Heading to the Himalayas

To all my friends and family,

First off, I wanted to say thank you to all of you who take the time to read about what I am up to. It is nice to know that others are reading about my experiences. Even though I am not able to keep in touch with all of you individually, and even less so now that I am in the mountains, it is nice to think that we are keeping in touch in some way. 

On Monday I began my experience of the independent study portion of our trip with a 6:00 am train to Delhi. A group of students were starting their travels this way as well, so we were able to keep each other company for the first leg of the journey. Once we arrived in Delhi, I separated from the group and found a taxi to take me to an activists apartment in Delhi. I spent the next two days there listening to stories about the fight against the Tehri Dam and reading his documents. During this time a BBC film crew arrived and I discovered that we would be meeting them in Uttarakhand and traveling with them as they collected stories and film about water issues in the state. My activist friend was going to help them because of his connections with the rehabilitated communities and knowledge of the dam development. 

(While I was in Delhi it rained and thunder-stormed for the first time since I have been in India. I hadn't realized how much I missed rain until it was pouring down in front of me. I couldn't help my eyes from tearing up slightly as stared out into the storm and reached my hand out to feel the drops falling from the sky.)

On Tuesday night we took a bus to Hardwar and met the film crew in a hotel for a few more hours of sleep. Then we started off the day by visiting communities that has been displaced by the Tehri dam and were relocated to Hardwar. Here we met a community that was living on infertile land and was planning to leave this land that the government had provided for them. Their livelihood was dependent on agriculture and they could not grow good quality crops on the land they has been relocated to. We also visited other communities that had problems with their drinking water. In these cases their was a canal near by with Ganga water from the dam that they could not use because it was going to other states for irrigation or drinking water. The sad irony is that this huge hydro-power project is not benefiting the people in the state of Uttarakhand, yet they continue to bear the burden of all the consequences of these massive development projects.

After these interviews we made our way to Rishikesh, and then started our journey up the mountains. We were traveling up to the dam site in the Garhwal Himalaya mountain region. By car it took us two hours of traveling up and down windy roads, around and through mountain sides, until we reached our destination. This mountain environment was unlike any I have ever seen before. It was scattered with villages, streams, vegetation, and terraced farmland carved into the sides of the mountains. Due to the twists and turns of the road, motion sickness got the best of me once on the way up, and once on the way back. Luckily, after a quick stop I was recovered enough to continue our journey. Our kindhearted driver played lively indian music for me during these slightly embarrassing moments, and everyone in the car quickly lifted my spirits back up. :)

We spent one full day in New Tehri town, which was one of the main resettlement sites for the displaced people of Old Tehri town. Old Tehri town was completely submerged by the reservoir of the Tehri dam, which is one of the largest dams in Asia. We visited a community in the town which was given tin-sheds as compensation for displacement. I spent time with the young girls in this community and enjoyed playing and talking with them. Their mother was interviewed by BBC about their troubles since resettlement. She explained that they receive water from the reservoir but it is not consistent and sometimes does not come out of the spigot for days. Furthermore, the water is not clean and is making her young son sick, but there is no proper hospital to treat his illness in Tehri. She is also concerned about saving dowry for her young daughters to marry. This experience made a lasting impression on all of us, and I hope to visit them again before the end of my independent study.

We also visited the dam site before leaving the mountains. It was a conflicting moment, which is a feeling I always have when observing complex power-generation facilities. On one hand the technology is impressive and overwhelming, but it is also painful to think of all the consequences and impacts that occurred in order to build the massive Tehri dam.

At the end of the week I reluctantly said goodbye to my traveling crew and took a jeep ride to Dehradun.  I am still reflecting on how fortunate I was to experience and observe so many unforgettable things in just a matter of 4 days with such generous people. Now I am in Dehradun, and will I continue my study of the Tehri dam here for the next few days. 

Wishing you all well, 

TayTay

The wall of role models at the apartment in Delhi.

