I am now at the M Venkatarangaiya Foundation:
"MVF was established in 1981 in memory of educatationist and historian Prof. Mamidipude Venkatarangaiya. Starting out as a research institution on issues relating to social transformation, the Foundation later involved itself into mobilizing communities for abolition of child labour. This endeavour is principally through its belief that no child msut work and all children have a right to education. Over the years the work of the Foundation has expanded to cover more and more villages both through direct implementatin of the programme and as a resource centre supporting other NGOs and government. MVF utilises existing government institutions and follows a conscious policy to include the official machinery into its programmes without setting up parallel institutions. This approach of MVF has also largely contributed to the replicability of the programme in other areas." (MVF)
So far I have learned so much and seen so many different aspects of the NGO! Initially, I was just reading as they have a huge resource centre and library. I also went to two meetings, the first between various NGO's and the National Commision of Child Rights who were discussing how the commision can improve. The second was the State Summit on Child Rights and comprised of around 1000 NGO's, teachers, activists and government. Now I am in a small town 3 hours outside Hyderabad with 6 development studies students from Mumbai. (Their department is divided into two degrees: the first called Development Studies and is primarily theoretical and the second is called Social Work, which is more focused on field work, research and project organization). We are staying at the training centre, but travel to the villages, bridge course camps (accelerated learning camps for those children who have been working), project/government offices and schools.
Here's the main site: http://www.mvfindia.in
And MVF in BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4240702.stm
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Quotes
The Paradox of our Age:
We have bigger houses, but smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgement;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicines, but less healthiness;
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but we have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We built more computers to hold more information to produce
more copies then ever, but we have less communication;
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of fast food but slow digestion;
Tall man but short character;
steep profits but shallow relationships.
It's a time when there is much in window, but nothing in the room.
-Dalai Lama
"And I'll be telling you why you white people are not happy. We Indian people, we look a the people more poor, more low, more hard than us and we be thanking God we are not them. So we are happy. But you white people, you are looking at the peoples above you all the times and you are thinking 'why aren't I be them? why am I not having that moneys and things? And so you are unhappy all the time.'"
-Old Indian man
We have bigger houses, but smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgement;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicines, but less healthiness;
We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but we have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We built more computers to hold more information to produce
more copies then ever, but we have less communication;
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of fast food but slow digestion;
Tall man but short character;
steep profits but shallow relationships.
It's a time when there is much in window, but nothing in the room.
-Dalai Lama
"And I'll be telling you why you white people are not happy. We Indian people, we look a the people more poor, more low, more hard than us and we be thanking God we are not them. So we are happy. But you white people, you are looking at the peoples above you all the times and you are thinking 'why aren't I be them? why am I not having that moneys and things? And so you are unhappy all the time.'"
-Old Indian man
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Ooty trek
While we had been to various small towns, this was the first really rural village. We went on a day long trek in the hills surrounding Ooty and here are some of the pics.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
sad goodbye...
I just got back from seeing Janice off at the train station. She leaves to go back to Mumbai on the 21st and last week I changed my ticket for the middle of July. I broke down bawling as she fought her way onto the train which of course shocked the crowds around me. Which then made me laugh...:( I will definitley miss Janice as we have had an incredible time travelling and I would love to be able to travel the rest of India. But at the same time I'm anxious to get to Hyderabad and start at the NGO. While India is a great teacher, being constantly on the move only really gives you a glimpse at life here. Though I am so thankful I travelled before the internship so I am more comfortable and know how things work (transport, food etc.).
Here's a few more observations:
Married women (Hindus at least) put red paint on their forehead where their part starts and also wear toe rings. Unknowingly, I bought a toe ring at the beginning of the trip and it has gained a lot of attention! So many people have told me what it means and a few old ladies point exitedly at it and laugh. I don't know if they just think it's funny, that I've married an Indian or perhaps they're just happy I'm married in general (vs. all the shoulder sluts they see..hehe). It has also come in handy when men ask if I'm married. I just give them an exasperated look, point at my toes and say "of course." Which they totally accept. (What a stupid question, I AM 23) :)
India seems to have such a pull between "modern" and "tradition." Some examples are: a fancy SUV stuck behind an oxen pulled cart; a satellite dish attached to a hand drawn well; a business man feeding his lunch to the cows in the street etc. While these are also examples of the gap between rich and poor I think they are more significant considering the stronghold Hinduism has on the culture. Hinduisms customs and superstitions can be seen wherever you go. Another good example is the prime minister, who is an avid devotee of Amma (the "Hugging Mother") who is considered a reincarnation of the God Krishna...
In saying that, their is a lot less modernization in the form of "Americanization" as I guessed. India is very Indian! People listen to Indian music, watch Indian movies and eat Indian food. And as I've already said, they are very patriotic.
