Village Life in Karnataka

It's interesting to imagine what kind of person I would be if I had been born here in India. I would have a different idea if what tasted good, I would have different expectations of my future and who knows what I would believe religiously. But I wasn't born here. I was born in America with all of my needs met growing up and many additional luxuries. I was able to attend good schools and shape the foundational skills I already possessed. Now with this obvious abundance of resources, I constantly question how I should best utilize them. Am I being selfish with my indecisiveness? Am I being spoiled to go searching for a greater understanding of the world around me? There doesn't seem to be a clear answer, but my experiences meeting with some rural villagers really provided me a wake up call to all the luxuries and privileges I have been living with.

Based on my interest in learning more about village life and the problems they face, Mahesh and his family took me to a small village about an hour outside of Bangalore.

A form of profit for some who can afford to invest in a business venture, is silk worms. Here a family has a harvest in his house. 

I spoke with 3 men all of a different social class. The man closest to me is the village representative and the other two are villagers who do labor in the fields and the man furthest from me owns the silk worms in his house. I wanted to get their ideas on women and their position in society. Each had an opinion about the ideas regarding women and it was interesting to heard their perspectives. They explained that in general, women are responsible for caring for the home. They talked about how hard men work and after work they often go and drink some alcohol. When I asked about women drinking they said no and when questioned said that if women were to be given the power and freedom to do what they want, they might punish men for how they are treated. They said a bigger issue in society is the corruption in the government and that should be a more important topic to discuss. They also touched on the caste system and how it still keeps men from uniting with each other. Much of the conversation was lost in translation, but I again was reminded how much privilege I have as a woman in America and despite the injustices we still have, it exists on a different level in a village.

This is the wife and daughter of the man who owns the silk worms:

The next woman I met was named Jayama. She was the only daughter of her family and her father did not leave her any inheritance. She married and gave birth to a baby boy. After her son was born, they discovered that he had polio and within months, her husband left her to provide for her and her baby alone. He is now around 30 years old and has not been able to work because of his disability and lack of treatment. She has been the sole provider. As she was explaining her story, she said she felt bad that she could not offer us any water for visiting her home. Despite her hardships, she had such kind eyes and fiery spirit. She had hopes that one day she would be in a better position and was fighting hard to receive disability funding from the government. I was so inspired to by the hope she has been able to consistently maintain. It definitely opened my eyes to the realities of 3rd world countries and the injustices and lack of resources that exist.

Dharamsala and Tibetan Culture

Dharamsala is a town with a unique cultural flavor. Not only is it in Northern India with a distinct charm and incredible landscapes, it is home to the Tibetan government in exile.  The town is filled with both Indians and Tibetans along with many foreigners coming to visit the Dalai Lama and his temple. 

My first day, Aimee and Alice let me tag along to their Tibetan cooking class where I was able to learn how to make Momos!

The town is located among several hills and provides awe-inspiring views. 

I was fortunate enough to attend a teaching by the Dalai Lama about "Nagarjuna's Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way." In person, he radiates an indescribable peace. Several people even became emotional upon seeing His Holiness. Pictures were not allowed, but the link provides video of the event. Here are some pictures of his temple:

SInce 2009, over one hundred Tibetans have self-immolated in protest to the occupation by the Chinese government in Tibet. Posters around the town showcase some of the men and women who have died in the name of political freedom.

I had the privilege of volunteering for the Tibetan Women's Association which provides resources and gives a voice for not only Tibetans, but women in particular. During my time there, I was able to assist in a Study on Self Immolations which discusses the form of protest and gives tribute to those who have given their lives.

Bengaluru aka Bangalore

During the teacher's break, I also spent part of the time exploring Bangalore with Mahesh and Pallavi along with their two children Chirag and Niraj. I was connected to them through one of my friend's named Santhosh who lives in AZ, but is originally from Bangalore. Although I had never met with them before this trip, I was welcomed with open arms and had the opportunity to explore many places in and around the city. 

They picked me up from the school and our first stop was a government school to show me where the children of Shanti Bhavan would be attending if they did not have the privileged opportunity. This school was a one-roomed building without desks and chairs. They children used their book bags to write on and seemed to have minimal educational resources. This was quite different from the schooling situation at Shanti Bhavan. They seemed to enjoy having me come to visit though. 

Our next stop was to get some snacks on the road. This is me and Niraj. He prefers to do an animal pose. :)

 Because I mentioned my recent interest in meditation, they took me to Pyramid Valley which is the home to a large pyramidal temple used for mediation purposes. According to the Pyramid Spiritual Trust-India, this structure creates the ideal environment for meditating given the energies created by the shape. Inside, there is a set of stairs that lead to a "chamber" in the middle of the pyramid where the energy is said to be at its highest. It was an interesting experience for someone like me who is new to meditating. I have learned and practiced very basic Theravada meditation which does not focus on these supposed energies.

Mahesh seems to have so many connections. One of them was a dance teacher who runs her own dance school for younger girls. She only teaches Bharatanatyam which is a classical Indian dance form based off of the ancient art of temple dancers. It was given an official form around the 1930s's, but inspiration comes from the moves that people used to perform around temples to convey stories about the gods. It is originally from Tamil Nadu and its name is actually a Tamil combination of words that translate to "expression, music, rhythm, and dance." It is a beautiful display of intricate hand motions and body movements to portray various ancient stories. I was given the opportunity to learn a bit of basic moves with the students. It was hard work that required a lot of balance!

Here is a girl dressed in the performance attire. Absolutely beautiful!

We also explored Lal Bagh which is the botanical gardens located in the heart of the city. The initial idea was proposed in 1790 and since its beginnings has expanded to cover 240 acres. 

Mahesh works as an attorney which is known as an advocate here in India. He works as a civil service advocate in the High Court of Karnataka. He took me in to see the Supreme Court building and because he is an advocate, I was able to accompany him inside to see the courthouse. The advocates wear robes and appear very much like judges. 

Another fun trip was when we visited an Emu farm. Mahesh has another friend who owns an Emu farm. I never thought Emus would be here in India, but it is actually becoming a popular business venture. Almost every part of an Emu can be used in some useful fashion. Its feathers for clothing, its meat eaten as a source of protein, and even oils can be extracted from them for medicinal purposes. 

I was visiting during Ganesh Chaturthi which is a 10 day festival celebrating the day that the Hindu god Shiva declared his son, Ganesha, superior to the other gods. In Hinduism, there is a deity trinity that explains the functioning of the universe. Bramha is the creator of all, Vishnu is the maintainer of life, and Shiva is the destroyer of everything. Ganesha is most commonly known as the "elephant god" because his images depict a man with an elephant head. He is considered to be the "Remover of Obstacles" or the "Lord of Beginnings" and is often called upon by people at the beginning of a journey. 

Many houses held poojas (prayer service) at their houses in honor of Ganesha during this time. After the prayer, you receive a blessing and at Mahesh's Aunt's house, this turned out to be a coconut, jasmine flowers, and bangles. A red bindi is added to the forehead which is commonly thought of as the third eye. Tumeric is also spread along each temple as another ritual. 

Overall, I had an amazing time in Bangalore not only because I had the privilege to experience so many different new things, but I also had such wonderful company. Mahesh and Pallavi are such warm and generous people. I was honored to be in their company and learn so much from them!