India Videos - Feb. 22 - Mar. 4

Videos - Feb 22 - Mar. 4

The videos have been uploaded to Flickr (if under 1:30 in length) and to YouTube (if longer) and are linked to this post.  (This system is used because of the length restrictions imposed by Flickr).

Feb. 22 - Between Mysore and Kerala
We are in a tropical rain forest and a national park.  As noted in the posting for today, we saw elephants in the national park.  We got video as well as the photo previously posted.  (0:12 in length)
Elephants in the wild

Our cottage that night, in the rain forest, had a balcony that overlooked the creek running through the area.  (0:16 in length)

Balcony of cottage

Feb. 24 - Palakhad
The first set of videos were taken at the South India Cultural Academy and shows activity described in part 1 of the posting for that day.  It includes the following:
Boy's Drumming Class #1 (0:30 in length)
Boy's Drum Class #1

Boy's Drumming Class #2 (1:24 in length)
Boy's Drum Class #2

Boy's Drumming Class #3 (0:59 in length)
Boy's Drum Class #3

Boy's Dance Class (1:28 in length)
Boys Dance Class

Boy's & Girl's Slow Dance Class (1:26 in length)
Boys/Girls Slow Dance Class

Girl's Dance Class (5:37 in length)
Girl's Dance Class

The second set of videos from today were taken at the elephant festival described in part 2 of the posting for that day.  It includes the following (and, yes, I know there are a lot of videos -- I found this fascinating and you have permission, if you don't share my feelings, then skip one or more of them; I couldn't pick):
Start of Procession (2:15 in length)
Start of Procession

Procession (1:02 in length)
Elephant Procession

Band (1:30 in length)
Band at Procession

More Band (0:33 in length)
More Band

Crowd Scene (0:13 in length)
Crowd Scene

Still More Procession (0:23 in length)
Still More Procession

And a couple of scenes of coconut cracking at the Hindu shrine at the festival:

#1 (0:41 in length)
Coconut Cracking #1

#2 (0:57 in length)
Coconut Cracking #2

Feb. 25-26 - Kerala Backwaters
While cruising along the Kerala Backwaters, there were many things that caught my eye (and is described in the postings for Feb. 25-26).

In part 1 of the posting, I discussed the Backwaters generally, including its use by the residents for a variety of purposes.  I have videos showing these including:

Women in a boat (0:12 in length)
Women in a boat

A couple in a push boat (0:27 in length)
Push boat

Girls dancing (once they saw us) along the side of a canal (0:42 in length)
Girls Dancing

And, as is the case of bodies of water all over India, women (inevitably women) washing clothing (0:15 in length for #1, 0:16 in length for #2, and 0:24 in length for #3)
Washing #1
Washing #2
Washing #3

In part 2 of the posting, I discussed the transportation of visitors in the Backwaters (0:26 in length)
Along the backwaters

In part 3 of the posting, I discussed ducks (0:57 in length)
Ducks

Feb. 27-28 - Kochi
In part 1 of the posting, I discussed our visit to a coir factory.  Unlike our visit to the silk factory, we were allowed to take pictures.  And the video included:

A woman combining and winding long threads of coir onto a larger bunch (0:46 in length).  And just what do you think OSHAwould make of the hazardous nature of the woman wearing a sari around the equipment she is using?
Winding coir

I have two videos of the men operating the weaving looms, one showing the handwork part of the process (0:25 in length)
Weaving - handwork

And one showing the footwork necessary(0:32 in length)
Weaving - footwork

And, as discussed in part 2 of the posting, here is a video of the Chinese fishing nets in action (0:42 in length)
Chinese fishing nets

March 1 - Himachal
As discussed in the posting for today, we visited the Nishta Centre, where, among other things, single women are employed in fabric work (0:06 in length)
Single women working at community center

We also visited the Hindu temple above Sidhbari (0:37 in length)
Hindu Temple above Sidhbari

When we visited the mill, we saw the watercourse that provides the power for the mill (0:47 in length)
Watercourse for power for flour mill

And the opportunity to watch corn roti being made as it has been done for countless years was alone reason enough to have come to India (5:42 in length).  The English commentary occasionally heard in this video is our friend Kim translating from the Hindi explanations.
Making corn roti

March 2 - Himachal
During our lunch at Rada's house, as discussed in the posting, we also visited her aunt who did weaving (0:31 in length)
Weaving in a Village

March 4 - Delhi
At the Dilli Haat, they not only sell wonderful authentic musical instruments, they will even show you how to play them (0:06 in length)
Showing How to Play

And for those for whom the picture in the posting of the people practicing at cricket cried out for video -- here you go (0:29 in length)
Cricket Practice

India Videos - Feb 11-20

Videos - Feb. 11 to 20

The videos have been uploaded to Flickr (if under 1:30 in length) and to YouTube (if longer) and are linked to this post.  (This system is used because of the length restrictions imposed by Flickr).

