April 11, 2011
Since I left Myanmar I’ve passed through three countries: Thailand, Singapore and India. (FYI, the first two pictures you see should actually be the last.)
After Myanmar, I spent another week in Thailand. The 10-day silent meditation retreat didn’t work out because of space so now I’m looking into one in India. Thailand is such a contrast to Myanmar – full of tourists and those who want to profit from the visitors. I had bad luck most of my time in southern Thailand. I won’t bore you with the details – or frustrate myself – but I had stuff stolen and a moto company ripped for off.
I headed south to Koh Tao to get in some diving, but it was no good. The conditions weren’t great – low visibility – but even if they were I don’t think the diving would have been as good as Nusa Lembogan (off Bali). The first morning I headed out turned into quite an adventure. The boat was packed with people; all but one other was taking a course. The other guy was my buddy and we got in the water with our dive master. The waves were pretty high and a storm seemed to be coming. We started to make our descent when my buddy’s regulator had bubbles coming out – not good. The dive master wasn’t able to fix it on the surface so we headed back to the boat. It was a tough paddle back, but the scary part was getting back on the boat. There was a platform at the stern, but the waves were high and at one point it rose several feet out of the water and then almost came crashing down on the dive master’s head. I was also worried about missing the ladder and going under the platform, but the crew on the boat threw me a rope and that helped. I had to just hold on to the ladder for a few seconds as the waves dunked me. I had already told my buddy I didn’t plan on going back in that it wasn’t safe and it looked like a poor dive below anyway. He agreed. The dive master shouldn’t have taken us to begin with and should have called it.
As we waited on the boat for those taking their courses the storm got much worse. Heavy rains and high swells that in my overdramatic mind reminded me of The Perfect Storm. For some reason we were tied to another boat at our stern and eventually the waves broke the rope. Some of the divers came out early because they were seasick. One course was the Open Water and this was the first open water dive these folks had ever done. Again, my faith in this company dropped. When it was time for all the divers to get back on the boat the conditions were much scarier than what I’d dealt with. Dozens of divers had to wait their turn to attempt to get on the platform. The crew and captain where having to time it with the waves. Apparently, one dive instructor froze up in panic with her class all around. I am still completely surprised, but so relieved that no one got hurt.
I went diving another day after the storms had passed and saw lots of fish, but the visibility was bad and the colors weren’t vibrant. You never know what’s coming when you head to a new destination, but sometimes you later realize it wasn’t worth it. I should have just gone back to Singapore after Myanmar.
The fun part of my stay in Koh Tao was the people I met. My dive buddy actually lives in NYC so we had lots of chat about. I also had fun riding the moto around the island, though the roads got harry at times.
Singapore was a welcome relief after a frustrating week and you can see the luxury bus that brought me in. :) It was so nice to see friends again and enjoy the creature comforts we’re used to in the west. I even got to enjoy dinner and drinks with a friend I had met in Vietnam who is in school in Singapore. We went to a bar at the top of a high rise hotel that gave nice views of the city. The place actually reminded me of New York. I also enjoyed a movie at a theatre with another friend. Again, I felt a bit transported back to NYC for those two hours, especially since the movie, Morning Glory, is set in NYC. I also squeezed in some baking of course and my friend hosted a nice dinner party.
I would’ve liked to hang out even more, but a lot of my time was “working.” I had loads to do and get organized. I flew off to India with much still on my to-do list, but I didn’t want to lose time by delaying my arrival.
I’ve now been in India a week and a half and I must admit that I first I wasn’t too impressed. I was enjoying the food, but the first places I visited weren’t “wowing” me. The south, as I had been told, isn’t as overwhelming to travel in as the north. You get some hassles and I dread dealing with rickshaw drivers upon arriving in a new place, but it’s no worse than some of the other places I’ve been and actually better than some too. I also have to deal with unwanted attention from men, especially on trains. Mostly I try sit next to women and families, but as people get on and get off I end up next to men who give me their card. I try to keep my nose in my book. :)
From Singapore I flew into Mumbai and was lucky enough to have a row to myself so I did get a few hours of good sleep. I arrived at 5:30am and had to wait until the afternoon for my flight to the southern state of Kerala. I couldn’t enter the main terminal until 3 hours before my flight so I had to wait in an uncomfortable waiting room. I managed to catch some more shut-eye, but woke to find the mosquitos had been feasting on me. I later read that the area around the airport is a high malaria risk zone because of the nearby slums. I only started taking the anti-malaria pills that day so let’s hope that by good fortune I avoid getting it!
