Madurai

TUESDAY
A long, long travel day (getting up at 4:30AM) and catching two flights, from Pune to Bangalore, then on to Madurai. Madurai is the heart of rural Indian culture, located in the state of Tamil Nadu. It has the population of a city but the heart and culture of a village. It is by far the most rural city that we've visited, with a smaller 'feel' and a warmer and friendlier vibe.

That evening, we went to the Chella Meenakshi Center for Education Research and Services for a briefing, presentation, and dinner. Just as we finished our registration process, we went outside for a dance performance. As we were waiting, we could hear the drumming of rain to our right. And as the first dance, one calling for rain, began, so did the monsoon. Torrents of rain came down, drenching the performers and most of us sitting in the audience. Even so, it was a wonderful performance. We saw several folk and traditional dances, done by men, women, and children. After the dance we had a dinner of traditional Southern Indian food.


WEDNESDAY
An early morning yoga session began our day, although most of the time was spent with a yoga lecture, explaining the original purpose of yoga (to help with meditation and thought control) and naturopathy. We did two rounds of the sun salutation, but since it was so warm and humid in the hotel, we were sweaty by the end of it.

Soon after, those of us that wanted to went to visit the Vidyalaya Jain school. It ended up being a great visit - we had a question and answer session with the teachers, who were very interested in how schools in the US deal with many of the same issues and problems that Indian teachers face. The school treated us like dignitaries, giving us a warm welcome, giving flowers, and serving a nice breakfast. At the front of the school, they had created a mandala in the dirt - something done during special occasions or when honored guests come. They sat us in front of the audience and introduced each of us individually. We didn't have time to visit any classrooms, but did see the kindergarten area before rushing off to our next meeting.

The Jain School Q&A session

The rest of the group met us at the ASSEFA milk processing plant, which showed the other side of the milk collective that helps rural women gain empowerment and funds. We saw how milk was collected, tested, pasteurized, and packaged - it comes from villages within a 25 km radius, and is sold in a 100 km area.

The Gandhi Museum

We then set off to the Gandhi museum, where we learned the kolattam - ritual stick dance that in the past was only performed by males. After lunch, we toured the Gandhi museum, and saw the sari that he was wearing when he was assassinated.



We then toured the Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology (LAICO) eye hospital, where they have perfected large-quantity low-cost cataract surgeries. Their goal is to get rid of all unnecessary blindness, and they have done an excellent job serving the masses. Touring the hospital was a bit uncomfortable, as their methods are SO different from our hospitals (there are no privacy regulations, sanitation doesn't seem very good, and there doesn't seem to be any concern for the patient experience,) but as the director explained, Indians have a very different expectation.

Our banana buffet

For tea, we had a 'banana sampling', where we had a choice of several different types of bananas to try. Kara, Brittany, and I shared 5 different varieties - all were delicious, and tasted very different from each other.

Late return back to the hotel for a quick dinner, then bed since our days here in Madurai are packed!












THURSDAY
Today was another full but great day. We spent the morning at the Meenakshi Amman Temple, a huge Hindu temple complex dedicated to Meenakshi and Shiva. It was supposedly built in the 6th century BC, although the current temple was built in the 16th century. Meenakshi Temple is unusual for a Hindu temple, because the main deity is not the God but the Goddess.

There are 14 gateway towers around the complex, the largest being the southern tower at 170 ft high. Each on is built in the Mughal architectural style, with Italian stucco as the basis for the decorations. And the decorations are elaborate. There are over 30,000 sculptures all around the temple, but the most notable part is the vibrant colors that they are painted. And the figures seem small when you look at the gates from afar, but they can actually be around 6 ft tall.

We spent some time wandering around the inside (the inner sanctum is closed to non-Hindus, but the rest can be seen). It is so big that many of the corridors are filled with market stalls, and we did spend some time shopping.



Right after lunch a hardy few of us went back to the Gandhi museum conference room for another dance lesson - this one a folk dance that traditionally was done by men, but now is done by both men and women. We did our best, although it was hot in the room and we were all so full from lunch.








After a quick shower, we set off again to the music college where we watched a classical Indian concert, with flute, sitar, veena, tabla, and drum.


Dinner was southern Indian food again, at the college, and again eating with our hands. Delicious, but a lot of food!

FRIDAY

An early morning start brought us outside the city, to the Jain caves - an archaeological site in a nearby village called Keelakyuilkudi. This area is sacred because it holds many sacred Dravidian objects - Snake Hill, a holy banyan tree, a perennial pond, and a mountain that can be circumambulated in a day. We climbed up the hill to view the carvings, and Dr. Vidya gave us a 'sermon on the mount' - a lecture about Jain religion in Southern India.  From the top of the mountain, we had a great view of the lush surrounding agricultural region.



