Re-Entry

Out of all the stories that I tell people now that I am home, the first that comes to mind is the weekend spent with Utthan. In a way I feel like this was an “authentic” experience, but I hate to use that word because I know that it is not a proper way to reflect what I mean but it is also quite hard to describe what I mean and feel about this experience. Acknowledging that “authentic” isn’t right, this weekend provided a glimpse into the realities of people living in incredibly strained circumstances. 

Talking to such lovely and warm people about such extreme hardships and seeing the determination in their lives is something that would be incredibly hard to forget. I have never seen these looks in Canada. I have seen people talk about hardships, traumas and discrimination before, and have been completely moved by it when it happens, but there was something about the feeling being put out during our conversations that made this different. There wasn’t a feeling of victimization, but rather it felt more like, if you know what happened was wrong, then what can you do about it if it you would like it to be better?


This idea of taking ownership over one’s trauma and experiences, although it is clear that anger, pain and grief runs deep, portrays such a high level and sense of personal strength– there doesn't seem to be some sense of entitlement to better treatment solely because of terrible past treatments. Instead there is a sense of fight, moving forward and getting on with things. Life must go on and when you live in a place where resources are scarce but people are plentiful, you can easy be pushed by the wayside if you do not get up and help yourself. 


It is this collection of people who got up, decided to help themselves and those close to them out of some of the bad situations they are being personally faced with that seems to be the solid foundation of which Utthan works on. If there wasn’t this spirit in people, if they were just waiting around for someone else to come and fix their problems, then visiting such places would have been dreadfully depressing and would not have left us with the feeling of hope and empowerment that it did. This feeling of spirit and self-determination was in the air and it was contagious. I hope I was infected by this spirit. 


Looking back now, I’ve been trying to take a deeper look into my own life, perhaps borrowing a lens from Gandhi or Nafisa, and see some truths about my reality that I was never able to see or if I did see, truly understand before.  When we were in India, starting our residency in Ahmedabad, I was just trying to soak up everything we were learning about Gandhi and his views for the world. I have purchased his autobiography which I plan to read this holiday season to hopefully allow further reflections on my experiences in India (and hopefully provide some further insight afterthought onto my off-the-cuff blog posts). 


I know that I will not be throwing out my clothing, declaring celibacy or vegetarianism, not consuming alcohol or ceasing to “pamper” myself – that’s just too much extreme change to spur out of short trip so it’s wise to keep a little perspective. I know myself and know that I am an indulgent person, not the self-sacrificing type of person which Gandhi clearly embodied. However, this does not mean that I can look at some of these core messages of Gandhi or Nafisa and Utthan, focus on what it is that is trying to be achieved with them and try and find some personally manageable and realistic ways for me to aid in reaching such goals in a way that doesn't completely contradict the life I have built and that has been built for me by family now and before I was born. 

Musings from the Amsterdam Airport

I can’t believe I’m flying home right now. I’m so excited to see Jason, my parents, brother, and friends but I’m really quite sad to be leaving India. There’s so much more I’d like to see. 4.5 weeks in India really didn’t even allow me to scathe the surface as to the many types of experiences this amazing country has to offer. In a way the experience seems so superficial because I know that after seeing the limited amount I was able and leaving now knowing how much I have missed will make this incredibly hard to explain to people back home. I’m sure they’ll be expecting exotic tales from afar, about a place almost unimaginable in some ways (feelings I had before I had left). Now that I have been there however, this no longer describes how I feel.  While it couldn’t be more different in some ways, in other ways it felt oddly familiar and comfortable.

Other people had me so concerned about travelling to this far off and mostly unknown land that I fell into the panic and internalized it myself. The pressure for me to dye my hair before leaving because being a young, white, blonde, blue-eyed female was just going to be too much and that I need to “think about my safety” seems a little bit ridiculous now. While of course I am not naive about the potential dangers of being a traveller in a place that I am not at all familiar, the context in which we were travelling during this residency could not have been safer and has left me feeling like my preparations were exaggerated.

I am a little bit nervous about going back home and the idea of re-entry shock. I’m already trying to picture what it will be like telling my family and friends about our adventures, giving them each their little tokens that I have brought home with me and trying to convey to them what it was that I experienced. Problem is though… I still don’t know what it was that I experienced. Sometimes it did feel like I was on this crazy adventure where anything could happen and that flexibility, positivity, spontaneity and the ability to go with the flow were the only characteristics needed to get by and get the most out of things. At other times however, within the confines of our luxurious hotels and meetings rooms, the experience felt almost sheltered and, in the sense of my mental preparation for “heading over-seas”, a little bit ordinary.

