it is quite common for construction to continue even after the opening of a facility.
As expected, the scale is different because it is an organization that exists all over the world.

At the Kumbamela venue, small shows are held every day in various places. They range from Indian classical dance to various kinds of ethnic dances that are not easily understood.

Did you drop your wallet in the rickshaw? → Looking back, this was probably pickpocketing. It's not something that would easily fall out of your pocket.

The damage was about 30,000 yen?
I only had one credit card, so I canceled it immediately and there was no damage.
Even 30,000 yen is several months of earnings for a rickshaw driver, so they definitely won't return it.
I noticed it right away and rushed towards the rickshaw, but it immediately left and seemed to escape.
I might have been careless because I've been lucky so far.
This time, I have multiple cards and cash, so I can continue my trip.
I usually don't carry this much in India, but I had a lot of cash for buying train tickets the other day, and that's how I got into this trouble.
The rickshaw driver asked for money in the middle of the ride, which I thought was strange. Also, even after checking the contents and location of my wallet, it's possible that he intended to pickpocket me from the beginning.

→ After filing a police report, I went to a larger police station where lost items are collected and asked if there were any reports of a lost wallet, but there were none. I left my phone number and am waiting for them to contact me. In India, this is a long shot, but there's nothing else I can do.

→ I used to panic in situations like this, but I'm more calm these days. Well, it'll be okay. If there's a reason to return it, it will come back. If it doesn't, then that person probably needed the money. It's not divine guidance, but everything is perfect.
I usually put my hotel room key in my wallet, but recently I've been putting it in my pants for some reason, so at least that wasn't stolen. It's a bit of a hassle to reissue the credit card, and I just lost some cash, so it's not a big problem, I guess. No, losing cash is a problem, but I've been too lenient lately, and I don't even know what I'm thinking. I'm forgiving too much.

→ Looking back, the fact that he asked for money earlier than usual was unusual. Furthermore, he pushed against my body on the left side and was shouting something. I thought he was looking for passengers, but maybe that was a distraction and he was actually looking for my wallet. If that's the case, he's a rickshaw driver who planned to pickpocket me. The fact that he told me to sit next to him was also probably part of the plan. It's hard to be victimized so smoothly without noticing.

The basic rule is to not put too much in your wallet. I usually do that, but when I buy train tickets or exchange money, my wallet gets bulky, so I get careless at those times, and that's when I get victimized.

It's true that you're most vulnerable when you get used to things.

I might have been targeted because I was feeling weak after recovering from an illness.

If I naturally dropped my wallet, I might be okay with someone taking the contents, but I prayed to God many times to make sure that if it was intentional pickpocketing, he would receive the appropriate punishment.

After that, I had a dream, and it might just be a dream, but I saw a fat Westerner riding in a rickshaw, and the driver was trying to pickpocket him, but he was caught, his face was beaten, his nose bled, he was kicked in the stomach like a monkey, and then handed over to the police. So, I think it might have been pickpocketing. Well, it's just a dream. I don't know the truth, but based on the driver's strange behavior, it was probably pickpocketing. He wouldn't have been beaten up so badly just for my wallet, so he must be a repeat offender. Well, it's just a story from a dream. The accuracy rate of these kinds of dreams is about 50/50. They often come true.

The fact that my wallet disappeared is true, and the possibility of it being pickpocketing is a logical deduction and a guess. The punishment is just a story from a dream.

It has been a very long time since I used a currency exchange in Allahabad, but I think that in the age of personal travel, it is no longer a time when people exchange cash.



After searching for a long time, I finally arrived at the exchange shop. It seems to be the only specialized exchange shop in Allahabad. I wonder if there are any other places like this outside of tourist areas. I went to a bank near my hotel, which was 1.5km away, but they didn't accept it. I went to a larger bank, which was 6km away, but I couldn't exchange money without an account. Finally, I went to Thomas Cook, which was another 3km away, but the location on Google Maps was wrong, and I had to search for it, which was very tiring. I wasted half a day, and I also incurred transportation costs. More than anything, I was exhausted from being sent from place to place.