While we haven't really come into contact with any rich Indians, we did see a bar with a cover charge of 1000 rps!! That is equivalent of $35 Canadian! And to put that into perspective, that could also be a months wages seeing as minimum wage is about $1.25 Canadian...
I saw what looked like a dowry burning the other day, which was really awful. The poor women's face, neck and arms looked totally melted. The situation for Women in India seem to be a big paradox. On one hand there are dowry burnings, sati, female infantacide, sex selective abortions etc. And then the other hand Indira Gandhi was prime minister for almost 2 decades and there is a large percentage of women in government. And religiously, there are goddesses such as Devi, Durga and Saraswati (whoop) who are just as worshipped as Krishna and Vishnu (gods).
A few people have asked me what I find challenging or don't like. I definitley hate the pollution and lack of garbage system; the hot, crowded, multi-stopped buses going insanely fast on tiny windy, bumpy roads are never fun and dumbfounded yet intensely concentrated staring is annoying. Besides my family and friends, I miss fresh air, salads, peanut butter and just overall cleanliness.
While this blog has told stories of our adventures, no words or pictures can explain the sensory overload that is India. So, before Jan left we made a list:
India sounds like: horns blaring, flem hawking (seems to be a group activity), "chayaaa" from wallahs selling chai, Bollywood/Hindi music blaring, temple music blaring (all music seems to be put at the max volume both in the streets, buses etc.), market sellers and rickshaw drivers (the most optimistic people ever, often lagging behind us for 10 minutes..argh), cows lowing.
India smells like: insense, sewage, urine (yes there needs to be a distinction made), jasmine hair garlands, spices, burning garbage.
India tastes like: masala, chai, spices (so many kinds!), tropical fruit.
India looks like: beaches, mountains, jungles, deserts, rivers, lakes, oceans, rice paddies, banana/coconut fields, cities, villages.
India feels like: everything...
We have been in the rural areas for the last week (and I still am) where the internet is slow. I will upload some photos once I get to Hyderabad in a few days.
Here's a few more observations:
Married women (Hindus at least) put red paint on their forehead where their part starts and also wear toe rings. Unknowingly, I bought a toe ring at the beginning of the trip and it has gained a lot of attention! So many people have told me what it means and a few old ladies point exitedly at it and laugh. I don't know if they just think it's funny, that I've married an Indian or perhaps they're just happy I'm married in general (vs. all the shoulder sluts they see..hehe). It has also come in handy when men ask if I'm married. I just give them an exasperated look, point at my toes and say "of course." Which they totally accept. (What a stupid question, I AM 23) :)
India seems to have such a pull between "modern" and "tradition." Some examples are: a fancy SUV stuck behind an oxen pulled cart; a satellite dish attached to a hand drawn well; a business man feeding his lunch to the cows in the street etc. While these are also examples of the gap between rich and poor I think they are more significant considering the stronghold Hinduism has on the culture. Hinduisms customs and superstitions can be seen wherever you go. Another good example is the prime minister, who is an avid devotee of Amma (the "Hugging Mother") who is considered a reincarnation of the God Krishna...
In saying that, their is a lot less modernization in the form of "Americanization" as I guessed. India is very Indian! People listen to Indian music, watch Indian movies and eat Indian food. And as I've already said, they are very patriotic.
While we haven't really come into contact with any rich Indians, we did see a bar with a cover charge of 1000 rps!! That is equivalent of $35 Canadian! And to put that into perspective, that could also be a months wages seeing as minimum wage is about $1.25 Canadian...
I saw what looked like a dowry burning the other day, which was really awful. The poor women's face, neck and arms looked totally melted. The situation for Women in India seem to be a big paradox. On one hand there are dowry burnings, sati, female infantacide, sex selective abortions etc. And then the other hand Indira Gandhi was prime minister for almost 2 decades and there is a large percentage of women in government. And religiously, there are goddesses such as Devi, Durga and Saraswati (whoop) who are just as worshipped as Krishna and Vishnu (gods).
A few people have asked me what I find challenging or don't like. I definitley hate the pollution and lack of garbage system; the hot, crowded, multi-stopped buses going insanely fast on tiny windy, bumpy roads are never fun and dumbfounded yet intensely concentrated staring is annoying. Besides my family and friends, I miss fresh air, salads, peanut butter and just overall cleanliness.
While this blog has told stories of our adventures, no words or pictures can explain the sensory overload that is India. So, before Jan left we made a list:
India sounds like: horns blaring, flem hawking (seems to be a group activity), "chayaaa" from wallahs selling chai, Bollywood/Hindi music blaring, temple music blaring (all music seems to be put at the max volume both in the streets, buses etc.), market sellers and rickshaw drivers (the most optimistic people ever, often lagging behind us for 10 minutes..argh), cows lowing.
India smells like: insense, sewage, urine (yes there needs to be a distinction made), jasmine hair garlands, spices, burning garbage.
India tastes like: masala, chai, spices (so many kinds!), tropical fruit.
