Namaste! I am currently in the city of Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry), which is in the union territory of Pondicherry, which is ruled directly by national governance instead of the states of india, which are substantially autonomous. It was a French colony until 1954 I believe, even though India had been independent from the British since 1947. There are many sections of the city that are clearly remnants of colonial France, exemplified in residential buildings, churches, and city infrastructure like sanitation and road planning. Other than that, it still feels a lot like India with the markets everywhere, and a side street with a Hindu temple that has an elephant who blesses people just outside.
There is a terrific beach called Auroville beach, that has white sand and warm water! It is 8 km away from the international commune called Auroville, which claims it is an experiment for the unity of humanity. There are many nations represented there who basically are non-political peace lovers who seek to achieve unity within diversity. Many work on projects of sustainable living, and most (if not all) practise yoga as a means of peace and unity. The Matrimandir is a large golden dome within the commune which people can meditate and perform yoga in when they choose. "The Mother" is a woman who started the whole thing, and today is actually the celebration of her ideals, one of which was the non-existance of constitutionalized marriage.
Last night, there was live music in the middle of Nehru Street in Puducherry, consisting of a stage full of electric drums, tablas, male and female singers, and a keyboard. Then, down the road, there was a brightly lit statue of a deity on a float rolling through the same road, powered by a generator behind it. There were many shopkeepers and townspeople coming to offer gifts, and 3 brahmins dressed in white lungis (man skirts, of which I own and happily wear 3) accepted the offerings. The gifts consisted of strings of flowers, shawls from clothing venders, and fruits. Most of which would be put in a metal pan and burned, giving off an aromatic smoke.
Madurai was a pretty awesome town, with the normal hustle and bustle of a normal Indian town, but with an incredible temple called the Minakshi Temple. Minakshi (or Parvati) is the consort to Sundeswerar (or Shiva), so the temple also had dedications to Shiva. There were a number of gopurams (towers) and many halls, each including ancient decorative pillars. It is the custom to have markets, or bazaars infront of temples for people to sell their wares, so there is a large one in Madurai. One night, my friend John and I met a guy about our age who took us on a city bus to the other end of town to another temple out on the water. He wanted to take us on a boat, but it was dark, there were no other boats around, and he had an engraving on his arm from a knife carving. The scar constisted of four letters which he was unable to truthfully explain (he told us a few different answers). So we figured he was part of a gang or at least super sketchy due to the situation, so we took a rickshaw back to town. Altogether a good time. We also visited the Gandhi Museum in Madurai, which told an extended account of the liberation of India (from the Brits) and Gandhi's life and works aside from that. The facility was created by Nehru, suitingly, as they were good friends and colleagues throughout the birth of the nation. The day after visiting the temple and the museum, we visited 3 NGOs around Madurai. The first was a Mercy Home, which took abandoned girl babies and abandoned elderly and gave them a place to live (for the babies, they also helped arrange foster parents). The second was a movement to empower women by education (of both women and men) and rights awareness. The third was called DHAN (development of human action) which basically facilitated micro-credit loans all over the country for small self-governing groups of people. All have had tremendous success and serve a vital part of Indian social society.
The weekend before Madurai, we went to Hampi, which is an area in nothern Karnataka which has many really old archealogical sites. There were so many temples that I couldn't really count them. Many were Hindu, some were Moslem, and some of the ruins simply consisted of religious baths, and simple city infrastructure like roads, waterways, and tunnels. One morning we climbed a small mountain (more of a large hill- it took about an hour) to watch the sunrise- absolutely breathtaking from up there! It was neat because we had just seen all the sights the day before, but now we got a bird's eye view.
In between all these places, we have been taking night trains, which has become quite an enjoyable experience. I have gotten good sleeps and met some really cool people. And of course, the most memorable phrases are repeated mercilessly by sellers (namely, "Chai" and "Coffee"). A little Indian girl named Sita kept coming to speak English to us (numbers 1 to 10 and nursery rhymes like "twinkle twinkle little star"), which was priceless. I think she had a crush on me. Well, off to supper. Something French.... maybe baguettes and pasta?
