Holiday - East India

Come the day, come the hour, my train was delayed by 21 hours. I checked the train status on the website and saw it was delayed by 21 hours. I was a bit concerned and frustrated too. I said to myself, should I trust the website or should I go personally to the railway station and inquire about the arrival of my train. However, I waited for 20 hours and than made my way to the railway station. imgaine waiting for 21 hours at the railway station. My frustration didn't end here. What supposed to be a 23 hour train ride, it took 35 hours to get to Guwahati [Assam]. This train was a super fast carrier but it was super slow. What a start to my holidays. I arrived around midnight, found my hotel and slept like a baby. 

Early morning in Guwahati                                Sumo - Private Vehicles runs between Assam and Meghalaya

I woke up the next day and I found a transport to take me to Megahalya. Megahaly is about 3 hour drive from Guwahati. I know of a family whom I met in New Zealand lives in Meghalaya. Now to get to Meghalaya, you can either travel by public bus or sumo. Sumo is a 7 seater Pajero. I had to wait for 2 hours because we had to find 7 passengers to continue on our journey. Now another problem was, there are lot of tribal people living in these regions and frequently, they block the roads and create havoc in the communities. Even during Christmas day they blocked many roads. I don't know why the police is so inactive to prevent this from happening. So on that morning there was a roadblock and we had to wait for another hour for the roads to reopen. Finally, I arrived in Meghalaya. My first impression of Meghalaya was that I thought I was in Nepal. The ethic Indian looked very Nepalese.

I met up with my friend's family and we went to Cherrapunjee - south of Meghalaya. Cherrapunjee is the rainiest place on planet earth. However on this day it wasn't raining.

Rainiest place on Earth

Small shops at Cherrapunjee

You can visit many attractions along the way to Cherrapunjee.

However, on our way to Cherrapunjee we visited a church. Since it was Christmas day we wanted to attend a Church service and be on our way.

We found a Church along our way. We came to know that this was the first ever church started in North East India.

Presbyterian Church Nongsawlia Est - 1846

After Church we were invited by a local family for a cup of tea and some snacks. They were very hospitable and invited us to join them whenever we revisit Cherrapunjee.

Time for a cuppa

My Christmas was fantastic, sadly I had to leave for Guwahati that evening. Fortunate for me I found a transport to Guwahati railway station. My next train was early morning and guess what? I slept at the railway station. Many locals do that, why not I? I thought I will add this to my experience. To be honest, it wasn't that bad. There were like 100 other people sleeping on the railway platform.

Here are some pictures from North East India.

Kolkata
My next destination was Kolkata - West Benegal. Another 21 hour train ride. This time the train was on time, but it wasn't a great experience. It was horrible train ride. There were so many people coming in and selling stuff. Like every 30 seconds someone will come and try to sell stuff. Even the Hindu holy man and beggars will hassle you for money. It was very annoying. Above all gay man will come and touch you and ask for money. If you don't give them money they leave you with a curse. They will pinch your cheeks and will say something like this, "hi hi hi dodo, pasia dedo" ... and so on. This made  me very uncomfortable with their touching and behaviour. They target married people a lot. If they refuse to give them money, they will curse them that they will never have children and so on. Beside all these, people without tickets will try to take your seat. So you have to be blunt with them and tell them to move on.

Kolkata is a very busy city. It has 31 railway platform. Public transport is readily available as soon as you exit the railway station.

Howrah Bridge

Howrah Railway Station

The highlights of my visit to kolkata was visiting the resting place of Mother Teresa.  When I read her letters, saw her humble house and processions. I was humbled by her humility.

If ever you visit such places, always do your research on the internet and save those details on your smartphone. If you have Google maps - use it. Secondly, book yourself with the Govt of India Tourism office for whole day city trip. This is very economical and you can see more destination this way.

Here are some photos I took in Kolkata. 

I went to a movie theater to see a Hindi movie "Doom 3". So far this movie has raked in more money than any movies released in Bollywood. During the screening of the movie the sound went off. Wow, nearly everyone started shouting on top of their voice. When the sound came back say after 10 minutes, the audience still wasn't satisfied. They protested for the projector person to rewind the movie. Their demand was met. I was sitting very quietly and observing what was happening around me. It was like a fish market.

A Nightclub in a ferry

After spending three nights in Kolkata I am on way to Sambalpur for New Years. My journey continues on my next blog.