The times at the hotel, while good to relax and unwind, in a way took away from all the possibilities of what could be or what could happen. It was an environment designed to create feelings of familiarity which allowed us to slip perhaps back into our comfort zones and stay there – something that I had hoped would not happen during this time. However, I do understand that we were in India for our residency, not solely for the travelling experience – this second point just so happened to be at the top of my personal agenda so it was nice that the two were able to go together. 

Despite the few negatives of our lush accommodations, the entirety of this experience was fantastic. My only regret is that I couldn’t stay longer and get out there and see more. However, this need not be a regret as I am already dreaming up a travel itinerary for my next trip to India – this time perhaps to experience it in a bit more of a rugged, back-packing type of way with a friend.  As we discussed in Goa, the purpose and intent of a trip changes the experience as a whole. Going with a close friend for pleasure and new experiences would certainly provide me with a completely different glimpse of India, which will no doubt be extremely, if not entirely, different but one that I would hope to be just as amazing. 

Beautiful India

As part of the residency here in India, I’ve been focusing my research on beauty ideals and the effects of globalization in this field. Due to the large importation of foreign products and advertisements, the beauty industry here seems to be huge, changing and expanding. Although for my research I am specifically interested in how globalization and the importation of foreign ideals is shaping perceptions of beauty, I wanted to explore some traditional forms that seem to be resisting such effects.

Henna design with dye

Excited for my henna (mehndi) process to begin!

In pursuit of some authentic Indian beauty practices, I happened across an ideal opportunity to take part in the traditional art of mehndi (or henna as it is commonly referred too).  Mehndi is practiced in many places but as I learned, is believed to have originated here in India. Practiced in many cultures, it can include a multitude of patterns and meanings including Arabic, Hindi and Muslim. In an effort to learn more about this, three of us (Dawn, Sondra and I) made appointments to have some traditional mehndi.

The process begins with a pattern laid beside my arm and is used as a guide

Dawn's Arabic-influenced mehndi begins

 We were able to find some mehndi artists at the beauty salon Neomi’s here in Goa at the village of Calangute. Since I am particularly focused on beauty ideals in India while here, I asked for a traditional Indian henna on both hands but Sondra and Dawn both opted for some beautiful Arabic designs. One of the key differences between the two, as it turned out, is the asymmetrical pattern of the Arabic design which looked like a chain wrapped around the arm, wrist, and hand. The traditional design I had however, covered the entirety of my hands, wrists and up my arms a little ways. 

First hand is well under way 

Two artists worked on my design, an apprentice and teacher

Dawn's beautiful mehndi almost finished on the first hand

Hand one all complete! You have to leave the dye to dry, harden and allow the colour to deepen for many hours before you can take it off

It took just over two hours with two girls working on my both of my hands to complete the art, and what an art it was. Watching these two young ladies work so intricately together to create these delicate and beautiful designs was truly an incredible art form to witness and creates such an appreciation for the work being done.  My design was apparently a combination of both Hindu and Muslim designs blended together.  In Goa, it is traditionally only the women who get mehndi and it is usually reserved for special occasions. The biggest event is receiving one’s bridal henna, but it is also common for girls and women to have some work done before big events and celebrations.

Hand one for me almost complete

Hand one finished - moving on to the second

Two full hours of meticulous effort by these two incredibly talented ladies went into this process

Team work was essential!

The finished look, after the dye had been rubbed off, the next day once the colour had deepened.  It was amazing how the detail still shone through and how the colour differed depending on the type of skin. For some reason, the colour on the hand was far more vibrant than the wrist where the whole process actually began.

Beautiful.

When asked, the artists revealed that mehndi is about enhancing beauty – not for fashion. This is a sentiment that I can completely agree with. Being the canvas for this art and watching the entire process made me appreciate the work and design so very much.  

R, R, & R (Rest, Relaxation, & Reflection)

It’s easy to fall completely in love with Goa and be critical of it here all at the same time. Goa is a thriving tourist destination best known for its amazing beaches, wild night life and relaxed atmosphere. It is also known for its importation of globalised cultures and the way it tailors itself to its demographics comprised of substantial amounts of tourists from around the world, the Portuguese cultural foundation that underlies it, as well as, remnants of Goan culture which existed prior to the colonisation and occupation of this region.

