Overnight Train Ride

After a great tour of Kolkata, we headed to the train station to board the 7:40pm train to Varanasi. The 16 of us arrived at the station and then embarked on 2 separate cars, finding our sleeper seat/bed number. It was a challenge in the

beginning since I was juggling my luggage, backpack, pocketbook, and people love to just walk right through you. A group of 6 older men stationed themselves across from me, and proceeded to set up a loud game of cards and have visitors stop right in front of my bed/seat.


At this point, India can be in your face too much, so I had to decide if I'd let the 10 hours be miserable, or have fun in the moment.

I chose to have fun in the moment, and started a conversation with the group of cardplayers (figuring it's better to make friends with my neighbors). They were playing a rummy type game with multiple decks and at least 30 cards per person. I settled in to my top bunk, tied my giant pocketbook to my leg to prevent theft (although I was hoping my new friends would prevent that), put on my ipod headphones and tried to rest.

Notice the spacious cabin room :)

All in all, it was an adventure. Special thanks to the porters.. the skinniest men ever who balance tons of weight on their head, not including arms. My suitcase is the gray one.. and it's quite heavy.

Boat Ride on the Ganges

July 29th was spent on a little boating trip on the Ganges river. It is getting a bit toasty in India, at times I wonder if I'll burst into flames. The people of this area cool down in the river, which looks inviting.

We visited Belur Math (which has nothing to do with mathematics), is a place that people from all religions of the world come to pray. I'm a bit saturated with information at this point in the journey, so I will have to look up the facts and significance of this location later.


Next we went to Kumartuli, a center for giant clay idol makers. They were working on making clay idols for the Durga Puja festival, which is coming up in September.

Bengali Culture

July 28th was spent at the Loreto Day School, headed by Sister Cyril, an amazing Irish no-nonsense nun. The school is a mix of students from various socio-economic backgrounds. The school teaches a group called the Rainbow kids, who may be orphans, children of prostitutes, or homeless. Sister Cyril encourages all her students to give back to the community. Older students work one-on-one with the Rainbow kids during the week. It was a privilege to meet with Sister Cyril and have to discuss the education system in India frankly with us.

Later that afternoon, we went back to the American Center in Kolkata for an exhibition of traditional scroll paintings. Rabindranath Tagore, the great Bengali poet, writer, artist, etc. was revealed in poetry readings and a dance performance set to his music.

City of Joy

Kolkata has a different vibe than the rest of the places we visited in India. Its pulse is similar to New York’s, with the tons of yellowy-orange taxicabs filling the streets, the sounds of honking (which seem louder in this town), and the general hustle and bustle on the streets. It’s definitely city life in this town, and I forgot how much I miss New York.

On the 27th, a small group of us went to the Victoria Memorial, created to honor Queen Victoria. We had a brief visit of St. Paul’s Church. I enjoyed some time on my own in the streets of this city, walking the sidewalks, avoiding the pushy sales-people that line the streets. I had a great time at the Oxford Bookstore, browsing through Bengali writers like Tagore and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. I was on the hunt for Bengali-English titles for my school, but unfortunately only found a few Bengali comics.

The afternoon was a City Tour, beginning with St. John’s Cathedral, then Rabinadrath Tagore’s house. It was wonderful seeing Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity, seeing the sisters continue her work.

The night was complete when Debbie and I went to the Inox Forum mall to watch Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, a Hindi movie about a bachelor party in Spain. This was my third, and only successful attempt at purchasing movie tickets (they sell out and you get assigned seats). We had a great time eating popcorn, watching the Hindi commercials, and deciphering the movie. I’d say we understood about 70% of the film, but missed out on the jokes as the entire theater (except us) laughed. A few things about Indian cinema: 1. The movies are long…. It started at 7:50 and didn’t finish till almost 11pm. 2. The volume of the sound is extremely loud. 3. You can freely talk on your cell phone during the movie (which may account for #2). 4. You are free to bring babies and kids who may scream, cry, or talk during the film (again see #2). 5. There is intermission (another chance to get more popcorn). Overall, I loved the cinema experience and hope to see one more film, time permitting, before I leave.