The kitchen where debates about Gandhi ji, hindi and english lessons,
environmental lectures, and cooking lessons were held nightly.

The Ganga in Hardwar and the beginning of our trip in Uttarakhand.

Jill and Andy in action at the first filming and interview of a rehabilitated family in Hardwar.

Jill and the first interviewee. 

Lots of activities along the Ganga in Rishikesh. 

We had to stop during the 2 hour windy drive up to Tehri because I was motion sick. :P
This is our kind-hearted driver who always made me smile.

One of the most beautiful views I have ever seen from New Tehri Town.

The sweetest little girl who I hope to visit again one day. You cannot help but be happy when you see her smile.

The view of the reservoir at the Tehri Dam. This is where Old Tehri Town used to exist before it was submerged.

Workshop week in Pune

My first trip to the south-western region and coast of India!

You may be wondering why I am so far away from my familiar state of Rajasthan, and I can tell you I was thinking the same thing. This opportunity arose because part of the program includes breaking into small groups and going to different areas all over India for one week. This allows us to concentrate on a particular topic within sustainable development and social change, while gaining more practical experience for our independent study projects. My initial instinct was to go to a rural area and learn about sustainable agriculture... But during the decision process something told me I should go to the Pune trip, which is a beautiful city south of Mumbai. The theme of this trip was the urban crisis in India and urban development. Our contact in Pune was one of our guest lecturers, Professor Parwar, who also is a Professor of Architecture at Cummins College of Engineering for Women. He set the schedule for us each day, which usually consisted of some educational lecture in the morning, interactions with the students and faculty, and then an excursion to different development sites in Pune. It was a very busy schedule, but we certainly did learn a lot about urban planning.

This trip was one of my most challenging weeks thus far, but it was also really rewarding. As I reflect on the week since returning to Jaipur, I do not regret my decision to go to Pune. I think I needed the challenge of quickly adapting to a new city and region of India, while getting a much more intimate look at the urban side of sustainable development. I was surprised at how different this region of India is compared to the north. The city of Pune was much more progressive. Many people were not dressed in traditional indian outfits, which is one of the first observations we all made. Second, the food is much spicier! It was also apparent that more women and younger people were out on the streets later into the night, which is unheard of in Jaipur. I think there are many variables involved in the differences between Pune and Jaipur, but it was eye-opening to observe and compare.

There are so many things I could say about urban development, but I will keep it to a few main thoughts. As we visited different development strategies in and around the city, I was sad to see the large influence western developers are having on Indian cities like Pune. Some developers are building neighborhoods and advertising them as an answer to the urban crisis, when in reality they do not provide any relief to this problem. Lavasa is a development in the mountains about an hour from Pune that is suppose to relieve the housing crisis, when really they are just selling second homes and vacation houses for the elite class. It is disappointing to see that developers are coming here and making the same mistakes and problems that they do in the states. However, I have a lot of hope that, although mistakes will be made, India can learn from western development and will successfully address their urban crisis. We also saw some success stories in the city and the slums. Although I learned a lot about the wrong way to develop, I also have a better understanding of what a successful alternative urban development could look like.

Well, sorry for the rant! I will cut myself off now.
Here are some of my favorite pictures from the week in Pune...

During our first day in Pune we went on a Heritage Walk to understand the architecture and history of the city.

Professor Parwar orienting us to Pune (great shot of our program directors Awadhesh ji and Trilochan ji on the left)

Visit to a Shiva ji temple on a hill overlooking the city of Pune.

My first dam sighting in India. On the way to Lavasa, a western style development in the mountains.

Jen and I making the most of our cramped car rides!

Beautiful chalk drawing outside one of the Colleges we visited in Pune.

One of my favorite temples in a mature slum development in Pune.

This man had great style. Couldn't resist snapping a shot of him.

A curious little girl in the neighborhood

Looking out onto the Arabian sea in Mumbai!