I finally arrived in Trivandrum and went to grab a bite to eat in a funky circular restaurant that has a circular pathway leading up to the various floors. A young couple next to me started chatting and they ended up joining me for dinner. I was eating with my hands, as you do here, and the woman corrected me that I should not use my left hand. Oops! I knew I shouldn’t but I was too tired for my mind to be thinking of those things. She also shocked I didn’t live with my parents and she asked who gave me permission to travel. Such world apart! They were only passing through town and invited me to their home that is a nine hour train ride north. I thanked them, but knew I’d have to think about it. We swapped emails. After a couple of days I checked my email to find that I had five from the husband! Some were forwards and the ones to me were asking me to call asap. It seemed a bit stalkerish. I had already decided I wouldn’t make it to their home because I was uncomfortable since I didn’t know them and it was way off my planned path. These five emails cinched the deal. I tried to send a polite email saying I wouldn’t be able to make it given my limited time and so many places to stay. Again, a few days later I checked my email and there were five more waiting from him. He was offering his car for me to go all over Kerala and neighboring Tamil Nadu. I feel badly and maybe I’m really missing out, but traveling alone I’m just on guard.
In Trivandrum the most interesting thing was watching a morning exercise of kalarippayat. It is the traditional martial arts of the area and this is THE place to train. There were children and adults practicing and their movements were repetitive and did not make me think of fighting. The adults were mostly walking in a line kicking each leg straight up one at a time. There was a whole set of established movements that went along with it. There were crouching and squatting poses as well. Maybe it’s the whole “Karate Kid” approach. Some of the movements reminded me of yoga and dance. Actually, in order for adults who have not studied the art to train here they either have to have trained in dance or some other martial arts. I didn’t feel right taking pictures in this intimate space so you’ll have to picture an almost square room with a dirt floor filled with the teacher and about a dozen students. The boys and men wear only a cloth that is wrapped around them sort of like a diaper. There was one woman, but she was in long leggings and a short sleeved top.
This city also had a temple to visit although only Hindus are allowed inside. Next door is a palace that was built in the 19th century, but was only used for one year. The young king moved in and died after a year. The palace was considered ill fortune so no other moved in. It has beautiful wood carving inside and out. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take photos inside – I did sneak one of a music performance room. A tank of water is also next to both buildings. It was built for swimming and bathing. These are common next to the main temples so that worshippers can be sure to be clean. I also visited a park with a museum inside, but both were fairly uneventful.
I hopped a train to Varkala. This is a popular tourist beach town for Indian and foreign tourists. The beaches were nice and parts were lined with cliffs. There was also some delicious food. The temple here, again, wasn’t very impressive, but it was good to walk around. Varkala is also a place where many Indians bring the ashes of their deceased relatives to place in the ocean. I saw a couple of families do this. There was not a lot of ceremony or fanfare, but it seemed a man held the ashes on his head and then dunked into the water with them. This was followed by bowing on his knees into the water several times. This part of the ceremony is performed after first visiting the temple.
Varkala is also a popular tourist destination for foreigners and Indians and a great side effect of this is the food. There were lots of delicious options. I’ve find meals hard to come by in India so far. There aren’t too many street vendors and of the few restaurants I come across I’m always nervous about its cleanliness. Before each meal I have a mild sense of panic as I worry about food poisoning – or worse. It seems locals don’t tend to eat breakfast out because that meal has been especially difficult to find.
One night after dinner I didn’t feel safe walking home (about 30 minutes) so I asked the price for the auto-rickshaw. He was gouging me and it made me frustrated. The taxi, moto and auto-rickshaw drivers are usually so untrustworthy that it’s hard to know when you get an honest one. It’s such a stress because they are the first people I come across when I land in a new place. So what did I do, out of frustration and spite I spent even more money on a car to take me back. The universe taught me a lesson for my spite because my driver was scary. He was overly friendly and I suspect stoned and drunk. I would have had him stop anywhere on the street, but it was all deserted and dark. At least he drove slowly.
My next stop was Alleppey, which is known for its backwater boat trips on the extensive canals. I hired a paddle boat for 3 hours and was whisked – well, gently pushed, through the calm waters. The majority of the people who live along the water farm, mostly rice. A lot of tourists also hire houseboats for a night or more. The calm of the ride was disturbed in one place by a political candidate’s audio recorded speech. The speaking was very loud and rapid. Kerala is a communist state and they are having elections on April 13 (though they won’t know the results for one month).