Kolkata

It's amazing that 4 weeks in India have already passed, and we are in Kolkata for the last leg of our tour. On July 26th, we visited the American Center for a wonderful overview on Kolkata, "A Journey into the City of Joy," by Dr. Niladri Chatterjee. Later we visited a family home and were treated to a delicous dinner and conversation with the many family members. I was intrigued that a 10th year student desires to go to the University of Kansas for her studies.

Odissi Dance

On July 25th, we toured the Sixty Four Yogini Temple in Hirapur.

In the evening, we had a lecture with wonderful demonstration of Odissi Dance. Odissi is a classical dance form that originated in the temples. Boys also perform this dance, as they bend their bodies into backbends and flexible postures. The highlight of the performance was choreography made about cyclones and tsunami's in the region. The dancers brought to life a scene of girls playing, then wind (represented by male dancers) and water (represented by women in blue) arrived. It was truly moving.

Flat Stanley

FYI, the little paper guy in the photos is Flat Stanley. He's from a children's book about a boy who was flattened by a bulletin board, then has adventures around town and the world. Kids usually have to mail their Stanley to a different location. Folks take pictures of Stanley in different places, and mail back the pictures with a letter about Stanley's adventures. My Stanley is laminated and already has been to India, although he was denied entrance to the Taj Mahal 2 years ago. He's hoping to return and finally see the Taj.

Crashing a Yoga Class

Sunday was a beautiful free day, which we all desperately needed from traveling/ touring/ learning about the 4 cities in a week. It began when I crashed a yoga session on the lawn of the Mayfair Lagoon hotel at an early 6am. I tiptoed out to the class, which was already in session meditating. A sari-ed yoga participant motioned for me to take a spot, and I unraveled my orange mat and joined in, loving that the class was not in English. After 15 minutes, the instructor acknowledged my presence. I was the only non-Indian, and only participant wearing Lululemon and Be Present gear, so I guess I didn’t blend in too well with the class. He said something in Hindi or Oriya (the local language), then spoke in English to me since he saw I didn’t understand his question. He noticed that I am familiar with yoga and was free to join the class. I thanked him and continued practicing.

The class was over 90 minutes and it was amazing to be instructed in a foreign language. I followed the movements (not the traditional vinyasa flow I practice), and loved the breathing techniques. We practiced each of the following techniques for about 10-15 minutes: kapalabhati (forceful exhales and an energizing breath), bhastrika (also more forceful exhales), nadi shodana (alternate nostril breathing). Afterwards we did a few more movements, and even had a bout of laughing yoga… yes, there really is such a thing, and even more funny when people were pointing at a monkey swinging from a tree during the session.

I thanked the instructor and then had a lovely chat with the women. A few of them had children in the U.S., and they said they would see me tomorrow for yoga at 5:45 am. I spent the rest of the day keeping healthy with a run, delicious breakfast, then massage and manicure at the spa. Just gearing up for another long week.

Monday morning I was the first one to join the 5:45am yoga class, and loved every minute of the 90 minute class. I took a photo with the women of the class and yes, they performed the yoga in their saris. I also exchanged information with a husband and wife whose son is living in NY and will be visiting the city for 6 months. It is always fun to find new yogis to hang out with :)

Bhubeneswar

July 22nd we had a morning flight to Bhubaneswar, the capital of the state of Orissa also known as the “Temple City of India.” There was a panel discussion on Orissa and then a visit to the Bakul Foundation, a great non-profit that encourages volunteerism in India. Their library, decorated in a jungle motif, is one of the best children’s library in the country.

On July 23rd we saw the temples of Puri from a distance, then went up to Konark, famous for the Sun Temple. This temple is carved in the shape of a chariot carrying Surya, the sun god.

The people dressed in orange were carrying water 60 kilometers barefoot to a Shiva temple. We saw them along the entire way, along the bus route, at the sea, and at the Sun Temple. They have to perform this act 3 times in their life.