Beautiful views of the Arabian Sea from Ashwem Beach

 

Since being here, I have had the pleasure of experiencing some of what Goa has to offer – particularly that which is marketed to tourists who visit this beautiful state.  In hopes of experiencing some of its many sides, this past Saturday night many of us from the RRU group hit up the popular local night club “Club Cubana”, which I must admit, lived up to the befitting reputation I have heard of Goa’s nightlife.

An atmosphere mixed with fusions of Western, European and Indian music, light shows in the sky, individuals from all over the world and an open bar all combined to serve as one of the more intoxicating and disorienting nights of my life. It was quite easy to get sucked into the atmosphere and overall “mood” of the joint. Having no sense of time immediately after I arrived, all I know is that it must have gone by quite quickly because before I knew it, it was 4:30am and time to make it back to the hotel.

Oscar and I heading in 

Dance floor at Club Cubana - it was hard to feel like we were even in India inside here, it felt like it could have been Europe or something similar

Michelle, Sasha and I dancing up a storm

Perception of time is an interesting phenomenon here in Goa. From what I’ve been able to experience so far, it has an ability to fly by but also make you feel like you are floating in a timeless moment. In order to help cure my “Club Cubana” hangover in true Goan fashion, on Sunday, alongside Dawn and Sondra, I travelled the 30 minutes from the hotel to the incredible Ashwen Beach to spend our day soaking up some Vitamin D, relaxing in lounge chairs and swimming in the Arabian Sea. Although in a completely different way, this experience again felt fleeting and eternal all in one. It’s easy to see why people are flocking here from all over to see what it is that makes Goa so extraordinary.

Although I have only been here for a short number of days, one thing that sticks out to me about Goa is its adaptability. It seems to cater to practically any desire of its many and diverse guests. One perfect example of this happened the other day at the popular Baga Beach. Shopping around the markets a little bit, a few of us went into a jewelry store. As soon as we entered, we were immediately greeted in Russian. Completely taken back, we were shocked to uncover that due to the incredible amount of tourism from Russia, and a lack of English or any other of the languages from India, the store owners had learned a bit of Russian in order to accommodate them. This seemed like quite the interesting role reversal from what I would have expected and definitely speaks to and highlights the impact that tourism and globalisation is having on the culture here in Goa.

It’s easy to discover the wondrous and sensuous experiences Goa is known for but its actually quite difficult to uncover its history or traditional embodiment unless you actively seek it out. As compared to my other experiences here in India so far this is quite the opposite from what I’ve seen where traditional and cultural heritage are celebrated and revered in very public domains. Since this side of Goa does not seem to be found so easily, I will have to go pursue it for myself instead.     

Two new blog posts!!

Please let me know what you think or would like to know!

Guests are like God

The motto of “Incredible India” is  'Atiti Devo Bhava', a Sanskrit phrase meaning “Guests are like God”. Throughout my entire stay in Ahmedabad, this sentiment was been demonstrated time and time again. There’s a mentality that when a person is a guest, they are treated so incredibly well – even in circumstances when there is very little to go around. The hospitality, warmth, and generous welcomes we’ve been receiving as a group of students and visitors has been overwhelming.

A perfect example of this sentiment was embodied by the spirit of the individuals we were privileged to meet at Gujarati University. At the beginning of our ten days in Ahmedabad, we visited the university’s School of Communication and Journalism. Upon entering the campus, we were immediately greeted by an amazing and aesthetically overwhelming display of welcome.  As we entered, the students marked us each with a red dot on our foreheads (a symbolic gesture of welcome), provided us each with a beautiful flower, and then we were shuffled into an open foyer where we were presented with an incredible display of dance and music from the host students. Afterwards proved just as significant for swapping cultural stories back and forth about the two different worlds we each come from provided such an interesting way to obtain a little grounding in this new, traditional city we were in.

Just arrived at the university - couldn't be more pleased :)

Welcome dance with fantastic music!

Dancing together, both Royal Roads and Gujarati students - intercultural communication at its best 

Beautiful dance

Our lovely and gorgeous MC whose also a Master's student at Gujarati Uni.

Gujarat is quite the traditional state and is also the only “dry” state in India. Being in Ahmedabad was a completely different experience to the other places I have visited so far in India.  Even though I knew before arriving in this city that there would be no alcohol and that there is an overall expectation of being more conservative, at times this atmosphere could be quite disarming. Being modestly dressed and respectful was one of the simplest ways to respect the culture of the location we were in and even though I knew this there were times when being “appropriately” dressed was not so easily achieved, despite best efforts.