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Hospitals
Asha Kirana is an HIV/AIDS hospital that is next door to our hostel, and they arranged an education presentation to a nearby police training facility in which I tagged along. The police sent a bus with bars over the windows (clearly for transporting criminals!) which picked us up and drove us across the city. When we got there, we were brought to a room with about 200 constables wearing tan colored uniforms and matching hats. They reminded me of "man in the yellow hat" in curious George... but with tan hats. I got some pretty hilarious photos of some officers posing on their motorbikes afterwards. The talk itself was in Kannada (the language of Karnataka), but the presentation was in English, so I understood most of it. I feel it is actually fairly strategic to inform the policeman who will be enforcing prostitution laws (for example) how HIV can and cannot be transmitted, as it will help their judgment and keep them from propagating social stigmas. But can you believe that men who have trained and educated for 12 years in the police force have never heard of the basics of HIV/AIDS? How much do uneducated know about it? It's scary to know that a very conservative figure of 5 million HIV positive people live in India. Who knows how high the liberal number reaches? With little education, lots of stigma, and not universally organized system of ARV distribution, this country may see the ravages of HIV/AIDS similar to the likes of South Africa or worse.
On a lighter note, we visited the "Hospital in the Forest", which is an NGO that operates about half an hour away from Mysore. It serves tribals of the area, but also provides schooling and sanitation. It is an organization that operates very well, and shines as a model for other NGOs that want to do similar work in other areas of India.
Now I gotta study, I have 3 tests and 2 papers due in a few days, so phir melege (see you later)!
On a lighter note, we visited the "Hospital in the Forest", which is an NGO that operates about half an hour away from Mysore. It serves tribals of the area, but also provides schooling and sanitation. It is an organization that operates very well, and shines as a model for other NGOs that want to do similar work in other areas of India.
Now I gotta study, I have 3 tests and 2 papers due in a few days, so phir melege (see you later)!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Banana leaves and exhaust
Last night, six of us took two rickshaws to a restaurant in downtown Mysore. The drivers were friends, so naturally, they were playfully passing each other as they drove, allowing us to yell at our friends as we raced. These were among the more souped-up rickies (which means they could probably drive 80 km/h downhill (about 20 km/h uphill!), pretty impressive for glorified 3 wheeled motorbikes). The best part of those little motors is that you shouldn't feel safe in them, even though you do, so its an adventure every time.
The food at the restaurant was served on banana leaves as plates. It was mostly scoops of vegetable chutneys, a mountain of white rice, and bowls of soupy curries (accompanied with a 7-up). It was hilarious because our server was a 10 year old boy, and they didn't have most of what was on the menu that particular night. However, his little face lit up when we ordered something they did have, and he would bob it side to side excitedly (that's how indians nod- it means yes, or an approval, or I like to think it means "of course, you idiot"). I asked "do you have fish curry?" (a disappointed "no") , and "do you have fish fry" ("no"), and because someone had already ordered it, I said "but what I REALLY want is the chicken masala," and he was ecstatic!
However, after thinking about it, it settles well with me that they didn't have a lot of what was on the menu. It simply means that they didn't buy any fish that afternoon. In Canada, we buy a quarter chicken from Swiss Chalet, and of course it's available! They just go get it from the freezer where it has been for that last month. In Canada, everything is available all the time. Here, fruits are available in season, and products based on demand.
Back to the automobiles idea, the Tata Nano is a car that has been put on the market, and sells for around Rs. 100 000. It is the most affordable car ever in India, and people are expected to buy it like hotcakes. For the Tata car company, and workers everywhere who have been waiting for a cheap form of transportation and westernization like this, this is a godsend! From my humble point of view, the congestion is already reaching its limits on many roads. And with global climate change being a pressing issue these days, making a car available to hundreds of millions of salivating consumers is a slippery slope. But its
The food at the restaurant was served on banana leaves as plates. It was mostly scoops of vegetable chutneys, a mountain of white rice, and bowls of soupy curries (accompanied with a 7-up). It was hilarious because our server was a 10 year old boy, and they didn't have most of what was on the menu that particular night. However, his little face lit up when we ordered something they did have, and he would bob it side to side excitedly (that's how indians nod- it means yes, or an approval, or I like to think it means "of course, you idiot"). I asked "do you have fish curry?" (a disappointed "no") , and "do you have fish fry" ("no"), and because someone had already ordered it, I said "but what I REALLY want is the chicken masala," and he was ecstatic!
However, after thinking about it, it settles well with me that they didn't have a lot of what was on the menu. It simply means that they didn't buy any fish that afternoon. In Canada, we buy a quarter chicken from Swiss Chalet, and of course it's available! They just go get it from the freezer where it has been for that last month. In Canada, everything is available all the time. Here, fruits are available in season, and products based on demand.
