Happy New Year - Tamil Style

When teaching in Chennai, the capital city of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, I particularly enjoyed walking the streets during main holidays. On such special occasions,  the daily white rice flour kolams rendered by women In front of homes and some businesses were replaced with colorful designs. On particularly important festivities such as Pongal (harvest festival) and weddings, the particularly large kolam might extend well into the road as well. In the photo above we see a woman working on the kolam she made for New Years. 

Tweet

India Reflections

So now my four years in India are over. I've met such wonderful, warm people, both at school and within communities around the country. I've had the opportunity to experience glimpses all over "Incredible India" –from the temples and churches of Tamil Nadu to the lush coconut backwaters of Kerala, to the deserts & fortresses of Rajasthan to the snowy mountains of Kashmir. I've been fortunate to have witnessed a variety of handicrafts being made. It never ceases to amaze me how India's artisans are able to transform simple threads into masterpieces; zardosi, silk saris, bandini tie dyeing, ikat weaving, and endless types of embroidery. Such a rich artistic heritage. Reflecting back though, I would have to say that India's greatest wealth is its people. I will miss the many citizens of India who were my colleagues for four years, as well as the many others I have met while living and traveling in the incredibly diverse subcontinent.

Tweet

Red on Green

Amidst the fluttering butterflies, I spotted this insect, whose intense red coloring contrasted sharply with the green leaves. 

Tweet

Picking Out the Fish

After an early morning fishing excursion, these men are picking out the small fish entangled in their nets.

Tweet

Morning Milk Delivery

For many residents of Chennai, milk delivery is still a part of their daily ritual. Some walk to the distribution corners, such as this one at the end of my street. Others, such as the man by the motorcycle, loads large amounts into bags and then delivers the plastic sachets to customers. All this must be done rather quickly in order to beat the South Indian heat.

Tweet

Republic Day in India

 

January 26 is a national holiday in India. On this date in 1950, the country's Constitution came into force and India became a sovereign nation. For Gandhi and those who fought bravely for the nation, some goals and dreams were finally realized. As part of the celebrations, a major parade is held in New Delhi and some major cities. While going for a walk this morning, I spotted these flags and garland of flowers over a gate. Happy Republic Day, India!

Tweet

Word of the Week: Rain

More in the tail end of the normal monsoon season, the rains of the past week have been a bit unexpected.
 In just a 24 hour period, parts of Tamil Nadu received nearly 7 inches (17 cm) of rain. In Chennai, it rained nearly nonstop (and quite heavy at times) from late Saturday morning through Monday night. Normals for the Oct-Dec Monsoon season are about 376 mm; during that time, it has rained over 562 mm (22 inches).

My neighborhood fared much better than others, with only large puddles or isolated flooded areas in the next morning. Flooded streets made things miserable for commuters who struggled to find taxis, since most did not show up for work and the few around were in high demand. Many refused to pick up people in areas known to have high water. Auto rickshaw drivers were also hesitant to go through high waters, and those that did charged exorbitant rates.  Cycle rickhaws were in big demand in certain areas.Buses (again, far fewer available since many drivers didn't show up)  operated at a snail's pace through the waters, making commutes time intensive. Downed trees and branches also added to the road challenges.

 

While the rain was an inconvenience to some, it was potentially devastating to others. Street vendors and flower sellers were particularly hard hit. In rural areas,  rushing waters washed away roads, destroyed homes of simple construction, and submerged paddy fields - with some expecting more than a 50% loss in crop yield. With rice such a staple part of the diet, a combination of decreased supply and likely higher prices will make their already insufficient diet even more meager.

Tweet

Team Fishermen

When a fishing boat comes to shore, a number of men and boys immediately comes to its aid, helping to push the boat farther on the sand and carry the heavy-looking nets to a flat area near the huts for sorting the catch. A real sense of teamwork and community collaboration.

Tweet

Direct Look

There's something piercing about the direct look this boy, a son of a Chennai fisherman gave me. Is it confidence? Yearning? Something else?

Tweet

Three Fishermen in a Row

The sun still rising, these three fishermen are relaxing after being out in the boats very early in the morning. Note the typical plaid dhotis they are wearing, which tends to be cooler than pants.