Dinner at House of MG on our last night in Ahmedabad - with Lindz, Meryl and Nuo in the fantastic lift!

Aside from the conservatism of the state, there seems to be this fundamental value that guests are treated with the utmost hospitality and as a guest, you are  presented with many different gestures of this hospitality. Whether it be a glass of water in an arid region where drinking water is scarce and you know that there is barely enough to go around for those who live there or a cup of chai that starts off relations in such positive ways – both common events when I was with the NGO Utthan and during various outings with the class.

Chai at Utthan Office

Little kitchenette in the office for making chai

A truly decadent and delicious mochachinno at a little coffee shop near our hotel in Ahmedabad

Goa, however, is a completely different atmosphere with quite different approaches to treating their guests well. So far, I have been in Goa for three days. While in many ways being here has sort of been like love at first sight, I can’t also help but notice it is completely different from my other exposures to India so far. Goa is beautiful and full of richness, vibrancy, and unmatched scenes of beauty. However, because of these qualities, Goa has become a very popular tourist vacation spot and as a result, a location exposed to the ramifications of globalization on a developing country like India.

Beautiful views of Goa

Despite this though, the emphasis on treating guests with the utmost hospitality remains. Whether I’m in the small town centres, beautiful outdoors, in taxis, the hotel or restaurants, it still feels like guests are treated like gods. Perhaps it’s because when someone comes to Goa it is known that they are here for pleasure, not business. Regardless though, no matter where I have been in India so far, I have always been treated with the highest of hospitality – it just seems to be shown in different ways.

Views from our table at the best restaurant I've been to in India so far - incredible.

In Delhi and Agra, my experiences showed it was about trying to demonstrate the culture and convey the history of this country through its many magnificent monuments and structures. In Ahmedabad, it was about trying to establish relations and convey a message of deeper meaning and impact to those whom we had the pleasure of becoming acquainted. In Goa so far, my experiences are proving to me that it is about service and ensuring that guests are enjoying themselves and the precious time being spent here.

**PS: Now that we’ve arrived in Goa I should have a lot more time for blogging, reflecting and connecting! Hopefully I’ll also be able to start uploading some more pictures with me actually in them too (as has been requested!). This next while should prove to be very enthralling – I’m particularly looking forward to getting some henna art done and getting in some wonderful and much needed beach time!  

Utthan Rising

Last week we had the most wonderful opportunity of being partnered with a non-government organization (NGO) of our choosing and spending a couple days “in the field” with them to learn about the development work they are undertaking. I choose to be placed with the organization “Utthan” which means rising. Utthan’s work ranges from development in areas of agriculture, water and sanitation, livelihood issues, gender equality and empowerment, community building, conflict transformation and peace and security – to name just a few.

Wonderful book on Utthan's history by Ashoke Chatterjee

With our experience “in the field”, I had the great fortune of being placed in the “tribal” group which meant that myself, Meryl and Rupinder (one of my professors J) travelled out of the city of Ahmedabad to spend time with the tribal communities and Utthan offices in the countryside within the state of Gujarat.  Leaving early Friday morning on what turned out to be a 4-hour drive to our destination of Limkheda, it was so nice to be able to break out of the big cities that I have been staying in and see a whole different side of India.

Glimpses from the tribal communities

 Once we arrived in Limkheda and found our way to the Utthan Tribal Office, we were oriented by Babuhai who works with the organization and were taken even further out of our little village into the countryside of India. Entering into this type of area, I was immediately floored by the change of scenery. For the first time since arriving in India, I was experiencing the great pleasure of breathing in fresh air free from pollutants, and was completely in love with our green and lush surroundings which is a pretty incredible sight considering we were in one of the driest regions in India.

Utthan's Limkheda office

Water source for one of the tribal communities we visited

The tribal village we visited this first day was a wonderful entry point into understanding some of the initiatives Utthan is undertaking. What makes this organization so incredible is their participatory approach to development – they are not an implementation body for the government or any other type of sector; rather, Utthan works to understand what individuals in these communities need based on what they reveal are their own priorities and then provides support to the individuals themselves to realize and develop the resources and capacities available to improve their own livelihoods and circumstances. In the particular case of the first tribal community we visited, initiatives focused on the diversification of crops, protection of land against soil erosion and deforestation, as well as assisting in the provision of a clean and consistent water source.  