From Alleppey I did a whirlwind day of taking a canal boat trip to Kottayam, doing some sightseeing and then getting a train to Kochin. In Kottayam, I visited two Catholic churches. Hinduism is the most common religion, but you also see Christians and Muslims throughout the south. I think Christianity is so strong in certain areas because of the Portuguese. The services incorporate local cultural traditions. One of the churches was having a service when I went and most people didn’t have chairs and knelt and bowed on the floor. And of course shoes are taken off before going inside. I also visited a Hindu temple, but it was closed for the afternoon. The rickshaw driver could’ve told me that. Oh well.
Kochin is a big metropolis, but my stay focused on the old quarter island. There was an interesting royal palace that had beautiful murals, but no pictures were allowed. I keep running into this! There are huge fascinating Chinese fishing nets along the shore. They are similar to ones I saw in Cambodia. Levers are used to lower and raise a massive square net into the water. Right now the shallow waters are too warm for fish so the men on the contraptions are showing them off for tourists. So for a donation I was able to look around and go fishing myself.
Walking the area you see remnants of the various colonial powers. You see the Dutch cemetery, stuffy British clubs, the office of Dutch East India Company and a fortress. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to come to Kochin in 1500 and Vasco de Gama even died here. In 1663 the Dutch took control and ruled until the British ousted them in 1814. After 300 years of rule they got independence with the rest of India in 1947. During my walk I stopped at a tourist restaurant and had the most delicious rolled roti. One had chicken in a nice sauce with red onion and then rolled in flaky thin bread. The other was a veggie one. I had to go back a second time!
I also toured a raja’s palace turned museum. There were some beautiful murals – of course no photos allowed. It also provided some interesting information about lineage. Kerala traditional has a matrilineal system called marumakkathayam. Thus children take the mother’s surname – this is still common today. The system also meant that the raja’s successor was not his son, but the son of his brother or sister. So, essentially his biological nephew would be king. If there was no male in that line then mass adoptions would take place to bring in a male from the larger family tree. This system provided women with some more liberties, such as the right to property, then in patrilineal systems. Unlike northern India (and traditional western society), all family property was jointly owned and after marriage women stayed in their family’s home. The husband moved in with her. Also, when visiting her in-laws she was treated like an honored guest rather than a servant. This system allowed for little bias towards having male children. Girl babies were actually seen as symbols of good fortune and prosperity. The system was broken down in the early 20th century, but remnants apparently remain. However, I spoke later with my trekking guide in Munnar who lamented that he can’t save money for his daughter’s dowry. So with this system in place, female children are more costly and there less desirable.
One of the treats of Kochin was seeing a Kathakali performance. Katha means story and kali means play. The actors and musicians study 6 years to the make-up artists 4. The style developed in the early 17th century and is unique to Kerala. They are still performed authentically, but I only got to see a tourist version. I showed up early to watch the make-up session and it was a lengthy precise process. The attached facial pieces are made from rice and the paint is all organic. The colors come from nuts and seeds that are rubbed against a stone.
The actors do not speak or sing, but only use movement, sign language and facial features. The musicians on the side play and one sings. The facial features of the actors are very controlled and reveal various emotions. The eyes are especially alive as they dart to and fro and look in all directions. The cheeks sometimes twitch up and down rapidly to show anger. A whole language with the hands has been created to communicate words and statements. They are graceful moves that take several seconds to communicate one idea.
The storyline for my show, like all, is based on Hinduism. Arjuna is an arrogant archer and he wants to obtain the most powerful arrow, Pasupatham. He is the green faced fellow. Lord Shiva disguises himself as a forest-dwelling hunter and wears black make-up as part of his disguise. His wife, Parvathi, encourages Lord Shiva to destroy Arjuna’s egoism. To add more drama, Arjuna’s archrival plans to kill Arjuna. He sends a demon, Mookasura, in the form of a wild boar to kill Arjuna. Shiva kills the boar with an arrow and saves Arjuna. Then Arjuna shots an arrow into the boat and makes disguised Shiva angry. A violent duel ensues and Arjuna is beaten and thus loses his egotism. Shiva reveals himself and blesses Arjuna. Arjuna receives the Pasupatham. Happy ending!
