Amazing Minds of India

We arrived in Haridwar around 8 pm on August 30th. We dropped off our stuff to a Guest House.. and went straight to the Ganga. Right away we were just amazed by its force, and pureness. We’re used to seeing the rivers much further down the line in India.. when they’re filled with filth. But, not here… here the Ganga is said to emerge from the Himalayas… pure, forceful, cold. The next morning, we woke up at 5:30 AM, and went to Harki Pairi Ghat (the main area where there are mandhirs and people bathe in the Ganga)… it was magnificent. (Sampat has a pretty good description of the Ganga). We wanted to head out to the Sri Ram Ashram… but we didn’t get in contact with Rashmi-ji (who I thought would be an Indian male… only having communicated over email). Lo and behold, we got a call from RAshmi-ji… who happens to be an American female.. not an Indian male as I had thought. =P So, in the afternoon, we headed over to the Ashram.

We're currently at the Sri Ram Ashram near a gham (village) called Shyampur, about 10 km outside of Haridwar. They're primarily an orphanage with about 55 orphans (ages 0-18) that now live as brothers and sisters, and live the "ashram" life -- waking up early, excerising, yoga, prayers, doing daily chores, going to school, playing, etc. The Sri Ram Found. also runs a school right next to the ashram that has about 500 students... 25% come from Haridwar and 75% come for the villages. All the kids from the ashram go to this school, as well. So, we've been able to observe the Indian school system (at least, this school) first-hand. Today, Sampat and I went class-hopping and observed the school, classes, teachers, studnets, etc. I'm pretty sure that Sameer will provide a pretty detailed account of his observations -- so, I'll leave that to him.

What I'm going to write about is being "in the system" in India versus being "outside the system"... and I'm not talking about the caste system. I'm talking more about the "school system" and what we consider "mainstream". All of the following are my observations, generalizations, and conclusions... so, please comment.. if you agree or disagree..

In the US, pretty much all kids go to school... most go to public, and some go to private. Most make it through high school.. although there are some drop-outs (more in some areas than others). After school is completed, there is college and/or work. The American system seems to breed a sense of free-thinking, as people go into all kinds of fields... from the typical "Indian" fields (doctor, engineer, business), to manual jobs (mechanic, technician, plumber), to 'creative careers' (artist, actor, dancer). Everyone... to some degree... has a choice, and can attempt to achieve whatever they want. The common belief is that the American education system (definitely moreso than the Indian education system) breeds open-mindedness and provides opportunities to develop leadership skills and creativity.

From our observations, the Indian school system stresses discipline and uniformity. You will probably not find a school in India that doesn't require uniforms. Not only uniforms, many schools even require a certain hair-style, oil in your hair, a certain hair-length, etc. The students stand up when the "Sir" or "Miss" (the teacher) enters the room, and only sit back down when they are told to do so. The goal isn’t to learn all the material.. but the goal is to pass.. which is only a 33/100. We have yet to see any clubs or organizations at any of the schools, like we have in the U.S. (these clubs usually cultivate leadership skills in kids/youth). It seems like creativity and leadership skills are stifled while, discipline is heavily stressed. As a result, it seems like narrow-mindedness is bred.

However, this isn’t the whole picture of India. As I mentioned before, in the US, it seems like almost everyone is brought up in the “system”… there aren’t too many outliers. Therefore, while the U.S. school system stresses free thinking moreso than the Indian school system… is it still limited, since it is still “within the system”, and the “system” has its effects. In India, there seems to be a parallel world that has the ability to create the most independent thinkers and brilliant minds – it’s a parallel world of ashrams, swamis, maths, sadhus, yoga, monks, NGO/seva work, spiritual/religious affiliations, etc. Bharat Uncle, who’s house we stayed at in Amdavad and who’s started this org. called Aadarsh Amdavad, grew up at the Gandhi Ashram. We’re currently staying at the Sri Ram Ashram.. near Haridwar. This Ashram currently houses about 55 orphans. They also run a school and are starting up a medical center for the villages around this area. This ashram was founded upon the inspiration of “Babaji” (Baba Hari Dass)… who ran away from home at the age of 8 “in search of God”, became a monk, and for the last 55 years or so, has been “silent”. He’s also the founder of the Ashram at Mount Madonna in Santa Cruz.. where the Cali kids had their BSK camp a couple of years back. (Rashmi-didi stayed at the ashram in Santa Cruz, came out to India to visit this ashram… and now has been here for 15 years plus.) Again, all of these amazing minds of India (Bharat Uncle, Babaji)… come from outside the normal “system”.

