Garbage Mountain and the Vegetable Fields

With surprisingly light traffic, we quickly made it out of the main city.  On both sides of the road were small fields of vegetables. Due to the festivals of Kali Puja and Diwali, only a few workers were in the fields, weeding and attending to the small cauliflower. My motorcycle guide was keen to point out the huge garbage dump off to one side. A few gypsies were picking through items in front. Adding to the rather incongruous scene was an ice cream cart, rolling its way down the lonely road as if it were the most natural place to be. Back on the motorcycle, we drove past several crude buildings where recycling of leather, paper, plastic, and other items took place. 

Tweet

Park Street Cemetery

Through a pair of barred gates was an equally tranquil place - the Park Street Cemetery. Dating back to 1767, this cemetery is the resting place for VIP Europeans who died in Kolkata. Early morning fog magnified the feeling of mystique; the dew made the slightly mossy walkways a bit slippery. Large, but simple tombs lined the walkway. Some were tall and cubical, others had a slender pyramid on top. With archways and columns, others looked like a compact building. Moss and vines provided ornamentation to the otherwise plain tombs. 

Tweet

The Mother House

The first place we visited is fondly known as The Mother House. The building was very unassuming and simple. In one corner near the entrance was an enclosed statue of Mary and a larger bronze statue of an older Mother Theresa, slightly stooped over and fingering her rosary. Still an active house with nuns, photography was permitted only in the room where Mother Teresa’s body was interred. Inside this room illuminated mainly with the light of the windows and open doorway was the focal point - her tomb. A visitor kneeled at the far end of the tomb, saying a silent prayer. A nun gently placed a lit candle near the top end of the smooth white marble surface. A cross and the words “I belong to Jesus” composed cleverly out of marigold petals decorated the otherwise plain, flat surface. In the adjacent area was a museum area containing information about this revered Albanian and some of her items. On the way up the stairs to Mother Teresa’s room, we saw nuns washing white and blue saris by hand, engaged, but appearing satisfied. Her room consisted of a simple twin bed, table with equally worn benches, desk, a crown of thorns on the wall, a framed photo of Pope John Paul II, and a few other basic items. 

Tweet

Kolkata - Drive-by Shaving

Despite having arrived back from the Sunderbans around 10 pm, I was ready to go for a motorcycle tour through Kolkata early the following morning. It was the day of Diwali, so I was eager to see how this bustling cultural capital of India would celebrate this country-wide festival of lights.

On my walk over to the tour agency, I walked through a narrow street. One one side, people were sitting on makeshift stone benches, reading the paper. On the other, people were brushing their teeth, washing clothes and dishes, and getting a shave. Once you were done with your morning preparations, the stalls next door were available to serve you chai (sweet milky spiced tea) and various fried breakfast foods. If it hand’t been for the hand-carried rickshaws also plying through the same narrow lane, it could have been like walking through the bathroom and kitchen of a house.

Tweet

Leaving the Island

Our boat trip now done, a bicycle taxi once again picked us up and pedaled us through the island to pick up the boat taxi. This driver was rather “horn-happy,” squeezing the bulb horn as a regular communication tool. Others chimed in, dinging their bicycle bells or more robust motorbike horn. With several simultaneously honking, it could have been part of an Indian symphony. With evening soon setting, a fog began to descend over the rice paddies. Older girls and women carried water to their homes. A small child held his mother’s hand, skipping along the narrow dirt path past the rice paddy near their home. The small market area was bustling with those buying produce or picking out the choice firecrackers. Music blasted from the temples and small shops. Men played cards in near darkness. The homes of many now disappeared in the darkness. Others were lit by a single kerosene lamp or light bulb (some powered by solar electricity). The single bell at a church clanged, inviting worshippers as we departed the island. The taxi boat made its way in virtual darkness, guided by experience and the lights coming from the distant shore. 

Tweet

Stilts and Tusks

The roots of the mangrove trees fascinated me. The long Rizophora stilt roots made it appear as if the tree could suddenly get up and walk away. The roots of other trees snaked along the muddy surface. The abundant breathing roots grew upward out of the anaerobic mud to breathe, peppering large swathes around the tree with finger-like projections. Some of these breathing roots were taller, resembling curved tusks. 

Tweet

Wildlife at Low Tide

The boat chugged its way through some of the five interconnected rivers as well as a few smaller ones. As the water receded once again, I could see how an understanding of the river topography would be invaluable in successful navigation. What was completely flooded several hours ago was now a steep mounded bank. An egret stood in the remaining trickle of water flowing in the clay valley. Several types of colorful crabs and conical shelled creatures abounded on the shores. Shore birds such as the curlew and Indian Pond Heron combed the mud for tasty morsels. Other animals spotted included several Ganges River dolphins, wild hogs, wild roosters, and spotted deer.

Tweet

Patiently Waiting

Although even larger than the monitor lizard, the crocs in the Sunderbans were also difficult to spot. (Estuarine crocodiles can reach up to 10 m - 32 feet in length). It amazed me how they could hold perfectly still and then suddenly bolt, running on their short feet towards the river, perhaps for a tasty fish snack. It may also prey on large animals. The Estuarine crocodiles are critically endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.

Tweet

Leaping Lizards!

