Some Photos

Even the cows wander down the street in search of cover

Two cultures collide - the boy hawking candy floss and the dressed up tourist girl

April

This monkey visited for a few days. He drove the dogs nuts as they tried to figure ways to get at him. Instead, he sat on high throwing the odd thing at the dogs - truly taunting them

A lady coming down the street in Pnodicherry

Butterflies were everywhere

A boy and his sister

A natural photo subject

she was a little reluctant although her dad wanted me to take her picture

Refuge from the heat comes in many places

Surya and her husband invited us to breakfast on our last day. She is involved with child protection - she is a strong, valuable force who has such gentle ways with the children

The umbrella helps the driver - I am sure that must be true

Monsoon

The heat builds and seems to sustain itself. Someone here described that the wind comes from inland bringing with it the intense heat I have spoken about in prior posts. It seems like the heat is more intense as the monsoon is waited upon. Books have been written about waiting for the monsoon, chasing it and relishing within it. It is the stuff of legend here.
Indeed, locals celebrate the monsoon as bringing relief from the heat that has been here since at least mid April.With the monsoon, the heat is broken. There is the bang of thunder and the flash of lightening and the burst of rain. Then the rain - oh - and then the rain.

Adapting to the rain

As the rain arrives, you need to adapt. The dirt roads turn into rivers of mud. Its thickness can be like wet cement and you can slide on a moped quite easily. Trucks going past have little regard for the puddles or where their splash may end up - wait a minute - that's true everywhere in the world I think!

Rain predominates the conversation. After all, it is life giving. Crops will grow, ravines will swell, the ground bursts to life.

A street scene with rain, cows, umbrellas and life carrying on

 The monsoon also seems to be a boon for the mosquitoes who are attacking in bomber like formations. You type a few words and then swat a few of them. If you are slow, and they have their bite into you, then when you kills them your hand is covered in blood - at least it is your own.

Leaving for the airport in the Monsoon was a treat like I cannot describe adequately. Picture, it is  midnight and there are no street lights. It is raining so hard that it is like a big hose aimed straight at the windshield; the wipers cannot get the water away;  the road has waves on it coming towards you; there is unmarked construction. Thoughts of death arose!

Hiding from the rain is a challenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                       

  

Contradictions

As a westerner, I am privileged here in more ways than I can contemplate. Many of these, cause me discomfort. A very simple example is going out to dinner. Tonight we will hire a taxi to go to Pondicherry and have dinner. We will spend 5-600R (around $14) and will eat at a level that so many Indians would not even imagine. In addition, we will have hired a taxi who will sit outside waiting for us while we eat. On the other hand, we are helping him earn a living.

Yet, I am struck by this as a result of seeing some drawings and statements written by 10 year olds who were asked what child protection means. One talked about not having enough food which made her sad; another being afraid of parents; another who drew a picture of not feeling safe.

These children just came up to me as I was riding through a village and asked me to take their picture. Their mother sat on the sidelines amused by the whole thing

I am safe in my life. I do not worry about being able to put food on the table. I do not worry about a parent abusing me. But I also realize that these same challenges exist in Calgary. They  are just so evident here.

Heat

The sun bakes on days like this. You begin to realize that the wind blowing does nothing to cool. It scrapes along the skin wiping whatever moisture there is away leaving what feels like a sandy landscape. As you move about, your eyeballs dry out as the hot wind reaches in to suck up that liquid as well. This is the scenario of a hot day in south India. It is 37 degrees with about 80% humidity. In this heat you would expect the clothes to dry - they don't. It's a bit too humid.

By night, as the sun drops down and the humidity stays, you skin develops a coating of stickiness. A cold shower becomes delicious.

For most of the day, the power has been off so things like the internet have been elusive. But it is the fan that is lost - the chance for the movement of air from the ceiling.

Yet, it is also wonderful. In the later afternoon we hopped on our mopeds and wandered between villages. We were delighted to see Rajakumari in one village. She is an ama in our guest house - part of an incredibly hardworking cadre of women who essentially make the places work. They are jewels. Here in our guest house I have come to really enjoy them despite the fact that we each have about 8 words in the other person's language.

Our trip is nearing its conclusion - there is one more massage, three more dinners. We have been honoured by an invitation for breakfast at an Indian home on Sunday. This will be a highlight.