All of these stops had been extremely hot so I was excited for my next stop in the mountains, Munnar. The scenery in this area is beautiful and different from any I’ve seen. This is because it is blanketed in tea plantations. From a distance it seems like moss. In 1880 a British man began to make the farms and hired Indians to work them. The local people didn’t take up his offer because they already owned spice farms. So Indians from Tamil Nadu, the state to the east, came for the pay, housing, and schooling for their children. They could work for the British once they turned 18 and they had to retire at 58. If no one in the family was still working the retiree and his/her family had to move out. But this seemed to be a job passed from one generation to the next so I don’t know how many people had to leave. Today, the tea workers are still mostly from Tamil Nadu and speak Tamil rather than Malayalam. They still receive housing, but it only consists of one bedroom, kitchen and common room. This is no matter the size of your family. My guide, his wife and child live with his brother who is a tea worker. He said his brother recently got married and the place is too small for them now so his family needs to find another place to live. Supervisors do get a home that is a little larger.
Both men and women work the fields, but they have different jobs and women cannot be supervisors. Apparently, women can make more money than men because the men’s work has a fixed pay rate whereas the women earn extra for additional kilos of leaves they pluck. I forget what the extra pay is, but it was a miniscule amount considering how many leaves it takes to make a kilo.
To make the plantations successful, the workers pluck leaves every 15 days and cut branches every 25 days. Every two years the bushes are cut more extensively otherwise they grow into trees that can be 15 meters. Had no idea they could be a tree or a bush! The tea trees were living wildly in the area before 1880. The tea bush can produce for 100 years and then it gets replanted. So the original plantings were only replaced 31 years ago! When a new tea bush is planted it takes four years for it to produce. The plants are all the same species, but can produce three different kinds of tea: black, green and white. The difference is all about at what point the leaf is hand-plucked and how it is processed. White tea is the most expensive and is the youngest leaf. The white tea and green tea is made from the same process in that they are put on a net to be steamed, dried and baked. The only difference is that the larger green tea leaf is cut before steamed. Black tea is put on the net with heat coming from a nearby fire so it is blackened.
After India gained independence the farms were bought by tycoon Ratan Tata. His company, Tata, along with another one essentially owns all of India. Tata is in the business of making cars, telecom, batteries, tea plantations, etc. They own 80% of the land in the Munnar area! Tata along with Anil Ambani’s company, Reliance ADA Group, is being investigated along with government agencies regarding telecom licensing, allocation and pricing. The companies had not previously been in telecom and so that is the first red flag why they got major rights. Of course government graft is part of this and the federal investigation agency estimates the scandal cost potentially $4.88 billion in lost revenue - And this loss in a country with such extensive poverty.
I didn’t see reports directly linking the two stories, but I’m sure this scandal is part of the reason Anna Hazare, 73, began a fast to the death unless the government took anti-corruption steps. Hazare gained much public support and many hit the streets following the Gandhian approach. Yesterday, the government met Hazare’s demands and the fast was broken in New Delhi this morning (April 9). The main concessions involved agreeing to create a joint committee of civil society (of course reps from the anti-corruption movement are included here) and the administration in order to draft an anti-graft law.
Definitely this trip has heightened my appreciation for the lack of corruption in the US. Of course it exists, but for instance I’ve never heard of anyone having to bribe an official to get a passport (one of the protestors said he did this) or to become a police officer (Indonesia), cops pulling over tourists on motos to “fine” them (Bali), etc. And when corruption is exposed it isn’t tolerated. In the US there is hope of justice being achieved, but in many countries there is little hope of this. A fellow traveler of mine told me a story of his experience in Vang Vieng, Laos. He was staying at a budget guesthouse/hotel and the sink fell off the wall. Now there is no way this was his fault, but the owner said he had to pay for the repairs. The owner had his passport so you’re in a spot. My friend tried to refuse and the owner called the police who pushed him against the wall and started to grab at his money belt. My friend paid up and I’m sure the officer got his cut. If things go wrong as a tourist in most of these countries there is little hope for justice. As a tourist it is infuriating, but a temporary situation. For the residents this is their daily life. It would take massive effort on everyone’s part to change the system and culture to lessen corruption. What has to change for these countries to be willing to change? Do they need to become more economically prosperous to be willing to attack graft? Do the people have to decide to fight for their democratic rights, like Hazare?