Chennai

On July 20th, the Fulbright crew flew to Chennai. Hillary Clinton also arrived to the town that day; although our paths did not cross, we did see signs plastered around town regarding her arrival.

The 21st was another hectic day. We traveled to Mahabalipuram, a town that lies on the Coromandel Coast, which faces the Bay of Bengal. The guide told us that this area was hit by the tsunami and trees were planted to prevent damage if another natural disaster occurred. It was great to see the ocean from the bus. I did ask the tour guide if we’d be able to stick a toe in the water, but was told no. However, during a stop to see an ancient temple that was uncovered during the tsunami, a few Fulbrighters ran off to the ocean, and I joined the midst to dip my feet in the water. Our tour guide called us the human tsunami. I have to say we were all very cheery afterwards ☺

We had a guided tour of Pancha Rathas (monolithic temples), the Mahishasura Mardhini (a cave with carvings), and Dakshin Chitra (a center for art, performing arts, and crafts). I had a woman apply henna to my hand for 50 rupees (around $1.25).

The day was capstoned with a dinner visit to homes of Indian Fulbright Alumni. Debbie and I traveled to Sri Devi’s apartment, and were surprised to meet her talented friends. Knowing of my interests of yoga and Bengali culture, Sri Devi invited a yoga teacher and two classical Indian dancers from Kolkata. The photos She also invited a Girish, a tv personality who hosts a Tamil music program. We had such a great night eating delicious food and talking. It was also a great mix of Indians, since there were Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Bengali speakers.

Madurai

Our time in Madurai, the south of India, has been quick. We flew in on July 18th and were greeted with a music (mridangam drum) and dance (Bharatanatyam) program.

The 19th was another action packed day, beginning with 6am yoga class with Dr. Hari Shankar (of course that was the highlight of my day). I did treat myself to a 20 minute foot massage :) Then we were off to the Meenakshi temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi Amman and Shiva. For 10 rupees, I was blessed by an elephant... I figure I'll take all the blessings I can get. Afterwards we had lunch and traveled to the TVS school, where instruction is mostly in English. Students do take one class of Tamil, their native language, each day. I was impressed with the English class, especially since they had a smartboard in the classroom!

On the 20th we traveled 90 minutes to Aiyanaarpuram, a super rural school. Kids in this area were barefoot, and there were no formal desks in rooms. Still, the students were exhuberant to meet us, and sing their songs in English. Now, off to catch a flight to Chennai!

I forgot to mention that my wonderful husband sent roses and a stuffed animal all the way to southern India to celebrate our anniversary. The hotel staff, comprised of 5 men, loved handing me the flowers, and even more so, the stuffed animal and said I had a good husband. I agree :)

Yoga!

We finally had a day off! I am getting used to this good life of hotel service and had the Taj Deccan hotel arrange a yoga session for me. There seemed to be some holiday today, so yoga studios were closed. But the Taj came through and arranged a 2 hour private session with Murali Krishna, yoga instructor.

This was not the most traditional class, since I had my journal for note taking and flip-cam handy, and I did ask questions during postures. It was my first official class this trip to India, and it was great to spend an hour and a half moving, and laughing with Krishna, who was quasi drill sergeant-like, instructing my hamstrings and hips to move farther than they ever have before. Krishna was a wonderful instructor and I learned much about pranayama (breathing) techniques, mudras (yoga of the hands), mantras, and yogic philosophy.

Later, I taught Ida a yoga session outdoors... it is great to share my knowledge with others and pass along my love of yoga.

Hyderabad

The next city on the list is the modern Hyderabad, located in Andhra Pradesh. Brand name stores and modern shopping malls line the streets. I was amazed at how different this city is from the other towns we visited... and then I saw 5 cows walk along the streets.

On the 15th, I visited a government school called Kendriya Vidyalaya. We were welcomed with a wonderful morning assembly, filled with yoga / pranayam, singing and tabla playing, as well as beautiful cultural dances. The students at this school are eager to learn, and it was refreshing to see how the arts are infused into learning.