I have met some powerful and brave people here who believe in the rights of children. Some of what we take for granted around child protection is still only a conversation in its infancy here. But there are women and men willing to keep it going knowing that it may be generations before vast change occurs. But change is happening and these amazing people are making it happen. I have been blessed to meet them.

Some random photos

The family vehicle

A recent visitor

 Our brilliant cook - Sandorea

Two cultures meet

April in front of our room

Matrimandir at dawn

At the Matrimandir

Memorable moments

One of the things in life that creates memorable moments are the small, unexpected encounters with people which remind you how wonderful people really can be. This happened today. While driving on the main road, I was about to turn right so I didn't bother passing the pick up truck in front of me. In the back were men and women on their way home from work. So I smiled, took off my cap and bowed - creating all kinds of laughter and waving back. A brief but joyful moment in time.

Birthday of Sri Aurbindo

Today was the 138th birthday of Sri Aurbindo - a day for celebration. It was also India day. We began the day getting up early (actually woken up by an incredible thunder overhead). At 5 a.m. we went to the Matrimnadir for a bonfire to celebrate the day and welcome daybreak.

This is the early morning bonfire which goes up in the air, throws man sparks. The Matrimandir is to the right

Later in the day, we went into Pondicherry for the Darshan at the ashram. This is an opportunity to go into the rooms that were occupied by Aurbindo and the mother (see earlier posts for discussion about them). This was the first time April and I have been able to do this. We felt quite privileged

There is a degree of patience required (as seen with this family) but we had a reservation so we went in as scheduled - quite well organized

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In the past we have spent a fair bit of time in Pondicherry - but the draw was not there this time. Were it not for the Darshan visit, we would have done our chores and returned to Auroville quickly. However, there are always interesting sights and people.

The family vehicle in action

Waiting to go in for Darshan

Views from the coffee shop in Pondicherry

This is hot work - it was in the upper 30s and this man was really having to push

The family sedan at work!

Some images from my chai cafe

This is the local gas station. Here, a young boy of about 10 drives the bikes and fills them

The auto rickshaw passes a tender moment between siblings

On their way home from school

Little children ride in the front of motorcycles - no helmets, no bike shoes - just ride along

Compassion

While sitting in my favorite street chai place in Kulyipalam, I was able to observe this elderly lady who uses a walking stick to get around town. She appears to have many stops in her day, and one is sitting on the side of the road having her tea from a pot that she was carrying around. She carefully found a place and sat down, pouring the tea from her container.

The dog wandered up beside her. She is old, lame and has obviously been through her share of accidents. Her left hip is damaged and she is starving for food and one suspects affection as well. This is a street dog – there are so many. They must survive on their wits and the ability to scrounge food from wherever.  Few live to old age.

On this day, this lady shared her tea with the dog. She poured a small amount onto the pavement where the dog licked it up. She did this twice offering a small token of life to this poor animal.

A few days after this picture was taken, the dog was run over with her leg fractured and bleeding.  In poor, rural India, veterinarians are few and far between and street dogs do not warrant such attention. She will simply gradually fade away as she bleeds to death. This is a harsh reality in a country where people are also starving in poverty.

Our Western sensibilities are offended. Life is short and for those left to survive at the margins, people or dogs, there is so little to draw them when tragedy strikes.

This woman gave this dog compassion. Such a gift from someone with so little herself to a life that had so little left in it.

Teaching

I have been teaching a program here on child protection - half way through it. One of the joys of teaching is how much we really learn from the students. I have become more aware of the complexities of Indian culture. As well, I have come to undertsand how some things which we take for granted as being true in child proetction are not so here.

India faces a major problem with child sexual abuse - government and research estimates are that 53% of children have experienced this. Yet the resources needed to change family attitudes and to support children who need to tell their story are only emerging - particularly in rural areas. There is a need for a major cultural change that will take generations.

I am impressed however, with those who are willing to begin the conversations with families, children and communities. They show a strength and a willingness to be the voice of change. It is in meeting these people that I am most blessed.

Each journey here gives me way more than I can imagine returning.

