Saturday, April 10, 2010
Knowing our Universal Nature, we must look with perfect calmness upon the panaroma of the world
After leaving the school we went to a coir factory. Here the fiber from the coconut is processed, turned into rope and then weaved into rugs. The rug weaving is done using only a hand loom. This requires great strength to work and is very strenuous work. The coir rope is very strong, long-lasting and also resistant to odors and bacteria. Almost every rug we saw in Kanyakumari District was made from coir. A small amount of nylon is incorporated into the rope but this is a new addition. The women cutting the stray fibers and the men working the looms all seemed incredibly proud of their work. They greeted us with large, warm smiles and were excited to show us their handicrafts.
The fiber is dyed to vibrant red, blue, purple, yellow and orange all using natural dyes. With the exception of the nylon, everything used at this factory is local and sustainable. The small amount of energy used comes from a generator on site. Also, nothing is wasted. Any scrap fiber cut off of the rubs is used to make scrubbers or cleaning supplies. Any stray branches are used to make brooms. If anything is left over that can’t be used to make a product, it goes into compost. In general, the community is very good at minimizing their waste; they reuse whatever they can and what remains is left for nature to reuse. The US on the other hand, we have forgotten a lot of that traditional wisdom. We are an incredibly wasteful society. And we love landfills.
Waste. It covers the streets of India. Everywhere one goes, there is an infestation of refuse. Strewn across the busy streets, it decomposes right there in plain view as animals of all sorts ingest it for their daily meals. Trash cans do exist and are politely labeled, “Please use me.” But even in the immediate vicinity, garbage litters the streets. It seems that the refuse bins are used only by tourists, but why? Why is there so much trash on the streets? Have the streets always looked this way or has the trash situation changed in recent years?
These were the questions that came to my mind as I traveled around
I asked Lakshmi, the teacher who showed us around, “Why do people just drop their trash on the ground? Why don’t they use the trash cans?” She replied that there has long been the mentality that what comes from nature goes back to nature.
Up until recent years, all of the refuse they produced was biodegradable. Thus, if they dropped in on the ground it would just serve as food for the animals and decomposers, who would break it down, returning its element to the natural cycle of life. They didn’t see the need for removing the waste from the community because in their minds it is not waste. It is simply material that will be used by another life form in their community. To them, the animals that feed on the waste, the flies and worms that decompose it, the forces that break it down, they are all part of the community and they are all involved in the cycle of life. Removing the waste and concentrating it in one area outside of town (i.e. at a landfill) disrupted the natural cycle of the community.
I can definitely see the logic behind this, especially as I study the challenges associated with landfills. Landfills contain such a vast amount of waste that it takes decades for it to decompose. There is so little oxygen available and few decomposers present that the decomposition process is very slow. It also leads to the production of methane gas and hazardous leachate (the fluid that comes out when water enters the landfill), two problems that must be dealt with to maintain the health of the environment. On the other hand, if the waste is distributed around the surface, there are plenty of decomposers present and oxygen is readily available so methane and leachate are no longer a problem. Yes, there may be the problem of rats which may carry vectors for disease, but I’ve seen more rats digging through the garbage bins of
The problems with the Indian system, as the teacher explained it, are related to overpopulation and the recent introduction of materials that the natural cycle has no mechanism for processing. The former problem creates a concentration of waste that is too great for the natural forces to decompose aerobically, so the putrid smell associated with anaerobic decomposition arises. This also leads to slower decomposition and the waste remains longer than it should.
The latter problem is another big one. Going back 15 or 20 years, plastics were virtually nonexistent in
Plastics are such a big problem because unlike the rest of the traditional refuse, plastics do not biodegrade. There is no mechanism in the natural cycle to deal with plastics and return the elements to nature because true plastics are entirely synthetic materials, not based on any material or molecule found in nature. Over hundreds or thousands of years the molecules do break down, but this a very slow and sometimes toxic process. Thus, the Indian mentality of just dumping waste and allow nature to take care of it is not a good way to deal with plastics. But the arrival of plastics is so new to
In light of these issues surround plastics, some regions of
India’s plastics dilemma.
My guess is that most of you aren’t very interested in waste management. It’s an important part of how our society functions, however, and I’m personally fascinated by it. So it’s good that I’m pursuing Civil and Environmental Engineering for my graduate studies.
So after the coil factory, we went to the location where the coconuts are processed to removed the fibers. This area was a wide, open space with several ponds. The ponds were filled with coconut husks (the part covering the shell), soaking up water to soften the fiber. Several men were working in the ponds, tossing the husks out once they were sufficiently soaked. It looked like a fun job. They get to sit in the water, swim around collecting husks and toss them between one another as they sing and hum their favorite tunes. It was really hot out, but I bet the water keeps the workers nice and cool.
Next we went to the beautiful Muttom Beach! The sand was a mix of wonderful colored grains! I sat staring at this magnificent metamorphic rock for several minutes (I’m such a rock nerd J ). I dragged my feet through the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and felt completely at peace.
There were clear reminders, however, of a time when this area was not the least bit peaceful. This region was hit hard by the 2004 tsunami. There were still visible foundations of building destroyed during the disaster. Our hosts showed us a video from the tsunami. It’s shot from Kanyakumari, but I’ll talk more about the video later.