India looks like: beaches, mountains, jungles, deserts, rivers, lakes, oceans, rice paddies, banana/coconut fields, cities, villages.
India feels like: everything...
We have been in the rural areas for the last week (and I still am) where the internet is slow. I will upload some photos once I get to Hyderabad in a few days.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Madurai
Here are some pics of the Sri Meenakshi Temple, which was built in the 16th century and is HUGE! Yes, that is Janice praying to the Shiva lingam..haha. We also got a blessing from the temple elephant. :)
Kanyakumari
Here are some pics of Kanyakumari, at the very tip of India...we got up to see the sunrise with the Arabian Sea to the right and the Indian Ocean to the left...
Sivananda...
oops..I meant to also say that there are Sivananda ashrams all over the world, with the international headquarters in Montreal!!
http://www.sivananda.org/
http://www.sivananda.org/
Friday, March 9, 2007
I'm a yogi!!
We have just finished a week at a yogis paradise/spiritual bootcamp!! It is called the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwanthari Ashram, which was founded by Swami Vishnu-Devanada. He was one of the first yogis to bring yoga to the West, and wrote The Illustrated Guide to Yoga (that is how I recognized him).
While I told you Amma's ashram had a full schedule, this ashram was a lot more structured and everything was mandatory. We had two satsangs (meditation, chanting, talk) at 6am/8pm, two 2 hour yoga classes, lecture and karma yoga ("selfless service"). Also, we were not allowed out of the ashram except during a two hour free time. And only "pure" music and literature. The ashram is in the rural jungle area among the Sahyadri Hills and right beside a lake...so gorgous!
In lecture we learned about yogic philosophy: a balanced lifestyle, control of the mind, importance of the different yogas, ayurvedic medicine and diet. Though while I agreed with a lot of the lectures, the temple chanting and lectures turned strictly Hindu. And I swear I am the worst meditator ever! At the beginning of the satsangs we had group meditation for 30 minutes and just as we are supposed to relax and empty our minds, mine fills with every thought and feeling!! And this mentally challenged cat sometimes came into the temple yowling and I would just laugh... Though I loved the chanting and music and sang along with my own little book. But again, I couldn't really relate to what I was singing. Here is an example, in Sanskrit/English:
Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Sat-Chid-Ananda Murtaye
Nishprapanchaya Shantaya
Sri Sivanandaya Te Namaha
Sri Vishnu Devanandaya Te Namah
Salutations to Guru Siva who is the
embodiment of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute,
in whom worldliness does not sist who is ever peaceful
Salutations to Sivanada
Overall, the ashram was peaceful and we met a lot of really great people. And I learned a lot from the yoga classes! The cool yoga teacher had a crush on Janice..hehe. This is how he talks "inhallllle complllletelyyyy....exhalllle complllletelyyyy, noww straaaatch.
While I told you Amma's ashram had a full schedule, this ashram was a lot more structured and everything was mandatory. We had two satsangs (meditation, chanting, talk) at 6am/8pm, two 2 hour yoga classes, lecture and karma yoga ("selfless service"). Also, we were not allowed out of the ashram except during a two hour free time. And only "pure" music and literature. The ashram is in the rural jungle area among the Sahyadri Hills and right beside a lake...so gorgous!
In lecture we learned about yogic philosophy: a balanced lifestyle, control of the mind, importance of the different yogas, ayurvedic medicine and diet. Though while I agreed with a lot of the lectures, the temple chanting and lectures turned strictly Hindu. And I swear I am the worst meditator ever! At the beginning of the satsangs we had group meditation for 30 minutes and just as we are supposed to relax and empty our minds, mine fills with every thought and feeling!! And this mentally challenged cat sometimes came into the temple yowling and I would just laugh... Though I loved the chanting and music and sang along with my own little book. But again, I couldn't really relate to what I was singing. Here is an example, in Sanskrit/English:
Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Sat-Chid-Ananda Murtaye
Nishprapanchaya Shantaya
Sri Sivanandaya Te Namaha
Sri Vishnu Devanandaya Te Namah
Salutations to Guru Siva who is the
embodiment of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute,
in whom worldliness does not sist who is ever peaceful
Salutations to Sivanada
Overall, the ashram was peaceful and we met a lot of really great people. And I learned a lot from the yoga classes! The cool yoga teacher had a crush on Janice..hehe. This is how he talks "inhallllle complllletelyyyy....exhalllle complllletelyyyy, noww straaaatch.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Elephant festival
Here are a few pictures of the elephant festival we went to in Kollam. There were around 40 elephants, drumming, singing and these ritualized dances between people dressed as different gods/goddesses. Hinduism has sooo many festivals, we run into them all the time without even knowing. There was another cool one in Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, where hundreds of thousands of women line the streets and have little fires and cook this special devotional food for Devi. Devi is the "mother goddess of Hinduism."
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