At the bottom of the mountain is a Jain cave, which back in the day was a stop along the old trading routes. We had our breakfast by the cave, and viewed the carvings in the cave walls.







From there, we traveled to the Covenant Centre for Development (CCD), an NGO that promotes agriculture based sustainable livelihoods to help women, the landless and small farmers, and backwards tribes. We met in a hot and stuffy school room, and unfortunately we were all so tired and hot that it was difficult to concentrate. We did get to walk around the area, seeing the harvesting of medicinal plants and the packaging of herbal remedies.

Lunch was outside, and it was nice getting a view of the pastoral land. We ate at a long thin table with a view directly into the fields, so it was truly a 'farm to table' meal.

In the afternoon, we drove to the Pamayan farm in Tirumangalam. The farm is a model of organic, self-sustaining farming practices, and he has solar power and a small stepwell to collect rainwater. While we were waiting for our lecture to start, a foot-long lizard fell out of the ceiling and directly onto my lap! I think I was a bit too shocked to do anything, and he fell onto the ground and scampered away.

Each crescent-shaped lake is part of the interconnected tank system,
coming out of the Vaigai River that runs directly through Madurai.

We had a lecture on the watershed of the Madurai area, which manages its water resources by creating a system of tanks (which are more like large ponds) connected to each other by canals. These come from the river that flows directly through Madurai, and divert them into successively smaller tanks in the outlying areas. People can access the water only when the final, furthest tank is full, and that tank is reserved specifically for religious purposes. This method allows everyone in the area to have access to water, and to make the most out of the rainfall and watershed of the region.

For dinner we drove back to Madurai to the CM center, where we had another delicious dinner. It was a loooong day, but full of great information!

Overall, it has been an wonderful but overwhelming few days... this is the India we were hoping for!






SATURDAY

Madurai Seed staff and volunteers

Today was a day of optional activities, but of course I had to try it all!! We started the morning with a visit to Madurai Seed, an NGO that serves the slum community called Karumbalai. They work to develop young people by offering workshops, tutoring sessions, camps, and seminars in order to give them the educational support that their families can't give them. All of their students are first-generation college bound, but last year 100% of their graduates went on to college. And 95% of their staff are volunteers, mostly former Madurai Seed students who return to give back to the community.

With the children of the Karumbalai slums

To get to Madurai Seed's office, we first walked through the neighborhood through the small streets. Everyone we met was friendly and welcoming, smiling and waving as we walked by. And like many Indians that we've met, they all wanted their picture taken - even though it was on our cameras and they wouldn't get a copy of the picture! As we walked down the street, children started following us, calling out their hellos.

Stall on the edge of the old market

After our visit, we stopped by the old market across from Meenakshi Temple to get in some shopping. The market used to be the only place in Madurai where people shopped (this is back in the old days), and it definitely retains its old-school crowded, narrow-aisled feel. Some stalls were even candle-lit, because it seemed as though the power was out some areas. And it was interesting seeing a market in this very old, dark area - with elaborate columns and carvings, and statues of gods and goddesses lining the walls.

Pomegranate seller

Gettin' my mehendi on

We then went to the CM center for the rest of the day, to participate in the "At Home" sessions put on by the CM staff. There were chances to get Mehendi, dances, food, cooking lessons, garland making lessons, and lessons on kolam (sand art, made every morning in front of each doorway to welcome guests and set the tone for the day).

Learning kolam

Stacey and I, with garlands (that we
didn't make - it was too hard!)

We got back to the hotel just in time for our goodbye dinner by the pool, then set out at 9:30PM for a walking tour through the old Madurai business district. This area is perpetually busy - trucks are not allowed into the city after 7PM, so all the unloading of goods happens at night and much of the trading goes on 24-hours.

Arun, the king of spices. His picture is everywhere in the market!

Fruit seller

Garlic and ginger stall

We ended our walk at 11PM, but the lorry load men and women hadn't even started working yet! Nonetheless, it was still a bustling area - Madurai truly is the 'city that never sleeps'!

Food, glorious food

Maya, our Eating Coach

Eating South Indian food takes instruction and practice. That's right - you don't just eat it, it's an entire process, and we got schooled by Maya on the proper methods and technique. The Maya Method works well, so I'm taking it as gospel.