Then we returned to the house for a tasty lunch of chutneys, stews and chipati (wheat tortilla) all served on a large banana leaf. Everything is eaten with the hands so there are basically no dishes to wash!
Next we were off to Kanyakumari, the land’s end, and one of the most beautiful places in the world. We drove to the end of the last road in India, literally the land’s end. The new took a ferry out to Vivekananda Rock. The beach along the ferry port was covered with colorful fishing boats and a group of young boys were busy playing cricket.
The rock is named after Swami Vivekanada , a man known for bringing yoga, vendanta and hinduism to the West and also revitalizing these practices in India. “He awakened and inspired great many souls that followed his precepts. His most famous statement was "Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is achieved." Today many people of different nationalities, religions, races, colors, sects and creeds follow the teachings of Vedanta he introduced in late 19th and early 20th centuries and he is most popular among young adults. Present day youth and many aspiring souls seek inspiration from his teachings and messages even to date. While still alive, Swami Vivekananda proclaimed that though he would leave his body like discarding his clothes but would continue to work towards the upliftment of all humanity. After departing from his mortal coils, Swami Vivekananda is believed to have interacted with great souls to fulfill his work. He gave a new direction to religion by transcending ritual concepts of religions and promoted formless and nameless meditative practices like Raja Yoga and Spirituality. Swami Vivekananda is regarded as one of India's foremost nation-builders. His teachings influenced the thinking of other national and international leaders and philosophers, like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King”
“In 1888, Vivekananda left the monastery as a Parivrâjaka—the Hindu religious life of a wandering monk. These monks are without fixed abode, without ties, independent and strangers wherever they go. His sole possessions were a kamandalu (water pot), staff, and his two favorite books—Bhagavad Gita and The Imitation of Christ. Narendranath traveled the length and breadth of India for five years, visiting important centers of learning, acquainting himself with the diverse religious traditions and different patterns of social life. He developed sympathy for the suffering and poverty of the masses and resolved to uplift the nation. Living mainly on Bhiksha or alms, Narendranath traveled mostly on foot and railway tickets bought by his admirers whom he met during the travels. During these travels he gained acquaintance and stayed with scholars, Dewans, Rajas and people from all walks of life—Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Pariahs (low caste workers), and Government officials.”
He began his wandering in Varanasi, a holy city in Northern India. After years of wandering, he reached Kanyakumari on foot on Christmas Eve 1892. He meditated for three days on the last big of Indian rock and it is here that he had is greatest revelation. "At Cape Camorin sitting in Mother Kumari's temple, sitting on the last bit of Indian rock - I hit upon a plan: We are so many sanyasis wandering about, and teaching the people metaphysics-it is all madness. Did not our Gurudeva used to say, `An empty stomach is no good for religion?' We as a nation have lost our individuality and that is the cause of all mischief in India. We have to raise the masses.” After this he was motivated to uplift the poorest people of India and spread the wisdom of Vedanta to the west.
Two memorials stand on Vivekananda Rock, one for the swami and one for Mother Kumari. There is a great amount of mythology surrounding this area. It is believed “to be part of the land which was created by Parasurama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Banasura, the king of demons, propitiated Brahma (the creator). When Banasura asked for a boon of immortality, Brahma expressed his inability to grant such a boon, but gave him an option to choose his own manner of death. The asura wished that if at all he had to die, let his death be at the hands of a virgin. Brahma said ‘thathaastu’ (so it be). Armed with this boon, Banasura started harassing the Devas and torturing the saints and rishis, causing them endless misery. Unable to bear this agony, the Devas, rishis and saints appealed to Mother Earth who in turn sought the help of her consort, Lord Vishnu who is the protector of the universe. On the Lord’s command, the Devas propitiated Parasakthi who alone was capable of destroying Banasura. The Devas performed a yanga which was so powerful that the Goddess was much pleased. She promised to annihilate Banasura. As ordained, Parasakthi in her reincarnation came down to earth as a virgin known as Kumari.
But in whichever reincarnation she took, Parasakhti always tries to rejoin her husband Lord Shiva through marriage. So Kumari did penance so that she would try to marry Shiva and he was pleased and agreed to marry. The proper time before dawn was arranged for the marriage and it was insisted that the auspicious time should not be missed. Elaborate arrangements were made at Kumari’s place to celebrate the marriage. The Lord was staying in Suchindrum and his party started from there well in advance with pomp and pagaentry. Meanwhile, the marriage arranger Narada was prompeted by the Devas to do something to stop the marriage because once it was over, Kumari could not be a virgin and Banasura could not be killed.
Narada assumed the position of a rooster and waited at Vazhukkamparai. When the marriage party reached there, Narada crowed loudly. Shiva heard this and assumed that the auspicious hour for the marriage had passed. The wedding party decided to return to Suchindrum, greatly disappointed.
As the bridegroom’s party didn’t turn up, the disappointed bride vowed to remain a virgin. All he items collected for the marriage turned into sand and pebbles resembling rice. The multi-colored sand found abundantly on the sea shore at Kanyakumari is attributed to this inccident.