On a lighter note, from Munnar I headed to another mountain town, Kodaikanal. It took 3 buses and a bit of luck that I didn’t have to wait long between them to arrive in this Tamil Nadu town. Now that I changed states I’m trying to learn some Tamil, but my progress is pitiful. This area has some farming (no tea), but most of what I saw was forest. For being a great trekking spot it is very hard to find guides or get good information about the trails. After searching around, I hired a guy who had frustratingly followed me from the bus station. He had a comment book and I looked through it and he could speak more knowledgably about the trails then the others I spoke with. We did a 5 ½ hour hike – well the first part was a hike. We were already high up in the mountains and walked along the edge of one that gave beautiful views. Unfortunately, it was hazy and got cloudier as the day progressed, but you could make out seemingly endless peaks in every direction.
Along the hike, Kannon (sp) pointed out different herbs and plants used in soap, deodorants and medicines. Most of it smelled lovely. Some are also added to massage oils – tempting! As you can see, I even tried the healing qualities of lemongrass. We came to a couple of waterfalls, which were nice, but not nearly as impressive as I imagine them to be in the rainy season. Actually, it sounds like they’re having a drought. It’s supposed to rain all of March and they haven’t had any rain for 10 months! Coming out of the forest we hit the touristy road that takes you to the Dolphin Nose – a rock jutting out. There were also more stunning views and I could see where Munnar was.
It was a good hike, but I was hoping for more of a workout. But there wasn’t as much incline as I expected and we kept stopping to rest. We kept stopping at his friends’ food & drink stalls with their hopes that I’d spend my rupees. I had my water and wasn’t hungry. I get annoyed when at every turn I’m expected to buy something – and from a guide I hired.
Oh, I didn’t tell you about my shower in Kodaikanal! I was relieved to have hot water considering the chill in the air, but was told it’s only hot in the am. So my first morning I went to shower and nearly needed first aid. The water was scalding and just got hotter the longer it was on. I had flashbacks to when my sister poured a pot of boiling water on me – accidentally. I couldn’t even finish my shower. And, yes I played with both nozzles - no cold water. My next shower was when the hot water was off and what do you know, the temp was perfect! Nice and warm.
I also visited a lake and garden in town. I had to pay for the garden and it was so shabby. The design was dull and there were mini-chain link fences keeping people from walking in the plants. The forest has such beautiful flowers so I don’t know why this garden lacks color and beauty.
After getting in my hike and eating some of the homemade chocolate that abounds here, I caught a bus to the capital of Tamil Nadu, Madurai. I braced myself for the return to the heat and humidity.
Madurai is a bustling city and arriving here was an adventure. Once the bus dropped me off I opted to take a city bus to my hotel area rather than the auto-rickshaws. When I need help I try to ask women, but none were around so I asked people crowding at the bus stop. At first I was told I was standing in the right spot and a smartly dressed man said he would tell me which bus to take – that he was taking the same one. He said he used to work in the UK and was happy to see a white person because it had been 8 months. He isn’t from Madurai and finds the culture and people here very differe3nt from what he’s used to (he’s from somewhere else in Tamil Nadu). After a few minutes we found out we weren’t standing in the right spot so walked 100 meters. Is this really a route he takes? We got on a bus and I confirmed with the ticket seller that it was the right bus. My “escort” kept assuring me he was harmless and insisted on paying for my ticket. Eventually, he started showing me his ID and credit cards. I appreciated his help, but my trust only went so far and I had no interest in spending extra time with him. I told him I was married, but my husband doesn’t like to travel so I came and am meeting up with my mom (the last part is true). The bus took us to the stand near my hotel and the main temple. He couldn’t quite figure where I was supposed to go and I figured it quicker with my map than he did. He offered to pay for a rickshaw and take me to the hotel, but I didn’t want him treating me to things and I don’t’ want strangers knowing where I’m staying. Of course the rickshaw drivers wanted to charge me too much so we(!) walked. Once I got to a corner and I knew my hotel wasn’t far I insisted on saying goodbye. He wanted to grab coffee, but I declined. I had to be a bit blunter than usual since he wasn’t accepting my subtle comments.
My hotel wasn’t great value for the money, but there weren’t many options and I could walk to Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwarar (the only sight I wanted to see here). The perk of the hotel was the rooftop that offered a nice view of this temple complex. In the evening the streets are lively with people and there were even fireworks. The next morning I searched for food and found a place with good dosai. Then I hit the temple where I had to go through a metal detector and be scanned. Inside the temple the temperatures were refreshingly comfortable so I really enjoyed wandering the maze-like complex. You can see that the towers are covered with sculpture and there is an estimated 33,000 sculptures in this complex!