On our train ride from Delhi to Haridwar, a 21-year old was sitting next to us. His name was Vijay Kulkarny from Aurangabad. He was a good student, go admission to college, and completed his first year in Computer Science. It seemed like the “system” was doing what it is set out to do. However… Vijay was headed to Haridwar to stay at the Shanti Kunj Ashram… for the NEXT 5 YEARS! I don’t know too many details about the ashram he’s staying at… it’s based on the Gayatri Mantra. The Guruji who founded the ashram, passed away 7 years ago. During his 5 years at the ashram, Vijay will be working towards a phD in Psychology (what happened to C.S.??) and will become a “sevak” of the ashram. The students, once they graduate from the ashram, are involved in various social projects around India (& around the world according to Vijay). Soo.. how did Vijay.. who seemed to be a product of the system.. turn out like this? Well Vijay’s father is a “sevak” of “Shanti Kunj” and spends 1 month there each year. His influence and Vijay’s natural spiritual inclination (Vijay told me that his brother has no interest in any of this..) led him to this path. He was going on with his life within the “system” until he received “permission” (some sort of admissions process) to come to the ashram. So, as soon as he got admission, he dropped everything, and headed over. What amazed me the most… is that he had never been to the Ashram before… he had never been to Haridwar before… this was the first time he was going there… and he’s going to spend the next 5 years of his life there!

This is where/how the Indian culture still lives and flourishes just as it did hundreds of years ago, thousands of years ago. It’s passed down from generation to generation. Those that seek God and attain spiritual enlightenment… there light is so bright that its effects uplift so many others. This “India culture/spirituality” lives on as a parallel world to the Westernization/modernization of India. It’s not two completely separate worlds either…. this culture/spirituality permeates through everyone’s life to varying degrees. It has various effects, as well. To some city youth… they are surrounded by it so much, that they get completely turned off by spirituality, especially if they only see it practiced in its ritualistic form. But for others, who see the deeper purpose in it… it opens up a whole new world.

Meditation/ Fearlessness/ Karma Yoga

My medititation hasn't been as regular as Sampat's. And I've changed my method multiple times as well. At some point, we definitely want to go through Vipassana 10-day shibhir... soo, maybe we can get to the point where we really know what we're doing.

For now... I start with OM OM OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI. I then concentrate on my breath 3 deep breaths both nostrils, 3 deep breaths in one nostril out the other, and 3 vice versa. Now, at this point.. I've decided to concentrate upon a thought, a principle. And this principle is FEARLESSNESS. I'll think abot what this means, people I met that exemplify this quality, how nature exemplifies this quality, introspect... and think about how I can develop this quality. After this, I end with "Tvameva Mata.." and (starting today) do 4 rounds of mala (saying Jai Shree Krishna and picturing the Yogeshwar Murti).

Maybe.. all this is too much... and I should simplify it?

The purpose of the meditation... or concentration... for me, right now... is introspection and developing this quality of FEARLESSNESS (abhayam) through concentrated thought.

Comments – how do you define FEARLESSNESS?

I've heard and read many times... that if one just picks one PRINCIPLE and tries to develop this quality/principle... then, all the other qualities fall into place. For me, the concept of FEARLESSNESS has always been attractive. To get to the point where I can say and do whatever I want to without hesitation, without doubts, without fears. Not being afraid to say something, or do something. To get to this point, I have to be completely comfortable with who I am and have confidence in myself. I must realize what causes fear? A lot of times.. it is ignorance. If I'm ignorant about something, I won't have self-confidence. After this faith in myself, there is still room to grow... as there will always be someone better than me, always be some result/consequence that I fear.... Therefore, the next step would be faith in God, and the REAL realization that God is within me.
For now.. I'm still at the beginning stages... trying to introspect, and think about all the times that I have been afraid.. and why I've been afraid.

I'm also using "meditation" as a way to "connect the dots" of India. We're visiting and experiencing so many incredible, inspiring places... so, whenever we reach a place of spiritual significance in India... I've tried to spend at least a few minutes in meditation. The Gandhi Ashram, Lotus (Bahai) Temple, Jama Masjid - Delhi, Banks of Ganga in Haridwar... and so on...

My "Path" isn't going to be "solely" through meditation and reaching "samadhi". However, concentration and meditation will be a tool along my "Path". My natural inclination is to work with people, and completely lose myself in this work. My short stints of "kaam" at Swadhyay camps… or longer stint of work with I.S.U… I was completely in my element when I was constantly working… and not working for myself… but, at camp, working for other campers… and at UCLA/ISU, working for the Indo-community at UCLA. To some degree, I wasn't being selfish. Therefore, both Sampat and I are reading Karma Yoga (Vivekananda) right now… and trying understand it… and soon, hopefully, will find some "work"/"project" that we can get "lost" in.

Guest Blogger - Coming sooon!

Be on the look-out for the first "guest blogger"! We spent 3 days in Mathura/Gokul with Prach, Biggie (aka Amit), and Neil (aka Neilu) and had a blast... Hopefully, they'll provide a 3rd person's point-of-view of our journey...