Back to the automobiles idea, the Tata Nano is a car that has been put on the market, and sells for around Rs. 100 000. It is the most affordable car ever in India, and people are expected to buy it like hotcakes. For the Tata car company, and workers everywhere who have been waiting for a cheap form of transportation and westernization like this, this is a godsend! From my humble point of view, the congestion is already reaching its limits on many roads. And with global climate change being a pressing issue these days, making a car available to hundreds of millions of salivating consumers is a slippery slope. But its
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Mysore Palace
I heard a subtle sound of crunching metal and I got up from my seat at the internet cafe. Peering outside, I saw a man who just had a small accident in his motorbike (he seems to be okay), but already within 1 minute, a crowd of 100 people had circled the site: a demonstration of the care, curiosity, and density of people in this country.
I've been in Mysore for a few weeks now. The classes I'm enrolled in are really interesting: Hindi, culture and civilization of India, science technology and development, Indian Economy, and Natural Chemicals of the Environment. I share a room with my friend Tom in a hostel down the street from the school. It's called VILD (vivekananda institute for leadership development), but our specific sector is SVIIS (swami vivekananda institute for Indian studies). The profs are mostly retired professionals, so they provide good insights into their respective fields.
Last weekend, we visited Mysore Palace, which was built in 1912. It's designs amalgamate hindu, muslim, gothic, and rajput styles of architecture, which was recognizable inside. Some rooms were so different from the next that I was surprised it was all the same place. The money and intricacy that was put into this place was incredible. Unfortunately, taking photos is strictly prohibited so i didn't get any of the interior.
We also visited a huge dam built near the city (the 2nd in the world after Niagara falls to harness hydroelectric power), where after dark, there was a light show over large gardens that grow there. We stopped later at a Muslim Palace that was a grave (same idea as the Taj Mahal), and a Hindu temple on the top of the highest hill in Mysore. There were lots of monkeys there, along with a street full of vendors of the most brightly colored spices and grains.
You have perhaps heard that cows are holy here. They are treated as such, and when I asked why, the answer I got was that they only give. They give work to farmers (pulling tools), milk for drinking and butter (later turned to ghee), and manure for fertilization. Why would we kill something that only gives? A novel idea to be sure. I obviously don't think they are holy, but it's neat to see not only the care for them by people, and their reaction to this treatment. They own the road, along with wherever they choose to roam. I have been in countless traffic back-ups due to a cow slowly mozying along the road. They do react to car horns, but its as if they reserve the right to be on the road, like they know they're invincible!
jared
I've been in Mysore for a few weeks now. The classes I'm enrolled in are really interesting: Hindi, culture and civilization of India, science technology and development, Indian Economy, and Natural Chemicals of the Environment. I share a room with my friend Tom in a hostel down the street from the school. It's called VILD (vivekananda institute for leadership development), but our specific sector is SVIIS (swami vivekananda institute for Indian studies). The profs are mostly retired professionals, so they provide good insights into their respective fields.
Last weekend, we visited Mysore Palace, which was built in 1912. It's designs amalgamate hindu, muslim, gothic, and rajput styles of architecture, which was recognizable inside. Some rooms were so different from the next that I was surprised it was all the same place. The money and intricacy that was put into this place was incredible. Unfortunately, taking photos is strictly prohibited so i didn't get any of the interior.
We also visited a huge dam built near the city (the 2nd in the world after Niagara falls to harness hydroelectric power), where after dark, there was a light show over large gardens that grow there. We stopped later at a Muslim Palace that was a grave (same idea as the Taj Mahal), and a Hindu temple on the top of the highest hill in Mysore. There were lots of monkeys there, along with a street full of vendors of the most brightly colored spices and grains.
You have perhaps heard that cows are holy here. They are treated as such, and when I asked why, the answer I got was that they only give. They give work to farmers (pulling tools), milk for drinking and butter (later turned to ghee), and manure for fertilization. Why would we kill something that only gives? A novel idea to be sure. I obviously don't think they are holy, but it's neat to see not only the care for them by people, and their reaction to this treatment. They own the road, along with wherever they choose to roam. I have been in countless traffic back-ups due to a cow slowly mozying along the road. They do react to car horns, but its as if they reserve the right to be on the road, like they know they're invincible!
jared
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
elephants and temples
To sum up the last few weeks, I love India!While we were still in Kochi, we took a boat tour through the 'backwaters', which is basically a channel that fills with seawater during high tide, but reverses direction and fills with mountain freshwater during low tide. I bought fish from vendors near the Arabian Sea one evening, and brought them to a restaurant to fry them up with masala (spice). I also saw two concerts at a little pavilion. One was a three-piece band with veeda (like a Sitar), tablas, and another drum instrument. The next was a Katakali dance: a traditional enactment of a story in one of the Vedas (the Hindu traditional literature/scriptures). We also took lots of rickshaws and ferries around Fort Kochi, the tourist area, to Ernakulum, the main city, to shop and visit a pharmacy. I got over-the-counter malaria medicine for 20 days for 13 rupees (about 25 cents!). (And don't worry mom, I asked a doctor if it was legit before I took them!)
