Pause for thought...

This week we have seen much more of the spiritual side of India, and needless to say, I have been doing some thinking. Our first week was spent in the frame of mind of a shocked and slightly arrogant westerner thinking, 'Who do they do that?.....They should do this....or change it to this way instead.' But now I am starting to see past all of these things and see the many beautiful and amazing things that we could learn from India and it's people.

One of the main things in Indian culture which is different from the UK is their approach to marriage. The UK has a fairly high divorce rate, but in India divorce is rare. The pairing of a couple is in some cases arranged by parents. A marriage here isn't just about the two individuals, but it's about the coming together of two families and their wider communities. Looking at some of the couples we have met so far, many of them have been matched on compatibility and prosperity. It is also an interesting observation that in many cases there is little or no courtship in Indian culture. Once the arrangement has been made,a couple can get get engaged straight away. As soon as a couple are engaged, they are bound to each other and in some cases can be married within the space of a month! The actual wedding ceremony itself, is a huge event that can span over a period of ten days. This gives the families the time to really get to know each other and develop the bond for the future. The ten day festivities will include singing, dancing and of course, plenty of food - India's favourite tool for social occasions. The party will end with the beautiful bride adorned with all manner of sequins, jewels and silks being waved off by her crying family members as she heads off to her husbands home, and their new life together.

At first, I couldn't understand how these young couples could make this work, but the more Indian couples I meet and observe, I can see that this arrangement works well for them. They seem happy and contented in each others company and with their situations in life. Could it be that a marriage based on compatibility of lifestyle and understandings which seems to develop into a strong friendship and partnership which works better than the 'Romeo and Juliet' kind of love that us westerners are always chasing?  Some of us are lucky enough to find this and spend the rest of our lives with the one that we love, but for most, the hunt continues for a happy ending.

So could it be that an arrangement made by your parents for you to commit yourself to another (and their family) rather than following your heart is the key to a successful marriage? It seems to work for the Indians we have met with happy results, but I think this westerner is still a fool for love and is looking for her fairytale ending.

Paula Neil 20/04/2011

Train Travel

 

I love travelling by train in my mind it is the most relaxing way to travel, there is something about the fact that there are no traffic jams, few breakdowns and actually barring a couple of delays here and there very little that can go wrong.  I like the fact that it is fast, clean and there is food readily available and that unlike a plane there are no departure lounges that or check in desks that insist that you are there an hour or two before your journey. 

I was however unsure as to what to expect of travelling by train in India, I have seen the many news reports and documentaries that are frequently shown of hundreds of people clinging onto the sides of passenger trains and if this was to be my experience whilst I welcomed it I did wonder how well I would cope for the six hours that it would take to travel between Delhi and Deradoun a town/city to the north which rests just below the foothills of the Himalayas.

Delhi train station it's self is one of the largest that I have ever seen comparable to any in London and I am glad that we had a guide to show us to the right train and platform as unlike most other places we have visited here in India the train station whilst it does have sporadic information in English it is predominantly Hindi, this is even the same on the seating plans on the side of the train carriages and without help we would have been completely unable to fathom out where we were to sit. 

My fears of a carriage with hundreds of people crammed in were not to be realised. We were sat in a carriage not unlike any of the trains that we have back home in the UK except that the train was full, every carriage, every compartment again as everywhere there were people and the colours and smells of peoples home made food was abundant and yet another assault on the senses at 5am!  I wondered for a while if these scenes of over the top transport where something born of Hollywood and TV myth until a little out of the station we passed another train that bore these remarkable hangers on and then another train and another.

Rail transport in India is a colossus it is something to be remarked at, the scale of the undertaking is hard to comprehend in anyway.  It is known as the 'lifeline of the nation' and is all controlled under one management system the largest in the world of this classification having 7500+ stations, over 40,000 carriages and an employee base over 1.6 million people! 

