Jamkhed part I

May 7th, 11:42 am

The trip from mumbai to jamkhed was a relatively simple though it was long (about 7 hours).  My first morning, I was chatting with some of the staff when I was pulled into an adolescent girls program.  

The purposes of these groups are to bring girls at still an impressionable age for morale building, health / life instruction, and socializing with others from their village in an outside setting (CRHP campus).  The day's topic was gender roles.  During the course of the 7 hour day, they have approx 6 - 8 activity/lesson plan with the goal of getting the point across.  One activity involved bringing an "alien" to the group called Jadoo who comes to earth wanting to learn, "What are males?" and "What are females" and what do each respective group do? The girl running the course thought this would be a good time to bring me in, so she gave me some big sunglasses and headphones (think hipster jadoo) and sent me in.  There were some snickers, but i honestly think the girls were more scared as i probably look close to jadoo anyways.  They then role played what each gender did therefore some of the girls were males and were miming farming and playing cricket, while others were females and were sweeping, cooking, and cutting crops.  The class went on and the girls were essentially challenged whether doing this traditional roles was the only option for them. 

They were then provided stories of strong women in history including Chand Bibi and Ahilyabai Holkar.  (worth looking up as I had no idea of their stories)

One exercise involved the girls closing their eyes and thinking, if I were a boy, what would I play?  What would I be when I grow up?  To the first question, most girls provided sports such as tennis, cricket, field hockey, basketball, soccer, etc.  Essentially any and all sports as girls commonly don't play any sport here. Regarding future plans, a mixture of answers were given including police, doctor, lawyer, etc.  

To cap it off, the girls sang a song together.  The essential gist of the song provided to me by one of the social workers, was that a girl was singing to her mother, and telling her the special relationship they have and that boys and girls are the same, and if anything, girls are even better because they maintain the home AND work in the fields.  Wise words indeed. 

There are more stories than space to tell about all of them right now, but I'll go ahead and put up the pictures.  Most won't make sense, but I'll try explaining with captions.  

Link to Pictures

Bombay days 2 and 3

May 4th, 11: 34 pm

I'll try not to bore you too much and give you a quick recap of days 2 and 3 in Mumbai.  I am now in Jamkhed but will share more about that later. 

Day 2, i ventured onto Mumbai's famous commuter train system.  I was a little scared in the context of hearing of terrorist attacks years ago, khair it ended up being safe and friendly.  The only thing getting attacked was my nose from the up close and personal body odor.  I was able to right on the foot board for the first time, "even though mummy said never to do so".  I wasn't hanging off or anything, but it sure was nicer to be close to the open door than to be jammed in the middle.  It ended up being extremely simple train system to use.  

I initially tried to venture into the famous Dharavi slum but then after walking "within it" for 3 minutes, I realized that was a dumb idea on many levels and simply went back to the train station.  One thing that was interesting though was that every mud thatched or aluminum roof had a satellite dish attached to it.  I then went briefly to see "Dhobi Gaat" from this one bridge which was entertaining to be honest.  I would've stayed and watched longer where it not for the heat pelting down on me, It  is amusing to watch 20 some odd people washing clothes the desi way.  

Haji Ali was what I expected, nothing too drastic or crazy especially compared to Ajmer Sharif.  I did take a picture of someone cooking kerayla in a huge wok pot though. 

Maybe the highlight of my Bombay tourist romp was Mani Bhavan.  This the house that Gandhi stayed at whenever he visited Bombay.  It is on this one street in Mumbai that honsetly looked like a street in DC with great trees lining the road and a peaceful/well to do crowd walking the streets. Gandhi launched several campaigns from here including Satyagraha.  They converted it into a small museum with his room preserved, quotes abound, some books from his personal library, correspondence with various people including einstein, hitler, roosevelt, and tolstoy.  Truly amazing to see and learn even more about how great he was.  It's one thing to have touched Shah Rukh Khan, but another to have been in the same house, the same steps, and same balcony as a modern day saint. 

