Monday, July 26, 2010

July 19-23 Chennai (Madras)

Namascar,

After an uneventful flight, we checked into our hotel (another in the Taj line of 5 star hotels), ate a very quick lunch, and hopped onto a bus for a city tour, narrated by Dr. S. Saresh, himself a Fulbrighter who will travel to the United States in January to do research following his marriage in November. We enjoyed Dr. Saresh's knowledge and humor throughout our stay in Chennai.

Our first evening in Chennai, situated on the northeast end of the state of Tamil Nadu on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, was spent in the homes of former Fulbright exchange teachers. Five of us enjoyed a visit with the colleagues and family of Shoba Raman and feasted on a traditional Tamil dinner. Shoba, a high school chemistry teacher, had invited some of her primary teacher friends, who brought examples of their students' projects. These artistic extensions of the curriculum are completed in class so that the teachers can assist and assess the students understanding. Often when I send project assignments to be completed at home, it's mom and/or dad who do the work!

We spent an entire day at the Padma Seshadri Senior Secondary School. Each morning begins with a whole school assembly intended to focus the students on the day ahead. Every day the birthday song is sung, and selected students summarize school and world news. After observing in classrooms, lunch was provided and we were then treated to music and dance performances by very talented children. Instruction in traditional music and dance keeps the next generation connected to their heritage at a time when the winds of change are sweeping across India.

Mahabalipuram on the Bay of Bengal about 60 km south of Chennai is the site of rock temples with bas relief carvings. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temples have stood since the 7th-9th centuries. We were amazed when our expert guide, Dr. Saresh, told of how he climbed on the ancient carved elephants as a child!

Our stay in Chennai concluded with a walking tour of the Mylapore historic neighborhood and cultural center of Chennai. Amidst the bustling vegetable stands, flower stalls and jewelry shops, the Kapaleeshwawar Temple stands in all its glory. As non-Hindus, we were permitted to walk inside the gates of the temple but not within the sanctum santorum dedicated to Shiva and other deities. The temple is believed to have been built in the 7th century. The gopuram (spire) with engraved deities has recently been painted in a host of bright colors. Some locals feel that the painting detracts from the temple's natural beauty. Either way, it is breathtaking and the center of daily life for the Hindu residents of Mylapore.

Following our temple visit, we boarded a plane for Kolkata in West Bengal. The pace is of the trip is tough at times but the chance to see so much of India as a Fulbrighter is an unparalled opportunity. I am truly thankful to be here!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

July 16-18 Pune

Namascar,

Aman Setu School (Bridge of Peace) is a picturesue school located on the outskirts of Pune. Formed by a group of teachers with a common vision for a world of harmony, the school admits students of varying class, caste, religious, and linguistic groups. Children learn and explore through a curriculum developed to teach love, peace, respect, courage, hard work, responsibility, and balance. They garden and take care of animals. Use of recycled materials is prevalent throughout the school. An old school bus on campus is used for small group tutoring. With each of our school visits, I am more inspired and eager to implement new ideas in my classroom.

We also visited the Aga Khan Palace, where Mahatma Ghandi, his wife Kasturba, and his long-time secretary Mahadeobhai Desai were incarcerated during the Quit India Movement. Both Kasturba and Mahadeobhai passed away during this time. The Palace was built in 1892 by Aga Khan III. In 1969, Aga Khan IV donated the Palace to India as a mark of respect to Gandhiji and his philosophy.