The principal was fantastic, and sent each of the 6 teachers to different parts of the school. I was able to visit Neela's yoga class, and could have stayed there the entire day. Boys and girls began the class with chanting and breathing (pranayam) activities, then moved into the postures (asanas). I was lucky to join the students in movement. Neela was very attentive to my questions about yoga instruction within the school, and discussed her curriculum.

So far I've taught a yoga class to some Fulbrighters once a week, and have loved teaching in India. I'm looking forward to taking some classes taught in a language other than English this weekend.

Education in Ahmedabad

In Ahmedabad, we visited the Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre (somewhat similar to the Hall of Science in Queens). Dilip Surkar explained an innovative project called “Science Express,” which is an exhibition on wheels. Targeted more toward middle and high school students, the 16 coaches of the train showcased science material, information, and even had a lab car for students to have hands on access. Students across India were able to see this high-tech exhibition as the train traveled through the country.

One afternoon we had tea and chatted with eight educators from local private schools. The session was informative, as teachers explained the need to get away from the “chalk and talk” method of teaching in India. Regarding special education, most of the schools have special ed. Students in a separate building. Teachers discussed how many parents are unwilling to have special services for their child.

I had an engaging conversation with three professionals from H.B. Kapadia. One woman says before teaching, she has her students close their eyes and meditate 5 minutes before class. “Close your eyes and listen to the noise around you,” she says, and states how it increases student concentration. Another teacher shared that yoga is taught in the 8th – 10th grade, and male students really enjoy the activity… again he said it improved their focus in class.

At the end of the tea-session, I had an offer I could not refuse. The teachers escorted myself and a fellow Fulbrighter to their school (www.hbkapadia.com) for a tour. It was a wonderful to see the students in grades 1 up to grade 7, There were 49 students squeezed into one of the classrooms, and the teachers said it is normal for their school! I had a great time meeting the children, sharing about my job teaching kids in NY, passing around Flat Stanley, and even teaching yoga to the kids. The photo shows the staff, along with the wonderful principal of the school.

School Visit - Gyanshala

The Fulbright crew was able to get a better view of life in the slum area. On July 11th, we headed to Gyanshala, an organization that aims to provide quality primary education to poor children living in the slums. It is an incredible organization, which provides 400 classes in the city to educate about 11,000 kids. Teachers come from the slum area and may only have a high school education. It is great for the kids to have role models from the community as their instructors. The school day for grades 1 to 3 is only 3 hours per day, and 4 ½ hours a day (plus Saturdays) 4th grade and beyond.

We broke up into smaller groups to observe a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 7th grade class. Classes were held throughout the slum, in rooms rented for the school. Traveling from classroom to classroom we walked the muddied streets, passing by cows, women washing the laundry, and curious occupants. We had a group of kids following us, and so happy to say the few English phrases they knew like “hello… bye bye… photo… What’s your name?” I loved the interaction between the townspeople, teachers, and students.

The classrooms were outfitted with desks or tables, and the kids were ready to learn. In these schools instruction is 15-20 minutes (to suit the short attention span of kids) and then students work in small groups or individually. It looked like a really interesting school, and boasts a relatively high attendance rate for the kids in the community.

In the photos, the girls aged 6 and up are dressed up for a 5-day fasting ritual. The hope is to get a good husband.

Rich and Poor

Although we are staying in 5-star hotels enjoying the high-end life in India, we are also exposed to the other side of India. Part of me doesn’t want to write about the poverty filled India, however, it is part of India and deserves to be talked about. The difference between rich and poor in India is blatant. When I checked into my room at the Le Meridian (the white building in the photo), I enjoyed the luxuries of the hotel… the flat screen tv, pool, gym, and various amenities. Then I opened up the hotel curtains and right outside is a slum, only separated by a thin wall from the hotel’s garden.
The slum spans the length of about 5 hotels. You can see people working, fixing the roofs of their homes with tarp and rocks. There are goats walking around. The children gather and organized their own cricket match. It is a sight to behold.