This huge amount of people working upon the railways is obvious when you see at least in the carriages that we are in the service that we received.  Barely out of the station a flask of tea is placed in your hands, then a breakfast tray moments later, then a snack tray and so it go's on the emphasis is to really look after the passengers and this is certainly achieved. 

Passenger safety is also quite apparent upon the train that we are using, we notice armed guards routinely walking up and down the carriages mostly carrying a pistol of some description then once in a while there is a guard with a submachine gun or even assault rifle, I am unsure if this is a trait upon all services or just this train as we are heading towards and almost upon the Pakistan border.

Throughout our five hour journey there is a huge variance in landscape whilst moslty flat until we approach Deradoun where the foothills appear from the haze almost as an apparition until this point though India has been spread out in all of it's variance and glory as we passed from the modern splendour of central Delhi, through slums who's appalling conditions are still hard to believe or comprehend in today's society, through farmland where the corn now ready for harvest is hand gathered, passed highways, dusty roads, through marshlands and lush pastures to deserts and forests and every variance in between.

 
Travelling by train is always interesting but this has got to have been one of the best journeys that I have ever taken and yes dangerous as it may have been I had to have my moment of standing on the outside of the train and experiencing "authentic indian rail travel"  O.k to be honest I did wait until we were nearly stopped but still an experience that I doubt I will ever re-create.   Perhaps the only thing missing from this journey was a huge delay brought about by an elephant on the track apparently it is not at all uncommon.

School for Street Kids

 
Sometimes you see things that change the way you look at the world forever and sometimes you see things that open your eyes to hope where originally from your reference point there was none.  I have just had one of those experiences...

 This morning we travelled by metro to an area of Delhi in which the streets where lined with people sleeping upon them and in make shift shelters, amongst all of these was an encampment where for a brief few moments we spoke to a group of adults all sat outside in the blazing sun who were pulling apart batteries to salvage and meltdown all recoverable and re-sellable materials, materials such as lead.  This secondary lead smelting process unless properly contained which it obviously is not causes lead pollution both the air and ground surrounding peoples homes resulting in long term health issues and ultimately death.  Until now I had not given it much thought but leading up to this point we had passed mass open air refuge collection on the city streets that was being combed through by people it is perhaps a necessary evil to allow people employment of at least some type.

From this place we wound through a series of narrow covered streets in a bizarre covered market from which without warning our guide Sanjay ushered us up an extremely steep stair case and into a one room school for street kids.  These are children who are here through luck it's self these children are often the victims of physical and sometimes sexual abuse or who would otherwise be forced to work begging, cleaning car windshields, hawking magazines at road junctions or even stealing in order to raise enough money for their parents whom in the most part are either alcoholics or drug addicts.  It is heartbreaking when the realisation hits you that for these children some who are barely walking that this is both their first, last and only chance to break the cycle.  I do not care to imagine what lives these children have had to face and endure even at this early age but can only be humbled at the openness and warmth that they show within moments of our group entering their school. 

As ever my camera is a huge fascination for them and they take turns in having their photo's taken immediately demanding to see the images then start fighting with each other over the opportunity to have on more photo than everyone else.  Whilst behind every child's eyes there is a deep sadness there is still hope that exists and they are soon showing this hope and dare I say it even ecstatic happiness that there within their tiny school are six adults who are sitting with them, playing with them, helping with their school work and in just giving a little of our time and a few chocolate eclairs these children are somewhere else, a happier place.

What struck me the most though is their humility and kindness despite everything, yes they are tough they have had to be and have so very little of their own yet I sat with one small boy who was unable to unwrap his few sweets and as I unwrapped the last one for him he tried to give me his last one as a thank you for that small amount of help.

Whilst it is impossible to change the world, being able to change the world of this small group of children for even a short time is something that I will be forever thankful for.  I can only hope that these children can continue their education and that a better world awaits them.