Leaving Delhi... to Mathura

Our train from Delhi leaves for Mathura in about 2 hours. My health is almost back to 100% and I'm ready to continue this journey full force! =P

After our Ekal village visit fell through... and our Hindi teacher fell through... we ended up doing a lot of sight-seeing, a lot of meeting with different members involved with Ekal Vidyalay, and a lot of watching of Hindi movies.

First... the sightseeing... The Red Fort (right, first)... is just massive! It was built by the Mughals.. I believe during the Shah Jahan reign. During around the same time, the Jama Masjid was also built in Delhi. The Jama Masjid is the largest masjid in India. These two sites are pretty majestic. You can go up one of the minarets at the Jama Masjid for 10 rupees (if you're not a foreigner... foreigner's pay 30 rps.... so far, we've always gotten the local rate.. we can pull it off! =). The view from there is spectacular! The worst part, though.... I didn't have my camera with me! We were planning to go to watch a movie later that day, and the movie theatres are really strict about not allowing cameras into the theatre, so, on this day, I left my camera in the room. We also visited the Lotus Temple (Bahai - below, right)... and spent a good amt. of time there learning about the Bahai faith (and getting baked in the afternoon sun). We've been using the Metro to get around Delhi, often. The Metro is there new subway system, and it's just phenomenal! Better than any public transport system I've seen in the States so far. We've seen some other sites and stuff as well... but those three stand out in my mind.

The movies... we watched Mangal Pandey (4 stars out of 5), Barsaat (1 star out of 5), and No Entry (3 out of 5). We're hoping that our Hindi improves as we watch these movies....

The Ekal meetings. Originally, we thought we'd set up a visit to an Ekal village around Delhi. That didn't happen... but we were able to meet some really inspiring and interesting people. First we met Sat Narain Bandhuji. He's the head of one of the regional offices... and, therefore, wasn't used to working with visitors and setting up visits, etc. It was funny.. reminded me of Mit... he said that he felt pressure and a little worried when I emailed him and asked him to help set up a village visit for us. =P We, then, met Ajayji who works at the Ekal Central Office... the people that are more used to dealing with visitors, NRI's, etc. He spent a good 2-3 hours with us, and really broke down into detail the entire Ekal Vidyalay organization... and he was open to answering our questions, etc. We finally met Swamiji, who's the main guy who could set up these visits, and Basantji (from Atlanta.. who's the head of the Ekla Global Found.). Swamiji really understood where we were coming from, and right away said that he'd set up a program for us. We told him we'll be in Dehradun and then Kullu-Manali... and he said he'll set-up visits to ghams in that area. On the 30th... when we're back in Delhi for 2 hours... he's gonig to have the entire program for us, with local contact numbers, people picking us up, etc. As I learn more about Ekal Vidyalay by visiting their sites and stuff, I'll share my observations and opinions. For now, I'm excited at the opportunity of visiting these villages, which are located in, supposedly, just majestic locations!

And now, off to Mathura.... see Biggie and Prach and their families... spend Janmastami in the actual 'birthplace' of Krishna. It'll be special (and I'm sure quite chaotic!)

getting better..

The sickness is getting better. So much of it is mental. I mean, bacteria and viruses will be living in you the entire time in India. As long as it's not completely sucking the life out of you.... it all depends on you react to it and let it affect you.

Ups and Downs of Delhi

The ups and downs...

Up: Hung out with Jigar and Maulik for the second time during our journey (see right). Saw the Lal Qila (Red fort - see below, right), and spent time at the "Gandhi Samadhi", including the museum.

Down: Ekal Vidhyalay delays our village visit.

Up: Quality meeting with Sat Narain Bandhuji of Ekal Vidhyalay.

Down: During the meeting, his Hindutva tendencies are noticed, and he decides that we shouldn't do any Ekal Vidhyalay "village" visits, until we meet Swamiji or Shyaam-ji.

Up: Decided that we would use our extra time in Delhi to learn Hindi. We decided this sitting in a restaurnt, and then think,"How are we going to find a Hindi tutor?" Just then, a young white woman sits at the table next to us. She doesn't seem like the normal tourist, she seems more immersed in the cuture. We ask her if she knows of any Hindi tutors in Delhi. She says her husband is coming soon, and he is a Sanskrit professor. The husband says one of his understudies is coming and he'll ask him if he'd be interested. The understudy comes with his wife, and they both are interested in teaching us Hindi! Right then and there, they give us homework, and tell us to meet them at 2 pm the following day!

Down: 5 minutes before our first Hindi lesson, the Hindi tutor says, "We are moving to the next station, we cannot teach you. Watch Hindi movies for the next 4-5 days."

Up: We decide to stay at the Gujarati Samaj in Delhi and we end up having an experience of the lifetime, sleeping outside with 20 other Gujus on "gaadlaas". (seen below)

Down: We slept outside in the heat with bugs and 20 other Gujus.

Up: We got our own room at the Gujarati Samaj now.