A few young musicians I met next to the Mumbai train station

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears...?

Namaste from Ranthambore!

After Holi we had a free three day weekend, so some of the students from my group and I planned a trip to go to a town only a few hours away from Jaipur called Sawai Modhpur. This town is just a few miles from the Ranthambore National park and tiger preserve. This is where we spent a relaxing and adventure filled weekend. We even took a safari through the park in the hopes of spotting a tiger. Unfortunately, the tigers were not too keen on being seen that day.. haha. It's getting late here, so I will let the pictures speak for themselves tonight.

 Cleaning up, a common site the morning after Holi in Jaipur.

Cow with a tika!

Biking with kids in Ranthambore! Use those muscles Melissa!

Jake biking as one of the boys gets ready to hop on the back!

Building up our hopes of spotting a Tiger on the safari..

We were invited in for chai at the house of a local family. Indian hospitality is truly one of a kind.

Another chai break before the safari... :)

Our tour guide in the national park. He was quite a character.
"No, there is no poaching here. Yes, poaching is a big problem here..." hmmm...

Light savers? No, just a wedding party!

Second wedding of the night! Thanks Ranthambore!

Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Holi!

Happy belated Holi everyone!

The second excursion that the program took us on was to different parts of the beautiful state of Rajasthan. During this week long trip we learned a lot about desert communities and different social, economic, environmental, and political issues occurring throughout the state. It was great to learn more about the state that we consider our home away from home. As we ventured into the sandy desert, which consists of many roads through seemingly barren land that connect communities and small cities, I felt like I was experiencing a desert for the first time. I was very excited to see real cacti and the desert environment. At first the desert was deceiving, and I felt as though it would not be as exciting or alluring at the beautiful mountains in the north. I was proven wrong, and quickly fell in love with the desert environment as well. I loved relaxing on the rooftop of our hotel at the end of our long days and taking in the beautiful stars and nightlife of the city. One of the perks of the desert is the fresh air and breezes. Especially at night when the land cools down and a calm wind runs over the city.

This excursion was also an unforgettable learning experience. We visited a desert community where the village is divided by a road, and a different caste lives on each side. We had the opportunity to break into groups and ask the women and men more about their lifestyle, water issues, social issues, and so on. The experience opened my eyes to how invisible the caste system, and similar issues such as tension between religions, can be when you are not a part of the system. If we had not been told that the village was divided by caste, I would have never come to that conclusion on my own. We also visited a Pakistani refugee camp, which is becoming one of the many communities for Pakistani refugees in Rajasthan.

When the group reflected on our experiences at the end of the excursion we all talked about what our place is as outsiders looking in, visiting these villages, and India in general. We all agree that there is so much for us to learn, and there are a lot of lessons we will take back to our communities at home. However, it is very clear that it is not our place to make decisions, changes, or judgements, and we must be very careful as we piece together our interpretations. Our western perspectives greatly affect the way we view things. Realizing this, and taking our perspectives into consideration as we learn and observe is key to getting the most out of this experience.

Here is a short look into the desert life.. enjoy!

Missing you all,
Tay

The streets of Jodhpur.. gotta love those camels!

Barber shop.. almost time for a hair cut?

Fresh fruit and street smoothies in Bikaner

Desert community near Bikaner

The word is spreading of our arrival...

One of the homes and families we visited in the desert community

Getting ready for Holi!

Clock tower in the old city of Jodhpur

Having some fun at the Pakistani refugee community

Happy Holi!

More Holi colors in Jodhpur

One of the many water and color fights we had on Holi. :P

Rajput Wedding

Hello family and friends,

I am now in the process of catching up with my blog posts.. so please bare with me as I recount the past few weeks. During one of our weeks in Jaipur I was lucky enough to attend a wedding of one of my family members (my Indian host family). This was a fun event, but it really meant a lot to me because of the preparations I experienced with my host sister and mother. My host sister gave me one of her saris and jewelry to borrow for the event. While she was getting ready, my host mother (more like a grandmother to me) called me over to her and proceeded to wrap me up in the sari. This may seem like a typical scene in an indian household, but it meant a lot to me that my family was taking so much care in preparing me for the wedding. It really made me feel like a part of the family.