This temple was built for Shiva and his wife, Meenakshi. It’s a famous Hindu story that Goddess Meenakshi of Madurai emerged from a sacrificial fire as a three year old child with three breasts. This was in answer to King Malayadvaja’s prayer for a son. The king was surprised and horrified, but also saw that except for her breasts she was beautiful. She had the fish-shaped eyes which are classic signs of beauty in traditional Indian love poetry. The king was calmed about the three breasts when a mysterious voice told him that her third breast would fall off when she met her future husband. Now since the king had no son, Meenakshi succeeded her father as Pandyan monarch. She aimed for world domination and embarked on many battles. She even defeated Shiva’s army at Mount Kailash (Shiva’s Himalayan abode). Shiva then came to the battlefield and upon seeing him Meenakshi’s third breast fell off. Talk about love thy enemy! They travelled to Madurai and married. They held dual rules, both as king and queen of Pandya and as the presiding deities of the Madurai temple. The story ends with them disappearing into the temple.
Today the temple is a popular fertility site and apparently there are images of the two gods coupling. The priests claim this ensures the preservation and regeneration of the universe. Each night the couple is placed in a bedchamber together. The priests even remove Meenakshi’s nose ring so she doesn’t cut her husband in the heat of passion! The fidelity of the pair is tested once a year when the beautiful Goddess Cellattamman is brought in to tempt Shiva. She is spurned and flies into a fury that is only calmed when a buffalo is sacrificed. Maybe that’s the solution to heartbreak that I never knew a buffalo! As a non-Hindu I wasn’t allowed into the temples under the squared off pyramid like structures so I didn’t see them.
I happened to go on the first day of a ten day festival and witnessed some of the festivities. Drums and singing accompanied a procession of images of the two gods. And apparently that night there were elephants and camels. Another traveler saw this, but was upset to see the handlers mistreating the elephants. I met a nice family when the woman started talking with me. We had all been sitting on some steps and she was curious about me. Then she wanted a picture of me with her family. She was very sweet and even insisted I borrow her necklace of flowers for a picture. They also shared some coconut and banana with me.
A little funny was at my lunch stop. I was already seated and a gentleman came in. The host tried to seat him at my table (it’s not uncommon for strangers to sit at the same table), but he paced by my table a few times without looking at me. He refused to sit with me and found his own table. Another man joined him later. :) I’m not sure why he was so repelled by me, but he just couldn’t even bring himself to look at me.
I took an evening bus to Thanjuvar to see another temple. Unfortunately, trains don‘t go between the cities I’ve been traveling so I’m squeezing onto the buses. I do like that men and women sit separately on the buses. Once a man sat in a row with me, but there was a space between us. But he wouldn’t have done that with an Indian woman and apparently I could ask him to move. Sometimes when there is no seat available next to a woman the ticket seller will make a man move so there is a row for me.
Of course the local bus that I had to take from the inter-city bus station was packed and standing room was not so nicely separating. I shoved onto at rush hour with my bags. Several women were friendly and helpful, or at least not scowling at me as I bumped them with my bags as I got situated. As I stood near the stairwell I felt a man hand brush against my bum and I hoped it was because he was blindly searching for a handrail. When it happened a second time I sternly told him (not sure which one it was) to stop touching me. That seemed to do the trick and a few minutes later I was able to get a seat.
Thanjuvar is a smaller city than Madurai and I was able to do lengthy walks to the various sites. My first visit was to Brihadishwara Temple. This temple was a smaller complex than the one in Madurai and all in stone color, but it was an impressively feel and wasn’t as commercial as the other. I didn’t even have to pay an entrance fee. So when a priest blessed me with the red mark for long life I was happy to leave a donation. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered the best of Chola architecture. The city also has a great collection of the bronze statues of the empire. These focus on Hindu gods and goddesses. This area was the capital of the Chola empire between the 9th and 13th centuries, except for one oddball king who picked another capital. The area includes about 90 temples built during this era. The Brihadishwara Temple was built by Rajaraja I (985-1014). He is responsible for spreading Hinduism to the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Java via his military campaigns. This temple, like most great religious sites, was not solely built to allow the worship of Shiva, but also to show off the patron’s power. In keeping with the lavishness of the temple, at least 400 female dancers, devadasis (“slaves of the gods”), were married off to Shiva and employed by the temple. Each dancer was provided with a house. There was an additional staff of 200 people who were dance teachers, musicians, tailors, potters, laundrymen, goldsmiths, carpenters, accountants, astrologers, and attendants for the rituals and processions.