Feb. 11-Old Delhi
A bicycle rickshaw ride through Old Delhi (9:17 in length).  Note that this is a very long video and you are welcome, nay encouraged, to stop it when you have seen enough.  There is no special ending.  This trip is also described in the posting for Feb. 11

Old Delhi Rickshaw Ride

Feb. 14-Agra
Bouncing Rhesus macaques (also known as Rhesus monkeys) in the wild (0:25 in length).  Monkeys are found all over the place in Agra and in other parts of India and the Rhesus is the most common.  Rhesus macaques are also considered excellent animals for lab work (and, no, we're not going there) and the Rh factor (positive or negative) for blood typing was developed using Rhesus macaques (and I will leave to others who may want to describe that role).
Rhesus Macaques

Feb. 15-Kalakho
In the posting for Feb. 15, I describe our visit to a village in the Kalakho area of central rural Rajasthan which also included a camel ride that some of us took.  These videos are from that event.

Irene rides a camel and shows how to keep it balanced (0:24 in length).
Irene on a camel

We are entertained in the village (1:30 in length)
Entertainment in village

A villager smoking a hookah (0:09 in length)
Hookah smoking

Feb. 16
On our way to the step wells described in the posting for Feb. 16, we came across a wedding procession and stopped to view (and a few of us were invited to participate in the dancing).  Our group leader believes that this part of the procession did not include the bride although customs apparently vary widely -- as they do in the US.

Part 1 (0:51 in length)
Wedding procession - 1

Part 2 (1:11 in length)
Wedding procession - 2

After visiting the step wells, we also stopped by to watch a local artisan potter at work.  (3:47 in length)
Local artisan potter

The posting for Feb. 16 also described a school we visited.  The school kids sang for.(0:55 in length)
School kids singing

As noted in the posting we also had a cricket lesson.  Just teaching us the basics of the game took some time.  And, then, some of us got physical.  Watch Irene at bat. (0:11 in length)
Irene at bat

Feb. 20
Much of todays events involved both video as well as photos.  All of the events are described in the two postings for this day.

As described in the first posting, here is the video of the farmer plowing the field (0:55 in length)
Farmer plowing field

and the unloading of sugar cane at the "factory." (0:09 in length)
Unloading of sugar cane

As described int he second posting about the produce mart here are three videos.  (I note that these videos were taking using a handheld camera while walking through a crowded market):

One is of the general produce part of the market (1:22 in length)
Produce mart - general

One is of the section where they sell (and make) flower garlands (0:49 in length)
Produce mart - garlands

And one shows an area where the sellers tended to make nice displays of what they are selling. (0:28 in length)
Produce mart - displays

Finally, there is a short interview with our Coorg hostess showing the traditional Coorg sari and discussion other aspects of Coorg culture.  Apologies for the poor lighting. (1:25 in length)
Coorg woman

Day 23-24 (03-04/03/12) - Back to Delhi ... and home

Shoping

When we flew back into Delhi we came across a group of men putting together a floral display, in the airport.  It once again seeming quintessentially Indian and quite beautiful.

 On our final day in India (we had a plane the next morning at 3:30 am) we went on a shopping trip to Dilli Haat, a craft and food bazaar run by the Delhi tourism and Transportation Development Corporation.  It features stalls with rotating merchants / artisans selling goods made in various states throughout India.  And, while you may be told that the prices in Dilli Haat are fixed, our experience is otherwise although the degree of bargaining is less than in many other places. (Our tour leader, with whom we had dinner the last night in Delhi, confirmed this.)  You may also be told that all places in Dilli Haat take credit cards.  This is also not so as attested to by our searching for a working ATM.  The  ambience of Dilli Haat is very colorful and pleasant.

and there is a wide variety of crafts sold, usually clustered in groups of similar merchandise.

You can get such varied merchandise as musical instruments

 to gems and jewelry.