So, with that being said.. here are some of my favorite pictures of my Indian family.

My host sister, Shree, and I at the wedding. (In the women's section)

My grandmother on the far right, and her two sisters to her left.

A good portion of the women in my Rajput family in their traditional clothing.

My grandmother and I. :)

Shree ji and Momi ji in our living room.

Holy Cow, India!

To those I carry in my heart,

Over the past few weeks I have witnessed and been a part of so many moments that I wish I could spend hours sharing with all of you. At the end of my birthday week I only had a few short days to reflect before heading out to the next trip. Now I hope to share a few key memories with all of you from the past few weeks, which have been the most important I have had in India thus far. I feel my mind is still weeks behind in processing everything I am encountering and experiencing here. However, as the students in my group begin to open up and understand each other on a deeper level, we are able to support, encourage, and facilitate each other's reflection process. I will say one interesting thing I am experiencing is not only the thought process of life here in India, but also a deeper reflection of my life back home. I am sure many others, including those on my trip, find that learning about other communities, cultures, and environments greatly impacts your understanding and perspective on the life you have left behind.

The first trip out of Rajasthan was to Dehradun and Rishikesh, in the northern state of Uttarakhand, during the week of my 21st birthday. The entire group took an overnight train to the state which is in the foothills of the Himalayas. Unfortunately, during this 11 hour train ride my body decided to reject something I had digested. This lead to me "tossing my cookies" onto the train tracks multiple times. I would say this was clearly low point. It took me the next to weeks to recover from nausea and lasting side-effects of this illness. It is also funny and worth reporting that when I went to the doctor upon returning to Jaipur, I was diagnosed with Gastritis. After a sufficient dose of medication, I am happy to report that my health has returned to normal and I am able to digest Indian food once again. Shabash! (Translation: bravo! or hurrah! in hindi)

Now that we have gotten that important detail out of the way, onto the highlights of the trip. In Uttarakhand we visited Vandana Shiva's farm and seed bank, known as Navdanya. The farm land was filled with beautiful fields of many different crops. We also stayed in yurt type buildings filled with twin beds, which added to the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. The night before my birthday we stayed on the farm and some friends from the program organized a bon-fire, where our group and people working on the farm sang, danced, and played music late into the night. The next day we learned about the farm and we were fortunate enough to participate in a compost demonstration. What more could I ask for on my birthday!? We also travelled to an NGO in Dehradun that day and we had chocolate cake for my b-day, which was smeared all over my face of course! Gotta love those Indian traditions. The next day we visited a beautiful traditional village, which this organization works with to provide the children with education, as well as other resources. It was our first experience visiting a village and facing the challenge of communicating with a community in Hindi and through translators. It was fun to get a chance to play games with the children, but also thought provoking for many reasons. We were shocked at how hard it is to even teach a game to children when faced with cultural and language barriers.

After this experience we had another night in Dehradun. The next morning we learned more about this fantastic NGO and then we travelled to Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world AND the headwaters of the Ganges. It was refreshing to explore this little town, observe a puja at the Ganges, and attend an early morning yoga class. I will wrap up this post since it is getting lengthy!

Here are some pictures to go along with the highlights from this trip:

A few of the children we met at the village

Lauren along the river where the kids took us to play

Pathways through the Navdanya farm

Navdanya and one of their faithful dogs

Games and Materials used by an NGO in Dehradun, RLEK, to work with woman.

Bridge over the Ganges in Rishikesh

Beautiful view from the river bank

Me after I dipped my feet in the Ganga!

The end of a beautiful sunset.

A fun moment as we say are final goodbyes to Rishikesh.