Banasura heard about the beauty of Kumari and wanted to marry her. She bluntly declined his proposal. The demon decided to win her by force. A fierce battle ensued and in the end the Goddess used her Chakrayuda and killed Banasura. All the Devas were watching this and were delighted and sang hymns in praise of Devi Kumari”
On Vivekananda Rock, there is a natural projection on the rock that resembles a human foot. It is said that this is where Kumari did penance for Lord Shiva and a mandapam has been erected surrounding it.
The Vivekenanda Mandapam is a beautiful building, and Indian architectural masterpiece. The stone is exquisitely carved and a large bronze statue of Swami Vivekanada stands tall inside. There is also a small mandapam adjacent to the large one where we went to meditate.
A large “Ohm” sign stands at the front of the room and the peaceful sound rings through the room. I sat for about ten minutes, peaceful with my own thoughts, until it was time to leave. The last ferry was departing and we had to return to the mainland. My reflections were mostly around sayings by Swami Vivekananda. I’d like to share a few of them with you. These quotes define my experience in India, which was a truly deep and spiritual journey.
“There is a common platform, a common ground of understanding, a common humanity, which must be the basis of our work. We ought to find out that complete and perfect human nature which is working only in parts, here and there. It has not been given to one man to have everything in perfection. You have a part to play; I, in my own humble way, another. As with individuals, so too with races. Each race has a part to play, each race has one side of human nature to develop. And we have to take all these together.”
“I have divided myself into God and me; I become the worshipped and I worship myself. Why not? God is I. Why not worship the self? The Universal God- he is also myself. It is all fun. There is no other purpose.” Vivekananda 2:471
God is the universe, immense, uncountable, untouchable, unknowable. It is not “one” god, it is everything, including me and you. It is the web of life and matter that connects everything for it is all apart of that same one. One universe. One world. One people. One love. Anyone who tries to say otherwise is a fool. Plain and simple. Any one that claims knows the truth, that their god is the one and only god, that their creation stories are the only valid ones (and they are just stories, not facts), that their path is the only path to god and that all other traditions are false, is incredibly misled about what god is. These are the reasons that I never say I believe in god, because saying that has the connotation that I believe in the Christian path, which I do not. I believe in something much bigger. I suppose it shall be called the forces of the universe.
The following is from the introduction to the Tirukkural, the Tamil holy scripture. “Fr. Beschi came to Tamil Nadu as a proselytizing missionary and he had the unshakable conviction that all pagans were destined to go to hell. After translating the Kural and steeping himself in the lofty and enobling sentiments of Tiruvalluvar, Fr. Beschi felt constrained to concede that the tongue of Tiruvaluvar, that sand these aphorisms, could not have gone to hell, even though, being a Pagan, he must have gone to hell.”
“We should never try to be guardians of mankind, or to stand on a pedestal as saints reforming sinners. Let us rather purify ourselves and the result must be that in doing so we shall help others.” –Vivekananda 8:20
“After every happiness comes misery. They may be far apart of near. The more advanced the soul, the more quickly does one follow the other. What we want is neither happiness nor misery. Both make us forget out true nature; both are chains- one iron, one gold. Behind both is the Atman, who knows neither happiness nor misery. These are states, and states must forever change; but the nature of the soul is bliss, peace, unchanging. We have not to get it, we have it, only wash away the dross and see it.
Stand upon the self, only then can one truly love the world. Take a very very high stand, knowing our universal nature, we must look with perfect calmness upon the panorama of the world.” Vivekananda 7:11
Thursday, April 8, 2010
"Beauty in Things Exists in the Mind Which Contemplates Them" - David Hume
The sun rose as we arrived in the southern part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, through a vast wind farm. Wind turbines spotted the landscape off into the distance (they were large, but not as large as the ones on the Altamont Pass- those ones are ridiculous!). The sun colored the sky a vibrant red- a warning for sailors I believe.
We were picked up at the Nagarcoil station by the driver of the family we stayed with. He arrived in an air conditioned minibus (quite a luxurious one might I add- it had mood lights and tassels and everything) and drove us to the house for breakfast. The couple, P. and Lathe Kumaraswamy greeted us kindly. They lived in a nice two-story estate. Upon entering the front room the smell of cloves filled the air. The couple owned a spice plantation and it was clove season, so a small room to the right of the entry was filled with cloves. They were waiting to be separated and then the workers would take them out to dry on the rooftop. The rooftop was covered with a variety of delicious spices, all grown locally.
After introducing ourselves we proceeded to the dining room. On the way we past four large portraits adorned with beads and flowers. Latha told us that these were the photos of her husband’s parents and grandparents. It is tradition that a shrine of the ancestors be set up in the son’s home. Latha’s family shrine was at her brother’s house. A large table was set up in the dining area and we enjoyed a breakfast of dosa, idly, curried vegetables and fresh bananas. All so delicious! All the food was prepared in the home by their workers. It was a little strange for me to be waited on but this is tradition in India. Wealthy families have servants that work for them. I was happy to find that the couple treated their workers very well and they seemed quite content in their job.
After breakfast we proceeded to a school the couple owned. The Pioneer School is named after Mr. Kumaraswamy’s grandfather. He is popular throughout South India and especially in Kanyakumari District. His name is “spread all over the country for his entrepreneurship and innovative ideas and is best remembered as one who rose to dizzy heights from humble beginnings.
