Hangin' Around at School

The school has traditionally been a hangout spot for parents (typically one is a stay-at-home-parent), but in the last few days, we've spotted some other visitors. These three bats have huddled in one of our courtyard trees close to picnic tables. Surprisingly, they don't seem to be bothered by kids passing by.

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Senate House, Architectural Marvel

Near the Marina Beach is the Indo-Saracenic Madras University, one of the oldest universities (1857) in India. Amongst the numerous red-brick buildings all jumbled together here is one that stands out for its stateliness and beauty. It is known as The Senate House. Designed by Robert Chisholm, it is a mixture of Byzantine and Saracenic styles. Recent restoration has paid off; one can marvel at the high ceiling, chiseled granite pillars, pointed archways, and beautiful stained glass windows. Tracery on large rounded windows reminded me of an Islamic rose window. I snapped this first photo before finding out that photography was not allowed. A man in the office told me that permission was not possible, but that I was free to take photos of the building off grounds. From just beyond the iron fence around the periphery, I took the second photo and many others. With my zoom lens, I was able to capture the decorative domes which reminded me a bit of Moorish architecture.
I still hope that I can somehow get permission to take photos of this impressive building, up close and taking the needed time. I'm not quite sure what the big deal is for prohibiting photography, but I do know that this building deserves to be shared and seen by the public.

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St. Andrew's Kirk, Chennai

In viewing distance from the Egmore Railway Station is St. Andrew's Kirk. This magnificent example of Neo-Classical architecture was modeled after St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in London. The stately Corinthian columns, white tapering steeple rising 50 meters (164 feet), and shallow masonry dome are just three of its distinctive features. Sitting in the rich mahogany pews, my eyes were immediately drawn to the arched stained glass windows above the altar. Its rich colors, ornate details, and depictions of the subjects beckoned a closer look. The dark dome contrasted with the cream-colored circular interior. Not visible but important engineering-wise is the solution to dealing with the sandy soil and flooding: A series of 150 wells made from curved bricks were sunk from 4-15 meters (13-49 feet) into the ground, thus allowing water to rise within them and protect the church structure. That would be cool to see!

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Chepauk Palace

I had seen a photo of the Chepauk Palace in a guidebook and knew approximately where it should be, but that didn't prevent me from almost missing it. As the taxi drove by a clustered bunch of buildings, I caught a brief glimpse of the tower, nearly obscured from view. When the Chepauk Palace was built in 1768, the area was quite wide open and spacious. Now, the small driveway with an unpretentious entrance, tiny grounds (actually, a pathetic stubble of grass along with dirt) and no signage seriously underscores the significance of the building in the history of Indian architecture. It is considered to be the forerunner of the Indo-Saracenic style which spread from Chennai to the rest of the Indian subcontinent. The tower had a Mughal feel to it, reminiscent of some of the buildings I had seen in Delhi. Its stripes reminded me of some of the Islamic architecture I had seen in Sarajevo. Sadly, there is a feeling of forgottenness and abandonment, the buildings and grounds in disrepair. Still, if you are in the area, it's still worth a visit to see this still-beautiful building.

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Egmore Railway Station, Chennai

Since I had to run an errand in northern Chennai, I decided to hire a taxi and take along my camera. This is the Egmore Railway station, an early 20th century building constructed in the Indo-Saracenic style. Note the unconventional flattish domes and narrow, pointed arches. As the main station connecting Chennai with the rest of Tamil Nadu and the south, you can imagine that it's a rather busy station. Of course, what India railway station isn't?

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Pookkalam and Lamps

Here is another pookkalam design, photographed in Adayar, Chennai. That evening, the streets were limited to pedestrian traffic only - and for good reason. With the lamps aglow, the atmosphere was both tranquil but festive. So simple, and yet intricate.

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More Pookkalam Designs

Here is another pookkalam design, made to celebrate the Kerala harvest festival of Onam. I love the small oil lamps lighting the center of this particular design. Note the flower petals in the center, lamp in the middle, and the symbols of the lit lamps around the circumference of the design.

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Happy Onam

Today marks the festival of Onam, a harvest festival originating in the South Indian state of Kerala. Nowdays Onam is celebrated in other states of India as well, particularly in Tamil Nadu, as it is the place of origin for many currently residing there. During Onam, multicolored floral decorations are laid out in ornate patterns on the ground in front of one's home. Due to reduced availability (and higher cost) of such flowers here in Tamil Nadu, colored powders supplement the more pure pookkalam designs. A lamp is traditionally placed in the middle of the pookkalam pieces.