Niki, art teacher from Brooklyn, New York and I took advantage of some free time to visit Vaishali Patak and her family on Sunday, July 18th. We had met Vaishali a few days earlier at her school, where she is the art teacher. She specializes in Warli painting, which she studied following her formal university training. Vaishali and her husband Manoj, an executive for Coca-Cola in Pune, welcomed us into their home and were eager to share her vision of the Warli style. Still using the characteristic triangle, dots, and dashes, Vaishali also incorporates pieces of colorful fabric glued into the painted design. The result is a gorgeous interpretation of her subject. Niki and I both purchased some of Vaishali's original work, which I will enjoy for many, many years.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

July 13-15, 2010 Ahmedabad

Namascar,

(See Wikipedia links for photos)

The festival of Rathyatra was celebrated on July 13th in Ahmedabad. Each year thousands of Hindi people flock to see a procession of painted and decorated elephants carry chariots with images of the gods along the main city streets. The day before, while visiting the SEWA women in the vegetable market (see previous blog entry), we were delighted to come upon the elephants being readied for their “big” day. About 8 elephants stood patiently as they were being painted with brightly colored designs. We saw the wooden canopied chariots where the statues of various gods would be placed. Due to the dangers of being out in the crowds, however, we were advised to avoid the actual festival, and departed early on the morning of the 13th to visit various sites outside of the city.

Our first stop was the Sun Temple at Modhera. It is a magnificent structure with a pond a ground level for feet washing, and steps to various levels with shrines, a main hall, and the sanctum sanctorum. While sitting and enjoying the beauty of the Sun Temple, I was asked to take a photograph for a group of five young American women working for World Camp, an NGO doing Aids education work in Ahmedabad. They too had left the city to avoid the Rathyatra crowds. They were full of enthusiasm not only for the work they do, but also for having some time to explore the cultural riches of Ahmedabad.

Next we visited the Rani-ki-Vav ( scroll down at Wikipedia) step well at Patan. The well is an ornate structure used to capture rain water in the arid state of Gujarat. Constructed by Queen Udayamati around 1050 AD, the actual tub that holds the water is at the base underground. Steps leading down to the water were used for community gatherings as well as worship at 800 shrines to various gods. Nearly 400 sculptures remain. Our guide explained that women were secluded from the men when the people gathered at the well.

Our final discovery on July 13th was the Patola weaving workshop in Patan. Here an intricate technique using hand-dyed silk on a loom has been developed by families in the area, who pass the skill from generation to generation. Saris and wall hangings woven in the Patola technique are quite expensive and have received worldwide recognition and awards. It may take 4-6 months to create one sari for a wealthy woman from Mumbai.

On Wednesday (July 14th) we spent the morning at the Centre for Environmental Education learning about the support this agency provides for developing instructional materials as well as training teachers in methods that support the education of India’s students about critical environmental issues. At many of the schools we have visited, we see posters and bulletin boards created by the children with slogans such as “Save Water” and “Plant Trees”. We were told that Ahmedabad is the most polluted city in India!

A highlight of the Fulbright-Hays Seminar for me was the excursion to the Sabarmati Ashram established along the banks of the Sabarmati River in 1917 by Mohandas K. Gandhi. Here Gandhiji developed the movement based on passive resistance that ultimately led to India’s Independence from Britain in 1947. In 1930, Gandhi and 78 supporters walked from the Ashram to the Indian Ocean (the Dandi March, about 241 miles) to protest the British Salt Law, which taxed Indian salt in an effort to promote sales of British salt in India. Gandhi never returned to the Ashram, having vowed to stay away until India had won its independence. The Ashram has been preserved so that it is easy to imagine Gandhi, his family, and his supporters living and working there to develop a self-sufficient community.

On Thursday, July 15th, we traveled to Pune, an IT hub, and center for educational, research and development institutions. I will write about our enlightening experiences in Pune next time!

Namascar!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

July 10-12, 2010: On to Ahmedabad

Namascar,

Saturday the 10th was a travel day—a four hour car ride (4 cars for our group) down the mountain to Chandrigahr, and a 30 minute flight to our Delhi hotel for a quick one-night turnaround to our next destination, Ahmedabad. In 1818, the British East India Company took over the city from the Maratha generals, who had ended the Mughal period in this area.