Pioneer S. Kumaraswamy, son of Satha and Sivakami, was born on 12th October, 1897 at Nagarcoil. He said goodbye to his studies while at the 4th standard and started earning his daily bread by doing odd jobs like as a servant boy in a yarn shop, in a medical store and in a timber shop. At fourteen he left for Madras, seeking a job. There he worked as a fitter in Addison’s Motor Company, became a motor mechanic and obtained a driving licence. He returned to Nagarcoil in 1915, worked as a driver in Lekshmi Vilas Motor Services, Kottar and in 1917 he became the proud owner of a second-hand bus and started a bus service named Champion Motor Service. He bought a dozen buses one by one and became a fleet owner and renamed his new bus service Pioneer Motor Service.
From then on Pioneer Kumaraswamy never looked back. It was one marathon march. Whatever he touched he made it golden. Establishments after establishments, industry after industry, innovations after innovation. Today he is the legitimate climate to many firsts and the words ‘pioneer’ keeps ringing in the ears of each and every individual trumpeting to the world the secret of success, namely, hard work!” (from the Pioneer School Yearbook).
The wealth that Pioneer earned was passed onto his children and grandchildren, who continued to run the family businesses and give back to their community. In 2003 Latha and her husband founded the Pioneer School. “The vision of the school is ‘growth and success for every child.’ With this end in view, this school attempts to bring out all the latent talents in each and every child, to make education meaningful and fruitful to every one of them. What we see around us today is that much teaching is going on in every educational institution, but very little learning is done. To learn, the environment should be congenial. There should be work and play- diversity to ease the burden of learning- recreation to make learning delightful.
The Pioneer School offers ever so many avenues not only to make learning enjoyable, but to develop the full personality of every child it undertakes to educate. Various programmes are conducted to develop the intellectual, physical, moral, aesthetic and social faculties of the students… May this institution continue to fulfill its vision and be true to its name- really a pioneer school among the schools in our district… I appreciate Mrs. Latha Kumaraswamy for establishing a school with a vision to producing global citizens and providing value-based quality education to our young children.”
The school was amazing! The entryway was marked by fabulous kolam exclaiming “welcome”. “Kolam is a sort of painted prayer — a line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. Kolams are thought to bestow prosperity to homes. Every morning in southern India, millions of women draw kolams on the ground with white rice powder.
Through the day, the drawings get walked on, rained out, or blown around in the wind; new ones are made the next day. Every morning before sunrise, the floor is cleaned with water, the universal purifier, and the muddy floor is swept well for an even surface. The kolams are generally drawn while the surface is still damp so that it is held better. Occasionally, cow-dung is also used to wax the floors. Cow dung has antiseptic properties and hence provides a literal threshold of protection for the home. It also provides contrast with the white powder.
Decoration was not the sole purpose of a Kolam. In olden days, kolams used to be drawn in coarse rice flour, so that the ants don't have to work so hard for a meal. The rice powder is said to invite birds and other small critters to eat it, thus inviting other beings into one's home and everyday life: a daily tribute to harmonious co-existence. It is a sign of invitation to welcome all into the home, not the least of whom is Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity. The patterns range between geometric and mathematical line drawings around a matrix of dots to free form art work and closed shapes. Folklore has evolved to mandate that the lines must be completed so as to symbolically prevent evil spirits from entering the inside of the shapes, and thus are they prevented from entering the inside of the home. It used to be a matter of pride to be able to draw large complicated patterns without lifting the hand off the floor standing up in between. The month of Margazhi was eagerly awaited by young women, who would then showcase their skills by covering the entire width of the road with one big kolam. The ritual kolam patterns created for occasions such as weddings can stretch all the way down streets. Patterns are often passed on generation to generation, from mother to daughter.” (Wikipedia).
We entered the auditorium where a welcome reception took place. The children sang India’s national anthem and also led the class in a prayer. This prayer is not meant to single out anyone religion, it is just meant to serve as a moment of reflection for everyone. The prayer song was beautiful and could touch the heart of any one, regardless of their spiritual creed or lack thereof. The school is not geared toward just hindus or just christians. There is in fact a variety of religions, castes and economic statuses present.
I found this to be quite different from most private schools in the US, which gear specifically to only one religious practice or allow in only those who are wealthy enough to pay their high fees. The Pioneer School, on the other hand, supplements fees for students who are unable to afford the fees and even provides funds for the uniforms for those who are very poor. I used to greatly dislike the idea of uniforms in school; I thought it limited creative expression. But after visiting India, I have changed my outlook.
The idea of uniforms is not to limit, but to remove judgment. When all students all across India wear the same uniform, then there is nothing to identify your social or economic status. Thus, students can feel safe and comfortable at school regardless of what their home life may be like. This promotes a much better educational environment.
The SAS group was seated in the front of the classroom, facing all the students who were orderly lined up and excited to greet us. After the anthem and prayer, the prinicpal gave a brief talk and then students asked us questions. One question that comes to my mind was, “Which country do you think is better, India or the US?”
