Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh or Vinayaka Chaturthi is dedicated to Lord Ganesh (son of Shiva), the elephant -headed god of all good beginnings and success. The festival celebrated as the birth day of Lord Ganesha, held annually in South India especially with great fervor in Maharashtra, is a ten day long event.On the occasion of the Ganapati festival, a large number of idols are made of clay or metal in all possible sizes sometimes even up to twenty feet.
People buy them and install them in their houses and worship the idol for one to ten days, after which the idol are taken out ceremoniously, carried in a procession through the streets of the town and immersed into the river, sea or well. The sea front at Mumbai, packed with people, is a spectacular sight.

On the day of the Chaturthi, the last of the days dedicated to the elephant-headed god, thousands of processions converge on the beaches of Mumbai to immerse the holy idols in the sea. This immersion is accompanied by drumbeats, devotional songs and dancing. Every year, the largest Ganesh idol is installed at Khairatabad in Hyderabad, which is more than 30 ft tall.


Each of these idols can be upto 10 metres in height and are paraded on lorries decorated with multi-coloured lights. At the other end of the scale, little Ganeshas are placed in nukkads or street corners and in homes, and pujas are performed daily. On the occasion of the Ganpati festival a large number of images are made of all possible sizes, and people buy them to keep in their houses as a divine guest for one and a half, five, seven, or ten days, after which the image is taken out ceremoniously and thrown into the river, sea or well for immersion or "visarjan". When he is immersed in the water, people sing,"'GANPATI BAPPA MORYA, AGLE BARAS TO JALDI AA," ("father Ganpati, next year come again.")

Celebrating Ganesh's b-day was a wild experience. A normally conservative culture let loose. In spite of the thousands of people condensed into a very small area, I felt totally safe. At one point we found ourselves in the middle of a circle of hundreds of people dancing to the beat of drums and feeding off the energy from the roar of a crowd touched that we embraced their culture.

Kerala

Taking advantage of a holiday weekend Tor, Kevin and I decided to explore the highly recommended state of Kerala in the southeast part of the country. Our journey began with a short flight to Cochin where we then took a cab to Alleppey. Kerala is known for its backwaters (http://www.backwatersinkerala.com/) and the culture rooted in them. We rented a 2 bedroom private houseboat (with a cook, steward and captain) to explore the backwaters and then drop us two days later close the southern beach town of Varkala. While on the houseboat we were treated with amazing kerala cuisine (made with fresh fish and prawns which we bought from fisherman who pulled up to the boat) , a slow crawl through lush surroundings of rice paddies, palm trees, exotic birds, vivid sunsets and curious locals, a peak into a culture that lives off of and cherishes their fertile land and many more gifts that appear when you slow down. National Geographic lists renting a houseboat and touring the Kerala Backwaters in their top 50 things to do in the world, and I wholeheartedly endorse their assertion. After a relaxing couple days on the houseboat we headed to the beach town of Varkala. Varkala is a small village that is majestically positioned on a 3 mile strech of cliffs smiling down on Arabian sea. We spent our time eating fresh seafood, relaxing on a blacksand beach, and interacting with travelers and locals. Four enjoyable days flew by and then it was time to travel back to Hyderabad. Kerala deserves at least a week to really soak up all it has to offer.

Car Accident

Today on my way home I was reading the paper in the backseat of my car when all of a sudden at heard a loud BANG! I looked up and my car and a van were hugging each other. The phrase they dont make things like they used to rings true in this situation. My car is solid as a rock and comparable to the safety of a volvo. I barely felt the impact of the two cars colliding. I looked over and the van we hit and a fairly large indentation in its side door. I got out to survey the damage on my car and there was a small brushstroke of green paint on the front bumper. A crowed of people quickly gathered around and my driver steven and the driver of the van began shouting in hindi back and forth. Other's shared what I think were their eyewitness accounts of the accident. Two "policeman" showed up and tried to make some sense of the situation....yeah right...one man came up to me and was worried about me getting fried my the sun and handed me an umbrella for shade. I calmly soaked in the experience and must say found it very interesting and somewhat funny, especially when Steven came up to me and asked for 200 rupies ($4). The money was for the driver of the other car as compensation for the damage and the transaction took place right in front of the grinning police (bribes are very common here). Steven later told me the man wanted 1000 rupees for the damage and he talked him down to 200 because the man was driving to fast and the accident was his fault. From my vantage point the damage was at least $1000 dollars, but then again I am from the US and the markup on everything there is ridiculous. No paper work or information was exchanged, no one was hurt (thankfully), there was alot of verbal sparing which about 90% I could not understand, and an hour later I was home safe and sound, my wallet $4 lighter.

TRAVEL

This past weekend Kevin, Tor and I took the train to Hampi in the State on Karnatika. The two of them had never been on an Indian train and I was determined to show them a raw and wonderful way to learn about Indian culture, people and the human spirit. We departed on Thursday from Hyderadbad and after an 12 hour journey we arrived in Hospet at 5am the next morning. We then took a rickshaw 30 kilometers from Hospet to Hampi. Hampi is a small village positioned on a river that was once the second largest kingdom in India. It is a very spiritual place, sprinkled with temples, backpackers, huge boulders, monkeys, an elephant priest and ruins of the kingdom. We decided to rent mopads for two days to navigate this scenic area and enjoyed exploring via the bikes. After two days of sightseeing and relaxation we went to the train station to return to Hyderabad. We were on the waiting list for the train and were told by seasoned travelers of India that getting a seat would not be a problem and if all else fails ask for the "foreigners quota" which ALWAYS gets you a seat. Well, the train was fully booked and we were denied the foreigners quota. We boarded the train and every seat was taken, so we attempted to bribe the train employees with no luck...Frantic we continued to search for seats and stumbled upon three young indian fellas who allowed us to share their seats. Were it not for their kindness and willingness to sacrifice their comfort we would have been ousted from the train. 12 hours of sleep ridden travel later we arrived back in Hyderabad drained but thankful.