Down: I'm feeling pretty sick, and really haven't been able to keep food in over the last couple days. Sampat's a little under-the-weather as well.

Itinerary

We're currently in Delhi, and here is our projected itinerary for the next 1-1.5 months.

Delhi - August 21-27 -- visiting NGO's and possibly staying in a village through Ekal Vidhyalay

--> August 27th - train

Mathura - August 27-30

--> August 30 - train

Haridwar - August 30-Sept 1

--> Sept 1 - rickshaw

Sri Ram Ashram - Sept 1-5

--> Sept 5 - bus or train

Dehradoon/Mussoorie - Sept 5-12 -- visiting India Literacy Project site and possible Harleen's Uncle (who's in the army!)

--> Sept 12 - bus

Manali - Sept 12-14

--> Sept 14 - bus (2 day journey)

Leh - Sept 16-21

--> Sept 21 - Bus or Flight

Option 1
Srinagar - Sept 23-26

--> Sept 26 - Bus

Jammu

--> Sept 26 - Train

Amritsar - Sept 26-29

--> Sept 29 - Train (long ride!) or flight back to Ahemdabad (by Oct. 1 or 2)

Option 2
Jammu - Sept 23

--> Sept 24 - Train

Amritsar - Sept 24-26

--> Sept 26 - walk

Ludhiana - Sept 29

--> Sept 30 - train back to Ahmedabad

Leaving Amdavad... for now.

Tomorrow... we head for Delhi... here are some random thoughts, observations, etc.. so far. (This started out as an email to Manks.. but, then, morphed into a blog entry.... so it's written in the classic Raj email format. =)

It's been quite the learning experience out here in A-bad. We were definitely lucky to have some contacts already out here.. and through those contacts, we've already made numerous other contacts. We've met with all sorts of inspiring people, visited sites where there's just amazing work being done and amazing transformations taking place. With all this said, if a common person walked through Amdavad, they still probably wouldn't know that any NGO's were doing any work. It's a strange phenomenon. So many inspiring, enthusiastic people... doing a lot of great work... yet... something still seems to be missing. Maybe it's a unity amongst all these different groups... maybe it's the sense of a common purpose. Maybe, it's just that a little more time is required.

We've learned all sorts things out here already based on our observations and talking to people.... for one, the education system is terrible. It's completely stratified. You only go to school with kids in the same social class as you.. same economic class.. same religion.. etc. Obviously there are exceptions... but this is the norm. No wonder there are communal problems in India... from a young age, kids are completely separated from kids of other religions, caste, etc... well, at least this seems to be the case in the big cities. I'm sure there are villages where they still live side-by-side. Private schools... there are all sorts of them, basically for kids of different economic/social/religious backgrounds. THerefore, the schools where the upper middle class kids go are pretty good. But, when looked upon in the bigger picture... this is such a small percentage. The public school system is completely shameful... the gov't just has never put enough money and effort into improving the system. Also, it seems like the public and private instituions don't develop any type of leadership skills or creativity in their kids/youth, either. Indian students will usually be more disciplined and studious... but they seem to lack creativity and leadership because schools don't seem to develop these. A person who is "well-educated" in India means someone who can get a high-paying job overseas. That's the ultimate.

Now, even with all this.... India continues to produce amazing people, spiritual giants, who are doing great work in India. How do they do this? How is it possible with the infrastructure in such shambles? I think that really goes to show the power of the Indian culture... and Indian spirituality. Even with all these shortcomings of the gov't and system, great minds are still being produced.

(as I write this email.. I realize.. this probably should be a blog entry...)

It's weird.. cause out here.. there seems to be two gov'ts working at the same time.... the actual gov't... which is corrupt at almost every single level. And the NGO's which basically does all the work that normal gov'ts would/should do.

We met this girl, Sylvie, from Geneva. She's a phD student, writing her thesis on the education system of India... she's found that there are teachers in the public school system who don't even attend their classes. They get paid by the gov't (well-paid), keep some % of it, and give the rest to someone else to teach their class. This way... they can get this money by basically doing nothing, and, then... do some other business and make more money... or do nothing at all, and get a salary!!! A huge problem out here is that there are no checks and balances. This leads to corruption in all facets. The gov't party in power doesn't really have any checks on it... gov't officials - accepting bribes, etc. is the norm so no one really stops them... gov't employees - basically never get fired so they don't really have any motivation to do their job well.... and even in the private sector, for some reason, job security is taken as a given in India, instead of something that is earned by good productivity... so, there's no motivation to maintain a quality product and high productivity.

Now the question... where do we start fitting into the pciture....

Can we change the world? No and yes... Vivekananda says (well, sampat told me this) that many great men have tried to make the "perfect world", and it SEEMS like they have accomplished it. But, once they let go, things just go back to the way they used to me. He uses the analogy of the dog's tail... you can hold it so it's straight, but as soon as you let it go, it's going to be curved again.