 Coming back from Dilli Haat we spotted a Tuck-Tuck with what would certainly be an unusual, if not impossible, sight in San Francisco (where you can find discussions on Yelp on the difficulty of getting a taxi with your dog).

 And, no, this wasn't Photoshopped.

A view from the hotel room on the last day shows a view of Delhi (Saket District) with a large recreational field with many different groups practicing their cricket and the high rise city just behind (and a very post, American/European style mall just below the window.

Day 21 (01/03/12) - Himachal Pradesh

Houses, the Nishta Centre, and Dinner at the Mill Owner's House

Today in Himachal Pradesh we started at our friends' house in Sidhbari.  From their upper floor is a "not-too-shabby" view, at least on days when the mountains are not hiding behind clouds.

Their house, like many in Kangra, is of mud-brick and slate construction and was designed by their neighbor and architect (Didi Contractor) mentioned yesterday.  The detail in Didi's houses is amazing including the special display areas and fireplaces

 and the wonderful alcoves just made for your own Ganesha or other purposes.

Didi in her younger days lived in Taos and I think you can see the influence, although it is entirely compatible with traditional Kangra houses.

Our friend Kim's expertise in Himachal Pardesh is the single women's movement and the political power and organizing of single women.  We had earlier learned on our tour about the difficult role for single women in India, and were aware of these issues before leaving on our trip.  And, based on our experience in the United States, these issues are likely to be more difficult in the more-traditional, rural area of a country.  This, obviously, is a immensely complex issue and, frankly, beyond the scope of what is really just a travel blog.  If you'd like to hear a talk of Kim's on a piece of this issue, you can find it here  http://humboldt-dspace.calstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2148/613/Berry_Kim_sustainable_futures_html_audio.html?sequence=4

One of the signs of the effect of this movement is the Nishtha Rural Health, Education and Enviornment Centre (http://www.nishtha-hp.org/english/index.htm).  The building housing this center was also designed by Didi Contractor.

The medical head of the center is an amazing woman known locally as Dr. Barbara (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Nath-Wiser)  She took us on a tour of the center.
After visiting the center, we went further up the hill to a Hindu temple.

In the Hindu tradition, many of the gods come from and live in the north so we were in the homes of the gods.  If you followed a steep staircase down to the creek flowing outside this temple, you would come to a cave which you have to enter on your belly under a large boulder.  Shiva is said to have lived in this cave.

In the early evening we went to Joginder's home.  Among the functions he serves is as the mill operator for the area, a function that has been in his family for a long time.  We were greeted by his family (except for his wife who was upstairs cooking).

 The mill is in a small building who door is too small to enter standing up.  There is a creek running underneath in the center.

The creek carries away the water that enters the mill from the back where it is used to drive the grinding wheel.

 If you creep inside to look at the mill you can see the mechanism although I do not claim to begin to understand how it works. I do know that it is finely enough controlled that only a small amount of grain drops in at any time so that it is ground quite fine.

Joginder and his family invited us to dinner and we were told that it was considered a great honor to have us there.  While I understand this, I also felt tremendously honored to be asked to their house.

Dinner was had on the upper floor of their house, in the room that functioned as a kitchen and dining room as well as probably other functions.  Food was cooked over the open fire and the hearth.  Joginder's wife honored us by making a cornmeal roti, a special form of the Indian flatbread that is given to special guests.  We also all ate rice and dahl from steel plates using roti and our (right) hands, sitting on mat on the floor.  And after all of the rest of us (including Joginder) were fed, he and his wife literally traded places and then he served her.  We were informed that this was not necessarily typical of Indian households, but it does seem a good custom.  The food was a wonderful and special as the occasion.

Day 20 (29/02/12) - Himachal Pradesh

From Delhi to Kangra, Kuhls and Land Use, and the Karmapa's Residence

Flying from Delhi to Kangra (in the state of Himachal Pradesh in far north of India in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains) is said to be a iffy experience.  Kingfisher Airlines (owned by the beer company of the same name) flies a single flight in each direction each day using an ATR 42 twin engine turboprop airliner - the 42 refers to the seating capacity which actually varies from 40-52.  They are the only airline flying that route.  Various travel websites say that the flight doesn't always occur ... either due to weather or supposedly not enough ticket sales.  So we had built some leeway into our schedule and were prepared (reluctantly) to take the overnight bus or a 12-hour taxi ride.  And then, a few days before we were due to take the flight, articles started appearing in the newspaper about many flights by Kingfisher being cancelled because of some sort of game of chicken being played with the Indian taxing authorities.  Fortunately our two flights were not cancelled.