To this I replied, “No country is better than another, they all of their greatness to add to the world.” This response was greeted with loud cheers from the children. Remarks were also made on the greatness of the education system at the Pioneer School, how lucky these students are to be at such a school, how much we love visiting India and learning about the culture, and the importance of globally-focused education and how lucky we are to be on the Semester at Sea voyage.
A few dance performances followed, including one by a young boy that honored Lord Krishna as a playful boy. The boy who performed this dance had great facial expressions, all part of this style of India dance. There was also a beautiful dance meant to resemble the dance performed by rural village women during harvest season. It was joyful and clearly portrayed the exuberance of harvest-time.
Then a group of seven girls, all in grade 6, took me around the school. They showed me the various classrooms, computer room, library etc. I basically served as ‘show and tell’ in all the classrooms. Many of the children were shy around me, but once I asked, “nenga unoda nanbana erukengala?” (‘want to be my friend’ in Tamil), they would all burst out in laughter. I’m really glad I’ve chosen to learn that phrase in every language, it really helps people open up around me and smile J Oh the smiles I’ve received!
The following poetry and prose are from students and teachers at the school.
“Smile” by S. Subrija, grade 7
“Smile! Smile! Smile!
Never be too shy
Always grin to your ears
That is very wise
When you see a happy face
Your mood will surely change
A smile will gently rise
From you heart deep inside
Smile at others
They’ll smile back
Cause your smile is very warm
It will never do any harm
Smile! Smile! Smile!
Never be too shy to smile”
The Magic of Right Words- submitted by R. Snigdha Roshini, grade 3.
“When you throw a stone into a still lake, you never know how far the ripples may go. Similarly, when you sow the right words of appreciation, encouragement and motivation on a young mind, you never know how far it may take them in life. The beauty of these magical words is that the person who said it might have forgotten what was said but the one who received those words may carry it in their mind for the rest of their life.”
God Doesn’t Bother About- submitted by C. Devadharshini grade 3.
“God won’t ask the square footage of your house. He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet. He’ll ask how many people you helped clothe.
God won’t ask what your highest pocket money was. He’ll ask how you used it.
God won’t ask what your job title was. He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
God won’t ask how many friends you had. He’ll ask to how many people you were a friend.
God won’t ask what neighborhood you lived in. He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.
God won’t ask about the color of your skin. He’ll see what’s within.
God won’t have to ask how much you follow what you read here. He already knows!”
Don’t let the word ‘god’ in this poem detract from its meaning. I wish I had a better word for it, because I dislike the connotations that ‘god’ arises, but that is how the poem is written so that is how it will remain. I may not be a believer of a certain god, or a follower of a certain religion, but these words of wisdom are good to follow regardless of who you are or what you believe. I think it is important to see past the lines of religion and creed and just accept the wisdom of all the world’s spiritual paths and ways to live life as a good human being. I think that this belief is very true in India. It is truly a country that is united by diversity. The rest of the world has a lot to learn from them.
The following story was written by a teacher, Mrs. V. M. Lakshmi Kala, who showed us around later in the day.
“I am really delighted to speak to everyone through the words of a happy life. Everyone in this world is in the search of ‘happiness.’ Some are behind money, some seek power and some others amass modern pleasures, but none finds real happiness. Then who is really happy? How can one acquire happiness?
As religions say, it is a very hard path to heaven.
For this I like to quote an example of a poem by Alexander Pope the foremost English poet in the 18th century, named ‘The Quiet Life.’ ‘Happy is the man, whose wish and care content to breath his native air in his own ground.’ This gives us a broad idea which instills our hearts to know about a universal truth.
Yes! It’s ‘contentedness.’ A man who is content with what he has is really happy. As his worldly belongings are limited he does not have problems which cause worry and unhappiness. He can live in his own land breathing fresh air of his own. He is blessed and his mind is filled with peace. He leads a pure and innocent life and devotes a lot of time for prayer and meditation.
As it is said ‘life is short,’ it should not be full of misgivings but to perform certain duties in this short span and to understand real truths that still prolong around the world.
Be contented, be happy, make others happy.”
“Tick Tock” by Miss G. L. Jeslin Vijaya.
“We all need time to be alone, think, dream, wonder.
But,
Take time to work, it is the key to success.
Take time to play, it is the secret of health
Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness
Take time to love and be loved, it is the privilege of the gods
Live and let live, it is the motto of life.”
“Our Mother Land” by R. s. Santhiya grade 7
“We love India, our motherland
Whom we garland and pray with folded hands
We are proud to be her citizens brave
And will glorify her name always
Saffron, white and green
Do you know what these colors mean?
Courage, peace and prosperity they signify
Plying above all in the sky
All religions live in amity
Its our secular integrity
Unity in diversity
That is our solidarity
We love India, our Motherland
Whom we garland and pray with folded hands”
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Chennai Day two and off to Nagarcoil!