However, we still have to work for Good...just because we know and feel that that's right. We must work for the "work's sake". We have to start somewhere. And that somewhere may be small... that somewhere may be changing the world around you... that may be serving those less fortunate than you... that may be motivating others to start thinking along these terms.... that may be making others aware of realities that they aren't aware of, otherwise....

If you go along with this little plan.... this is the way the world changes (or so, Anand says..). You start creating this critical mass of people that do Good... and, it seems like all the orgs and people we've talked to... have this same basis... do Good because that's what's instinctual, that is what feels right and others will see this, be affected by this, and start acting on their natural instinct to do Good, as well.

We went and visited the Indicorps orientation today... and they had this discussion on "what is service? what does service mean to me?" One of the conclusions that I came away with... is that service is a two-way street. If you're "doing service", you're helping someone else out, BUT you're also learning so much and developing yourself. You're connecting to other human beings on a level of love and compassion. In the end, it's a step in the realization of God and the Oneness of everyone/everything. You should be just as thankful to the person that you are "serving" as he/she should be to you. That's a really interesting, powerful concept.
It was a solid discussion, and during the discussion, the same conclusion was made... even without the addition of the spiritual and God factor. =)

For now.. that's it.. we're headed to Delhi tomorrow morning... and our adventures will continue. It will get a little more difficult, as our contacts aren't as strong... but, I'm sure we'll manage.

Manav Sadhna in pics

Possible shadiness?

I was sitting on a bench at the Gandhi Ashram, waiting for Sameer to get out of the museum (he took like 2 hours in there, I got worried, didn't know where he was for a while, looked for a phone to call him, etc I looked in the museum and all over the ashram for him... but he was just in the museum the whole time! I must have missed seeing him!)

Anyways... while I was sitting on the bench... waiting... with my Nalgene in one hand, and bag in the other (with food, notebook, antibacterial handwash, etc.), this guy walks by me (around late 30's.) He looks in my direction... keeps walking... then turns around, and sits down next to me, and starts chatting. The Gandhi ashram... even in the hustle-bustle of Ahmedabad remains a pretty serene, peaceful place. We start talking... he asks where I'm from... and I tell him Mumbai. He tells me about what he does for a living... textile industry. I ask him if he just came from a mandhir because he had a tilak on his forehead.. he said, no, he does pooja at home. After a slight comfort level, I tell him that I'm originally from the US, and just came from Mumbai. We keep chatting a little bit. My black bag was between me and him. I was kind of looking away as we talked, and I noticed that he placed his hand on my bag. He was kind of feeling around in it. I naturally put my hand on my bag, as well, and in a few seconds, got up, and told him that I had to go find my friend.

I walked away about 15 yards, but then decided... what do I have to fear? Let me go back there and ask him what he's doing here at the ashram, and why he put his hand on my bag. It was the middle of the day, there were other people around, and I didn't really have anything valuable he could steal... so, I turned around to go back and talk to him, again. I got to my bench, and looked around, and couldn't find him anywhere.

Fearlessness... Abhayam... it's a quality that I've always really admired. And, it's something I want to strive for. Sampat and I jsut talked about it for a little while...

What does "fearlessness" mean to you?

Vishala

We went to this incredible restuarant in Ahmedabad called "Vishala". If you've been there.. share your experiences!

They've made this village setting, where you sit on the floor and eat on these short tables. Everything is outdoors... but they've done a pretty good job of keeping the mosquitoes away. Their food was incredible... good ole Gujarati food. =) Service was great. And the best part.... they have alll sorts of entertainment!! Live music, puppet shows... I hear that during the right season and on weekends, they have dancing, raas/garba... magic show.. all kinds of things.

Soo, when we got some friends in A-bad... we'll definitely be taking you there!

Siddhartha

One of my favorite books (and not just because it's only about 120 pages) is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. I always recommend it to people, and if you don't like reading... I believe they've made a movie, as well. =P In short, the story is about this guy named Siddharth and his friend. They decide that they want to really find Truth and become Enlightened. A "Buddha" - a truly Enlightened One - crosses paths with them, so they decide to become his disciples. Siddharth soon realizes that just listening to the "Buddha" and following his way isn't going to lead him to "Enlightenment"... his inner voice tells him that he has to find his own path, go through his own experiences, and then... whatever is meant to happen will happen... that that is his path to "Enlightenment". Siddharth leaves the "Buddha" and embarks on his own journey which takes him through many stages - getting fully engrossed in the material world, sensual, world, medation, and finally finds himself learning from a River and it's boatsman. When he meets his friend again, his friend is still searching for Truth, while Siddharth has found It.