Thali lunch

South Indian food comes on a large metal plate with many smaller dishes. This meal is called a Thali - a veritable buffet of choices mixed together on one plate. We've had several different Thalis (in Delhi, Ahmedabad, our first night in Madurai...), but it wasn't until our lunch on Thursday in Madurai that we got the proper method explained to us. And it really does make a difference...

A South Indian Thali consists of rice, soupy veggies and curries, dry veggies, curd, and many sauces. It comes on a large, lipped platter, usually lined with paper or a leaf. The lip is important - here's why.

Before you begin the meal, remove all the "wet" dishes from the plate, leaving the dishes of vegetables and the rice in the space you've created.  You start with the sambar. This is a mild soup-like dish made with lentils. You divide off a portion of rice and pour the dish of sambar onto it, mixing with your fingers. And not just two or three fingers... if you're going to eat, you gotta get your whole hand into it! You have to mix well (or Mother Maya will tell you you're eating it wrong...!) Then you begin to eat.

And eating is a method in itself. Indian rice isn't sticky, it's the grainy, separated kind that doesn't stay together. And with the soup you've just added, it's not easy getting it into your mouth. The "scoop" technique means you basically have to shovel the food in your fingers and push it into your mouth. There's no delicate way to do this, unless you want to starve.

As you eat your sambar rice, you can add some vegetables - we've had different okras, tomatoes, beans, carrots, and potatoes. They've all been delicious, each cooked in very different flavors and with varying degrees of spiciness. After the sambar, we moved on to the rasam. This is a much soupier dish, with a sour tamarind base and tomatoes. Pour it onto the next portion of rice. The rasam turns your plate into a flood zone, and you're supposed to use the "advanced scoop" method to somehow get this into your mouth. I tried and sort-of did it, but cheated at the end and used my fried papad to scoop up the rest.

The final rice mix is with your curd, a yogurt-like sauce that Maya says is like "home cooking" - if you're ever feeling ill or homesick, just have curd rice and all your troubles go away.

Lunch view, at the CCD farm

The Thalis that we've had in other places are often served by people who come down the line with vats of food, giving scoops of whatever you want onto your plate (instead of having individual little dishes served at once). Other times, we've gone down a buffet line, picking and choosing (and often asking for a taste of everything, because... we've gotta try it!). Every time, it's so much more food than we're able to eat, and always, always delicious.

Dinner at the CM Center

Pune

FRIDAY
Pune is cold!! (if, by cold, I mean 75° and drizzling)... but with no warm jackets and busses that blow freezing cold air, we're actually cold!

Today we visited two NGOs. Our first talk was with Dr. Sachin Atre, a medical anthropologist who specializes in tuberculosis. He gave us an overview of the disease in India, noting the difficulty with identifying and treating TB when there is still a stigma attached. In addition, the Indian health care system is divided into public and private sectors, and private doctors - while recently mandated to report TB cases - don't always do so. Many doctors are not properly trained to identify or prescribe proper treatments, and patients often don't finish their courses. Because of this, Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR-TB) cases are on the rise. In fact, India is responsible for 1/4 of the world's TB cases, with at least 1.2 million patients.

The second NGO was Ekansh Trust, which focuses on awareness, acceptance, informing, and sensitizing the public to people with disabilities. Indian society is sympathetic to people with disabilities, although there is still a stigma attached and often help is not sought. As founder Anita Iyer described it, people will help carry someone in a wheelchair up a flight of stairs (sympathy), but won't do anything to fix the broken elevator (empathy). Her organization is working hard to educate people, in order to change the system.

The Nandi Mandapa

Because it was just down the road, we walked down to the Pataleshwar cave temple. Built in the 7th-8th century, it was a Shiva temple that also includes a structure featuring a Nandi (bull).

Pillars inside the cave

Our last stop was to Shaniwar Wada, a mansion/fort built in 1732 by the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Empire. The fort burned down in 1828, so much of the remains are just the footprint of buildings.








For dinner, I met up with Nidhi, who I'd met at Space Camp earlier this summer. She came to pick me up on her scooter, and I jumped on the back for a ride through the crazy streets of India. Pune is much calmer than many of the other cities we've been to, but is was still an exciting ride! And it was great seeing Nidhi again, who will take me around to see the sights on Sunday.





SATURDAY

Went out to the countryside today, to visit an agricultural NGO. The Bharatiya Agro-Industries Foundation (BAIF) helps rural farmers with livestock development, sustainable agriculture, education, and capacity building. They work to increase their production of milk per cow, allowing each family to raise fewer animals and therefore need less fodder and grazing land.