Then we took an 11 hour night train from Kerala state to Karnataka state. I stayed awake all night for safety because I hear theft is an issue on trains. I played cards and bought little 5 rupee coffee shots from vendors who would walk by periodically. When we got there, we took a bus to Turtle bay, which is a beach resort! While we were there, we played soccer and volleyball with locals, snorkeled, and visited a fishing village. While I was at the village, I made a friend who spoke English, and I went fishing with him and his father at 5:15am (still dark!) in a little canoe. He dropped a net made of fishing line about 1/2 kilometre long, and caught about 200 fish within 2 hours! It was unbelievable to see all the twinkling lights of both the incredulous stars (due to a total lack of air pollution there) and the other fishing boats kilometres away.
We bussed it to an organic farm, but we stopped at a Hindu temple during a festival. It was crammed with people, and there was incense and loud gongs sounding often. I gave a rupee to an elephant who ‘blessed’ me by catching the coin in his trunk, gently tapping my head with his trunk, and then giving his master the coin! There were hundreds of people in a pool within the temple grounds, and I believe it symbolized spiritual purification. I didn’t take a picture then because there was an armed man on the top of a roof keeping a close eye on us (they don’t take to tourist photography too well). At the organic farm, we learned lots of ways to farm without pesticides and instead using natural chemicals and methods. I picked coffee beans, tea leaves, spices (like cardamom, black pepper) and learned how to process them. We took bucket showers because our cabin lacked running water.
Everyone eats with his or her hands here. It is actually quite clean to eat with my hands when I use bite-sized pieces of naan or chapatti bread to scoop up the rice and curry. There is so much variety to the curry here, and I have never been more satisfied with purely vegetarian meals! The spice is beginning not to bother me, though I had a 10 minute bought a few days ago after eating a chili pepper whole (one reason to lessen the presence of my male ego). Speaking of which, I have a story here, but if you love rodents, DON’T read this next part please.
Us guys were having some rat problems in our room, as they were chewing on the wires and keeping us up. So before we knew it, my friend Tom fashioned a spear, but when the rat showed up again, he just couldn’t follow through. So I grabbed the spear, and without really thinking, thrust it at the rat in a fit of adrenaline! We were all shocked and silent for a few seconds until we realized he was dead, and we roared with a cheer! Turns out I got him right in the neck, and they didn’t bother us anymore. We joked about it for the next few days in inside comments, but the girls eventually found out what we did. We also had a massive (7-8 feet) rat snake up in our rafters, and a local coerced it with a stick to leave.
On the way from the organic farm to Mysore, we stopped at an elephant farm and we rode elephants! They are so big and beautiful, and the one I rode was 51 years old. We also visited a Tibetan refugee settlement and their Buddhist temple. Man, they have beautiful architecture and paintings; both colorful and glamorous. The police captured our bus while we were in the temple because they didn’t like foreigners coming there, but our leader bribed them to leave us alone.
I’ll write about Mysore in a bit, gotta go to class.
Then we took an 11 hour night train from Kerala state to Karnataka state. I stayed awake all night for safety because I hear theft is an issue on trains. I played cards and bought little 5 rupee coffee shots from vendors who would walk by periodically. When we got there, we took a bus to Turtle bay, which is a beach resort! While we were there, we played soccer and volleyball with locals, snorkeled, and visited a fishing village. While I was at the village, I made a friend who spoke English, and I went fishing with him and his father at 5:15am (still dark!) in a little canoe. He dropped a net made of fishing line about 1/2 kilometre long, and caught about 200 fish within 2 hours! It was unbelievable to see all the twinkling lights of both the incredulous stars (due to a total lack of air pollution there) and the other fishing boats kilometres away.