Taj Mahal a beautiful symmetry

The Taj Mahal was last year voted as the number one of all the wonders of the world and this got me wondering as to why?  It is beautiful to that there is no doubt, it's scale is impressive again there is not a doubt of this either but what is it that sets it apart from every thing else, what is it that creates such enigmatic beauty?  I started to ponder on this and have done for the past week or so and it seems to me that the answer lies in the fact that it is absolutely in every way symmetrical.  

As human beings we have a pre-dispostion to find symmetry appealing aesthetically yes but also we are programmed to see it as a form of health and vitality and purity.  Many studies have been carried out at this length and certainly when you look at nature, symmetry or the mathematical rules of balance prevail.

The Taj Mahal in it's self is an amazing construction and is known throughout the world as the ultimate shrine of love and was built solely in celebration of women.  The woman in question was queen Arjumand Banu Begum who passed away during the birth of her 14th child in 1631.  
At the time of her death the Taj Mahal was not completed and as such she was buried a number of times firstly in the Zainabad gardens, transferred 6 months later to Agra the location of the Taj Mahal and finally enshrined within the crypt situated within the main tomb of the Taj Mahal.  

The white Taj Mahal that we see today was initially built to solely be the last resting place of the queen, the king Shah Jahan had commissioned and already started work on a second Taj Mahal again perfectly symmetrical to the one already built though across the river to be his permanent resting place, this time however the Taj Mahal that he was building would be in direct contrast to that of his wife the queen and be built entirely of black marble.  Whilst work started on the foundations and site outline for this second wonder it was never completed due to the war of succession where his son Aurangzeb murdered the rest of the kings sons and had the king himself imprisoned for the remaining eight years of his life with a view of the Taj Mahal.

Whilst the king and queen are united in death and both buried inside the main mausoleum the kings vision was that these two opposing Crown (Taj) Palaces (Mahal) be joined by an ornate bridge across the river to signify the pains of separation in death but togetherness through eternity in the form of the bridge.

It is almost as if though whilst one is complete and resplendent in all it's glory the other the black Taj Mahal with just it's bare foundations is a soul without a body.

So I do not detract one iota from how majestic and amazing the Taj Mahal is nor can I in anyway and yes it probably deserve it's position at the number one spot but maybe I like everyone else am just attracted to the beauty in symmetry but do wonder how amazing it would have been if the vision had been completed.

Keeping well

It is hot today, it was hot yesterday and it is likely that it will be hot everyday that we are here in India. The heat is un relenting and it makes ordinary tasks so much harder to achieve and drains your stamina extremely quickly. I know how important it is to travel with plenty of water and to keep the body hydrated even to the point that you are sick of drinking but sometimes you think that you will be o.k, that you are fine in the sun and the heat but this is when it will get you. I have been keeping impeccable hygiene standards here in India, antiseptic hand-wipes, bottled water only, not eating from street vendors but I didn’t drink enough water and as such have spent the last 24 hours being sick and now feel exhausted and here lies the danger. It was stupidity nothing more, my own stupidity thinking that I wasn’t particularly thirsty so I’ll wait an hour or so before buying more water at which point I was gasping, and that I would be fine to wander round in the mid day sun taking photo’s rather than finding the shelter and shade. It is a hard mistake to learn but one that I have learnt now and will not make again.

In the western world we are used to everything being safe, Water is safe to drink straight from the tap, Food from roadside cafe’s and even burger vans at the side of the road, here you have to make informed choices. There are fruit vendors with barrows on every corner and sometimes a fresh orange would just be fantastic to pick up and eat but it is just not safe to do so! Buy it by all means but make sure that it is thoroughly washed and cleaned before you consume it as O.K an orange has a protective skin but that skin is going to be touching your hand before you use your hands to place the orange in your mouth, you really do have to think these extra steps ahead.

The final hurdle is dirt and dust, India is a hot country and therefor it is dusty so you have two choices here. The first is carry baby wipes and wipe yourself down all the time, you will however then make your skin wet and attract even more dust so in my opinion the second it is best to concern yourself only with keeping your hands clean, especially under your nails and showering after your day out is so much more rewarding.