In the state of Gujarat, Ahmedabad is known for its flourishing textile industry. Despite our scheduled “free time” on Sunday afternoon, immediately after our arrival at our hotel, we regrouped and set out for the Calico Museum’s afternoon tour of antique textiles. A variety of styles were displayed, each breathtaking—tie dyed pieces with patterns so minute it seems impossible to have been done by hand, embroidered pieces, and beautiful patterns made by block printing.

Dinner in the hotel on Sunday evening (the 11th) was fun. The décor was a soccer theme and the waiters all wore the jerseys of Spain. Of course—tonight was the World Cup Final match! It was Super Bowl Sunday in India! The game aired at midnight. One super sports fan stayed up to watch; the rest of us read about it in the morning paper!

Monday’s schedule was full of new experiences. We visited the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) workshop in the morning. Registered as a trade union in 1972, SEWA trains women in employable skills and provides basic health care, child care, and shelter until the women can become self-sufficient. We visited the sewing workshop where some of us were measured for a kurta, churidar, and dupatta—the traditional outfit of a working woman. We met a young woman whose home and all possessions had been burned in the riots of 2002. She is now the production manager and chief designer for all of the fashions produced in the sewing department. Her success is the goal of SEWA for all women working in the “unorganized sector” which comprises 94% of the labor force in India.

After an afternoon of informal discussion with teachers and administrators in the Gujarat educational system, we traveled to the Rajmadu restaurant that serves traditional Gujarati cuisine. We sampled a variety of primarily vegetarian dishes, served on a silver platter. We also enjoyed a traditional dance performance and puppet show. It was a relaxing end to an information-filled day!

Namascar until my next entry. I'm almost caught up!

July 9, 2010: Temple of the Monkey King Adventure

July 9, 2010

Elizabeth and I went on an adventure that had so many local detractors everyone else opted out. The previous evening, some of us had seen several large monkeys chasing a dog in town, which clinched the decision not to go on the trip the following day. Monkeys abound in Shimla, and there is a temple devoted to Hanuman, the Monkey King. Thankfully, Elizabeth and I took a cab to the entrance (another steep climb up a twisted mountain path, frought with danger from attach by monkeys attracted to food and shiny objects). I took off my glasses, which the monkeys will snatch off your face, and secured my camera in the case. Our first stop was at the shrine of Ganesh, the elephant-headed god who assures an auspicious beginning to any undertaking. We were given a blessing, holy water to drink, and a handful of sweet popcorn (monkey food!) to eat. Clutching the remaining monkey food in my left hand to show the group when we returned, we continued on the path to the temple. We were followed by monkeys, and when I looked over my shoulder, I saw one grab a shiny beaded sandal left outside the Ganesh shrine and scamper off. Later I saw a family descending the path and one teenager was barefooted—I assumed she was the victim of the monkey thief!

Elizabeth is recording “webisodes” for her middle and high school students. Armed with walking sticks provided by the hotel, I kept watch while she chatted into her Flip video camera about where we were. She did an awesome job of building suspense—“We’re surrounded by monkeys who could jump from a tree and attack at any moment”—prior to our entering the temple. I again were blessed, given holy water to drink (despite the cautions against drinking Indian water, I figured at my age, I can use any holy water I can get) and more monkey food. Now I had a really big handful for my “show and tell” back at the hotel.

We realized we’d been gone almost an hour, and our driver was waiting, so we started down the path. About halfway down, Elizabeth decided to share her monkey food with one of the residents. I thought perhaps this wasn’t a good idea but said nothing, and we watched a rather large monkey pick up each kernel with delicate fingers. We began to walk away when the monkey looked me right in the eye as if to say, “Ok, what do YOU have for me?” I’d been hanging onto my monkey food for almost an hour and was reluctant to give it up. When he/she began swatting at my pants leg, Elizabeth said in a low voice, “Dee, give him the food. Give him the food!” I threw it as far as I could up the path, and we briskly walked down. Narrow escape! And, I still had some sticky popcorn stuck to my hand to show my colleagues later that evening!
I have a brief video of myself in front of the monkey temple to share; will attempt to upload it soon.