We visited their main facility outside of Pune, where they have research labs as well as a bull semen cryo-lab, vermiculture, and silk production facility.

We had the afternoon free, so Mario and I decided to see the Bollywood smash hit Sultan. It was an experience to remember, and gets a blog post all to itself!




SUNDAY
The day was spent with my friend Nidhi, who I met at Space Camp earlier this summer. One of the greatest things about going on these professional development opportunities are the connections we make with teachers from around the globe. I never thought I'd meet a teacher from India, then actually spend the day touring around her city with her as a personal guide!!

Whispering my wish...

We started the day by asking for a blessing at the Dagdusheth Ganpati Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Lord Ganesha. We filed in to pay our respects, then followed the line outside and whispered our wish to Ganesh's helper, a mouse that sits outside the main prayer room.

Next was the lovely Dadawadi Jain temple, built in all white marble with an elaborately decorated ceiling. 

The view from Saras Baug

Nidhi confirmed what we'd been told about the Jains - that they are generally wealthy and donate generously to the temple. We then stopped in a large park, where we saw the Saras Baug Ganpati temple.

Saving Nidhi from the attack cobra...

We were interested in seeing snakes, so we stopped at the zoo to see cobras... and while we were at it, we tried to see the white tiger. It was nowhere to be found, but we did spot the regular tiger from afar. So at least I can say I've seen both a cobra and a tiger here in India!




Our next stop was the Katraj Jain temple at the top of a hill. Around the walls of the temple are the stories and mythology of the Jains, engraved onto gold plates.

View of Jal Mandir and Pune

Just outside the main temple is another temple, a copy of the famed Jal Mandir Jain temple in Pawapuri.

Detail of the Jal Mandir temple ceiling

We ate at the temple, where for a fixed price you join in the cafeteria's all-you-can-eat lunch. Mario and I both were having stomach issues so we were nervous to try everything, but I tasted the various offerings (and had no idea what most of it was). Mario stuck to the roti and rice, which was probably a good idea.

Servers walk down the tables, offering as much food as
you want... which in our case, wasn't much...

After lunch, we went for a bit of a drive, to Prati Shirdi Sai Baba temple. This was an interesting study in faith - the temple isn't really a religious site, but instead a place where people go to worship Shri Sai Baba - a 'saint' who supposedly had mysterious and unprecedented powers who could perform miracles. He gave 'blessings' to everyone regardless of faith, supposedly healing the sick, saving lives, averting accidents, and other miracles. Those who are his devotees consider him to be a god.

We only had to wait about 20 minutes in a long line to get our offerings blessed, which is supposedly MUCH shorter than the 5 hour wait at the main Sai temple. Mario and I were both amazed by the amount of faith people had in this man. Sadly, no pictures were allowed, but you can see the website pictures here.

Nidhi took us shopping, and she and I got mehndi done on our hands. We met her husband and had dinner at a lovely restaurant, but Mario and I both still felt funny and all we wanted was soup. Still, it was a wonderful visit and I hope Nidhi and her family visits California so I can return the hospitality!

MONDAY
A great day visiting very different schools. We started at a high achieving private school, Dr. Kalmadi Shamarao High School (which actually serves grades 5-10). Students commonly have after-school tutoring sessions, and the expectation is to get high grades and go to top ranked universities. Our hosts were well-spoken and intelligent - clearly leaders of the school.

Q&A session with student leaders

They took us to see several classrooms and the newly renovated library, and we split up to sit in on different classrooms. I went to a 5th grade math lab, where students were using manipulatives to learn fractions. Afterwards, we stopped by the yoga class and joined in on a few moves, much to the delight of both students and teachers.

In the Doorstep School bus classroom

Next, we visited two classrooms of the Doorstep School. This NGO provides educational services to migrant slum or children of blue collar working parents such as construction workers. They bring the classroom to the kids, rather than having kids try to make their way to the school. They do this by driving a school bus classroom to different slum communities, or they set up classrooms at job sites such as construction areas.
 Not only does the Doorstep School serve school-age students, but they found the need for a creche (nursery) since many children were staying at home to care for their younger siblings. In the construction site classroom that we visited, four babies were hanging in cloth hammocks while their older siblings were attending school.  

Construction-working parents, coming to pick up
their kids for lunch

The final school we visited was a government-run (ie public) school that was supported by the Doorstep reading program. We sat in on a reading class, and heard one of the student leaders speak about issues that students face.

Overall, a great visit that gave us all hope for India's kids!