November 5 & 6, 2014 -- November Celebrations

On October 31, as we were lighting the pumpkins on the balcony for the second night, Milo came rushing in to say that SIR had to come out and help her put up more Diwali lights (Christmas strings, basically).  Diwali was officially over by Oct. 25^th and the lights which had been strung up on our balcony in our absence were no longer being lighted at night (but had not been taken away either).   So, Milo and Rob wrapped even more lights around the balustrade – noticing the while that all the neighbouring houses were also now winking, flashing and shining with even more lights.  Why???  you ask? Turns out that starting Nov. 2 until Nov. 6 (the ACTUAL Holiday) we are celebrating Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s life– and doing it with LIGHTS. [Try this link to see the lights and hear the fireworks.]

Gurū Nānak  (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated world-wide on Kartik Puranmashi, the full-moon day which falls on different dates each year in the month of Katak, October–November.

As an added attraction, it so happens that this Wednesday is Founder’s Day.  No, I don’t know what that is, but I will doubtless find out.  There will be more Ramp Walking, and Bhangra dancing (like at Fresher’s Day) and politicians will be on hand to speak, as well as our Founder, Colonel Sandhu.   I know that all the gals dress up and it is a Formal occasion.  Believe it or not, all last week’s classes were shortened to make time at the end of each day for rehearsals for the above.  Education seems to be secondary to festivities at this school.  And today, Dress Rehearsal – so really no kid is showing up for classes ( too excited - hence I have emailing time), whether they are taking part in Founder’s Day or not.   AND, since Thursday is a Holiday – many kids have ALREADY gone home to their towns - choosing to bunk classes all week and also Founder’s Day in favour of another week off.  I do not believe for a minute (nor does any other teacher) that anyone will show up to class on Friday.    Curriculum be damned   Bring out the Tablas!

So, when we arrived at school on Wednesday morning (Founder’s Day), we discovered that the whole campus had been duded up for the occasion.  The front entrance completely draped, the outdoor amphitheatre completely covered with white fabric and lavishly decorated with floral arrangements, roll-out red carpets etc. and in the reception area, two rangoli projects were in progress by students.  See pictures.  Literally every brick and flower pot inside and outside of the school had been repainted with brick-coloured paint, and I could not help but think of Alice in Wonderland, where the Queen INSISTED on red roses so in fear,  her minions painted all the white roses red.

The celebration itself was as usual for this flamboyant and over-the-top kind of function.  Maybe you worked that out for yourselves – what with the brick and flowerpot painting.  The students had prepared all kinds of activities, like modelling, skits, singing and dancing numbers.  Of course, the crowd was exuberant, nay half wild with enthusiasm.  I will send a few videos for reference. 
Bhangra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4rGWYW4Rbg

The morning of that function which actually began at 1:30, Rob and I were rushed off by the marketing team to a school about ½ hour away, to promote our school.  As usual, last- minute, as usual, ill-thought-out, and as usual a really big rush.  So, we did make it back by 1: 30 for Founder’s Day fun,(which was already in progress)  but of course, had not had lunch yet. Harpreet stopped us at the entrance, and ushered Rob and me into a private luncheon with all the other dignitaries (oh really!) like the Founder himself (Colonel Sandhu) who were going to eat and then make a grand entrance. So we did.- Into the front row which was equipped with easy chairs and not the stone benches others were occupying.  Front row also got snacks, juice, water and chai (tea) in CHINA cups/saucers delivered throughout the event.  I noticed that the second level of important people, like the Principal of one of the other schools, got tea, but in a Styrofoam cup.  It’s like that…. A very lively and colourful event it was.  I will only send a few videos to give you the flavour.

FYI:  Firecrackers were(and always are) a HUGE part of Diwali here and have continued to be every day since – with cherry bombs going off hither and yon at any time of day.  This morning (Nov. 5) , at 5 a.m., believe it or not,  there was an incredible number of them exploded.  Just so you are all clear on the quantity of fireworks set off here - The newspaper reported that the morning after Diwali, the air was still blue with gunpowder and the streets covered with the resulting paper shards – this despite the ongoing drive to make people aware of the environmental impact of firecrackers and promote a greener Diwali.

Then, Thursday was the actual Holiday, and firecrackers banged occasionally all day, but as soon as it got to be dusk, they pulled out all the stops.  Non-stop for the next 6 hours, we heard huge percussive BANGS, CRACKLES, Sparkling  Fireworks,  in every direction – on our street, neighbouring streets, across the city – all  underscored by the beautiful twinkling lights adorning every house.  And please don’t let me forget the relentless chanting being broadcast from the gurudwara ALL DAY AND NIGHT. (Got that out of my system!)   Little video clip from the balcony at 11:00 pm doesn’t really do it justice. 