Last couple of pictures are from two adjoining parks.  

Day 3, I started having a horrible cold but still made it out.  Took a scary looking ferry out to Elephanta Island where Hindus from approx 5th century AD had carved a shrine essentially into the mountain.  Though much of it isn't preserved, it was impressive to see the size and the layout of this religious group so long ago.  One can appreciate the importance of religion to such an extent to carve out of a mountain such an ornate shrine with many different idols.  

Following that, I went to the prince of wales museum, which really wasn't that impressive.  Random mix of many different artifacts.  It's really sad considering India has such rich history.  The most impressive part was convincing the ticket guy that i was from delhi and therefore paying 5% of the Foreigner fee. 

I capped it all off by spending time on Chowpatty Beach, the epicenter of evenings in Mumbai (atleast for love birds and common folk).  It looked much like a fair was just plopped down onto a beach with vendors galore, music, etc.  Entertaining to see but definitely didn't go into the water.  I then walked along the bay on this very nice walkway.  This area was dominated by couples watching the sunset so I felt a little awkward sitting single between two couples.  A couple of Hijre made their rounds, tapping everyone on the head to give dua's, but you in return having to give money.  I started to argue but then just gave the money within 5 seconds.  

Link to pictures

Yeh hai Mumbai meri jaan...

5/1/12 - 6:10 pm

Coming to India this time is the least daunting it has ever been to me.  Or the least foreign.  Maybe since this is the third time i've come in 4 years, everything is less shocking and just feels more comfortable.  Getting off the plane, the smell hits you right away - this time a camphor like cleaning compound mixed with body odor.  The overly aggressive machchar gave their welcome  at the baggage claim.  Since the flight came at 3 in the morning, customs and immigration took about 10 minutes total.  When coming out of the airport here, they have a tented type area - much like in the prophet's masjid - with people lined on either side.  I looked to the left as the driver had told me where he'd be holding my name on a placard, but I walked by and didn't see it.  It ended up being that he thought my name was "Ahvinaan" which is why I didn't recognize it.

I ended up finally getting to bed after 24 hours of traveling at 5 in the morning.  I think being on call as a resident helps with traveling as I don't feel the jet lag much and as long as I could get a block of sleep, i didn't feel the need to catch up.  I woke up to uncle looking for his clothes in the closet in my room but acted like I was asleep while he was doing this. 

The apartment is extremely comfortable.  The shower head is impressive as it is the humongous rain shower type head.  Uncle and auntie are very nice and hospitable.  They seem to be like the friendly Christian family you see in a Bollywood movie shot in Goa.  They are extremely stressed these days in the setting of them planning their daughter's wedding, so I'm trying to be as least of a nuisance as possible. 

Mumbai has a lot of ways to get around, but I chose taxi.  It's the costliest, but the most comfortable and easiest.  I'm finally starting to realize that contrary to what many of my family members do, you SHOULD convert rupees into dollars sometimes and realize that a 3 dollar cab ride really isn't that bad compared to a 1 dollar train ride.  You can see the pictures, but my day was composed of a multitude of old Mumbai sites including Victoria Terminus, Oval Maidaan, the High Court, Bombay University, an old synagogue (interesting Jewish presence in old Mumbai area), Gateway of India, and Taj Mahal Palace.  I feel like I've hit the high points and now I'm going to try to get into more of the cultural sites.  There are a couple of pictures at the end for Abu - a new suspension bridge built that circumnavigates traffic to go straight from the South Side into the posh area where I'm staying.

A quick note on Indian hospitality.  Though I've been warned by Mammi and Pappa 38 times to be wary of strangers, I've already had experiences showing the opposite.  While eating lunch in "Gulshan-e-Iran", I sat in the "singles" area where you share a table with other "singles".  I started the conversation off by asking him "what's good here?" and he recommended the Karahi Chicken.  We ended up talking during our lunch while there, he shared some of his amazing veg pulao with me, bought me a cold drink, and bought me custard for dessert.  I was still apprehensive that he'd want something else from me at the end, but he ended up leaving before me, gave his salam and he was gone.  It's amazing how nice strangers can be to each other in the mother land -  I always leave with a multitude of good experiences, but rarely bad apples to ruin the bunch.  