Richard Deans 18/4/2011

Two weeks already...

So, two weeks done already. It's pretty unbelievable when you think about all the stuff we've managed to do. We spent some time travelling around again this week, visiting places such as Dehradun, Patti Village and Rishikesh. It's been another crazy week with the opportunity to visit some very different places and sample more variety of Indian culture. I think we all knew India was a very diverse country, but now we've had the first hand experience to see it for ourselves.

Dehradun, for me, was the typical Indian town, with the busy streets and quaint houses, although somewhat quieter than what we're used to in Delhi. For a couple of nights we stayed in home stay accommodation with a lovely woman called Mrs Sehti, who was very accomodating and eager to make sure we always had what we needed. It's not very often you meet someone like her, with such a kind nature.

From Dehradun, we then headed up into the depths of the Himalayas for a nights stay in the charming Patti Village, a drastic change to what we're all used to. The landscape was simply breathtaking, and the peace and quiet was brilliant. It's fair to say we were the only ones disturbing that! In a million years, I never imagined I'd have the chance to visit somewhere like this, and I certainly didn't think I'd be doing yoga at 6am in the morning as the sun was rising over the himalayas, a once in a lifetime experience!

Finally we headed on towards Rishikesh, on the banks of the sacred river Ganges, with another completely different atmosphere. Staying next to an Ashram, there were people from all over who had come to visit this historical town. It is known as being a very spiritual place, and the atmosphere most certainly gave off that impression. With daily sacred ceremonies taking place on the banks of the river, you really got a taste of the way Indian people feel about the famous Ganges River, with the locals taking handfuls of the famous pure water to wash their faces or have a dip, we even manage to have a dip in there ourselves! Rishikesh seemed to be a more calming area, although still attracting many visitors from far and wide. Overall, the last few days have been another great opportunity to witness the complete diversity of India, and I can't wait for the next week has in store.....

Jayne Duncan 17/04/2011

Happy birthday Richard.......

 
Today we got a well earned long lie and a lazy day. I slept until 09:50am, which must have been a good 11 hours sleep. Must have needed it as feel better for it. Especially when Ache-lal (AKA Good man) brewed me another cup of the special spicy tea to help my cold and cough. The guy is a legend! Haha. We all sat down to another brilliant breakfast of omelettes, toast and mango juice - oh how I have missed Good man's cooking - and wished Richard a happy birthday, then commenced our lounging about. Sudarshan then arrived with a box for Richard which contained a huge birthday cake with his name on it. It was like a black forest gateau with loads of cream and fruit on top. After a quick chorus of the birthday song from all of us - Hema, Aryon and Ambica too - we scoffed a huge slice each, it was good.  After some more lounging around Sudarshan and Hema drove us to the local mall for some retail therapy. But first they treated us to lunch at an authentic South Indian restaurant which they like. The meal was the best that I think I have had since coming to India, and that is saying something since all of the food is delicious. We were served drinks of bottled water - for us sensitive stomached foreigners - and a big glass of white stuff that kind of tasted like the mint and parsley yogurt raita. The food comprised of a huge crispy pancake called a dosa filled with tasty vegetables in a spicy sauce. It was accompanied by a delicious bowl of lentils and 3 small dipping bowls of mint, spicy tomato and coconut. I can honestly say it is the nicest meal I have had in a long time, it was so flavoursome, my taste buds were thrilled. After a bowl of sweet candied spice mix was passed about. Sudarshan said it was to refresh the mouth and to help digestion. We all grabbed a handful and knocked it back in one go, and I was in fits of laughter because it tasted like pot pouri, but after swallowing the taste was rather pleasant.  We then got left to do some shopping at the mall. It was interesting to see how contrasting it was in there to outside. It was very westernised, even the women were walking about in mini skirts and stilettos! Us girls treated ourselves to some beautiful Indian outfits - mine was a petrol green tunic with gold designing and green scrunch leggings too match. Some of the clothing was so stunning, all glittery and covered in sequins. Meeting up later with the guys they had all bought matching Indian cricket tops to join in with the celebratory mood from their recent world cup win. To finish off our shopping experience we bought some silly gifts for Richard - a large pointy party hat and two huge helium balloons, one of a glittery golden tiger and the other a pretty pink unicorn. He got a few laughs walking through the mall. Then we went to the Ice Bar - literally a bar with everything made out of ice including all of the chairs, the bar, statues and even the drinking glasses. It was minus 10 in there so we all had to don some rather attractive hooded fur ponchos and gloves so we wouldn't lose any digits. With vodka mixers in hand we had a little boogie in this huge freezer, surrounded by ice in the middle of tropical India, who would have thought it. But it was a good way to end our day and have a little fun for Richards birthday.