Back at work Friday and going birding Saturday.  Migration should have started by now.

Hansi

Front entrance on Founder's Day

Outdoor amphitheater fancied up

Rangoli begun

Second Rangoli in reception area

Finished Rangoli and its lovely creators

Shades of painting the roses Red in Alice  in Wonderland

CIIS from behind

November 6, 2014 -- Pumpkin Carving

Hi there all,

What have we been up to . . .

Well, I bought a pumpkin (to eat - small, round and green) from the vegetable cart that goes past, and that put the idea into my head that Rob, Milo and I should carve Jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween.

I had prepped Milo about what was involved by showing her images on Google, and she was INTO it.

We found three good pumpkins at a stand on our way home from work.  A big, medium and tiny pumpkin was Milo’s idea – Dad, Mom and the “children” pumpkin (what she calls anything small).

Our friend Harpreet got wind of our plan, and was very keen on joining the festivities with her niece (2) and nephew (4), and to that end, she arrived with both kids and  2 pumpkins about 8 pm on Oct. 30^th.

Now, Milo and Rob had carved out their pumpkins about 6 pm while I made our dinner. (Milo really is not free until about 9 pm after making our dinner, then the two dinners downstairs). In this way, Rob was free later to help one of the kids, and Milo did not miss out on the fun of carving.  She LOVED her jack-o’-lantern, BTW, and took it to her room almost right away. 

Harpreet’s little dudes were so cute.  The boy and even the tinier girl, drew their own faces on their pumpkins (and as quick as a wink, that 2 yr. old managed to get to the couch cushion with that Magic Marker only putting one little black “tic” on it before Hansi  the Omniscient snagged it away from her). 

I wanted them to get the idea about Trick or Treating, so had two little bags which they went “door” to “door” out on our balcony  - saying Trick or Treat (or some variation of that)  each time, and I put a treat into their bags at each “door.”    Fun was had by all.  Pix attached. 

Hansi

November 6, 2014 -- No Bull

Hi all

We didn't freak or even flinch when this bull strolled by the shop where we were buying a few sundries this afternoon . . .

Rob

October 28, 2014 -- Pizza & Birds

There are times that one craves food flavours which ARE NOT INDIAN despite the fact that we both love Indian food.  To that end, I splurged yesterday at Sitel's Departmental Store and bought a jar of Ragu spaghetti sauce and a jar of Ragu pizza sauce (at ruinous expense - about $10 for both.)

The other day we stopped at Sindhi Sweets to get take-out naan bread (to use as pizza base).  We do not have an oven, so cannot REALLY make pizzas, but I did buy a block of mozzarella and of course there are garlic cloves and tomatoes aplenty, so we can make an ersatz sort of pizza - maybe more of a calzone - in the sandwich press.

I realized - after the fact - that I had pureed several tomatoes and frozen the puree before we left for Chennai.  Technically, I could have made spag. sauce just with that (I have found oregano), but now that I have the Ragu, I will combine some of each and freeze the second half of the jar for a second spaghetti meal. 

We just don't realize how cosmopolitan we are in Canada (or the US) until coming here and finding that other ethnic foods are basically non-existent except for Chinese - often on a menu opposite the Indian choices. 

I have a few other pictures to send you.  One is of a neat beetle the size of a nickel but humpy, and one a big millipede.  Also have shrunk a few others of Rob's birds.  Here are a few for now. 

Hansi

Millipede and my colourful athletic shoe

Hoopoe

Hovering Pied Kingfisher

Mirror image Painted Storks

Beetle about the sizeof a nickel

October 24, 2014 -- Tamil Nadu Birds

Hi all

Our birding in Tamil Nadu was certainly a success! We've now seen 3 of the possible 7 kingfishers. Painted storks are always welcome (looks like Ma 'n Pa out for a stroll), the Indian Roller is an old friend from before, Asian Openbill is new as is the Thick-billed Crow feasting on a dead dog (yum). The 3 birds on one tree (Brahminy, Kingfisher and Chukar) were amazing - we didn't realize what we were seeing at first. The focus is blurry because they were at the edge of the range of my camera - ah well. 

Rob
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Openbill Stork

White-throated Kingfisher (above), Chukar (right), Brahminy Starlings (top)

2 Grey Herons and Painted Storks

Indian Roller

Iguana

Painted Storks out for a stroll

White Pelicans

October 21, 2014 -- Cousin Linny's Tanjore (Rob)

Hi all

On Tuesday, Oct 21, we set off for a city named Tanjore to retrace my cousin Linny's photographic footsteps (see below). It is about 187kms and 2 hours from Pondicherry as the crow flies - as the car drives, 187ms and 4-1/2 hours (5+ hours at night!).