The plane trip is truly wonderful.  You start by flying due north (more or less) and then turn so that all of a sudden the Himalayan mountains (or a part of them) appear out of the side of the plane.

Everyone immediately goes to that side of the airplane.

 The mountains are truly spectacular and so is the whole setting.

At night the moon reflects off the snow and the mountains glow -- an effect that cannot be captured by the camera.

The Kangra airport (named for the city and region in Himachal Pradesh where it is located) is probably best known by tourists as the closest airport to Dharamshala, the home in exile of the Dali Lama.  Our destination was close to Dharamshala (to which we never went), the village of Sidhbari about 10 km away.  (Points to anyone who can accurately find Sidhbari on a map.  Mapquest doesn't list it and Google Maps has a wrong location.  You can find it -- not by name -- by making the Karmapa, about whom more later.)  

We are visiting good friends who are India scholars and are in residence for the semester in Sidhbari. Many of the houses are of traditional architecture, either original or in the modern form championed by an architect named Didi Contractor.  (She lives in Sidhbari near our friends and is a fascinating woman -- Google her to find out more).  Traditional houses here are made of mud-brick (using dung as covering) and slate.

One of our friends, Mark, has studied the traditional distribution of water through the area through a system called kuhls.   (If you want a review of his book, see http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=30863)   The kuhls are found throughout the Kangra region.

The Kangra area, especially around Dharamshala, seems to be facing increasing development pressure.  The white stones across the land here appear to be some sort of boundary defining.  Of course, with a view like this, you can understand (although not agree with) the desire to live right here.   

Farming in the Kangra region also includes the traditional north India crops such as mustard and wheat.  And because almost all the farming is in small plots and non-mechanized, the size of the various plantings can be much smaller.

As I mentioned, Sidhbari is just 10 km from Dharamshala where the Dali Lama lives in exile.  But the village itself is home in exile to another major Tibetan Bhuddist leader, the Karmapa.  The identity of the 17th Karmapa, the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa, is a matter of dispute and there are plenty of articles on line (including this one in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karmapa_controversy) that detail the facts such as they are known.  The monastery and temple in Sidhbari is beautifully sited and interesting to visit.  We did walk three times around it anti-clockwise.

The interior of the temple is also interesting

 as are the butter sculptures.

 I do not begin to claim to understand the symbolism or other meaning of these sculptures.  I find them fascinating and wish someone with knowledge would explain them further.

Days 18-19 (Pt. 2) (27-28/02/12) - Kochi

Kochi Proper

Kochi is near the southern tip of India on the west coast.  As such it abuts the Arabian Sea which itself is part of the Indian Ocean.  It is definitely a town for sea food.

Along the beach of the Fort Kochi section of the city there are large fishing nets which are mechanically raised and lowered into the ocean and are commonly left only a few minutes before being raised again.  The catch from these nets is said to be fairly modest and I would confirm that from the time we watched.  However the nets are beautiful themselves and beautiful to watch in action.  

And, if there is fishing along the beach, can a fish market (beach variety) be far away?  Of course not.  

  Indeed, even vaunted Parisian restaurants seem to be opening branches here in Kochi.  

Kochi is also a well known spice region 

and cooking oil producer.  

And the screen ornaments above the Oil Exchange can be disturbing to some of us if we don't know that it was the Nazis who usurped the swastika symbol.  If have been around for probably 3 millenia and is considered a scared symbol of auspiciousness.  And then there is the little yellow and green sign about mid picture.  Is there really a synagogue in Kochi?  The answer is yes ... a very old one and quite a popular attraction considering that, according to some sources, there are fewer than two handsful of Jews left in Kochi.  

Unfortunately pictures are not allowed inside.  The origins of the Jewish community in Kochi is pre-Macabean.  And the formerly Jewish quarter of Kochi is known as Jew Town with a Jew Street and Synagogue Street there.

Days 18-19 (Pt. 1) (27-28/02/12) - Kochi

A Trip to a Coir Factory

After leaving the houseboats, on our way to Kochi, we stopped as a coir factory.  Coir is the rough fiber that can be extracted from the husk of a coconut.  It can be spun and dyed into fibers and used in such products as mats.  This factory seemed like a coconut to finished product factory.  First the fiber is spun into long strands.