Perfectly camouflaged with the clay soil, it certainly would have been a lot easier to spot the monitor lizards had they done a bit of leaping. This lizard was likely going on a feeding frenzy, enjoying all the crustaceans crawling about - along with the occasional fish, eggs, and perhaps even some ground birds. From this photo it is difficult to visualize its size, but the Bengal monitor lizard can reach a size of 175 cm - about 5 3/4 feet!

Tweet

High Tide Wildlife

During high tide, all I spotted were a few monkeys and some birds. After a few hours, the stilt roots of the Rizophora trees began appearing. The lower leaves revealed the typical high tide level, now tinted a lighter color with salt deposits. As the clay ground emerged, so did more animals. 

Tweet

High Tide!

As I made my way back to the boat, I was shocked to see how vastly the scene had changed in an hour. The tide had come in, flooding the area, submerging trees up to their lower branches. The boat had drifted a bit, so they had to pole it in in order for me to board. After breakfast and a short stop at a visitor center, the boat motored down the river. Our guide explained that there were 102 islands (mostly forested) in the Sunderbans, with 54 of those inhabited. Some are kept exclusively for wildlife. Covering an area of 18,000 sq. km (6,950 ft), the  Sunderbans (a portion in West Bengal and the rest in Bangladesh) is both a UNESCO World Heritage site and a Tiger Reserve. I didn’t expect to see any of the illusive Bengal tigers, but would simply enjoy the natural beauty of the mangroves. 

Tweet

Early Morning walk in a Sunderbans Village

After being awoken at dawn by the unwelcome serenading of a mosquito, I got up and observed my surroundings from the boat’s deck. Still early, everything was quiet. Still low tide, the boat was currently marooned a fair distance on grey clay. The cement dock led to the steeply embanked clay path, over the protective embankment, and into the village. 

Within the hour, the sleepy village residents began to stir. Walking around brushing one’s teeth seemed to be in fashion. A yellow metal iron-gridded school bus trike made its way on the narrow path. A young boy led its black groat through the quiet street. Spotting a small pond with water lilies, I climbed down to its shore. From here I paused for a while, admiring the tranquil scene and several photos as the golden rising sun cast its warm colors and light on the lilies and pads. 

Tweet

Canoe Ride in the Sunderbans

Once in the canoe, we were rowed past small fishing boats with a short semi-circular shelter. Kingfisher birds of varying colors perched on top of poles and branches. From the muddy shores, birds such as Indian pond herons searched for fish, tadpoles, and crustaceans. Crabs merrily scampered along the muddy beach. In the calm waters, tiny fish skipped across the surface. The sky now changing from a warm orange to pink, a few fishermen were spotted, casting their nets from the muddy shore. Flocks of birds flew across the sky, mere silhouettes at dusk. With the light rapidly fading, our expert rower navigated to the large boat that would be our abode for the night and tour vehicle the next day. After some live entertainment by several local Bengali musicians, we headed below deck for the night. 

Tweet

A Marooned Boat and a Mudskipper

Near where the goats were happily nibbling away on the breathing roots of some mangrove trees, a canoe lay marooned on the bed of very mucky clay. A very wet zigzag led down to the river, indicating that even this height would be underwater come high-tide. At this time though, it seemed to be improperly placed.

Walking carefully on the raised mud path, I spotted a mudskipper fish below, successfully walking on the mud with its pectoral fins and looking rather muppet-like with its closely-placed beady eyes.

Tweet

Nibbling At the Roots

Much like anywhere, these goats wander through the area in search for food, nibbling at whatever might possibly be edible. These goats in the Sunderbans schlepped through the muck and appeared to nibble at  the breathing roots (pneumatophores) of the mangrove trees. (Pneumatophores help trees in these soil-poor clay soil areas to receive sufficient oxygen). The breathing roots here were quite small and likely rather tender; by contrast, some of the breathing roots I spotted elsewhere in the mangrove forest were spiky and well over a foot high.  

Tweet

Adding a Fresh Layer of Mud

Despite the recurring destruction of cyclones in the Sunderbans area (four years ago, a devastating cyclone destroyed virtually all mud homes in the village, with people fleeing to the tops of concrete buildings), many people still build their homes with mud. It is cheap, plentiful, and keeps the interior much cooler than concrete. This woman was spending her late afternoon putting a fresh layer of mud on the exterior. I wonder how she reaches the area near the top....

Tweet

Embroidering the Cloth

Embroidering the Cloth, originally uploaded by melissaenderle.

Here's my latest painting- just in time for my art show next Saturday!

Tweet

You're Invited

Come to my art show in Chennai, India. 
Opening: Saturday, Dec. 3

Tweet

Just Hangin' Around With My Friends and My Toothbrush

I've seen this many times- people in India seem to like to walk and brush. While curious as to the red-haired visitor to their quiet island village, the girl quick got in a few brushes in between posing for the camera. Quite the four-some!

Tweet

Bonbibi and the Honey Collector

Walking through the village of Pakhirala, we were shown a small enclosure along the side of the road. Inside were several clay figures. Our guide explained that in the Sunderbans, a sort of folk religion was practiced - superstition combined with Islam and Hinduism. The clothed female figure was Bonbibi, a goddess of the jungle. Islanders believe that she protects the fishermen, woodcutters, and honey collectors from attacks by tigers.
Our guide said that this boy (below) was also involved with the honey collecting protection/success. Looking up information using the name he gave me was unsuccessful.

Read more about Bonbibi at http://infochangeindia.org/environment/features/maa-bonbibi-in-the-land-of-tigers.html

Tweet