Namascar!

July 8, 2010: Shimla Schools

Shimla, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, is a fascinating town in the Himalayan foothills of northwest India. Once a British “hill station”, the architecture is more British than Indian, and there are many reminders of India’s colonial past wherever one looks. This couldn’t be more apparent than in our first school visit to the Bishop Cotton Boarding School. Students can enter beginning in Class 3 or 4; after that there may not be many openings. As in all of India, most students who reach Class 11 and 12 are focused on math or science diplomas in preparation for applying to medical or engineering school. Interest in the “commerce” track is increasing; the humanities are not emphasized either by parents or the curriculum. Each course at the high school level has an “end of course” tough exam that the students at Bishop Cotton and all private schools take very seriously!

I loved walking around the campus! Perched on the edge of the mountain with a gorgeous view, the main courtyard is very impressive. All of the main dormitories and classrooms face it. Teachers (about 50% are women) wearing an open scholarly robe and boys in crisp navy blue uniforms with short pants strolled from place to place. The younger students have “matrons” who look after their basic needs until they become familiar with the routines. Most of the gardening (gorgeous!) and the grounds –keeping is done by the boys. They do their own laundry. I would say they are quite prepared for college life by the time they graduate.

We were escorted on a tour of the campus by the headmaster, after enjoying tea in his study. When we walked into the dining hall, I gasped! There were the flags of the 4” houses” hanging over the tables, and large lists of members of winning cricket teams extending to the 1930s were hung below the crown moulding. It was a scene right out of a Harry Potter film! Later we peeked back in when the students were eating lunch at long wooden tables with metal plates—Harry, Ron, and Hermione would have felt right at home! The yearly tuition is approximately $6000-$8000; first year entrants pay additional fees amounting to a total of $10,000.

By contrast, we also visited a government day care center and school –the Anganwadi Centre (AWC) in the outlying village of Tutu. The Indian Government, as part of the “education for all” initiative, has determined to establish an AWC in every village or settlement in the country—1.4 million schools. The preschool for ages 3-6 is intended to be a place of joy and comfort with daily play activities and focus on health and nutrition. Most students are from underprivileged, underserved groups. Preparation to enter the primary school at Class 1 is the goal, as well as providing needed medical services and parent education. Another benefit is that by offering this care for younger siblings, the older ones, especially girls, are free to attend school as well.

After a steep climb up a mountain path, we came upon a simple brick structure—one door, no windows. When we stepped into the gloomy room, I was surprised to see about 20 little tykes, boys and girls in navy blue and white uniforms, seated on the floor in “criss-cross applesauce” –style and facing the teacher. As always, we were greeted with “Good morning, ma’am”, (cued by the teacher since the children are so young). The children stared and I stared back—the room had no electricity, no desks or tables, no toys, no books, paper or crayons! As we had heard in our several lectures in Delhi and Shimla, the village schools have teachers with little training and very few resources. To see the situation first hand was quite humbling. I often hear that Florida teachers “do more with less”, and I complained last year that my school doesn’t have one document camera! I realize now how fortunate I am to have a yearly budget for materials and supplies (reduced from $450 to $250 per teacher last year due to our funding crisis). Government school teachers in India receive about $10 per year.

After a climb further up the path, we came to the primary school. It was a bit more cheery—classrooms had a blackboard, there were desks, and up to 40 students in each classroom. They had textbooks and were studying English or math when we looked in. Above us, at a third leveled area, was the secondary school. Most of the students who waved were boys. In the villages, it may be that girls “drop out” after achieving a basic elementary education.

As you have read, there is much diversity in the available educational options. Despite the challenges, the Indian government supports the "education for all" mandate by funding the essential programs that will result in 100% literacy for its citizens. It will take time to reach out across this great land, but by staying focused on the goal, it will be achieved.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

July 7, 2010 Shimla

Namascar,

Today is my younger son Jonathan's birthday. It's a regular work day for him, and he's not feeling well, but I hope he enjoys his special day nonetheless.