A hectic few days....

 

 
I never thought I would be in India, never mind seeing and doing so much over such a short period of time. We have been here for a week already and I feel like I have been here for months. The days are filled with so many different experiences, it’s no wonder they seem so much longer. Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week have been amazing; late nights, early mornings and a lot of travelling, but well worth it in the end. We had an early start to Thursday for the 4 hour drive to Jaipur, while passing by plenty elephants, monkeys and camels on the way. We had the chance to visit the Amber Fort, an incredible building housing a museum of traditional textiles, clothing and armoury, with views over the entire city. We also had the chance to visit the Chokhi Dhani resort for a traditional Rajasthani dinner which was fantastic even though it was really spicy, and we also had the opportunity to ride on camels and elephants, as well as watching traditional dancers and getting henna tattoos done. The resort was pretty amazing, it was like experiencing everything Indian culture had to offer all in one place. On Friday, we stopped off on route to see the pink buildings of Jaipur and the beautiful Water Palace, which is situated in the middle of a lake. It was a very picturesque sight to see, surrounded by water with the rolling hills in the background. After taking in the glorious surroundings, we then headed for a visit to the Indian Institute of Health Management Research, and then onwards to the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, both extremely interesting visits with the opportunity to share a lot of interesting information. There are so many opportunities for students to come out here and sample the great work these institutions do. So after another long day, we finally set off for another 4 hour journey to Agra, with even more to see and do. We started early again in Agra, with a trip to the Taj Mahal at around 6am to witness the sunrise. I must say the experience was more incredible than I ever thought. Definitely an amazing “once in a lifetime” opportunity, the building itself and surrounding areas were beautiful! To think this building has been here for centuries, and the architecture involved with the symmetry is breathtaking. After our visit to the Taj, we then headed to visit the Agra Fort, another amazing fort with beautiful views of the surrounding area and the Taj Mahal along the river. Certainly a brilliant opportunity and a very memorable experience! A crazy few days but definitely worth it when considering how much we’ve managed to see and do over the course of three days, pretty amazing to be honest!  Jayne Duncan 09/04/2011

In Perfect harmony.....

 
Both of my parents are architects and I have been lucky enough to go on a number of architectural visits inside and outside the UK, but nothing is like what i have seen in India, which makes it very interesting to me and tells me a lot about other aspects of life here. There is wide range of living conditions within the city with the poorest people that live on the street in self made tents or using old cut-offs of corrugated metal stuck together as a home with one light tied to the roof in the odd one or two tents. One the other end of the scale is large high-rise hotels with bright lights and an incredible amount off glass and marble that must be worth millions. What makes this so interesting is that these two types of property are right next to one another with no conflicts or crime between these people. What is amazing about this city is that with a extreme poverty and extreme affluence next to one another the people still manage to get on amazingly well, with no looking down on people with pity and little crime as everyone is smiling to one-another. In the city the businesses are in rows of terrace shops that are only about a meter wide with a wide range of goods from selling shirts to Internet cafes to fridge repairs that are businesses that have just been passed down from one generation to the next with no greed or envy of one-another with a perfect harmony. This just shows that the city can work around anything and it is unbelievable how well such different communities can work with and alongside one another no matter what. Tom Pearce 07/04/2011

Time to get to work.....