We bussed it to an organic farm, but we stopped at a Hindu temple during a festival. It was crammed with people, and there was incense and loud gongs sounding often. I gave a rupee to an elephant who ‘blessed’ me by catching the coin in his trunk, gently tapping my head with his trunk, and then giving his master the coin! There were hundreds of people in a pool within the temple grounds, and I believe it symbolized spiritual purification. I didn’t take a picture then because there was an armed man on the top of a roof keeping a close eye on us (they don’t take to tourist photography too well). At the organic farm, we learned lots of ways to farm without pesticides and instead using natural chemicals and methods. I picked coffee beans, tea leaves, spices (like cardamom, black pepper) and learned how to process them. We took bucket showers because our cabin lacked running water.
Everyone eats with his or her hands here. It is actually quite clean to eat with my hands when I use bite-sized pieces of naan or chapatti bread to scoop up the rice and curry. There is so much variety to the curry here, and I have never been more satisfied with purely vegetarian meals! The spice is beginning not to bother me, though I had a 10 minute bought a few days ago after eating a chili pepper whole (one reason to lessen the presence of my male ego). Speaking of which, I have a story here, but if you love rodents, DON’T read this next part please.
Us guys were having some rat problems in our room, as they were chewing on the wires and keeping us up. So before we knew it, my friend Tom fashioned a spear, but when the rat showed up again, he just couldn’t follow through. So I grabbed the spear, and without really thinking, thrust it at the rat in a fit of adrenaline! We were all shocked and silent for a few seconds until we realized he was dead, and we roared with a cheer! Turns out I got him right in the neck, and they didn’t bother us anymore. We joked about it for the next few days in inside comments, but the girls eventually found out what we did. We also had a massive (7-8 feet) rat snake up in our rafters, and a local coerced it with a stick to leave.
On the way from the organic farm to Mysore, we stopped at an elephant farm and we rode elephants! They are so big and beautiful, and the one I rode was 51 years old. We also visited a Tibetan refugee settlement and their Buddhist temple. Man, they have beautiful architecture and paintings; both colorful and glamorous. The police captured our bus while we were in the temple because they didn’t like foreigners coming there, but our leader bribed them to leave us alone.
I’ll write about Mysore in a bit, gotta go to class.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Kochi via 3 flights and a bus
The smell getting off the plane was sweltering hotness mixed with curry and fresh palm trees (altogether quite inviting). We have arrived in Kochi via 3 flights and a bus in which we were each honored with a lei presented by the drivers of the bus. I felt like I was in Hawaii (though I have never been). Nevertheless, the smell of fresh jasmine flowers around my neck was unbelievale.
I love it here: it's hot, the people are really nice to talk to if they aren't selling anything, and the food (though spicy!) is very tasty. The touristy area of Kochi consists of a fishing port packed with little outdoor shops and an old fort near the Arabian Sea. We helped a crew hoist up a huge chinese fishing net just off the beach. Yes, we definitely dipped our feet in the Arabian Sea, but swimming is sketch due to the polluted Kerala water- Kerala being the state.
In the Brussels airport, I indulged in a Belgian waffle (a small, dry thing that comes without sauce or a fork but is surprisingly delicious) and some Belgian chocolates (both pricey and worth it). I think we are now 10 1/2 hours ahead of Torontonians.
Now for a long awaited nap.
I love it here: it's hot, the people are really nice to talk to if they aren't selling anything, and the food (though spicy!) is very tasty. The touristy area of Kochi consists of a fishing port packed with little outdoor shops and an old fort near the Arabian Sea. We helped a crew hoist up a huge chinese fishing net just off the beach. Yes, we definitely dipped our feet in the Arabian Sea, but swimming is sketch due to the polluted Kerala water- Kerala being the state.
In the Brussels airport, I indulged in a Belgian waffle (a small, dry thing that comes without sauce or a fork but is surprisingly delicious) and some Belgian chocolates (both pricey and worth it). I think we are now 10 1/2 hours ahead of Torontonians.
Now for a long awaited nap.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
To Begin,
We all know India has a massive population and embodies a plethora of cultures within its borders. What, however, can be learned by experiencing Mother India that pictures and videos do not teach? I haven't the slightest. But perhaps this page will fill with a few strokes and colors of that portrait as this trip unwinds.
I'm Jared Wohlgemut, a 3rd year Biomed student at University of Guelph. I'm about to embark on a semester abroad trip to India, and these will be my stories. Hope you enjoy them as much as I will enjoy living and writing them.
I'm Jared Wohlgemut, a 3rd year Biomed student at University of Guelph. I'm about to embark on a semester abroad trip to India, and these will be my stories. Hope you enjoy them as much as I will enjoy living and writing them.
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