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Temporary, Beautiful Art

Sunday was an auspicious day on the Hindu calendar, with many different festivals and celebrations overlapping on this day. For the special day, women in this Adayar neighborhood "went all out" and made some impressively large, beautiful kolams. Such kolams covered nearly the width of the streets, with very little room in between the next kolam. Virtually all used colored powder and most incorporated at least a bit of fresh flower petals. That evening the rains came, washing away any powder remaining after being walked on during by passers-by. I still find it amazing that such time and effort is devoted to something so temporary. At least I have the photos to enjoy it after the rains wash away the works of art.

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A Swine Flu Shrine?

Walking through Chennai, one can find shrines of all sizes and shapes, many which are tucked in rather humble or obscure places. This shrine is dedicated to Maari amman, the goddess regarded as having the power to bestow or remove life-threatening fevers. She is revered in Tamil villages in Sri Lanka and South India. Considering the recent outbreak of the H1N1 virus (aka "Swine Flu") in Chennai, it is quite possible that this shrine is set up to ward off the virus.

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Going eat at the Runs

This restaurant in my Chennai neighborhood specializes in intercontinental Indian and Chinese food and prides itself on rapid service, hence its name. Perhaps a restaurant in Indian English having "Runs" as part of its name is just fine, but to Westerners, that phrase connotes a whole different thing...

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Puja offerings for Ganesh

In front of the temple, one could buy an assortment of puja items for paying respects to Ganesh. While flowers of some sort are available on other occasions, the umbrellas are very particular to this festival. The small garlands of flowers are placed over the heads of the Ganesh sculptures.

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Ganesh and his Vehicle

Like all Hindu gods, Ganesh has a vehicle that he uses for transport; that of a rat/mouse. Note the black rodent in the base below Ganesh's belly. The size difference between the two creatures is rather interesting. Does the mouse assume a larger size or does the portly elephant god make himself lighter and smaller?

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Worship of Ganesh

In honor of Ganesh's birthday, Hindus lined up at this temple in my neighborhood, looking on as the priests performed pujas. Outside the temple, special floral garlands, ghee lamps, and bundles of leaves/grasses/petals were for sale.
Hindus invoke Ganesh's blessings before starting business ventures, getting married, house construction, or even embarking on a journey. Ganesh is also seen as a remover of obstacles.

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Happy Birthday, Ganesh!

Yes, it's another celebration in India. This time it's Ganesh's birtday, otherwise known as Ganesh Chaturti. On this day clay images of the elephant god Ganesh are made. After offerings and prayers have been made, the sculpture is then taken to the sea or river for immersion. Like most Indian holiday, this one also involves special sweets, with laddu and steamed rice dumplings stuffed with jaggery and coconut being made.

Below the photo of the clay Ganeshes we see a man and children selling colorful umbrellas to accompany the clay sculpture.

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Happy Independence Day, India!

August 15 marks the 62nd anniversary of India's independence from British rule. Unlike in the US where people would typically don clothing with patriotic colors or even elements of the flag, Indians in my neighborhood chose to display their patriotism in other ways. Schoolkids dressed in crisp uniforms all had small paper flags pinned to their tops. Several kolams incorporated Indian flags in their designs. Ever enterprising folks peddled around or set up shop on the sidewalk, selling small flags & other patriotic trinkets, along with balloons in the tricolors of the flag.
Happy Independence Day!

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Between the Waves

Fishermen brave the strong currents go out on their humble catamaran log boats for their daily catch. No doubt these men have to be quite strong to battle the powerful currents and waves. I wonder what happens when they get caught between incoming and outgoing waves...

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Slightly Shy

Parents in the neighborhood love to have their kids photographed. Often times the kids stiffen up and give the frozen look; others begin to cry; still others play the shy act, as this girl did. What a cutey though.

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Happy Janmashtami

Today is yet another festivity for Indians - Janmashtami, the birthday of the Hindu Lord Krishna. When I came home from school, one of my apartment neighbors was preparing a special kolam for the occasion. Baby-sized footprints made from watered-down rice flour adorned the steps leading up to her floor. The painted footprints led right to a special kolam which had footprints in the middle of the design as well. Those families with babies use real footprints, placing the baby's feet in the rice flour mixture and encouraging them to walk towards the door. South Indian women carry out this decoration with joy, knowing that Lord Krishna has blessed the family by entering the house.
Most households will also prepare some sweets said to have been enjoyed by Krishna. Butter and other dairy products are often a main ingredient. Traditionally the sweets were made by the women, but now (like my neighbor) it is often more convenient to buy them from a local sweet shop. Chanting, devotional songs, and dancing often accompanies this festival.