In the morning, Emily, Laura and I went out to watch sunrise on Marina Beach. We took a rickshaw and Emily convinced the guy to let her drive. We were a bit late in leaving, but we still managed to catch some of the sunrise. We walked along the beach, dragging our toes in the water. Just so you know, the beach is not like
Then we walked back to the street and this guy started talking to us. He seemed friendly and we asked if he was a fisherman and he said yes. I’m not sure if he actually understood us though. The day before, a few friends of mine met a fisherman who showed them the most amazing day! He took them out on his fishing boat and they saw three whale sharks! Then the guy invited Gabe back to his house for dinner and to spend the night! The man lived in the Sea colony, which is a slum on Marina Beach where most of the local fishermen live (the foreign service officials told us not to go there, which is exactly why they went J ).
After hearing their amazing story, we wanted to have a great day with fishermen, too! So we thought this guy said he was a fisherman and he wanted to take us fishing. There was a huge language barrier though so I’m not sure what he thought was being communicated. We walked down the beach with him and then he just sat down behind a cart and told us to sit with him. We still wanted to assume the best of people, so we sat to chat with him. But then he started to grab at my friend and he told the other two of us to leave them alone for five minutes. Of course I said “No!” and grabbed my friend’s hand and started to leave. The guy kept trying to grab at her, but we were assertive and pushed him off and walked away. He followed us for a while though and ran up saying, “Hotel? Hotel? Lets get a room?” We replied “No!” But he didn’t get the picture. It wasn’t until I pulled out my cell phone to call Vikram that he left us alone.
This really highlighted the differences between how women are viewed versus men. What was going through this guy’s mind that made him think it was okay to treat us that way? I really want to know what his thought process was. Who knows, maybe he said something that we didn’t understand and we naively went along with it. What I really hate though is that an occurrence like that would never happen to a man. Why does there have to be this whole additional challenge traveling as woman instead of a man. It’s not fair. The genders should be equal and I should feel just as safe as any man.
But in India, women are still viewed as lesser than men in India. Not in everyone’s mind, of course, but in general this seems to be true. I’m no expert so it’s probably not right for me to apply judgment, but I did not feel comfortable as a woman in Chennai and this was the first port where I could really feel the gender difference. I can see why Bonu would choose to wear a burka; I think it would provide a sense of invisibility and security in a world where the men can be despicable. I just hate that the solution is to cover up and become invisible. I should be able to be just as visible as a man and feel perfectly safe.
Our country has its own share of gender issues as well though. Men feel its okay to catcall at women and comment on their appearance even when they are complete strangers. It’s disgusting. Keep your thoughts in your head. Don’t yell out at me and make me feel uncomfortable and unsafe in the public space. That space is just as much mine as it is yours and I have the right to feel safe there. Why is it culturally acceptable to judge a woman’s beauty based on her physical appearance? A woman is worth so much more than that. She is love. She is life. She is nurture. She is the world. It is despicable to degrade her worth down to only her physical beauty.
Okay, enough ranting about gender issues… so after we ditched the creep, we went to eat some idly for breakfast. Idly is a kind of fermented rice cake that is dipped into chutney. It’s very tasty! Then we went to a snake park and a zoological park. There were snakes and turtles and crocodiles all over! The star tortoises were munching away on some lettuce- munch munch munch- they were so cute! One Indian Black Turtle did a head plant into his food and then opened his mouth wide and munch munch munch munch.
At the zoological park there were lots of birds including several Rosy Pelicans. These guys were huge! I could practically ride one! Then we made friends with several local college students where were enjoying their day off at the zoo as well. One invited us back to have dinner with his family, but we all had trips that were leaving in a couple hours so we had to turn down the invitation. Emily and Laura were heading to a village stay in Erode and I was heading to one in Nagarcoil.
But before heading back to the ship, we went for one last AMAZING meal in Chennai. We asked the rickshaw driver to take us to the best restaurant in Chennai (that was still cheap). He took us to this place called Banana Leaf and it was soooooooo gooooodddd!!!! I can’t even describe the amazing dance my palate did with all those wonderful spices and curries and lentils and veggies and naan and OH MY GOD! I want more Indian food…. My mouth is watering (I’m heading to lunch on the ship right now, but its not going to compare at all with this glorious meal that I’m reminiscing about)
Then we headed back to the ship. The rickshaw driver turned into an asshole at the end. He’d been so friendly all day and we even paid for him to come to the zoo with us and offered to buy him lunch and gave him an extra hundred rupies and then he continued to demand more. He was not friendly at all when it came down to the money at the end. The friendliness was all a façade to get more money out of us. I hate when people are like that. Why can’t we just genuinely be kind to one another?
Most of the stories about the rickshaw drivers were similar to mine (if not worse). But there were a few really good ones. For instance, my friend Katie was wandering around on her own, all the drivers were trying to convince her to ride with them and she just said she was going to walk. But then this one driver drove alongside her and said he just wanted to practice his English. She didn’t believe him at first and she assumed that he was just trying to get a customer. But she said if he really wanted to he could ride alongside her and talk but she was going to keep walking. Sure enough, he rode alongside her and really did just want to talk to her. After a while, she told him that she would get in and they could drive around together, but she didn’t have money so she couldn’t pay him. He said that was fine. He ended up driving her all around town for 3 or 4 hours! He took her to the famous church, to the temple he worshiped at and to his home and he never asked for any money. What a great story! It got even better because she ended up meeting a girl in the slums who taught her how to play a game and they ended up having a crazy dance party! Katie is f-ing awesome! She has the best stories!