Some photos of the wanders

The ground is so dry right now. The well is also dry so last night's rain would be welcom

There are many of these forests, planted in straight rows as you wander the countryside

There

Heat

I spent the morning doing my first day of teaching here with a full week to follow. Thus, I was inside for the morning hours with several ceiling fans ensuring that the air moved and the heat was kept at bay. During the break, we sat with our feet in the pool. Small fishes came up and ate what I suspect are the remnants of dead skin and whatever else may be on the feet. This was a most unusual experience that I could only tolerate for a few minutes – it tickled too much.

Emerging towards the end of the noon hour, I felt the heat for the first time today. It was a blistering hot furnace blast onto the skin as the temperature had climbed to around 40. There was no breeze beyond what you could generate on the motor scooter. I met friends from Bangalore for lunch. Even though we were under awnings that kept us from the sun, sweat rolled across the back like small rivers had suddenly formed on the skin. There was no escaping the reality – it was hot.

It was also a day where it seemed impossible to get enough water on board. As fast as I drank, the skin, in an attempt to keep the body regulated, would let it out through the pores. I tried cold soda and lime, plain water and even a warm masala chai. None broke the heat’s grip.

As the day moved into evening, the humidity built. Surely there would be some rain to break the heat’s back.  The gift arrived a little after 8 with thunder that is unlike that at home. This thunder emerges like a roaring lion and gathers steam until there is a cannon blast that surely must be evidence that there is a war under way in the heavens. It crackles across the sky from horizon to horizon leaving no part of the countryside in silence.

And then comes the rain.  Or really, nature’s shower. It falls in sheets that are so completely enveloping that the only comparison is standing in a warm shower with the water on absolute full blast. The air begins to cool and the heat slowly dissipates. Of course, you know that tomorrow it will return with a vengeance – ah but tonight you can sleep.

The power is off as the storm has created a pattern where we have seen it come and go over the past couple of hours. It too will return and the fans will run again. But it is less urgent tonight.

The day has been delicious with its richness. Heat guarantees you will pay attention – you cannot just slide through the day unaware. The rain is welcome but it too is omnipresent. The day has texture, feeling, emotion. Such is life in the tropics. My God this is wonderful indeed!

Yesterday, I followed the school bus from village to village not quite sure where I was. My only hope was paying attention to my route so that I could retrace my steps. It seemed obvious that not many strangers go through these villages. Children would run by and wave. The women gave sly smiles wondering what this strange white man was doing going through the village while the men gazed with mistrust of a stranger in their midst.

On my return trip, an elderly man waved me down in the way hitchhikers do here. He hoped on the scooter side saddle and off we went. Some twenty minutes later, we entered his village. Out came his hand signaling I should stop. Off he got and headed into a side street. He spoke no English and my 5 words of Tamil offered nothing in the circumstance. Simply 2 strangers who shared a ride. Wonderful.

Old Friends

Having spent 3 months here earlier this year, we found ourselves coming back to meet with old friends. The amas who look after our place, cook our meals; the massage therapist; the people who live here that we ran into. Its sort of like being back home. I think this place is much friendlier than Calgary - a statement that will no doubt land me in trouble back home.

One of the interesting things about traveling here is meeting people from various parts of the world who roam the world. At lunch today we met a Canadian who hasn't lived there for 20 years but rather lives in Japan but travels a great deal through Asia. Then there was the Brit yesterday who has no particular place that he calls home - rather it is dependent on what visa he presently has that permits him to travel wherever. He picks up work teaching English here and there as he requires money. One meets these characters daily.

Then there are the people who look for ways to volunteer during extended breaks from work. These people you meet daily as well. They have taken 3, 4, 6 and even 12 month leaves from work while they travel and volunteer. One chap I met spent a month on an organic farm in rural India with virtually nobody able to speak English - he thought it was marvelous.

Then there are the people who just pack up and leave home settling here permanently.

               This guy, a permanent resident, ensured we behaved on our walk and stayed off his territory

Back in Canada, we don't get a lot of exposure to people so possessed with wanderlust. Yet, they are such fascinating individuals with stories of far away lands (well not so far away here) with hidden mysteries to be uncovered. But in it all, there is the greater mystery of self that unfolds in unexpected ways as you are faced with customs, manners and cultural behaviors that are so different. How will you adapt or not? How will you welcome the strangeness or reject it? What will shift you completely outside your comfort zone and how well can you handle that? What is predictable is that it is all unpredictable. Such is the joy of travel!