On this day, we spent most of the day with Aadarsh Amdavad visiting their various projects. One of these projects is the "Mobile Clinic". They have 12 doctors (all of these doctors were students in the Yoga class, felt touched by the service and decided to volunteer their time as well!) The Mobile Clinic gives those of the lower middle class - free doctor services and medicine. These people usually have a set budget where every rupee is already allocated towards food, shelter, etc. They can't afford to be sick. Therefore, this service is provided. We got to the Mobile Clinic, and there was this 13-year-old boy there. At first, I thought he was a "street kid" or a kid that worked in that building or something. But then, he started helping take stuff out of the van and setting up the mobile clinic in the office. We talked to him... his name was Siddhartha. His dad is a night watchman for this same building. Siddharth goes to school from 6:30 am to 12:30 pm, and twice a week, after school, we walks for 30 minutes to help volunteer at the clinic. I was really amazed by this kid, and the other volunteers just raved about him. But for him, everything was completely normal and natural. I wondered about what must be his motivation... but that's the thing about children, if left uncorrupted by the world and society around them, they just do what they think is right and what feels right. Here was this child, Siddharth, creating his own path...

Here's a picture of Siddhartha, me, and Jatinbhai (who has basically been our guide for Aadarsh Amdavad, and has really done a lot for us, and has done selflessly and with a lot of love. =)

Service through service...

Aadarsh Amdavad is an NGO started by Bharat Uncle under Gandhian influences, and the goal is to make an "Aadarsh Amdavad"-- an ideal city. Very lofty goals, indeed. =) We've been learning a lot about this organization as we are staying at Bharat Uncle's house.

The basics are this... they have 100-130 different projects/activities in mind that would lead Amdavad to becoming "Aadarsh Amdavad". They have got a few of these off the ground already, including acupressure, computer classes for housewives and senior citizens, English classes for those looking for a job, literacy work at schools, and their biggest activity so far -- Yoga. The idea is to provide these free services with all the teachers being volunteers, and all the locations being acquired by Trusts and citizens volunteering their private property. Their is very minimal monetary transacton.

Bharat Uncle says that for their 100 projects, they need 100,000 volunteers in Amdavad. I asked him how does he think that this is possible? He gave his characteristic smile and laugh, and said, "Of course this is possible... there is no doubt." He said, 'imagine a woman has two children and luggage and is trying to board a train. You are also going to board this same train. First, though, you see her and hold her luggage for her, and help her board the train. Won't that have an effect on her, on her heart, on her soul? If she finds herself in a similar situation, wouldn't she then feel like helping another person? She may share this stories with others, as well, right?'

This brought a smile to face as I remembered just a week ago, when we were on our plane to Mumbai. There was a lady with her baby, and luggage.... naturally, we helped her out on the flight... held her baby, played with her baby (on the right.. I apologize that it's sideways), helped get her luggage from baggage claim, etc. Hearing Bharat Uncle narrate this anecdote, and remembering how our trip started.. I knew it was a good omen.

It's incredible that an entire NGO, and a vision is based on the simple human reaction of being loved and served, and then wanting to love and serve others.

Independence Day

I wake up at 4:15 am... my train from Surat to Ahmedabad was supposed to be last night... but, it got delayed. I barely got any sleep... went to be at 11 pm, woke up at 2:30 am with a stomach ached. Finally got back to sleep at 3:30 am, only to have to wake up at 4:15. So, at 5:30 am, I hopped aboard the train (stomach feeling better), and at 10:30, I reached Ahmedabad. Sampat was there waiting for me with open arms. =P I was ready.... the portion of our trip where our exploration really begins, and the trip becomes a little different than "any other trip to India".

We get in contact with Anand (Indicorps)... it's their first day of orientation... and we join up with them. Their plan for the day -- have fun with less fortunate kids. They took 20 kids from the Gandhi Ashram, 20 kids from a blind school, and 20 kids from a school for the mentally disabled on a bus... and took them to the zoo, Bal Vatika (amusement park), and then to the lake and for a laser show (Sampat and I were there for the first two).

It was just an unbelievable day. First, it was awesome talking to Anand and hearing his ideas for us... and it was really awesome meeting all the fellows (including Asha!!) and the Indicorps staff members. Even if we've never met these people, it's so easy to relate to them, because we all have very similar mindsets.... And the Indicorps staff members seem like great resources and seem very open. That was one reason why the day was great. (picture of a couple of Indicorps fellows and the kids)

The other reason was just being with all the kids! The kid at my side most of the day was a mentally-challenged kid named Yatin. I have never really worked with mentall-disabled kids before... so, it was definitely an eye-opener for me. One of the things that stood out the most to me was how many stares we attracted when we walked around (and, no... they weren't staring because I'm a foreigner... actuallly, most people we've met have said that they think we're from here... until they hear us talking in English). I definitely felt all the stares directed at Yatin... I'm not sure if he was cognizant of it or not. I would just tell him to smile and wave at the people looking at him. And, I think that was good, because a lot of times, people smiled and waved back... and a lot of times, parents had their young children (who seemed afraid) come up to Yatin and shake his hand. I'm not sure if this was the right way to deal with the "stares"... but, it felt right.