Regards

ravi

Can't wait for my Holiday

My holiday route beginning from Lucknow - clockwise journey in green

 

I have plans! I decided to have a break from language and cultural studies for a holiday. So I sat down one day and looked at the map of India and handpicked all the destination that I would possibly visit and came out as this [above picture]. I decided I will do a coastal visit to these destinations, since it is all connected by train. In total I will be travelling 5549km in a span of 30 days, secondly I will spent a total of 7.6 days out of 30 days travelling in trains. The good thing is that most of my travels are during night and I won't need to book a hotel room. I will be sleeping in the train. So far I have done my research where to visit and how to get there by foot or local bus. I will post my pictures in January 2014 blog post.

 

I will begin my journey from Lucknow - Gawahati [Assam] - Megahalya - Gawahati [Assam] - Kolkata - Sambalpur - Bhubaneshwar - Chennai - Puducherry - Chennai - Kanniyakumari - Kochi [Kerala] - Goa - Mumbai - Ahmedabad [Gujarat] - Lucknow.

 

There were few reason why I chose to travel South India:

1. South is still warmer, because North India will be plagued with cold temperatures.
2. These destinations were all connected by trains.
3. Travelling by train is economical
4. Costal areas don't have much anti-social behaviour, inland has problems with Maoist
5. I want to visit a friend down South [They are the only family I know in South of India]
6. I want to visit the Tomb of Saint Thomas in Chennai
7. I want to see the very bottom of India [Kanniyakumari]
8. I want to sea the sea
9. This would be my only opportunity
10. Lastly, I want to know how well I do navigating my way around India

So I am off to my holiday on 2oth December 2013. I hope I have a wonderful Christmas and a awesome New Year down South.

To my families, friends, well wishers and readers: Have an amazing Christmas and a rewarding New Year. Take care and be safe for family sake ...

Regards

Ravi

 

Winter Season

The temperature is falling down little by little every day. I have heard from around me that it can get pretty cold, but no chances of snow falling in Lucknow. Many people I spoke with have no idea what snow looks like. I even met people who have yet to see the sea.  They told me they only saw the sea in the movies. In my flat we have a 25 litre water heating cylinder. Locals call it Geysers. We have to pre-heat the water for 30 minutes before we can use it. This Geysers has not been used for the last 9 months. During summer the water from our tap is quite warm, so there is no need to heat the water for showers. This will be my first winter in Lucknow.

I have joined a gym. This place reminds me constantly the need to remain healthy. I love running, but it is very dangerous to run along the road and please don't talk about the pollution. I love the gym. It keeps my mind of things and enables me to meet new people. First day I ran for 6 minutes and I was like puffed out and had it for the day. However, I have decided not to give up. 

November was also a period where I met some goof friends from New Zealand. They were here just here for a couple of days but it was an awesome time. I also met some other good friends and we had a great time of sharing and caring for one another.

 In November we witnessed two major festivals in Lucknow. One was Diwali - a festival of light and the other Muharram a festival mourning and celebration.

Muhharram procession in Lucknow

Muhharram

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is not allowed. Since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, the dates are set by the sighting of the moon. Muharram derives from the word haraam which means "sinful".  Muharrram is held to be the most sacred of all the months, except for Ramadan.  This is the anniversary of the death of Hussein ibn Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. There are two manor denominations of Islam. The Shia and Sunni denominations they attach different weights to these events and mark them in different ways. 

You see "Ashura" [the tenth day of Muharram] is a highly important day for both sects of Islam - the Shias and the Sunnis. The Shia muslims  believe that Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, became a martyr at the Battle of Karbala on the tenth day of Muharram in 61 AH(680 AD). As this tragic incident happened on the tenth day of Muharram, Shia Muslims consider this a day of sorrow. They commemorate the martyrdom of Hussain as a religious occasion called "Muharram" (named after the month of its observance). 

The occasion starts on the 1st day of Muharram and lasts for 10 days until 10th of Muharram. As Muharram approaches, they put on black clothes, as black is regarded as a colour of mourning. During the entire 10 day period, they keep themselves away from music and all joyous events (e.g. weddings) that can distract them in any way from the sorrowful remembrance of that day. During each of the first nine days of Muharram, "Majalis" (assemblies) are held where Shia orators vividly depict the incident of the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his party. Mainstream Shia Muslims fast until the evening. On "Ashura", devoted Muslims assemble and go out in large processions. They parade the streets holding banners and carrying models of the mausoleum of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his people, who fell at Karbala. Some Shia sects observe "Ashura" by beating themselves with chains in public, cutting themselves with knives and sharp objects and holding mournful public processions. Shia Muslims do so to replicate the sufferings of Hussein ibn Ali on the Day of Ashura. This is an expression of their grief on the death of their favourite leader Hussain, considered to be the representative of Allah.