The same festival that I saw in Madurai is also occurring here and I saw a ritual of drums, chanting and shell blowing. A pole was decorated and blessed. Sorry didn’t learn much about the festival.
From here I walked to the Royal Palace compound of a later empire, the Nayak. Royalty still resides here, but parts have been converted into museums. Construction of the palace began in the mid-16th century by the founder of the Nayak kingdom of Thanjuvar, Sevappa Nayak. I saw the art museum with the Chola bronze statues, but by this time the heat was getting to me and I walked briskly through. They all looked very similar to my untrained eye. The Chola style didn’t’ make an impact on larger India except for one major exception. You know the image of Shiva standing on one leg while encircled by flames? Well, that is Chola. Another interesting tidbit about the statues is that the proportions were specifically laid out. Human figures totaled eight face-lengths, eight being a rhythmic measure. The deities were nine lengths. These measurements were based on the sculptors size himself. The size of his hand determined the face-length applied. Cool, right?!
The Saraswati Mahal Library museum was interesting for some of its quirky and unique collections. It is apparently world renowned among scholars. There were strung together palm-leaf books that had tiny writing on them. Each page was a long rectangular shape that was no larger than maybe 12 inches by 2 ½ inches, but some were tiny books of only a max of 2 ½ inches. There was also an eerie display of a Chinese torture book from 1804. It laid out various punishments, but failed to convey the pain of the sufferer as he was whipped, pulled, strung up, etc. There was an odd collection of sketches of pairs of faces, human and animal, made to look similar. There were also less unusual, but still beautiful collections of illuminated manuscripts of the Mahabharata.
It was quite a long walk back to my hotel area and the heat was started to make me feel poorly. So I sought out a restaurant from my guidebook that has an AC hall. For 7 rupees (about $.20) I sat in a wonderfully cool room and ate very slowly. It was even getting a bit chilly!
I had a train ride and short bus ride to my next destination – Pondicherry (aka Puducherry). I asked a woman on the train about my stop and she and another man suggested I go one further than my original destination to get the bus. She volunteered the man to help me because he was getting off there too. I think she sort of had to twist his arm to do it and it didn’t involve much because at the end of the train platform he just had to point to the bus station 100 meters away. I actually preferred having a man reluctantly help me so that he’d do this favor and then leave me along rather than having to expend a bunch of effort to make someone go on his way.
Pondicherry was a French colony (the British never got ahold of it) and a fairly narrow strip along the rocky seashore still reflects this history. The architecture is different and you can see a local version of the Hotel d’Ville. This area seems to be mostly residential, including the home of the current lieutenant governor of Puducherry Territory, with Government Place and some office space interspersed. This makes it a much quieter area and more devoid of cars – and therefore honking!
With many expats here and foreign travelers there are some amenities, which are absent elsewhere. For instance, this AC coffee shop that I’m sitting in now as I type is an anomaly for southern India. There are also restaurant options for non-Indian food. It still isn’t at the same level as Chiang Mai in Thailand for catering to western customs, but it’s more than anywhere else I’ve been in India. WiFi and good internet shops are still hard to come by though.
Mostly Pondicherry is a place to relax and wander, but there are a few places to visit. This afternoon I went to one of the most famous ashrams in India, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Pictures aren’t allowed inside, but I took one from the street and you can see it is a white building with a wall and wooden shutters. It was founded in 1926 by philosopher-guru Sri Aurobindo Ghose and his chief disciple “The Mother.” Sri Aurobindo was an important figure in the fight for Bengal independence. He was given shelter (in Pondicherry, I think) after it became too dangerous to live near the British in Calcutta. The ashram owns most of the valuable property in the town and has a disproportionate influence over the town.
Inside the courtyard you walk in silence by the Samadhi, mausoleum, of the two founders. It is covered daily in flowers. In one part, the flowers form the shape of a six pointed star, like the Star of David. People made various ritual gestures and bows to the mausoleum and then many were seated on the ground meditating, praying or resting. Besides the gift shop and a sitting room this was the only part of the large ashram visitors can see. Flowers play a large role in Tamil Nadu culture. Many women wear them in their hair and they are frequently part of religious rituals. They usually smell so wonderfully fragrant.