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Cool Enough for a Photo

These slightly older boys thought it important to give the "cool" look for their photo. I've seen makeshift cricket bats before, but I sure hope the nail-riddled board the boy here has won't be used for that!

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Here's Looking at You

There was something about this boy's eyes that compelled me to take such a close picture of him. Piercing, yet curious. Just after that he posed with other kids in a much more relaxed manner.

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Grinning Grannies

These two grannies were enjoying the slightly cooler (or less hot) temperatures in the late afternoon. I've taken photos of the toothless one sitting on the floor before, but this is the first time I've seen her more stoic sister. A great grinning duo.

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My First Earthquake

This morning around 1:30 AM I was awaken by the sensation of my bed shaking. For about 30 seconds it vibrated back and forth, followed by stillness. Indeed, a powerful earthquake (7.6) had hit the Indian Ocean about 257km (160 miles) north of Port Blair in the Andaman Islands. Tsunami warning were issues, but later expired without any occurrences. I'm glad my first earthquake occurred while laying down - safe position in my home. All piled up in a bus or just out there on a chaotic road would have been a potential scary situation.

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Spare Parts Toys

These boys don't need store bought toys to have fun. One boy rolled the bicycle tire down the lane with a stick, while the older boy carried a hand carved cricket bat. Have fun, boys!

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A kitty for the camera

Just like a little kid, this woman struggled to hold on to the kitty in order to be photographed. Whether it was a substitute for a child (many prefer to be photographed with their children) or she truly loved this kitty, I'm not sure. She sure is enjoying herself here though.

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My First Bollywood Movie

Even though this is now my second school year in India, there will still be a lot of "firsts." Today I went to the movie theatre with three Indian women from school. Tickets (between $1.30 and $3.14, depending on location) were purchased ahead of time, as most shows would be sell-outs, particularly during the weekend. After stepping through the metal detector, a lady asked to see my purse and then asked if I had any cameras. The air-conditioned theatre room was quite large, with the screen filling the entire front. We climbed the carpeted stairs up to our seats which were quite roomy. No sticky floors or left-over popcorn here; the rooms are cleaned thoroughly after every show.

After several commercials (no movie previews though), the movie began. As soon as the main male actor came on, some audience members began cheering and hooting. Same with the female actress, also light skinned. The love story took place in England, India, and San Francisco. No bed scenes here; only brief kissing. Profanity typically isn't present either, with only one instance in this movie - and it was bleeped. Dialogue was mostly in Hindi, with the occasional English word or phrase. I did pretty good at following what was going on and asked my friend for the occasional clarification. As any Indian performance should be, this movie didn't disappoint in terms of colorful, ornate costumes from Northern India. It's impossible to be in India without marveling at the exquisite textiles.

Most of the India scenes took place in Delhi. From my trip this spring, I recognized most of the sites, including the Qutb Minar, India Gate, and Red Fort. The movie also featured an extravagant wedding scene as only wealthy people in North India could do it.

As most Indian movies are long (2 1/2 -3 hours), a brief intermission was provided. We were already set with popcorn and soda so we stayed seated. The jingle of an Indian cell phone company played over and over (as it did before the movie), its annoying repetition only slightly lessened through variations on the tune. By the time the commercials finished once again, the seats were all filled.

I was told to expect three to four dance numbers. True to form, this movie had four full dance scenes, with more dancing interspersed in small doses. Suddenly people erupted in dance, swinging their hips and performing complicated synchronous moves. Most seemed rather incongruous with the scenes before it, but that didn't seem to matter. Audience members expected to see the dances and they were excited when it happened. While the final dance was in progress, the credits appeared and the exit door opened. I had now watched my first (full) Bollywood movie.

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Neighborhood walk

Yesterday afternoon I took a walk through the poor area of my neighborhood. Despite the poverty and dirt, this place always puts a smile on my face. Kids follow me, curious to see where I am going next, hoping to sneak in the next picture as well. Proud mothers and fathers hold up their babies to be photographed, excitedly showing neighbors the small preview on my camera. Lots of hands, both small and large were shaken, along with the traditional palms together greeting/gratitude. And once again there were several offers of coffee. Such smiling faces from young and old keep me coming back.
This week I'll post some of the photos I took from the neighborhood. Perhaps they'll put a smile on your face as well.

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Fed Ex, India Style

Fed Ex centers come in all different sizes - and construction materials...