During Muhharam Shia Muslims replicate the suffering of Hussein ibn Ali

Note: Shiites are descended from Muhammad’s daughter, Fatima, and his son-in-law, Ali.  In the years that followed Hussein Ali’s assassination in 661 A.D., leadership of Islam was claimed by the Ummayad dynasty, a Sunni sect.  Nevertheless, Ali’s followers continued to claim his son, Hussein, the Third Imam, as the rightful heir.  After years of bitter dispute, Hussein and his Shia followers migrated north from the Arabian Peninsula into Iraq. For both sects the issue of succession was an issue. Who is the rightful one to replace Prophet Mohammad? 

This is ok for worshippers

 While it is a period of sorrow for the Shia denomination, it is a joyful occasion for the Sunni denomination. While Shia Muslims consider "Muharram" to be a sorrowful occasion, Sunni Muslims observe it as a festival and look at "Ashura" as a happy day though the religious aspect remains intact. Pious Sunnis keep a fast ("roja") on "Ashura" as per the "Hadith"(a tradition based on reports of the sayings and activities of Muhammad and his companions) of Prophet Muhammad. According to the "Hadith", the Prophet saw the Jews fasting on the 10th of Muharram to commemorate their liberation from Egyptian slavery and the extermination of the army of the Pharaoh in the waters of the Red Sea. Prophet Mohammed liked the custom for he believed that it was Allah who saved the Israelites from their enemy in Egypt. He started to fast on the same day as the Jews but he planned to fast on the 9th and 10th from the following year. But death came in between him and his pious wish. Usually, Sunni Muslims are recommended to fast either on the 9th and 10th of Muharram.

Spiritual Satisfaction?

So one denomination rejoices while other mourns is because Hussein Ali who succeeded as leader of Shia was not recognised by Sunni denomination and during the battle at Karbala, Hussein Ali was killed by Sunni Sect. So during Muharram things can get a bit "frosty" between the two denomination during Muharram and "Ashura". While one denomination mourns and the other rejoice over the same incident, there are often sectarian clashes between them, even it is forbidden to fight during these auspicious festival.  

When I witnessed these festival, I was shocked. Even small kids were smashing long tube light on their faces. I rarely saw women participating in such acts however, they followed the procession with their family along the way. During these days, many police officers were deployed to prevent any anti-social behaviour. For us, we meant not to wonder around these areas because anything can happen.

I am going to travel around India from 20th December 2013 for 30 days. I need a break and it is time for some touristic stuff. 

Winter or no winter, I am sure it will be cold. I am so looking forward to cooler weather and an opportunity to spend more hours with the community.

Regards

Ravi

One down, One to Go

My Birthday

October 4th was my birthday. I celebrated my Birthday with me, myself and I, but next day I went out with few friends for dinner. On the day of my birthday I ate greens beans with potatoes for dinner. The food was tasty but my heart was not in it. However, I endured and was grateful to have something before me to eat.

 

Conference

October was also a month of learning. We had couple of workshops. This was really great. We were heading for a major conference in November and a lot of time and effort went into preparations. I have learnt a lot.

 

Hindi Exams

 

October was also a month I had to sit for my Hindi exam. This was a oral exam. I had to record my oral responses and submit it for review. The questions I was asked was very difficult. For some questions I was given 15 seconds to prepare my answers and come up with a 2 minute explanation. One of the questions to explain for 2 minutes the advantages and disadvantages of living with your parents while attending University. I was given 20 seconds to prepare for my answers. I was very surprised when I got my result back. I scored Advanced level, one lower than superior level. My confidence rating was 4/5. I was so stoked. I made it. However, there is another exam I need to do. This will test my reading and writing ability. This is the hard one. This is compulsory for me.

 

Temperature

The temperature is slowly going down, but still around 35 degrees. It is bit better than 45 degrees. The temperature will go down in November and the winter season will start. I can't wait for winter season. This will be my first winter. I hope I won't be complaining much about winter season since I am looking forward to cooler temperature in Lucknow.

 

India

Everyday I am learning something new about India. The more time I spent in the community, I learn something new. Many local friends think I am stupid to be learning Hindi and living in India. They want to get out of the country and often ask me how can they move to USA, Australia or New Zealand. I found this article on the web. This article is about illogical jobs in India. This is so true. I have witnessed these on the streets.

