A LOADED weekend

September 2nd 2010

I wanted to alert you non-facebook users that you can view one of my India albums here. Just for you, Dad! I had many adventures last weekend and can't believe that my week is nearly over! I only have Hindi on Friday morning and then I'm done!

To recap, Friday night I hung out at the hostel and chatted with all the girls, practicing my Marathi and Hindi. It's truly entertaining for them to listen to me struggle with the retroflex characters of the alphabet and do the aspirated tones--imagine listening to someone your age forget what comes after letter E. I enjoy discussing my little knowledge of Indian culture and their extensive knowledge of Dan Brown books, Julia Roberts' movies, and Miley Cyrus.

Operation Roach Kill in the hostel. Flatmates: Ferocious Jeannie and Intimidating Erin

Unfortunately, for the few times I've tried to engage in convos about Indian politics and curiousities about the BJP, I was surprised to learn that none of the hostel girls are registered to vote. A lot of them are apathetic and with the daily newspapers sprinkled with tons of corruption, it is easy to see why they feel less enthusiastic about the political process. My classes are starting to delve into the governance side of Indian power dynamics. The central and state systems often collide and create a lot of red tape and failed delivery. When I'm not feeling brain-dead, I'll write more about what I'm seeing with my own  eyes. Look out for future posts on language tensions, caste relations (still existing, believe it or not), and the various attitudes surrounding the possibilities of an independent Kashmir.

Saturday morning, I went on a run! It was fabulous even though I got lost. Running in India is quite a feat; the streets are narrow and I have to avoid cars, rickshaws, cows, and of course, people. It also is the middle of monsoon season here, so random openings of the sky happen. A LOT. Running is a mutually beneficial activity: I entertain the Indians and they entertain me; I'm a tall white girl running without cause and they are selling, eating, laughing, and living.

The artist and his wife, who mostly paints

After some breakfast, the four flatmates and I ventured to visit one of Swapna's artistic friends. There are so many talented musicians and artists in Pune. It makes me want to rekindle my creative days as a potter up to age 12. Once I turned into an athlete, I kind of stopped all those things, except for 10 years on the flute, which I've since retired. The image at the left shows a piece of commissioned work of a famous guru and spiritual leader. It was impeccable. The sculptor usually only works from live models, but he is using photographs of this guru since he is deceased. The couple have traveled all over Europe on art exhibitions and love Paris the most. It's clear they have done very well and live a comfortable lifestyle at their self-designed house and attached studio in the mountains outside Pune. We drove up the most windy and steep road I have EVER been on(yes, Mom, even more twisty than Mount Washington!) and entered a green oasis with a mango and apple tree garden. The best part was when the artist asked if he could sculpt Erin. We're not sure if it's nude or not...but she's going back!

Erin and Jeannie enjoy a Sizzler--basically spaghetti and steaming veggies piled high--only 100 rupees!

We went out to lunch with Swapna. For a mere 120 rupees (about $2.50), I got a watermelon shake, a delectable corn soup, and a grilled vegetable sandwich(with 1 slice wheat and 1 white..not sure why?!). It felt so nice to have a break from rice or fried sweets!

Indeed, he is not wearing pants

I checked my email at the hostel, but soon left to meet some friends at FC (Fergusson College) to head to our first Bollywood film! Going to the movies in India was one of the first things I wanted to do! After buying some CANDY and mango juice(though the cheese popcorn looked appetizing), we decided on Hello Darling, because it looked ridiculous. The plot basically follows a modern women working at a fashion magazine sporting plunging necklines and see-through tops who make coffee for their creepy boss who uses every opportunity to harass them. Though all in Hindi, the humor was universal though it was pretty seedy with sexual innuendo that I thought was almost raunchier than what we see in America. The film also involved stealing a corpse from a hospital, dance numbers, a mafia-like grandmother who tortures husbands to make them obey their wives, and WAY inappropriate office attire. I couldn't believe the same society that persecutes hand-holding teens on Valentine's Day allowed this kind of sexuality! The end of the film has the women finish on top--one of them becomes the new Boss and the Boss is relocated to Bangladesh. Even though the last line on the screen read (in English) "Empower the Woman!" I left feeling kind of sad that women portrayed as sex symbols were supposed to be "empowered". It just seems ridiculous when I hear about oppression in the streets and the homes of girls all over India. More on this later...

On the 12 RUPEE train to the caves..in a monsoon

My friend Hannah from Whittier College and I met our pal Guy, the Northwestern student nearly fluent in Hindi, for some snacks in the early evening before heading to our first bar, K Lounge. There were approximately 3 women and maybe 50 men in the place. In lots of Pune, it is taboo for women to drink and smoke in public places. I felt a little uncomfortable, but since our Program assistant Alicia is dating the owner of K Lounge, we felt safe and welcomed. We shared a beer tower and discussed slum development with some older Indian guys who were friends with our FC buddies. I am going to visit the graduate school for development studies and hopefully sit in on a few classes. Since I was staying at Hannah's house, I got to be out until 10:30 instead of my usual 9:30 curfew! Her host brother had friends over and those crazy kids kept us up til 4am with their laughter! I was a little annoyed, but with school M-Sat, I realized they needed to blow off some steam. Up at 7 to get Hannah ready for a wedding she was attending, I walked back to the hostel and geared up for another adventure--the Karla Caves with Melissa, Sarah, and Guy.

Chaitya Hall

being taken away by the wind!

Karla Caves are approximately 40 km away from the city of Pune. These caves date back to the 2nd century BC and represent the golden period of Buddhism in India. Look at Chaitya Hall, beautifully chiseled sculptures and pillars adorned with animals as well as various forms of human life. There is also a stone stupa, placed under an umbrella and carved with figures of men, women and elephants. The 37 pillars chiseled with the figures of prosperous men and women on elephants, bowing before Lord Buddha humbled me with their AGE and detail. Though it was pouring, my Chacos held up well up the massive stone stairs. We took refuge in the viharas, dwelling places for the Hinayana Buddhist monks. There are no images of Lord Buddha in the caves, only symbolical descriptions. 

Also of note: we hitched to save money. A rickshaw from the train station to the caves would have been like 15 bucks, so Guy's Hindi skills came in handy. It's pretty easy--just stick out your thumb. I know this post will give my mom a heart attack but I felt so free. I am kind of a notorious "good girl" and it was nice to take a risk. I realize it is dangerous, especially in an unfamiliar place, but since we were with Guy(aka a man), there was less likelihood of trouble. Completely soaked, we enjoyed some hot roasted corn and chai, of course, before I returned to a mountain of Hindi homework and a shower. What a weekend! 

"Courage is the power to let go of the familiar."

                                                   -Raymond Lindquist