From now on, it's best to only exchange the money needed for transportation at the airport upon arrival, and keep the rest for emergencies. Basically, credit card cash advances are the way to go.

This morning, I woke up early to try and see the (naked) early morning parade at Kumbh Mela again.

It is currently 5 AM.
I heard there might be one today, but it seems to be in a different location.
Some people say there isn't one today, while others say it's somewhere else. The security and staff are giving very vague information. This is a common occurrence in India.

Time's up.

It is currently 6:10 AM.
I went back to the place I saw it before, and there was a security guard I know. He said that he left Sector 12 at 6:00 AM and it took him 20 minutes to get here. Just 10 more minutes! It turns out that the travel time is surprisingly short.

It is currently 6:15 AM.
There is no sign of it coming. Another security guard said that it's not here, but in Sector 9. That's really far away. The security guard next to him said, "No, it's in Sector 8." But 8 and 9 are quite far apart. Security guards should at least know the schedule. This is the "India quality." Even this is considered "perfect" in India. It's more like a truth than sarcasm.

Kumbh Mela was enough for a few days. 8 days is too long. It was a failure.
But it's okay because even failures are part of perfection.

■Miscellaneous thoughts: Maybe it's time to graduate from India.
After that, I went to exchange money, but I encountered various problems, and I started to feel a bit bored and apathetic.

The prices in India are constantly increasing, and even with some discounts, they are often the same as or only 30% cheaper than in Japan. For me, India might be something I should "graduate" from.
The prices are increasing, but the hygiene remains the same, and the unpleasantness of Indian people is still the same. If the prices go up but the satisfaction remains the same, it's not worth it.
This unhygienic environment, unpleasantness, dirtiness, dishonesty, and the prevalence of theft are the limits. Anything more than a 1/3 price increase is not worth it. I have already exceeded that threshold.

Yoga may have advantages in India, but now there are Indians all over the world, so it's not necessarily essential to come to India.
In any case, it's a matter of personal self-discipline, so it's basically something you should do near your home.

There might be a reason to choose India for yoga from all over the world, and I might want to come back sometime, but this time, for the first time in my life, I got my wallet stolen in India, and it felt like India was saying, "You don't need to come back anymore. Goodbye."
Well, it might be just my imagination.
The timing was perfect. It was a good ending.

I think I've seen about 80% of the tourist attractions in India, and with this trip, there are almost no places left that I want to see. So, it's a good time to graduate.

Well, since I've been rejected by India, there's nothing I can do about it. It's the end of my 13th year.
I can do yoga anywhere in the world, so I might do yoga in India again, but my feelings might be different this time.
By the way, I haven't been to Nepal yet, so I might go there next time. Or, if I get a visa for the United States, I can go to the United States.

Well, before that, I should probably start thinking about my next job.
I'm officially unemployed now (laughs).

To be honest, I've already done almost everything I wanted to do, so I would be completely satisfied if I died of old age right now, but I still have a lot of energy, so what should I do?

I discovered the SRF (Self-Realization Fellowship) camp. The aura of the meditation hall was amazing, and I was impressed. This is the real thing. Because it's a camp, the facilities are simple, and even though it's in the midst of the chaotic Kumbh Mela, the level of tranquility is quite different, which makes me think that the energy level of the people here is very high.



I discovered the SRF (Self-Realization Fellowship) camp. The aura of the meditation hall was amazing, and I was impressed. This is the real thing. Because it's a camp, the facilities are simple, and even though it's in the midst of the chaotic Kumbh Mela, the level of tranquility is quite different, which makes me think that the energy level of the people here is very high.



I discovered the SRF (Self-Realization Fellowship) camp. The aura of the meditation hall was amazing, and I was impressed. This is the real thing. Because it's a camp, the facilities are simple, and even though it's in the midst of the chaotic Kumbh Mela, the level of tranquility is quite different, which makes me think that the energy level of the people here is very high.