I really think that this may be the ideal situation for me... working alongside Indo-Americans.. because that's my comfort zone and where I am most efficient, while at the same time working with kids/youth in India... it was a challenge, but it felt natural for me.

There's more exploration to be done. =)

Relatives... and Plans

Here I am in Surat... it's been a few days since I've posted. Sameer's done a good job describing those couple days.... a lot of packing and networking with various contacts. My bag is pretty much packed with same stuff Sampat's bag is...

It's been good staying at relative's places (my family on the right - cousins, Jijaji, Bhabhi, and nephews). Being received by relatives with such open arms... and open minds... is a really good feeling. I realize that I definitely take it for granted sometimes.

I'm in Surat at my Masi's place. I drove up here with my cousin, Pritibhen, and her family. It was nice to finally get out of Mumbai... after 8 days, I finally got my first breath of fresh air in India. =) Those that know Mumbai... know that a gray haze hangs over the city, 24/7... as Jigar sang, "Ain't no sunshine in Mumbai...." =P

It was actually quite the scenic drive from Mumbai to Surat. I can't wait till we'll actually venture out into rural India! =)

We now have tentative plans for the next month or two. We're headed to Ahemdabad today... Sampat is coming from Mumbai and meeting me there. We're getting picked up by Bharat Uncle. Bharat Uncle is a family friend of one of our family friends back in the Bay Area. He works with this org. called "Aadarsh Ahemdabad" (I believe...). Sampat met him and had a long conversation with him, when he was out there in the US a month or two ago. We plan on staying in Ahmedabad for 3-5 days, leanring about Bharat Uncle and his NGO, touching base with Anand (www.indicorps.org), and touching base with Anarbhen and Jayeshbhai (www.manavsadhna.org). Then, we plan on travelling, covering North/Northwest India. We'll take a train ride to Delhi (a long, long train ride that will be..) around August 19th. We've contaced "Ekal Vidhyalaya" (www.ekalvidya.org) in the Delhi area, and will visit one of their villaged. We'll probably also do some of the more touristy stuff... Agra, Mathura, Brindaban, and possibly meet up with Biggie, Prach, and their families! Then.. our exact route isn't planned out, but we're going to try to hit the following places: Haridwar (www.sriramashram.org), Amritsar, Dharmsala, Srinagar (possibly), Ladakh (possibly), Musoorie / Dehradun (www.ilpnet.org), etc. (time pending).The plan is to get back to A-bad for Navratri (beginning of October). I definitely have multiple purposes for travelling....
1) I want to learn about the development sector in India. I want to see what work is being done out here, what works, what doesn't work, how different NGO's function, etc.
2) I want to connect with people... especially children... and really be able to feel that "The same God is within you that is within me." feeling.
3) I want to see India, and experience India... and all its various ways of life that are each unique, but still similar.
4) Hopefully, travelling will help me figure out where I fit in out here, and helps me decide what I want do out here.
5) I want to feel that spiritual spark... and cultivate it.
6) I want to have fun. =)

Hopefully... along the way.. my Hindi improves.... but for now... it's pretty weak. Sampat has done a pretty good job holding his own in conversations, though, so far.

My disclaimer was that all those plans... are tentative. If some other opportunity pops up, and we decide that it's better, we'd probably jump on it.... so... for now... that's where we are.

With Jigar and Maulik...

It was definitely a welcome sight seeing Jigs and Maulik. =P We picked them up from the Mumbai airport early Monday morning, and have been wandering around Mumbai with them over the last couple days.

The highlight of my time with them was actually when they were showing us pictures of their three weeks in Karaikal doing Tsunamai Relief work with an NGO down there. They were there for 3 weeks... listening to them narrate their experiences as we went through all the pictures was really inspiring. In 3 weeks, usually, one can't really do that much "constructive" work. But, what one can do is show children and those less fortunate that they care, and they can make a connection with them. Lot of these children, disable people, and those that are less fortunate have never really been shown love and care. Jigs and Maulik definitely treasured this part of their experience the most. I think Sampat and I have came to a relatively secure conclusion of taking up short-term (approx. 1 week long) service projects as we travel. More on this in future bloggings.