So I went back to the ship and departed for Nagarcoil. We had a nice, small group of five students, five adult passengers and one “sea monkey” (the dependent children on board). The students were Dani (from UCI), Brian (from Penn State), Shannon (From CU Boulder) and Adam (From U MN). The adults included Marvel, the ship psychologist (and the trip leader), Shelly (lifelong learner), Gale (Marvel’s friend), Warner (Librarian) and his wife, Nancy. Marvel’s daughter, Sapon (who’s AWESOME!) was with us as well.
At around 5:30pm we boarded a train bound for Nagarcoil (it was a 13 hour train ride!). The train ride wasn’t too bad, it was shaky so I didn’t sleep much, but that’s okay. Brian and I shared a cabin and we had lots of great conversation. He told me all about the experiences that have shaped his life, about his amazing girlfriend and about his university and his home in DC. I shared my stories as well and we had some great discussions about the challenges of sustaining human life around the world and how misled people can be in their attempts to “save the planet”. Environmentalism isn’t about saving the planet; it’s about saving the people. And how can we talk about saving the future of humanity when billions of people around the world can’t even sustain their lives in the present? Environmentalism shouldn’t lose sight of the goal to extend human rights and basic needs to people around the world. I think this is a major problem with the present style of the environmental movement.
This were the things we discussed as our rickety train sped through the countryside, past farms and rice paddies, while the sun set behind shadowed mountains, illuminating the sky in a brilliant glow of orange and pink.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Chennai day 1
So I wrote a blog for my time in Vietnam (I went to the Mekong Delta for an overnight stay in Cantho) but I can’t find it on my hard drive. I must have saved it to one of the ship computers. I’ll keep my eye out for it, but I really don’t want to rewrite it. I’m going to move on to India.
Upon arrival in Chennai, there was a yoga demonstration. I have never seen someone contort their body in such crazy positions! Legs in every which way, I can’t even describe it! I am amazed that our bodies can be trained to move that way! They described yoga as more of a mental training than training in flexibility. The goal is to get the mind to settle and achieve a deep sense of peace within your soul. Only after that will the flexibility of the body come. I have trouble doing this on my own, but I’d like to get more involved in yoga when I get home. The key is to find a proper instructor, one who understands the body mind connection and knows yoga is not just about stretching.
Then I went for a walk with my friend Brittany and two other girls. I wish the other girls hadn’t been there; they brought down the vibe, but oh well. We just wandered around the port area and observed. The ground around the port was covered in soot, I’m guessing from the coal burned on the trains. The smell was also really intense! Thick, putrid air arising from a dirty, overpopulated city.
But behind the dirt, there was a lot of beauty and fascinating cultural differences. Crossing the street was an adventure in itself! So many cars and rickshaws speeding by without a care for the horde of people waiting to cross. We waited for a group of locals to cross and walked with them. In Vietnam, the trick was to just go for it and not hesitate; the vehicles would work around you. This was not the case in Chennai. The cars think they have the ultimate right of way and they would not work to avoid you. I witnessed several accidents between vehicles and bikes or pedestrians (I didn’t see a single one in Saigon even though there was a lot of traffic there as well). The traffic in Chennai is scary! I didn’t realize it too much at the time because I just followed the locals and went with it, but looking back it was really a dangerous place in that sense.
On our walk we found a beautiful little shrine on a backalley. It was covered in colorful flowers and passerbys would stop for a moment and make their prayers before continuing on their way. One interesting thing though, I only noticed men on the streets. There was an occasional woman, but very few. Indian culture is very male-centric. Women are not giving the worth that they deserve. The practice of dowry, while technically illegal, is still ingrained in the mentality of many Hindus. The bride’s family is expected to pay for the elaborate Hindu wedding and the bride is viewed as a commodity traded from her father to her husband. Female children are looked down upon and female infanticide still occurs. In fact, India has what is refered to as a negative sex ratio, meaning that there are more men than women and the difference has been increasing in recent years. This reflects a big problem in the view of women. Based on genetics, there are naturally supposed to be more women than men because the X-chromosome is stronger than the Y-chromosome. So the fact that there are actually fewer women reflects that something is being done to keep their numbers down. Some people try to convince me that this is changing (particularly members of the higher classes) but according to Professor Medora and my independent readings (and considering the way I felt as a woman in this country) gender inequality is still a reality.
Class inequality is also a big problem. The caste system is technically illegal as well, but it still plays a major role in Hindu society. Brahmans (the highest caste) still hold greater wealth and prestige while it is nearly impossible for members of the Untouchable caste to work their way out of poverty. My friend Vikram tried to convince me otherwise, saying that they just aren’t willing to work, but I think the situation is far more complicated than that. Regardless of the fact that they legally have the ability to work their way out of poverty, they still face immense cultural and social barriers. Sure, it is possible to overcome them, but it is nowhere close to easy and its unfair to judge them as unwilling to work. They probably work harder than you or I do everyday just trying to stay alive.
So back to my wandering… there were cows roaming the streets. They are sacred in India so they cannot be killed or attacked (in fact, motorists seemed to put more effort forth in avoiding the cows than the people). Chickens and dogs also roamed freely. The dogs were everywhere! I was warned about the stray dogs, but I didn’t realize just how many there would be! You literally cannot walk down a street without encountering at least 5 stray dogs.