Back Here

Arriving back in India has been like coming to visit an old friend. As soon as we stepped off the plane, there were the smells, the noise and the crowds – and this was at 0345. By the time we cleared immigration and found our baggage, it was 0500 and we were still a three hour taxi ride from our destination in Auroville. Fortunately, we were met by the smiling face of our now familiar driver, Chakrapani.


We are settled on our 100 cc scooters (that seem so small compared with what we are driving at home) and managing to get about.

We are again at Sharnga Guest House where we have enjoyed relations with quite wonderful staff. It is like coming back to old friends. The cook knows that I really love Biryani, a wonderful rice and chicken dish – so I was welcomed back with that for dinner. Nothing like food to make you really feel like you are in the right place.

Some rather interesting issues are being debated here. There is a fear that President Obama is about to take steps in the USA to stop outsourcing. The papers talk of his attempts to have the work done at home including the design and manufacturing of various goods. The worry here is that this will mean fewer growth opportunities for a country that has been steaming along while many in countries in the West are seen as having floundered in dangerous waters.

Another odd discussion here is that people should not follow the way of the Buddha. I was surprised to have someone tell me of this debate but he is being portrayed as a poor family man. He left his family on his spiritual quest so what kind of a role model is that? Hmm indeed. I wonder what power agenda is behind that.

The arrival of the summer monsoon is being awaited. Water levels are apparently pretty good here as there has been good rain over the past few weeks but more is sought.

I will have much more to say over the next few days now that I am beginning to convince my body that we are in a different time zone – although I note that I am writing this brief entry at 3 a.m. – the result of too much napping during the day I fear.

Return to India

As we approach the mid point in July I am looking forward to my return for the first 3 weeks of August. I will again be back in the Auroville area. In particular, I am excited to be able to meditate again in the Matrimandir. Then of course there is the food.

Given that we have had horrible weather incluidng hail the size of eggs, I also look forward to the weather. I will again be posting regualrly. See you soon!

Vanakam India

We have made it back to Canada with a possibility of returning to India for a brief trip in August. I think I may sufer from some sort of love affair with India. Being back in Canada and stepping back into this culture has been a tough transition, although our cats Bear and Mittens are happy we are home and there has been a certain joy at again spending time with our son and daughter along with our grandchildren.

There are many images of India thtat stick with me. We were near the Bay of Bengal. Seeing the fisherman out in the Bay in their boats was an image readily available each time I was near the water. Towards the end, at one of the nearby beaches, I caught the whiff of drying fish - pungent to say the least. In asking, I was told that fish was being dried on the beach in order to sell to chicken producers for feed in some fashion. Drying one protein in order to feed to another protein fails me from a logic perspective particularly when the chickens being grown commercially here are no better off than the large commercial operations in the west.

Each morning April and I would wander through the trails in Auroville. We were met with beautiful views on the sun breaking through the trees and the heavy dew that was present with the humidity. We also had a dog come with us each morning. He was nobody's pet in particular that we could tell but he enjoyed wandering each day along the trails with us. Only once was he chased away when he timidly stepped into another dog's territory.

The walks were almost always met with wonderful images of people, animals and scenes. In this one above, this man was walking down the road with his cows and grass that he had collected to feed them. He stopped so that I could get the picture and we shared a vanakam (pronounced wanna - come) which is a hello. I met various others on this road which I passed on as a pedestrin, cyclist or scooter rider.

Animals are everywhere. Perhaps, other than the cows and goats, the most common find on our morning walks were the peacocks. Living where we were, one has a special relationship with them. They are at once gorgoeus and annoying. The annoyance comes with their clockwork precise morning territorial ritual calls at 0430. The beauty is with just who they are. Observing them, one does come to recognize that they are  not an overly bright bird. One day, walking between rooms where we were staying, I was met with three on them in front of me. Rather than take the obvious exits through the gardens on either side, the scurried down the very path I was walking, stopping to check on whether I was still coming that way and when it was clear I was, panickly walking forward only to repeat the exercise - three times.

Other animals abounded. One of the hardest to get a picture of is the elusive mongoose. This animal catches snakes and has a fairly high immunity to their venom. Usually you just get glimpses of them running across the road.