 
We managed to get a later start today, which for me didn't work out too well. By having a later start it meant I managed to get a lie in till 8am, which in turn meant I was last in the shower, which of course meant I had no hot water. Even though we are in Delhi, and the temperatures are hitting 30 degrees +, I still hate starting a day with a cold shower.....it's not right!

Anyway, after I manned up a bit, we sat down to a breakfast of macaroni pasta which was fairly bizarre, and more omelette's which are steadily becoming a favourite. We needed a good breakfast today as we had another busy day planned. First up we were heading to a place called Film City, which was the hub for all media companies based in Delhi. This is where all radio, film, and TV studios are based in Delhi. Our first meeting of the day was with the Group Head of the biggest Radio station in Delhi, Radio Mirchi.

They had recently moved to the new building they were situated in, and all the tell tale signs were still there. Polythene lying everywhere and the smell of new tiles and carpet throughout. After having to declare five separate gadgets for security purposes, we went to meet Abhinav Gupta, who was the Group Manager for the Entertainment Network Ltd who own Radio Mirchi. After explaining that they had a party in the office last night to celebrate the cricket world cup victory, and that there were a few sore heads around, we cracked onto business. After a bit of 'work' chat, we were given a guided tour of the station offices.

The atmosphere in the building was laid back, and seemed conducive to a good working environment. We were lucky enough to be able to sit in with the female DJ on her live broadcast, as she explained how the radio desk worked, jingles and all. After leaving the studio, we said our goodbyes and thanked Abhinav for his hospitality, and hoped that we would be doing business in the future. By the time we left Radio Mirchi, it was round about Midday, which in Delhi means it's hot!

Today was easily the hottest we have experienced so far, so Sudarshan decided it would be best for us to head back to the apartment for a couple of hours before our next meeting at 3.30 with the Times Business School to keep us out of the searing heat. This gave us time to catch up on our journals, blogs and sleep etc. As we left for the times Business school, Sudarshan Pandey, our host and program co-ordinator in India, explained how we were going to be hearing a lecture from his old mentor and former Dean of his old University, Professor Sengupta.

 

 

We were greeted by the Times Business school in the gracious way that we have become accustomed to in India. Sudarshan also explained how when greeting men of respect, this respect is shown by touching them on either foot when you meet. This is how he greeted Professor Sengupta. We introduced ourselves to each other, and discussed our initial impressions of India, all of which were glowing references. We then had a chat about what we each did as a business, and exchanged stories of travel, as Professor Sengupta is a very well travelled man, on account of his work and being asked to lecture throughout the world.

The feeling I got from the times business school is that it is very much a family atmosphere, where everyone is happy in their work, be that that students, lecturers or internal staff. We were shown around the building and our guide was so proud of the establishment they have grown over a number of years. From here, we went on to meet some of the students and sit in on a lecture from Professor Sengupta on International Business which was extremely interesting and he spoke with real passion and enthusiasm for the subject.

After Professor Sengupta spoke, I was asked to get up and explain a little about ICS, who we were and what we do. I then thanked Professor Sengupta for his lecture, and also for the hospitality we had been shown by everyone at the institution. We then chatted with some of the students who had sat in on the lecture, and answered a number of questions they had on ICS and the UK education system in general.

Their thirst for knowledge and enthusiasm for education was truly refreshing to see. As we got back to our apartment, we sat down to dinner, and as group including our two American friends Jessica, and Tricia. Everyone is getting to know one another, and feels comfortable in each others company. I think India has incredible power to bring out the best in people and as far as I am concerned, the whole experience just keeps getting better and better, and I can't wait for tomorrow to begin.

Steven Duff 08/04/2011