Today was a rough travel day. Our flight to Shimla was cancelled due to weather concerns. We rebooked a flight to Chandigarh and then boarded a tour bus (shock absorbers??) to Shimla. The ride was an "E-ticket" experience--many twists and turns on a two-lane narrow road wide enough for one vehicle along the mountain's edge-- and at the end of four hours we finally arrived at our hotel, the Oberoi Cecil, which has it's own interesting history. Shimla is a former British "hill station" and the British influence, which begins at our hotel, extends throughout this pleasant hillside village that is bursting at the seams with growth.

In Shimla, we had several lectures on the school system, school visits, as well as a demonstration of indigenous dance performed by students at a government school. The role of the schools in preserving the cultural legacy of Indian customs, arts and crafts, is essential so that the beauty of these forms of expression is not lost.

Time to go. I will write more about Shimla as soon as I can. It is truly a magnificent contrast to the culture of South India.

Namascar!

July 5-6, 2010 Delhi

Hello again!
The schedule has been very tight with very little time to blog. We've also discovered that it takes a long time to upload photos, so I haven't accomplished that either. I hope you will continue to read and check the links I include, and will enjoy the photos of this amazing trip when I finally get my photos uploaded.
A highlight of the Delhi segment of the trip was our introduction to the organization of the school system, the goals and challenges, supported by visits to governments schools (very few resources, untrained teachers), government subsidized private schools (some improvement in resources and teacher training) and private schools. All students begin school in their home language and English instruction begins in Gr. 1 or Gr. 3. I have collected samples of the math and reading workbooks and hope to use some of the exercises with my own students! This early introduction to English instruction, the language of higher education in India, is one advantage that the Indian children have over the Chinese students at this point in time, as I see it.

We also visited the Qutab Minar, (built in 1193), passed a gorgeous Bahai Temple (Lotus Temple--see gorgeous night photo), and Humayun's Tomb.

All Indians were thrilled that the monsoons began on July 4th, but since that time there has been flooding that caused loss of life, crops, and property. I glimpled a headline blaming for the government of Punjab for not responding quickly enough to the emergency flood situation. This reminded me blaming our Administration for failing to respond quickly enough to the BP oil spill. I just don't understand how governments can be "blamed" for "acts of God" or major industrial accidents . . .

We will return to Delhi intermittently as we travel to board trains and flights to the other cities on our itinerary. So much to see, so little time!

Next stop, Shimla!

Namascar!

Friday, July 2, 2010

July 3, 2010 Arrival in India

Namaste,

I'm in New Delhi and very excited to be here! We were traveling--3 flights and long layovers in between--for 36 hours. Now we are at a beautiful hotel, had time to sleep, and then began our program last night with a lecture on the Indian school system and a reception with people from the US Embassy, and educators from India. The reception was in an outdoor garden at USIEF, our sponsor for the Delhi and Shimla part of the trip. It was like a Hollywood setting--women in beautiful saris, chatting with us as we sipped wine and waiters brought little spicy appetizers. The buffet dinner was an introduction to many different delicious foods. I don't think I'll be losing weight as I had hoped!

Today we have lectures and then have our first visits to temples and "Old Delhi". Our day will end at sunset at the Red Fort. I hope you'll read more about each site as I include the links for you. I heard that some people in the group are planning to attend a 10 course dinner this evening. Count me in! Last night at the reception we are invited to spend the 4th of July at the US Embassy!
Internet connection is $4/hour here at the hotel (220 rupees). I haven't been shopping yet so I don't know how far my rupees will go, but right now with the exchange rate of $1 = 45.6 rupees, I feel rich with $12,000 in the hotel safe!

I'm up hours early today--my brain is still on Florida time, I guess. It's 6:44 a.m. here. I have to figure how far ahead that is from friends and family in the USA.

Happy Fourth of July!