Last Delhi days

MONDAY
I can now rather proudly say I've been to the third "weirdest" museum in the world... the Toilet Museum. Yep, an entire museum dedicated to toilets. This was a wonderful visit... starting with the fact that we had no idea what this place was about (it was listed in our syllabus as Shulab International Social Service Organisation). The organization as a whole actually works to remove social discrimination, and provides cost-effective sanitation, liberation of scavengers, social transformation of society, prevention of environmental pollution, and development of non-conventional sources of energy. But as I started walking through the compound, I was startled by the signs:


And then, we entered the temple of the shrine. It was actually really interesting learning about the history of toilets, and the problems that can arise when a society fails to make sanitation a priority.


Sulabh's major accomplishment is making affordable toilet technology available to the poor. By digging septic pits a meter apart and lining with various materials, liquid and methane gas from human waste will seep into the soil and feces will biodegrade in 3 years, resulting in a clean fertilizer. Two pits can be rotated, allowing for a safe, sustainable, and affordable toilet system.

Another aspect of the Sulabh organization is social reform. Former untouchables, known as scavengers, are given an education and opportunities for an alternate way of life. Their five-fold approach to restoring dignity includes 1) liberation, 2) rehabilitation, 3) vocational training, 4) proper education, and 5) social elevation.

Prayer was held at 10AM in the hall with all the students and widows. The 'distinguished guests' were on the stage, and students and widows stood in rank and file as they sang the prayer. Then they welcomed each of us, giving us necklaces (like leis) and traditional shawls. When they called our names, called us "Honorable Miss Kathy" or "Honorable Mister Mario"... they really did treat us like honored guests.

We toured the facility, and it was truly impressive what they were doing for sustainable waste management. Human excretia was processed so that water could be used to irrigate the gardens, and the methane gas was used for power and cooking. In addition, we met with the founder of Sulabh International, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak.

The water treatment system

The Human Excretia Based Biogas Kitchen

Traffic to and from Sulabh was horrible, so we were late to our next NGO visit - the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Their goal is to preserve and protect India's national treasures, be it historical, cultural, natural, and even intangible heritage (oral histories, music, dance, etc.) We were able to see their restoration lab, and saw some old wooden panels being fumigated, a statue that was too fragile to unwrap, and a gigantic painting of the Taj Mahal that had been damaged by fire.

Following a quick lunch, we had a talk about climate change... interesting hearing the perspective of a developing nation. More on climate change later.

The final visit was to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a Sikh temple It was originally the bungalow of Mirza Raja Jai Singh (an important military leader of Meghal emperor Aurangzeb), so it's known as Bangla Sahib. We LOVED it there - and many of us felt as though maybe we were actually born Sikhs! They get their own post, so no more on the visit here...

TUESDAY
On our final day in Delhi, we divided into smaller groups and did site visits to various NGOs around Delhi. I went with Mario, Giancarlo, and Eric to Srijan - Self-Reliant Initiatives through Joint Action. It is a grassroots organization that primarily helps impoverished women in rural areas, providing education and services. Women are empowered by learning about sustainable farming methods, resource management, animal husbandry, and accounting skills. We will be visiting a Srijan village later in the trip.

We all met back at USIEF for an urban development talk, which is a sticky problem with such a rapidly growing population like India's. India's rural communities are struggling with agriculture - climate change is making monsoon seasons much less predictable, and it is getting hotter and drier in the off-season. Urban centers are growing exponentially, and without infrastructure or planning slums appear all over the country. The problems don't just affect the poor - for example, with so many million people living just on the outskirts of the city, wastewater seeps into the water table contaminating water for everyone.

Dr. Suresh Rohilla, and his Shit Flow Diagram

The site of Mahatma Gandhi's final steps
and the site of his assassination

We ended early since it was our last day in Delhi, and many of us wanted to get in the last bits of shopping or sightseeing. I ended up going with Mario, Giancarlo, and Elliot to Gandhi's assassination site and museum - a moving memorial to the Father of India. We saw where he lived his final days, walked his last steps, and the spot where he was martyred.

One of the more interesting exhibits was the glass case of Gandhi's worldly possessions - I think as I was looking at it, I had more just in my bag than the total that Gandhi collectively owned...!

We went shopping afterwards in Connaught Place, an upscale area of New Delhi - Mario and I tried out our bargaining skills by negotiating for some Buddhist singing bowls - we talked him down from 1800 to 1200 INR each. We knew we probably paid way too much, but it was still gratifying to walk away with a purchase...

Lots of packing to do, because we have to be out of the hotel at 5AM!!

No clue what we were eating, but it was good...
and cost a total of 450 INR for both - including a giant bottle of water!