Visitors from Kolkata

This past weekend two friends came to visit from Kolkata. Stacey and Selma have been volunteering in "The City of Joy" for the past few weeks. It was humbling and refreshing to spend time with individuals decidated to making a difference in the world. Check out an article written by a local journalist covering their time in Kolkata.

http://cities.expressindia.com/archivefullstory.php?newsid=194797&creation_date=2006-07-30

Breaking Free

Expectations and assumptions are the handcuffs that bind me to the jail cell of regret.

I often find myself embarrassed by frustration like a parent projecting their anger onto an innocent child. A wise person said about India, In order to TRULY experience India you must surrender to her. I reckon the same goes for anything, especially love.

I am learning…here are a few observations I would like to share…


Touch
When people shake hands they hold the embrace longer, like someone hugs a loved they don’t know when they are going to see again. The 1st few times people did not let go of my hand after what I deemed a suitable 1-3 second timeframe, I felt very uncomfortable. Now I have made it a practice, as it creates a channel for the energy of me and the other increasing our connection.

Heat
India’s climate is very hot. The heat certainly effects how people live and creates a greater appreciation for simple pleasures. A bottle of beer, water or any other beverage is presented to you like a fine wine at restaurant. Not for you to approve its taste rather its temperature.

In addition, the breeze in India is like a whisper for someone you’re in love with.

Eye Contact aka Staring
In the US, often times I would feel the gaze of a stranger and when I would turn to meet it, the stare retracted immediately if not quicker. One of the cultural mores that I was taught is that staring is rude. In India however, Eyes that breathe intoxicating fire and do not waver are beginning to melt my frozen heart. Initially, I was angered by the constant stares now I absorb the gazes and sense their harmless curiosity.

Eating
It is common practice to eat with your right hand in India. My 1st trip here in 2000 was the introduction to the custom and I enjoyed it. Many people find it barbaric or un-sanitary. I find it an incredibly sensual. It awakens the nerve endings in my fingers, I physically feel the temperature of the food and its texture and giving me a more holistic experience. The end of the meal brings a “finger bowl”. The finger bowl is a bowl filled with hot water and a lime wedge. It is used like a hot towel at the end of a Chinese meal to cleanse your hands. What a great way to end a meal!

My New Car

Yesterday I purchased a used car. It is an Ambassador (see description below) which continues to produced with the same body as it had back in the 1950's. In my mind it is a classic, however my Indian co-workers and friends are shocked that it is my vehicle of choice. In a country that is taking leaps and bounds ahead in development respective to its past, I guess they find it strange for me to be drawn to something considered to be part of its history.

The cars color is almost always white and I am having mine painted black to add a little spice to it. Pictures of the car will be posted soon.

Ambassador - "the first car to be manufactured in India, has been ruling the Indian roads ever since its inception in 1948. Ambassador, the only automobile to ply Indian roads for more than five decades now, has carved a special niche for itself in the passenger car segment. It's dependability, spaciousness and comfort factor have made it the most preferred car for generations of Indians. The Ambassador's time-tested, tough, accommodating and practical characteristics make it a truly Indianised car. "

The Meaning of Josh

People say there is a lot of meaning in a name and I agree. The Hindi names all have deep meaning. However, the supply of names is much less than the demand in a country of over 1 billion people. So, it is very common to know A LOT of people with the same name

I was flying back from a business trip and got a bag of goodies containing a candy called "Orange Josh". I started laughing and showed it to a hindu colleague of mine. He looked at the candy and said nonchalantly, Josh is a hindi word meaning energy and power.



In fact Ford makes a car here called "The Ford Josh" (see link).


http://www.blonnet.com/catalyst/2004/06/17/stories/2004061700050200.htm This is hilarious and no joke.

Shoe Security

I have been checking out quite a few temples and mosques and the thought in my mind before entering has been “I hope no one takes shoes". To ease my mind and be at peace I have incorporated the following security measure.

The Art of Living

The past six days I participated in a workshop called the Art of Living. This course teaches ancient breathing techniques, yoga, meditation and philosophy. It was a powerful experience and this organization does
amazing work for individuals and the world. They conduct workshops all over the world so check them out! http://www.artofliving.org/

Train Bombing in Mumbai

Friends,

I appreciate all of your concerns regarding my safety during this shocking event. I am doing fine in southern India about 1000 miles from where the bombings took place. In spite of my safety, this has been an alarming event for the country and its people. As I fly Chennai for business next week, I am a little more on edge than I might normally be. However the show must go on!!!

Thailand

After seven weeks in India, I was in need of some Rest and Relaxation. My entry into the India was congested with learning about the culture, surroundings, my new organization and role, finding a place to live, furnishings for the new crib (as all I brought to India was some clothing and a few personal affects), and overall sensory overload. I was thrilled to head to Thailand for five days! We arrived in Bangkok after a long day of travel and went and got reflexology massages that slowly drained the tension and stress out of bodies. Bankok is a very modern and clean city and the contrast between it and Hyderabad was apparent. The lack of omnipresent honking and people was refreshing. Not to mention the ability to get a cheeseburger and Heineken, something that I had been deprived of recently. The lack of things that back home I would have taken for granted made every experience exhilarating and precious as I knew that it was going to be awhile till my next taste of certain small pleasures. We spent our time visiting temples, touring a riverboat market, exploring the coast, taking advantage of little big things we cannot attain in India and relaxing on the beach.