Here I am at a small Hindu temple in Varanasi, giving thanks to Shiva for the replacement of my missing traveler's checks. I did as I was instructed by the Brahman priest (shown to the right), reciting "om mani Shiva" seven times in rapid succession while sitting in front of a stone lingam (phallic symbol).
The man who helped expedite the replacement of my traveler's checks was actually a Muslim, so I joked with our taxi driver, Dada, that I should probably thank Allah as well. But Dada explained that in India things are under Shiva's control, so even if it was a Muslim man who helped me, he did it by the grace of Shiva. I see.