The moon is beautiful. Everyone is bathing in the Ganges River and the Yamuna River at their confluence. I just washed my hands and that is enough for me.Indeed, I feel like this water makes my skin smooth. I don't know about its health benefits. I often hear stories about Japanese people who overdo it with a full-body bath and end up getting sick (laugh). During this time, even Indian people seem to feel the cold and many are shivering.The following is a description of the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers from the Yoga scripture "Shiva Samhita." In the Prayagraj area, the name Prayaga, which is an alternative name for Allahabad, was frequently used.■The Sacred Confluence
The Sarasvati River flows between the Ganges River and the Yamuna River. If one bathes at the confluence of these three rivers, that person will attain the highest state of bliss (liberation). I previously stated that the Ida channel is the Ganges River, the Pingala channel is the daughter of the sun (the Yamuna River), and the channel in between (the Sushumna channel) is the Sarasvati River. The confluence of these three is the most difficult place to reach. The place that has been revered since ancient times as the confluence of these three rivers is called Prayaga. It is now known as Allahabad.
"From "Yoga Sutras," P278"

BGM: Copyright(C)Music Palette

I used Uber to travel 10km and came to a small Shiva temple on the opposite bank of the river, as well as a special event venue and a special, temporary Indian history museum. There is a campsite that stretches quite a long way along the river, but it is relatively narrow. It seems that the area I usually go to is a hotspot. Perhaps I can say that I have seen most of it. I still have some time, so I would like to go to the northern end.



When going across the river, I used Uber, and when returning, I tried Ola. With Uber, the fare is automatically charged based on the driver's operation, but with Ola, you need to enter a 4-digit OTP (One-time password) to start the service. I see.
Uber is a little more expensive, and the drivers seem to be smiling. The Ola drivers seem to be a little grumpy from the beginning.

I happened to pass by a little-known organization called Brahma Kumaris, which is surprisingly impressive. I didn't know, but it seems they have organizations all over the world. They have a guide who explains everything thoroughly. It seems they are located in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hiroshima in Japan.It seems that because they gave a speech at the United Nations, their activities are very diverse, and I was impressed. This is contributing much more to world peace than most NGOs/NPOs. There are organizations this amazing.

Based on the explanation I heard, they have solid teachings rooted in the basics of Vedanta and Yoga, and it feels like they are doing things properly and seriously. Since they maintain a stance that they are not a religion, Christians are also involved in their activities.

At the Kumbh Mela, I was robbed not only of my wallet like before, but today my bag was also stolen, along with my smartphone and camera. I was too careless after having my wallet stolen. Perhaps I had been too lucky until now. It's going to be quite difficult to travel without Google Maps on my smartphone. I also can't even pass the time with my smartphone. It's like being subjected to a classical form of torture, having something thrown at the back of your neck and being forced to wash it. I can't believe I fell for this. I thought I was just being bitten by mosquitoes, so I was careless. If it had been more intense, I would have realized it immediately and run away. This probably targets people who are usually energetic but have lost their strength and are feeling feverish due to a cold.

I've learned that even in North India, there are people who approach you "as if they are being friendly, but are actually thieves." I thought North India would be more straightforward.

■Method
It seems that a man who appeared to be the leader targeted me. When I was walking, a man from the stall approached me, pretending to be a kind person and saying, "Hey, hey," trying to get me to come over. I ignored him. At that point, he just looked like an ordinary Indian person. I couldn't tell the difference. After walking for a while, a man in front of me suddenly crouched down, so I stopped for a moment and quickly moved to the side. However, at that moment when I stopped, a hand reached out from behind and put something on the back of my neck. The man who came from behind quickly moved to the left. I realized I had been robbed when I saw his hand, but I also thought it might have just been a dirty hand bumping into me. This might be a case of normalcy bias. I should have considered a more risky possibility.

My neck started to feel hot soon after, and at first, I thought I had been bitten by a bee, a mosquito, or some insect specific to this area. The pain was unlike anything I had felt before, so I thought it might be similar to a bee sting.

I walked a little further, and I wanted to wash, so I first looked for a toilet or a shower faucet, but I couldn't find one. Then, a voice came from nowhere saying, "It's over there, it's over there." You tend to follow such guiding voices when you're distracted. I was thinking of borrowing a shower from somewhere, but someone pushed me and said, "This is it, this is it," pointing to a cup of drinking water next to where they were distributing prasad (a small meal), and said I should wash with that. Well, I decided to do that, so I took off my jacket, put my bag down, took off my shirt, and rinsed my back a few times with the cup. Then, I realized that my bag was gone.