We walked by a group of school boys who were so excited to have their pictures taken! They don’t have cameras so seeing their own photo is one of the most exciting things to them! The lack of technology in poorer communities is one benefit my Global Studies group is finding to the electronic waste trade… I think I’ll do an entire blog on my project at a later date (I have a lot of information to share on it).
Then we stumbled upon a Hindu temple and went in to explore. The temples are incredibly intricate and there’s a lot going on (understandably because they have so many deities!). So many colors and so many figures, it’s a bit overwhelming. I didn’t make it to the Taj, but comparing its image with the image of a Hindu temple provides an interesting contrast. The Taj Mahal is a Muslim mausoleum and its image clearly emphasizes the importance they place on purity. For them, God is purity, clarity, peace, and that shows in their temples. Whereas in Hinduism, God is everything, including all the chaos, and that also shows in their temples. I’m not an expert on this though, that’s just what I’ve been told and it’s the feeling I get from the temples.
The most prevalent Hindu god is Ganesha, the god with the elephant’s head. He is the god believers turn to when they have obstacles to overcome, because he is the master of overcoming. He is the son of Lord Shiva and his wife, Pavarti. After they married, Shiva became restless and left to go party with his friends, the demons of the underworld. He did not know that Pavarti was pregnant. He returned seven years later and wanted to see his wife, however, he returned to find a young boy guarding the house. The boy was very protective of his mother and would not let Shiva enter the house because Pavarti was bathing. Shiva was furious by this and he cut off the boy’s head (remember, he didn’t know he had a son). When Pavarti came out, she was furious. She explain to Shiva that he had just cut off the head of his own son. Luckily, the son was also a god, so he wasn’t killed. Pavarti demanded that Shiva go out and return with the first head he found. He left and returned with the first head he found, which happened to be the head of an elephant. She never clarified the first human head and he refused to go out again to find another head. So, the elephant’s head was placed atop the boy’s body and Ganesha became the god with the head of an elephant.
There were four adorable young boys outside the temple when we left. They were all smiles and didn’t have a care in the world despite the fact that they looked undernourished and as if they never received new clothes or a shower. I shared some coconut candies that I had with them as well as some bubbles. They clapped their hands enthusiastically, giggling uncontrollably as the light, rainbow bubbles floated up into the sky. I wonder how their daily lives are. Do they go to school? Do they eat regularly? I wish I could adopt them and nurture them and care for them. But I shouldn’t assume that they are not loved and cared for. I have no idea what their lives are like and its always better to assume the best and not let my judgments rule. But with so much poverty in India, it’s hard to assume that children like this don’t face a life of hardship. But regardless of whatever struggles they have, they still enjoyed laughter and knew joy.
After the temple, I broke off from the group and went to meet up with my friend Vikram and the Ghandi Temple at Marina Beach. I took an autorickshaw there and sat to wait for my friend at the base of the statue. Shortly after I sat down, a woman in a black berka came to sit down beside me. Her name was Bonu and I asked her, “Nenga enoda thozhi erukengala?” (Want to be my friend?) She was so excited and she tenderly brushed my cheek and caressed my hand. We talk for a while and I learned that she was 25 and, to my surprise, not in any hurry to get married. As she described it, there was plenty of time in her life to get married, now is the time to work on educating and improving who we are as women, as individuals. I feel that the typical impression of Muslim women, especially those devoted enough to wear berkas even when the law doesn’t require it, are just interested in working to marriage and a family. That was definitely not the case with my new friend, Bonu. She is an empowered young woman who is working hard on her education.
She found it very odd that I was waiting alone and she promised to keep me company until my friend arrived. She called a few of her friends and told her about this American traveler she met and all her friends wanted to talk to me. She’d put me on the phone with them and everyone asked, “What are you doing here? How do you know Bonu? This is so strange.” It was a funny interaction.
Bonu tried to teach me something in Tamil, but I never could figure out what it was. She lifted up her face covering so I could read her lips, but that didn’t help much. Then Vikram arrived and I hugged my new friend goodbye.
Vikram and I drove around Chennai for the day (a few other guys were supposed to meet up with us, too, but apparently there was some miscommunication about where to meet up. But they ended up having the craziest day with some random fisherman they met in the Sea Colony who took them out on his boat!). We went out for dosas and some delicious chutney! I love Indian food!
We went back to his parent’s house for dinner where we met up with four other adult passengers and four students. They prepared some amazing food for us! Barbequed paneer (cheese), chipati (like a wheat tortilla), mint dip, a tasty corn dip and more! Plus, it was all vegetarian.
After dinner, most of the group left. Katie and Jeff had just showed up and the three of us stayed to hang out longer. We had some great discussions over the dinner table with Vikram’s parents. His parents are so friendly and interesting to talk with! Jeff serenaded us on the piano for a while and we eventually headed back to the ship at around 1am.
Getting back was an adventure in itself! The gates were closed but Vikram sweet talked his way in. But then we couldn’t figure out what road to take to get to the ship and we made several sketchy turns to find our way. But eventually we made it!
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