 

 

Know the 10 widely prevalent illegal jobs in India - India tv news

 

1. Ear cleansing: People who clean up ears for a nominal amount can be found at a lot places in the cities. Sitting on a roadside, they quickly clean up one’s year and charge Rs, 10-20, unaware their innocuous work can lead to serious ear infections. I had people running after me offering to clean my ear for me. it took a while to fend hem off. 

Ear Cleaning along the roads in India

2. Road-side dentistry: Few people who cannot afford to pay a dentist at a hospital for their tooth decay problems, end up approaching these road-side dentists. These quack dentists pluck out the problematic tooth within the wink of an eye and their charges do not go more than Rs. 50. But with usage of non-sterile equipments, such roadside patients run the risks of infection.

Road side dentistry

 

3. Adulteration: Adulteration of food and other articles is one of the most widely prevalent unfair practices these days. In order to earn extra money vendors end up mixing undesirable substances with eatables. Such practices are mostly common at sweet shops, masala manufacturers and food grain merchants. The colours that are used are often carcinogenic. This is one reason I don't buy food sold by the road side. Don't be fooled by the price of food.

 

 

4. Fake brand clothes: The demand for branded clothes has been high in the market. Yet not everyone can afford to shell out so much money. Therefore, in order to have the satisfaction of owning branded stuff at a cheap cost, people start looking forward to fake branded material. India has recently become a big market for such fake brand clothes. Just walk up Janpath, Chandni Chowk  in Delhi, Burma Bazar in Chennai, and you are sure to find fake brands.

 

Fake Clothes

 

5. Sex determination: With a nation clamouring for sons, couples flock to ultrasound experts to know the gender of their forthcoming offsprings. Though sex determination is illegal, it is rampant in small towns, where police surveillance is slack.

 

Sex Determination

 

6. Prostitution:  The world's oldest trade is thriving across India, whether in metros, or in small towns, or on the highways. Sex workers peddle their stuff for easy money. G B Road in Delhi, Falkland Road and Kamathipura in Mumbai and Sonagachi in Kolkata act as magnets for rampant and illegal sex trade.

 

 

7. Video piracy: Selling pirated versions of movies is another illegal business which is on the rise. Again the reason behind the booming industry remains the desire to save those extra bucks which will be spent in watching a movie inside a theatre.

 

 

8. Begging: Not a single metro in India is free from beggars. Nowadays cartels work in carrying out this trade for beggars, with generous help from the cops. I don't know how true is this since I have yet to see this myself with my own eyes.

 

 

9. Hooch: Production of illicit liquor is rampant in metros and in the countryside, with harmful illicit liquor taking a toll of human lives almost every month. One shop or liquor restaurant is opposite my flat and the liquor is very cheap but harmful. I get to see some free entertainment sometimes - people fighting and arguing.

 

 

10. Child Labor: Though employment of children below the age of 14 years is banned under law, underage children continue to work in roadside dhabas, restaurants, and residential apartments. For the poor families, it's a Catch-22 situation. These children bring them the money that they need, and disallowing them from work would dent their family's earnings.

 

 

 

 You won't be surprised to find there are many illogical jobs in India. This is how people make money for a living. There are so many people and the resources are scared.

I am finding easier to navigate through Lucknow now. I know the transportation movement and understand how people operate. Although there is still much to learn, I am trying my best to understand culture and mentality of people. This is a journey. The more you spend time with people, the more you will discover and understand about the culture.

Love to hear from you all. Thank you for reading my blog. Please feel free to comment on my blog.



 

 

Ops Accident

I took an Auto [three wheeler taxi] the other day. Suddenly, a car appeared from nowhere and brushed the side of the Auto and the Auto rickshaw titled on his side like 40 degrees for about 5 seconds before it bounced back on its wheel. I was sitting beside the driver, and there was other passenger sitting at the back. The car driver soon realised and pulled his vehicle away. He didn’t even stop to see if there were any injuries or causality. The funny thing was, his vehicle had more damages than the Auto rickshaw. You can see all the green stretch marks along the side of his car. Perhaps he had insurance or was afraid of the people might beat him up.  That is what happens usually when people are involved in a road accident. The person who speaks loudest appears right to those gathered at an accident, so it becomes a screaming dialogue. Sometimes the public will beat the person who is at fault. I have seen this with my own eyes. Perhaps for this reason, the car driver drove off. What frightened me was the lady behind me, she screamed so loudly. She must be an incarnation of a trumpet! I haven’t heard anything like it. I can still hear her voice ringing in my ears.