This work appears to be done by women only and is similar to what happened in the silk factory we visited (and which did not allow photographs) -- the spinning work was done by women and the other work including dying and weaving was done by men.  And I don't mean predominately women and predominately men -- only women and only men.  (If you don't count the boy in the previous photograph who was obviously there in lieu of child care.  Whether this happens all the time or was a special occasion of some sort I cannot say.  Note that here, as in almost every other place we saw working women, they are clothed in brightly colored saris.  And, yes, this includes working in the fields.

After the long fibers are joined into very long strands (and there will be video posted eventually showing this technique), it is rolled.

The strands are then dyed and placed on the loom feeder 

 and then woven into various colored items.  

Days 16-17 (Pt. 3) (25-26/02/12) - Kerala Backwaters

Ducks and birds and a snake (oh my)

The first day on the backwater, as we were slowly cruising down a canal (and the stone walls are a relatively new addition), we suddenly heard a lot of quacking and then saw many, many ducklings sliding down a slide and into the water.  

These ducks come from a number of different "duck farms" along the water, usually with a house nearby.  

These farms keep ducks for their eggs ... not the meat.  Or at least that's what our tour leader told us.  (While he is a Jain, he is as much a Jain as I am a Jew, or even less so.  So he has no objections to eating duck from a religious standpoint.)  The water forms a natural extension of the ducks enviornment on land.  And apparently they are let out a specific times during the day which is when a veritable flood of them hit the water, all loudly quacking.  And we're told that when they want to eat, they return to the farm.  So it seems like an ideal situation ... until you factor in the snake.

I'll admit that I'm not a herpetologist nor have I ever even played one on television.  And apparently no one else on the boat was either.  (Few of us saw the snake and I apparently got the only picture of it -- but unfortunately the Hindu Times was not interested in purchasing it.)  The snake's mouth is open -- and I imagine that, like an iceberg, most of the snake is underwater.  However, unless this is a snake that can unhook its jaw and swallow large prey, it seems that only little duckings and not the adult ducks would fit.  My sister-in-law, who used to live in Nepal and is very familiar with India, tells me this is a python.  I see no reason to dispute that.   We didn't see any ducks eaten.  

I also acknowledge I'm no ornithologist.  In fact, I'm not really a bird watcher.  Still, with the beautiful birds presetting themselves, I have to take a few pictures.

We start with a Kingfisher, who presumably is out looking for a bottle of beer.

Next is what I've been told is a Great Egret.

And finally is a mystery bird.  

Days 16-17 (Pt. 2) (25-26/02/12) - Kerala Backwaters

Transportation and a Church

We were fortunate to have a houseboat, know as a kettuvallam, along the Backwaters for two days.  Many of the houseboats, including ours, are converted grain barges that were used to transport rice which are in many of the fields along the backwaters.  The houseboat had 8 rooms together with a sun deck and a dining room.  Not exactly the Queen Mary (thank goodness).

All along the Backwaters there are bridges and some are fairly low with fairly narrow passages between the bridge piers. 

Because the bridges are low, we are warned when approaching a low bridge so that if we're standing out on the sun deck, we can avoid getting our heads hit.  Our tour leader (who had the unenviable task of herding our group of 20 cats -- but at least no one of the group was a complainer), who is not particularly tall, demonstrates:

Of course, with the narrow passages, you also sometimes need help getting through them, often from just local residents.

Along the Backwaters we came to the village of Champakulam.  In this village is the Champakulam Kalloorkadu St. Mary's Forane Church (also know as Valia Palli), one of the oldest Christain churches in India.  This particular church was supposedly established in 427 and was rebuilt many times.  This church is a reminder that a substantial minority of people in Kerala are Christians with the largest percent (12-1/4%) being Syrian Christians and Latin Christians just over 4-1/4%.  The Syrian Christian population claims its origin to St. Thomas (the "Doubting" Thomas) who is said to have reached India in about 52.  There were also some Christian missionaries from Syria who came in 345.   It should be noted that when the European Catholics came to India much later, they did not accept the Christianity of these "pioneers."

There is also a graveyard in the church.  (The Hindus principally cremate their dead and distribute the ashes in a river.)  Since the graveyard is in a sandy area, digging the graves is somewhat easier although in the heat, the work is still hot.

Many of the graves in this graveyard are of modern origin and the decorations on the graves reflect the artistry of Indians.

 

In the graveyard there was also a mother hen and some of her chicks.