Link to pictures

Rep. King Hearings Unjustified

On March 10th, Rep. Peter King, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee led a hearing on Muslim "radicalization" in America. Though his goal was to further examine the causes of "homegrown terrorism" and "inform", he couldn't have been further off target to achieve his goals of a safer nation. He effectively took us back to the days of McCarthy and his cronies, singling out the religion of millions of Americans based on the acts of a few. If the goal was truly to find the roots of home grown terrorism, he would have also paid attention to a study published less than two weeks ago by the Southern Poverty Law Center showing an explosive growth of right-wing anti-government and hate groups. The shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords should stand as a reminder that home grown terrorism is more diverse than one religion.

As the vitriol and political shenanigans continue on the Hill, I urge those that have hate and mistrust towards certain groups of people to check themselves. Learn about those people from different sources, and better yet, befriend them, learning that individuals are much too unique and diverse to be typecast into the broad brushstrokes political leaders and those in power want us to think.

Bollywood Revival

I've recently ignored my bollywood needs. Thanks to a friend's great link, www.bombayproduction.com , I am hooked again. I am feeding my soul and Mohit Chauhan is bringin' the hits.

Time for the U.S. to do something...

The facade that is American foreign policy is shining through these days. As protests, revolts, and legitimate revolutions for democracy take place in Middle Eastern countries with unjust and brutal dictators, we seem content to sit back, watch, and comment from behind podiums. Though it is true that some countries have to fight their own battles, we have taken a proactive position as a nation that supports democracy especially in the Middle East and are willing to send troops and dollars towards.

Selectively deciding where to meddle in the Middle East shows that we are less concerned with the values we hold dear, but more concerned with the geo/religious politics that dominate the region. As the wave of protest and democracy spreads through the region, the response by dictators has become increasingly savage and violent with military force literally killing its people.

The US should flex its muscle, whether through its own means or through the UN Security Council seat which it occupies, to support dignity, human rights, and democracy with real action.

Passionate words on the essence of this nation…

"That large-heartedness - that concern and regard for the plight of others - is not a partisan feeling. It is not a Republican or a Democratic feeling. It, too, is part of the American character. Our ability to stand in other people's shoes. A recognition that we are all in this together; that when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand. A belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgement that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise.

This has always been the history of our progress. In 1933, when over half of our seniors could not support themselves and millions had seen their savings wiped away, there were those who argued that Social Security would lead to socialism. But the men and women of Congress stood fast, and we are all the better for it. In 1965, when some argued that Medicare represented a government takeover of health care, members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, did not back down. They joined together so that all of us could enter our golden years with some basic peace of mind.

You see, our predecessors understood that government could not, and should not, solve every problem. They understood that there are instances when the gains in security from government action are not worth the added constraints on our freedom. But they also understood that the danger of too much government is matched by the perils of too little; that without the leavening hand of wise policy, markets can crash, monopolies can stifle competition, and the vulnerable can be exploited. And they knew that when any government measure, no matter how carefully crafted or beneficial, is subject to scorn; when any efforts to help people in need are attacked as un-American; when facts and reason are thrown overboard and only timidity passes for wisdom, and we can no longer even engage in a civil conversation with each other over the things that truly matter - that at that point we don't merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges. We lose something essential about ourselves.

What was true then remains true today. I understand how difficult this health care debate has been. I know that many in this country are deeply skeptical that government is looking out for them. I understand that the politically safe move would be to kick the can further down the road - to defer reform one more year, or one more election, or one more term.

But that's not what the moment calls for. That's not what we came here to do. We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it. I still believe we can act even when it's hard. I still believe we can replace acrimony with civility, and gridlock with progress. I still believe we can do great things, and that here and now we will meet history's test.

Because that is who we are. That is our calling. That is our character."

- President Obama