A pump to get water for the homes

Having the opportunity to meet with some of the families in this small community was such an eye-opening and humbling experience. One family was gracious enough to give us a tour of their home which was quite the experience because the home we toured through was made of cement, not mud like the others, and this signified their wealth, given that it was a permanent structure, so they were very proud to be showing us and welcoming us in.

Family outside their cement home they're gracious enough to give us a tour of

Once we returned to the village of Limkheda, Meryl, Rupinder and I, went strolling around the streets looking for some wonderful fresh fruit to stock up on for dinner. As luck would have it, we happened across some lovely pomegranates, bananas and coconuts which added a delicious and healthy staple to our plethora of candies and snacks which we considered to be our “dinner” for that evening. Given the small size of the village we were staying in, there was no hotel for us so our accommodations for the evening turned out to be the floor of the Utthan office. Until now in my trip I have been undoubtedly spoiled by the luxuries my very top-notch hotels, I now think of this night (and the outing as a whole) as one of the most divergent from my “privileged” experiences in India thus far.

Rupinder and I drinking coconut water on the side of the street in Limkheda

Meryl thoroughly enjoying her coconut

Our washroom for the evening at our night spent at the Utthan office

Gujarati slumber party!

The next day was full of profound, insightful, empowering and disturbing events. While the focus of our first day in the tribal villages was on agriculture and livelihood issues, day two exposed us to a slice of the work Utthan is doing in the area of gender equality, empowerment, conflict transformation and peace and security issues within the Panchmahan district. In 2002, a devastating riot broke out in Gujarat which resulted in the massacre and destruction of Muslims and communities throughout the state. The Panchmahan district was an area particularly targeted during these riots which is the reason why Utthan is now here trying to help these torn and ripped apart communities to heal and rebuild.

At the Utthan office

Handsome cows (I come down with a bit of an obsession)

Inside one of the homes in the tribal communities

Since independence in India and the separation of Pakistan in the late 1940’s, there has been ongoing conflicts and struggles between Muslim and Hindu communities, in addition to the many other social divisions of caste, gender and race which further adds to hierarchical structures of power within this diverse and complex country.  The riots in 2002 were an extension of these deep-seated conflicts and have shaped the present-day reality in Gujarat. At our time with Utthan, we were able to learn about some of the aftermaths which have resulted from these riots, largely thanks to Rupinder for her translations to English for the benefit of Meryl and me.

Farmer with his ginger root

Amazing women involved with the Women's Unity Organization  which is making remarkable changes for women in this area

On Saturday, the last home we visited was that of a Muslim family who lives as a minority in a largely Hindu community. Meryl, Rupinder and I were welcomed into the home of this family, along with a woman, Sajida, who works at Utthan. Even though we have been learning about the riots of 2002 and the initiatives and work of multiple NGO’s in this area who are striving to rebuild from the destruction, it was the experience at this home that brought the realities and devastations of these events into context for me. Thanks again to Rupinder’s wonderful aid as a translator, we were able to sit with three remarkable Muslim women who shared their stories of being targets during the riots. Not only was their house burned to the ground along with all of their possessions, these women were forced to run with nothing but their baby’s and clothing on their back and hide themselves to save their lives. The truly incomprehensible atrocities that happened in this riot (particularly to women) shed some disturbing light onto what it must have been like for these women and their families during this time.

Absolutely incredible and inspiring Muslim women in her home, with her family, spending time with us while they chop their beetle-nut

Even though some of the accounts these women spoke of were incredibly difficult to hear and make any sense of given my own personal circumstances, the fact that after only such a remarkably short time together they opened up and shared their stories with us was remarkable. Not only would it be personally difficult to talk about and bring up what must be extremely difficult memories from their past, the political atmosphere being what it still is today makes it difficult (and dangerous) for women to talk about any such abuses. The voice of these strong women sharing stories of what happened to them and to their loved ones during this time was unlike anything I have ever been witness too.

The events and riots of 2002 stemmed from a long history of conflict within this nation and can be related back, in some ways, to the work Gandhi was trying to accomplish for his people and his country. Knowing that the work of Utthan is situated within Gandhi’s philosophies of gender equity and uplifting the underprivileged, considering what we learned out “in the field” with these remarkable women, communities and Utthan staff within such a context has helped my understanding of these circumstances in a much more profound, although more complex, way.