A person who was repeatedly filling the cup with water said, "Use more water," and that person seemed to have a blank expression and was moving around nervously, so he was probably one of the accomplices. His accomplice must have been moving the bag behind him. The bag was taken in an instant.

After that, I searched for my bag, but couldn't find it. When I asked the people who were eating prasad, they grimaced and said nothing. I quickly realized that either they didn't understand English, or even if they did, they were too afraid to say anything. This is hopeless.

Then, the leader, pretending to be a kind citizen, came from the other side of the crowd and asked, "What's wrong?" So I briefly explained the situation, and he said, "The police will find it," but there's no way they would search for it, so I ignored him. I can file a police report later. As I tried to move, a large number of people stopped standing around me, as if to prevent me from moving. I immediately realized that they were all accomplices. There must have been at least one person who saw what was happening. Foreigners stand out.

At this point, the leader knew that my smartphone and camera had been stolen.

The leader persistently told me to get on a motorcycle and go to the police station, so I decided to go with him, even though I thought they were all accomplices, because I was too lazy to walk. I thought I would do something dangerous in the city center, but the Kumbh Mela grounds are sandy, so I could jump off at any time if necessary, so I got on the motorcycle. Sure enough, they took me to a special police station. I thought they would take me far away, surround me with a large group, and take my wallet, but that didn't happen.

At the special police station, the leader testified to the police about what was in the bag and went to a place where he would get a certificate. The purpose seemed to be for his accomplice to check the contents of the bag that he was hiding to make sure that he wouldn't be caught.

The reason I thought that was because, whether he was stupid or he thought I couldn't do anything anyway, he kept saying, "What's in it? Is it a stone, and some kind of liquid for massage, and what else?" Even though I hadn't said anything about a stone or a liquid. It's not massage oil, it's cough medicine. He wouldn't make a mistake like that. His accomplice must have reported that it was massage oil. At that point, I realized that this man was the leader. I wonder if he's trying to get me to notice him by saying that, and then studying my reaction. If so, he must have repeated the same scam many times, refined it through PDCA cycles, and has the nerve to joke with the police while listening to their testimony. Perhaps he's seeking stimulation, and he's such an evil person that he's mocking the police and the victim by offering such bait. Even if I said, "Hey! You're not saying that, are you? You're the one who did it!" The only people who can speak English there are that man and the police officer, who speaks it poorly, so even if I pointed that out, they would just talk in Hindi and ignore me, and even if I protested, I don't think I'll get my things back. Since it's a police station, I can't get beaten up, and I'm sure the boss of the Indian mafia would be much stronger in a fight, so I'm afraid of retaliation, so I can only ignore it. I understand that the leader, who is pretending to be a kind Indian person, is probably someone the police know about but can't catch. The police's response to this man seems to show frustration.

It's astonishing that the mastermind of the scam would brazenly engage in conversation with the victim to extract information. This man appears to be an average Indian, so one wouldn't suspect him of being a scammer just by looking at him. Also, the mastermind repeatedly asked, "Are Indians and Japanese friends?" seemingly to gain consent, but I ignored him. It's likely that scammers are concerned about their reputation, so ignoring them and not offering thanks is the best approach.

It's perplexing that these scammers, who go to such lengths to orchestrate elaborate schemes using accomplices, wouldn't simply pursue legitimate businesses to earn a living. They waste their efforts on such deceitful activities.

This incident makes me wonder if we should simply leave slums untouched, as they are essentially prisons for criminals. We can identify and help individuals who deserve it, while leaving the overall slum environment as it is. There's no need to improve the entire area; we can focus on helping those who are worth saving.