Tweet

Boats and Bundles

After the morning catch along Elliot's Beach in Chennai, the boats are pulled up on the sand and nets bundled up. Between the boats, bundles, and garbage, it can be a challenge to walk through the area.

Tweet

Here Cometh the Veggie Seller

Many people cycle through the streets, hoping to sell their goods or perform a service. The coffee man dispenses his sweet liquid in tiny plastic cups to regular customers - who unfortunately promptly throw them along the curb. Milk and newspapers are delivered every morning. Carts of bananas or veggies is another common sight, with the vendor stopping by regular customers. Carrying my veggies purchased from a local store, I walked past a veggie cycle. That man's cauliflower looked better than what I had just bought! Maybe I'll be able to see the man peddling by this weekend and stop him....

Tweet

Tying up the Fish Net

All done with fishing for the morning, this man is tying up his nets. Wonder how much he caught?

Tweet

A Fisherman and His Son

While walking on the shores of Elliot's Beach in Chennai, this fisherman asked me if I would take the photo of him and his child. I loved the way he tenderly held his child - whom I presumed was a girl until I saw  a more frontal view.

Tweet

Papilionidae Butterfly

Even though this Papilionidae butterfly is not the most brilliant of colors, I found it to be quite striking on this flower. Its long "tail" hung down the flower. The predominantly brown color contrasted quite nicely with the red flame-like petals and green leaves. Another example of God's beautiful creation.

Tweet

Happy Karthikai Deepam, Tamil Nadu!

The fireworks & firecrackers going off tonight are good reminders that it's once again festival time in Chennai. This one, called Karthikai Deepam, is essentially a festival celebrated by Tamil Hindus. It takes place on the day when the full moon is lined up with the constellation of Karthigai. The six stars in this constellation are part of Hindu mythology. In the evening on this day, lamps are lit in rows by homes and along streets. These lamps are said to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to the residents of those homes.

Here is the kolam my former neighbor made in front of her apartment door. A much more serene scene than the firecrackers exploding in front of my apartment this year!

Tweet

Ayudha Puja Time again

Already in the airport, I saw signs of today's festivities. One of the computer monitors had the sandalwood paste splattered over it. On the way home from the airport, banana stalks were flapping in the breeze, attached to the sides of the auto rickshaws. Motorbikes, buses, cars, bikes, and even the local recycling dude's tricycle cart had garlands of flowers and other decorations on them. Special stands were set up for auto rickshaws where they could get the TLC makeover treatment for their vehicles - wash and decoration. Over some businesses, one could find more floral garlands and hanging palm frond decorations.

Read more about this festival honoring/worshiping the implements of labor on my blog post from last year: http://melissaenderle.blogspot.com/2009/09/ayudha-puja-decorations-begin.html

Tweet

Ganesh Parade

Upon completion of the puja, several eager devotees took hold of the long log handle of the float to begin the procession. Nadaswaram horn players and some Mirdangam drummers led the parade, followed by some devotees (mostly men). The priest continued to perform pujas along the route. 

As it was getting late and the procession rather repetitive, I decided to escape the mosquitoes and humidity and enjoy my air-conditioned apartment.

Tweet

Ganesh Revealed

 

At around 9pm, the veil was lifted off of Ganesh's head. A priest began performing the puja in front of an anticipatory crowd. The floodlights from the platform of the float cast an eerie mixture of light and shadow on the priest. At one point, the lamp the priest was waving around was set down, with items near it catching fire. In typical Indian style, he calmly doused the fire and continued on as if nothing happened. 

 
 

Coconuts, flowers, and some liquid within this shallow bowl were offered to Ganesh. 

Tweet

Demolition Crew - Indian Style

In my Adyar neighborhood in Chennai, lots of construction is going on. Two-story homes are being demolished and apartment buildings going up in their place. So now instead of hearing birds chirp last Saturday morning, I heard the sound of jackhammers and pounding. Demolition vehicles are not shown in the picture - because they weren't used at all. Manual labor is what is preferred in India. After all, you can employ more people and pay them a small wage. A palm thatched wall hides most of the construction, but if you look up, you will see several men using hand tools to knock down the walls. No hard hats. No shoes either. Below, you see several women wearing saris who are often used to carry things during construction, such as bowls of cement on their heads.

Tweet