 

Driving is a challenge in India. My Brazilian friend who lives near Delhi took some driving lessons. Her instructor always reminded her to toot her horn always. Whether you are turning, left, right or straight through, tooting horn is compulsory. So basically she had to learn when to toot the horn. Tooting the horn reminds and alerts other pedestrians and drivers of your presence. There are hazards everywhere: vehicles on your left, vehicles of your right, vehicles behind and front, vehicles on wrong lanes, and it is not just the vehicles, but animal, bicycles, rickshaws dogs, trolleys and carts. If I ever buy a car, I will install an automated tooting device that will go off every 10 seconds.

Gym Time

I joined a gym. It is now time to get rid of those accumulated stored fat in my body. To lose one Kg of body fat, I need to burn 8000 calories, which means 1200 calories per day. However, I have just started and doing 400 calories a day. It is very hard to lose those calories, but so easy to take it in. It is so funny at the gym. The guys are always checking themselves out like every 20 seconds - they pose in front of the mirror constantly. After every single rep they will pose in front of the mirror. It is so hilarious! However, the women - they avoid looking at themselves. The guys want to get big while the women want to get thin. I think this is the norm everywhere unless you are born in Samoa, lol to my Samoan Friends. The temperature has fallen by 5 degrees now, but it is still hot but ideal for gym time.

Monsoon

Monsoon is over! This was my first monsoon in India.  Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea. Usually, the term monsoon is used to refer to the rainy phase of a seasonally-changing pattern, although technically there is also a dry phase. Well this is the definition I copied from Wikipedia. However, I thought Monsoon season there will be lots, lots and lots of rain. To my surprise it wasn’t like that. I have experienced more rain in Fiji Islands than in Lucknow. I know in Dehradun the monsoon rain caused a lot of damage and loss of life. However, in Lucknow it wasn’t like that. The good thing about the rain is this, it cleanses the land. Winter will be here soon. I heard that it really gets cold in winter, however, I love cold season.

10. Indian Proverbs

1.     “If you live in the river you should make friends with the crocodile”

2.     “Life is a bridge. Cross over it, but build no house on it”

3.     “No one was ever lost on a straight road”

4.     “A fool who knows he is a fool has a little intelligence, but a fool that thinks he is intelligent is really a fool”

5.     “Even an elephant can slip”

6.     “If you have planted a tree you must water it too”

7.     “Dig your well before you're thirsty”

8.     “Can the monkey know the taste of ginger?”

9.     “Giving advice to a stupid man is like giving salt to a squirrel”

10.  “A house without a child is like a tomb”

Indian Life:

·    You put your clothes in suitcases instead of wardrobes.

·    You have a 'Singer Brother' sewing machine at home.

·    Your mother has a minor disagreement with her (or your dad's) sister and doesn't talk to her for ten years.

·    You call an older person you've never met before "uncle".

·    You hide everything from your parents.

·    Your mother does everything for you if you are male.

·    You do all the housework and cooking if you are female.

·    Everyone is a family friend.

·    You went to a university as far away from home as possible.

·        You still came back home to live with your parents after you had finished.

·        Your best friend got married at the age of 16.

·        You eat onions with everything.

·        You use chilli sauce instead of tomato ketchup.

·        You say you hate Indian films(/songs) but secretly watch(/hear) them with your parents.

·        You teach Westerners swearwords in your language.

·        You always say "open the light" instead of "turn the light on".

·        You secure your baggage with a rope.

·        You're walking out of customs with your trolley at the airport and you see all twenty-five members of your family who have come to pick you up.

·        You get very upset when airlines refuse to accept your luggage which is just 80 lbs. overweight.

·        You go back to your parents' country and people treat you like a member of...the royal family.

·        You ask your dad a simple question and he tells you story of how he had to walk miles barefoot just to get to school.

Language

My language is improving. I can converse with people on daily basis. I have to sit for two exams to test my language level. I like to do these exams this year. It is so much easier to live in India when you know the spoken language. It also makes it easier to understand and learn the culture and connect with the community.

Health

My health is fine. There is a high rise in dengue fever in Lucknow and Delhi. I don’t know about other states, but few people have died. I am doing well … eat healthy and take every precaution about health and safety.

With these words I sign off, saying thank you for reading my blog. Do email me when you are free. I love to hear from you all. God Bless you.