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The Milk Man Cometh

Early every morning this spot in my neighborhood is transformed into a milk distribution center. Delivery people load up their bikes or baskets (often balanced on the head) and distribute the small plastic bags to the doors of customers. Fresh milk is used in large quantities both for coffee and chai.

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Scents of the Spice Warehouse

Spices have gone through the port of Cochin (Fort Kochi) in Kerala for thousands of years. Aromatic mixtures of many spices filled the air of the rather dilapidated warehouse, the contents of which are still destined for domestic and international markets.

Color pencil. See more of my India artwork:

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Charming the Snake

I recently finished this color pencil drawing of a man from Jaipur playing a pungi instrument. He deftly practiced circular breathing, manipulating the double reed instrument made from a gourd. His pungi had a brass-colored tube attached to it, extending quite a ways out. Was this to provide a buffer between himself and the snake?

See more of my India paintings:

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Back in Chennai

Well, after three long flights I am back in Chennai. Ripe sour cherry trees and temps in the 60's (16° C) were replaced with coconut palms and sultry temperatures. Rolling quiet country roads were superseded by flat concrete roads filled with chaotic traffic. Instead of cherry soup, I'm once again eating rice-based dishes. Now begins more adventures in India, starting with school tomorrow.

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Even they have to sleep

This cricket field on an early Monday morning was a stark difference to the scene yesterday, when the area was the scene of at least 8 different teams all crammed on the area. I guess even die-hard cricket players have to sleep and work!

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EAA AirVenture

Small (and sometimes strange-looking) airplanes flying over my parents' house near Theresa, WI signaled the start of the EAA AirVenture show taking place in Oshkosh, WI. This is the premiere air show, particularly for experimental aircraft. In a typical year, about 2,500 show aircrafts participate, including home-built ones, antiques, classics, "warbirds," ultralights, and rotorcraft. This year the massive Airbus A380 is the star attraction.

The EAA show is THE major event in the region, contributing to the economy of places well over an hour away from the show. Try to find a hotel during that time. Restaurants hire extra workers; small county airports suddenly are full; enterprising people open up their fields or driveways for parking; tents sprawl over areas. Approximately 800,000 people attend the event annually.

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Not Your Grandfather's Farm

Today I attended Wisconsin's Farm Technology Days with my parents, held near Waterloo in Dodge County. This annual event was hosted on the farm of the Crave brothers who own a state-of-the-art farm. By contrast to my parents' small farm which had 30 milking cows and 80 acres of land, this farm has approximately 2,000 cows and young stock and 1,800 acres. In recent years an on-site cheese factory was added, enabling the family to retain profits rather than simply accepting paltry raw milk prices. The tour revealed automation and the presence of technology in every aspect of the operation. Computerized cow ear tags reveal detailed information about the cow. Special fans with misters automatically regulate the temperature and humidity. Cows were herded and pushed into the milking parlor area in an efficient manner with an automated device. High-tech tractors costing around $500,000 loomed large. The operation was clean and efficient. The farm also has two anaerobic manure digesters that utilize methane from manure, generating enough electricity to power 550 typical Wisconsin homes. The dried solid portion of the manure is being used for livestock bedding and is the main ingredient in a potting mix product. For large farms, it is quite likely that more companies will seek these alternate energy partnerships in the future. This makes SO much more sense than the ridiculous "cow fart" tax proposed by the governor.

Pictured above: The Crave family farm

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Lace of the fields

Lining the edges of our rural Wisconsin road is the Queen Anne's Lace wildflower. Upon closer inspection, one can see the delicate snowflake radial sections - another example of God's magnificent creation.

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Theresa Marsh and farm

This picture was photographed from the Theresa Marsh in southeastern Wisconsin. The farm on the hill is where I grew up, in the family homestead since 1858.

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Sandhill Cranes

Often times on our walks we see sandhill cranes congregating in the fields or flying above. Their call is not melodic but is rather loud, definitely announcing their presence. Wisconsin is one of the major summer breeding grounds for these tall grey birds who prefer open meadows, grasslands, and wetlands - making the Theresa Marsh (part of the largest freshwater marsh in North America) a prime spot.

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To my sister and others serving our country

This posting is dedicated to my sister Sherri serving in Iraq and all the others who have served our country, both in war and peace time.
As Sherri's Facebook profile states: "Remember… only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom." ~Author unknown

We're proud of you, Sherri.

Also on this photo is my niece, Amanda, daughter of Sherri. She has also joined the Armed Forces.

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