Like all Indian cities it seems, there is a statue of Gandhi. This one is beside the sea, which is fitting because it seems to depict his Salt March to the sea. I visited a botanical garden from 1826 and the Sacred Heart of Jesus church built by the French in the 1700s. The gardens were built in order to experiment to see what plants and trees could grow here. The French planted 900 species here and there is a mahogany tree that is 25 meters high. The gardens aren’t well kept and there are fences and barricades everywhere so you can’t explore easily. The history behind it is the most interesting part.
Ten kilometers from Pondicherry is a utopian commune established by “The Mother.” It is meant to be a place where everyone is welcome and those who live there have renounced organized religions yet search for a heightened understanding. Presently, about 1700 people live on communes and there are communal kitchens. The majority of the commune dwellers are foreigners. I must say I haven’t seen so many foreigners in any other place in India then this small place. Matri Mandir is the “mascot” for the community and symbolizes the sun. Its construction began in 1971 on her 93rd birthday. I was able to go to the viewing point, but to go inside you have to get permission a couple of days before and go for self-directed meditation. There is no guru or guide here. After walking a kilometer I got to the viewing sight and did see “the sun” in a lovely setting. It’s an interesting structure that only took this look in the mid-‘90s. Most of the other viewers are women and several greeted me a shuck my hand. Some used gestures to invite me to leave with them. We had fun giggling, exchanging names, family information, etc. in poor English and my nil Tamil. We also danced a bit as we walked back. One woman who called me her sister bought me a lime juice. I felt badly because I didn’t know she was buying it for me and it was more expensive than coffee. It turns out these women and their two male escorts are from Kodaikanal! They invited me to their village and I am so disappointed that I met them after I went there. They are part of a hill tribe. Another gentleman at the café bar spoke English well clarified this for me and told me that a political group had paid for the women’s trip in exchange for their support in the elections in two days. The women were all sweet and were sad to part ways. I was too. One of them had us all pose for a group cell phone photo and the young woman on my left kissed me on the cheek for that snapshot. I got a shot too – as you see. I shuck all their hands goodbye and kissed the cheeks of some.
I talked a bit longer with the gentleman and we ended up caravanning to a restaurant for lunch (I had a moto). It was interesting to talk with him and I asked him about Hazare’s fast. He doesn’t think she will make any difference. He also told me that each state is very loyal to their state rather than feeling a greater Indian patriotism. He said the south and north clash. I had read that some of the Tamil Nadu political parties have platformed on anti-Hindi ideas. After lunch he hoped to tour around Auroville together, but I was ready to be alone and didn’t want to lead him on. Unfortunately, given the cultural and language differences he wasn’t getting my subtle comments so I had to be direct about going off on my own. He secretly paid the bill and insisted on treating me to lunch, but that doesn’t mean a girl owes a boy anything! Now he’s hoping to meet for a movie tomorrow!
As I’ve traveled I’ve learned about a “superbug” in the water supply of New Delhi, NDM-1. I learned it from my mom back in the US rather than from news here. Apparently, western countries are giving a lot of coverage to the study just released and are concerned whereas the Indian government says it’s no big deal. Subsequently, I haven’t seen it in the news. The fast got all the attention. The bacteria might be all throughout India so I guess I’ll try to be more careful and have to figure out a strategy for showering. :)
My mom is also strategizing because she is coming to visit in a few days. We rendezvous in Mumbai and travel the north for a month. I’m so excited to see her – and to get a little extra pampering since we won’t be traveling on quite the shoestring I’ve been doing. Halfway through her stay her husband will also join us. I’m still loving the traveling, but a break from the drudgery of budget travel is welcome after 6 ½ months. The trick will be coping with going back to roughing it in mid-May.
So there’s one custom here I just can’t get a handle on. When saying “yes” or politely acknowledging someone else Indians, at least in the south, move there head in a way unfamiliar to the West. The head is tilted a little to the side and bobbed up and down between the shoulder and the ear. It is such an unnatural move for me that when I try it I must look so awkward and jerky. But I usually remember too late to even try it. I need to think of it a few moments before I need to do it in order to think through the movement. I like the movement, but haven’t been able to mimic it or make it a habit yet. I’ll have to practice in front of the mirror!
Oh, one mountain reminded me of Harold from Harold and the Purple Crayon. Can you find it? :)
I'm off to treat myself to ice cream as a reward for being fully up-to-date on my blog!
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