It being spring time, it was also time for birthing. Herds of goats wander about some wild and many with shephards tending them. At this time of year, you would see lots of little babies. This guy was just learning to walk on his first day of life.

The goats of course scavanage for food everywhere. A concern is that streetside garbage often includes plastics that they and the cows eat. For the cows, that can lead to a painful death.

Other animals that we met were lots of birds, bats, a few snakes, monkees and scorpions along with the too often present mosquito. I am now pretty fast at killing them - one down - 10 million to go!

There is no doubt that the people of India are the rael memories. I found most friendly. The children are delights and often want their pictures taken. On occasion, they had been well indoctrinated into the culture of begging and would ask for money. This was particularly true where westerners were more prominent. Like most tourist areas, when there, you also have to watch your possessions carefully, although we had no incidnets of note throughout our trip. There were so many children. and to select even a few pictures fails to give a sense of how wonderful they were.

Poverty is evident as an ever present piece of the story of India. We saw many hard working people attemtping to find ways to manage against some pretty big struggles. We also met some middle class Indians who are doing quite well. While these discrepencies exist all over the world, they are more blatant in India. You need just sit and watch. The left overs of the caste system are there and can be felt when a higher Indian chastises a lower one. This was a scene too easily scene. As a westerner I found it very uncomfortable but admit that my understanding is weak.

The dowry is also still a major part of the Indian culture which is bankrupting poor families as they try to meet the obligations associated with marriage. I hear of attempts to change it but reading the paper there makes it quite obvious it is still occuring along with honour killings.

Where we stayed, we had the opportunity to meet the amas who cared for us. They are a wonderful, quirky group who displayed caring and humour despite the language problems. I had a lot of fun with them and some gentle teasing back and forth grew over the time we were there. When I tried to learn a new Tamil word, they would chatter and laugh between themelves at my pathetic attempts. Here are a few of them:

Mohana, Parmasurie, Manjoua and Kastorea (all likley spelled wrong). Rajakumari

 Kala in the centre is the senior ama. She knew everything and was a constant source of accurate information. She is also something of a sari fiend owning something close to 300 of them.

Overall, you see a hardworking people in India. I was particularly impressed with the women who appeared to be doing a lot of manual labour in the rural areas. Such labour is backbreaking and would be done in the west by machines. Much of the work could be done more productively that way no doubt. There is soemthing of an industrialized revolution on the horizon. How that will play out in the rural areas is worrisome. Family life will be changed and the employment base will also be altered as it has in many parts of the world. These are not new challenges worldwide but it is  not obvious how government will handle it here. The power grid is uncertain with outages occuring daily.

There is a small family tea shop in Kuliapalam, the town near where we stayed. We would go there for our daily fix of masala chai. There would be days when they could not be open as there was no power - days for which there would be no income as a result. Businesses of any size have back up generators to at least allow them to function. A lady from Bangalore told me that her company had powerful backups as outages are daily and the business cannot afford that. She said that was typical of what business did.

I also heard stories of farmers being lured into buying new farming equipment that they ultimately could not pay for as the prices for their goods could not cover the loans. The papers had frequent stories about farmer suicides.

Planting corn by hand

I am obviously a poorly informed Westerner in respect of the challenges of India.Thus, my observations are from that platform but I see and hear in the Indian media and those I talk with of a country undergoing a major structural change - but it is also a country with a poverty base that does not, from outward appearances, seem to be the real beneficiaries of the change.

There are many positive changes for sure. Business is growing and the economy is expanding. Education is gaining in importance. The taxi drivers who have limited education are determined that their children will go on with their education. I met one man whose father had died when he was young leaving he and his siblings with having to leave school and go to work. Yet, he had struggled through very hard times to have now built a career. He is committed that his children will have more than that - they will have a career that is built upon a good education.

 

The people that we met also included a number of others visiting from various parts of the world including France, Switzerland, Holland, Finland, USA, Japan, Korea, Germany and, hard to believe Canada. The meeting of people is the best part of the trip. Where we stayed had communal suppers which opened up the meeting and exchanges of experiences as well as information about what was going on.

I have become addicted to masala chai as well as soda with fresh lime juice and salt. On a warm day, nothing is better.

Until the next time!