Cousin Linny (Linnaeus Tripe, Captain, British Army, India) was seconded to and commissioned by, the Government of Madras to go out into South India to photograph "objects of archeological or architectural interest". In 1858 cousin Linny photographed the Great Pagoda and the Raj's palace in Tanjore (Thanjavur), in the present day state of Tamil Nadu.

I always thought it would be a great adventure to go back to where cousin Linny to his photographs and take them again as they are today. The last time we were in India, we ran out of time, so when this chance to return came up last December, I decided that this was likely our last chance to do this.

We took a couple of days extra off around the Diwali holiday to come down to Tamil Nadu and, aside from taking a fun trip, go to Tanjore. So, that's the background. 

Hansi will describe the journey so I'll focus on the Palace and Temple (Pagoda). Of course the city of Tanjore has grown up around these sites and 158 years have gone by but it was a huge thrill to see the palace and walk around, even though it is hard to recognize most of it from cousin Linny's photos. The interior has been converted into a library and art gallery but the major structures are still there. In particular, got good shots of the seven-storied tower and inner quadrangle. (I'll create some side by side photos using cousin Janet's captions from cousin Linny's photos.) The street has obviously changed a lot but the seven-storied tower is still visible.

The great Pagoda and surrounding temples are much easier to see since the grounds are still in use - I'll simply let the photos speak for themselves. It was awe-inspiring to gaze at the same scenes as cousin Linny did 156 years ago - also quite a weird feeling. I am so glad that we took the time to do this and that the photos turned out so well. Cousin Linny, RIP - mission accomplished and I can return to base.

Rob (cousin to Linnaeus Tripe, the great one)

October 21, 2014--Drive to Tanjore

Today a driver picked us up at 7:30 for the drive to Tanjore.

Rob was on a mission:  Find some of the monuments that cousin Linny (Linneus Tripe) photographed for the Raj back in 1858.  Rob will write about it so I won't.

But I can tell you about the drive.

We set off at about 7:30 AM. The drive was to be about 180 km and estimated to take about 3 1/2 hours.  This turned out not to be on any kind of highway but on the usual twisting, turning, broken - sometimes Water-filled roads which we wheatencounter in a lot of little towns.  And, there were many, many little tiny towns.

Each of these little towns was a aswarm with activity – people out getting supplies and getting ready for Diwali today.  Diwali is the Festival of Lights, (big here like Christmas is to us. Fireworks (MANY), gift-giving,  houses decorated with strings of lights, diyas for holding tea lights or oil (little clay vessels) are all part of the festivities.  Lots of shopping goes on (women get new outfits to wear on Diwali) and there is just a buzz of excitement over its approach. 

The traffic, in every little town we drove through (MANY) was incredible.  These are little towns in rural India, so traffic means auto rickshaws, cars, bikes, motorcycles, bullocks pulling carts, bullocks just walking through an intersection, bullocks just having a little lay-down in the middle of the street, goods carriers (neat, decorated trucks) and BUSES BUSES BUSES.  Never have we seen so many buses on the roads than on that trip to Tanjore.   They are Big, Aggressive, Over-loaded, Poorly Maintained , hog the road and clog intersections.  So you can see that that 180 km took a while. 

But it wasn’t boring.  Who could get sick of seeing these towns with their cheek-by-jowl store-fronts, burgeoning with plastic ware, or pots and pans, or saris, or samosas, or stalks of bananas, or bins of rice,   There’s a tailor, there’s a flour mill, there’s a lemonade stand.  They are all tiny squished-together shops and they all specialize.  And then there’s the COLOUR.  I’ll bet I’ve mentioned it a hundred times.  The streets are often muddy or dusty and the shops shabby - so all the amazing, colourful things they sell just seem that  much more intense.  And the lovely ladies in the eye-busting colour combinations – WOW.  Kind of like a black and white photo where only selective things have been coloured in.  Eye-catchers!

Rice Flour Vendors

Banana Stand

Colourful clothing

Making paranthas

Meanwhile, every vehicle is honking, street dogs cross the road without looking, people cross the road without looking.   What seemed terrifying at first is now merely WACKY.  I’m having an out-of-body experience.  I am looking through a personal peephole into the past.

So, this was the scene going to Tanjore and also coming home, except that the return was longer due to darkness, pouring rain, huge puddles, and even MORE humanity out in the streets.  A black water buffalo sleeping in the middle of a paved road at night is very difficult to see and one of the main reasons I prefer daytime driving.

No, Silly!  Of course, there were no seatbelts.  Well, there was the shoulder harness part, but the thing you attach it to was non-existent.  No – Not down behind the seat.  It just WASN’T! Period!  (How many vehicles have we ridden in like this, here.  Perhaps the latch mechanism is an option – like a sunroof.  Many more rupees to get it.) 

Hansi