■ Losses:
- A cheap Android smartphone (worth approximately 12,000 yen) purchased from an online retailer in Hong Kong about 10 months ago (but it was functional). Please don't steal it.
- A Canon compact digital camera (model number with "720" in it) purchased a few months ago, priced at 27,000 yen. The data has been backed up daily, so it's safe.
- Approximately 5,000 rupees (about 7,500 yen) in cash.
- A mobile battery (no longer needed without a smartphone), worth about 1,000 yen.
- A book purchased at Yogamata that day.
- A 10+ year old Montbell down jacket (it had served its purpose, but I was considering replacing it due to declining insulation).
- A small souvenir purchased that day.

The insurance deductible for lost belongings is 3,000 yen, so claiming for the smaller items is not worth it. I'll claim for the smartphone and the compact digital camera. Given the age of the smartphone, I might get a few thousand yen back, and hopefully around 15,000 yen for the digital camera. I can replace the items, but the camera data and the smartphone are irreplaceable, especially the GPS functionality. I might have to buy a smartphone in Bangalore.

Some people might resort to force, but I feel I was simply outsmarted.

In the past, the lack of GPS meant we had to rely on taxis or rickshaws, which likely resulted in fewer incidents. Now, with GPS, people can move around more freely, which might lead to more opportunities for theft.

While I was initially dismissive of the first time my wallet was stolen, I was quite annoyed this time. The smartphone is more essential than the camera. While I can tolerate the theft of items by slum residents, I'm more upset about the loss of the smartphone, which makes me realize that I get upset when something that causes me inconvenience is taken. I understand that stealing is their livelihood, and I consider it an accident, but I get frustrated when I'm put in a situation where I'm inconvenienced because of it.

Regarding the camera data, I've been backing it up to Dropbox daily to prevent theft. The data that hasn't been uploaded yet is on my PC, but I've been transferring it to my PC daily, so it's generally safe. My future itinerary doesn't involve much photography, so it shouldn't be a major issue.

Without a smartphone, navigation will be quite difficult, so I might rely more on taxis for the rest of my trip. Perhaps I should reconsider traveling to India altogether.

■ Crime and Punishment
I prayed to God to ensure that those involved in this scam receive appropriate and certain punishment.

I immediately received an answer in my dream. It's a fantasy interpretation, of course.

Answer: "All those involved in this scam, from the mastermind to the accomplices, will be forced to live in poverty and slums for an additional 10 lifetimes. That is certain." (Image of living in a tent).

In my dream, I asked God:

Me: "Is it really necessary for them to live in slums for an additional 10 lifetimes for a single crime? Isn't that a harsh punishment?"

God's Answer: "That is not the case. They have no room for improvement and no sense of remorse. They will be forced to live in slums or on the streets like insects for eternity. It's not just them. Those who turned a blind eye to their situation will also suffer, with 1 to 3 additional lifetimes of poverty, depending on the degree of their complicity." (Image of people turning a blind eye).

Even though it was just a dream, the thought of these people being condemned to 10 lifetimes of hardship for a few thousand yen is heartbreaking. It seems that even turning a blind eye is a sin. However, it's true that without self-improvement, one cannot improve their life, and they won't be treated well by others. Perhaps it's natural that those who continue to scam will be condemned to a life of poverty in the slums.

Then, a further response came:
"People can awaken their conscience. Even if their destiny is a life of poverty and slums, if they awaken their conscience, there is a possibility of change. The moment of change is fleeting. If they do not change, they will be forced to live a life of poverty and slums for another 10 lives. There is a way to escape the fate of living in slums, so you don't need to worry."

When I heard that, I felt relieved. It seems that they will continue to live a life of poverty and slums for the time being until they themselves want to change. I understand.
Furthermore, the response was: "They steal because of their need to survive. It is a natural consequence that you will be stolen from if you get close to them, so you should not get close to them." It seems that it is better to have no contact with them. When traveling, they tend to come close to you on their own.

Well, it's just a dream. Just a dream.

■Afterward
In Varanasi, I bought a Lava Z91 smartphone for 8,500 rupees (about 13,000 yen). The specifications are almost the same as before, or slightly better, for this price, so I thought I would just use it when I return to Japan. I also bought a SIM card, which is valid for 1 month for 900 rupees (1400 yen). Well, somehow or another, smartphones quickly become normal again, but the installation is a hassle.