For more on our Mumbai excursions...you can check out Sampat's blog and I am going to just cut-n-paste a section of Jigar's writings:
"We arrived in Mumbai quickly in a propellor plane. Everyone is alwaysin a hurry here - the plane had yet to stop and people were alreadylined at the door ready to take the stairs down adn into the large busto the main baggage claim. Raj and Sam picked us up - really oddseeing LA folk in a completely new environment. Describing Mumbai(Bombay) is very difficult. It is a city of massive contradictions andparadox. At any given moment you will see a paralyzed begger pushinghimselves on a a wheeled cart to get money from a series of Mercedes.At other moments you see the proximity of the Mahalakshmi temple andthe Hajj Ali Mosque. There are series of small shops on the way toboth, offering similar, yet slightly different garlands, similar butslightly different "chadars" (cloth) - the articles of faith almostseem to be confusing. Me, Raj, and Sam put on handkerchiefs on ourheads and walked the bricked walkway through the ocean to the mosqueand were surprsied to see the variety of Muslims and teh presence ofseveral Hindus at the mosque. The Mumbai Central station is a stunningexample of the city. Beggers are of all religion and age, somedisabled while some charred and burned with no appendages. One forexample on the way to dropping Sally at teh train station was in themiddle of teh walkway, charred and no limbs, with nothign except acloth on his body adn his eyes closed. At first glance it would seemthe person is dead, but any clinging of change on the cloth will issuea slight nod. Many can be seen in the train stations - whether smallkids singing or elderly blind men blaring their voices left to rightto get a penny. It's very surprising they do this because thetrainstation is PACKED. For instance, one time this guy tried to rushin as traffic was jumping out and he spun around after a guy hit himand said "Eh, jaane do yaar". He looked at him stupified, it waspretty hilarious. Durign traffic time it puts teh 405 to shame. Pushcomes to shove often and several shoves hit my toe - I was prettypissed. Besides that, Mumbai is a spectacle and a rush. Everything isconstantly moving and everything is flooded - people, not necessarilywater. Cows sometimes sit in the middle of the street not giving acare. I walked into a pile of shit near another Mumbai gutter andalmost fell near the Gateway to India."

Patshala

Our first Sunday in Mumbai, and Sampat and I both thought it would be a good idea to go to Patshala. Over the years, my involvement in Swadhyay (www.swadhyay.org) has had its moments where I've been heavily involved... and other times, when my involvement has waned. However, regardless, it has been a huge part of my life since I've been about 5 years ago, and I attribute a lot of the way I think, and the person I am today to that environment I grew up in, amongst the Swadhyay thoughts and people.

Recently, my involvement has waned for various internal and external reasons... but it was still very uplifting to be at Patshala amongst that environment. Mitul gave us contacts of a few of his friends that he went to Vidhyapeeth with, and we called one of them before we went to Patshala. "Pravachan" (discourse) was a videocassette of Dadaji, and it was about "dukh", and being able to stand up and face "dukh". Didiji spoke briefly after the "pravachan" as well. After that, we met Mit's friend, Jitesh, and all the NRI Vidhyarthees that decided to come to Patshala that day. It was very refreshing to see them and talk to them. Through Swadhyay, we've been able to create this network of people that think along the same lines, which is really amazing and has been very comforting and valuable over the years. We tried to explain to them what we were doing out here... and it was definitely much easier explaining it to them, than it has been explaining it to others out here in India. A lot of the difficulty in explaining thought is because we're still trying to explain it to ourselves. They even invited us to join them on their travels to East India (Calcutta, etc.) during their Diwali break. We probably won't join them... but it's an option, and it was a warm, genuine gesture. Hopefully, I'll be able to go to Vidhyapeeth this week, and be able to talk with them a little more. I also want to meet more of the people that were a part of Mit's life while he was out here. =) Supposedly, there are legends of Mit still lingering amongst the new NRI batch at "Pit".

At some point during this journey, I definitely look forward to doing "real" Prayog Darshan... and actually staying in these Swadhyay ghams for a week, or so. There are many questions I have about this... and I could go into more detail in emails. Most people that I've talked to say that to see real "Swadhyay" kaam, you have to go to these villages and see the effects.

"Swadhyaya" literally means "study of the self"... and that's what's driven me here.

Getting started

The hustle bustle of Mumbai... the extreme calm of attempting mediation in an empty room in a Sankaracharya Mandhir with Sameer and his Arun Kaka (who absolutely loves telling us stories about EVERYTHING... many of them are inspiring... others are intended to give us some advice while we're out here.... some are entertaining... and a lot are just completely out of the blue. =P..)... my two new nephews playing with me when they should be studying for their exams that are on Monday (below)... getting over the jet lag... trying to figure out where Jigar is and how to contact him... searching for a good deal for a "SIM" card for Sampat's phone... and taking a picture of a good-hearted Poojari... This sums up my first couple days in Mumbai. I'm currently staying at my cousin's place with her family, while Sameer is just across the street at his Kaka's house. We're, maybe, a little farther away from each other than we are in Fremont... but not much farther. =)

The first couple days for me have been pretty slow... and the slight doubt is still there... why am I here? I have to let go of that "American" mentality of being productive every moment.. and really just have to open up my heart and senses to everything around me. I am here for one year, plus or minus. This isn't just a visit... it's weird to get rid of that mentality... especially so far, since I'm staying at relative's place and stuff, and it feels like just any other trip to India. But, I know that these things take time. Right now, I'm just focused on getting my rest to get over the jet lag, and trying to get some of the little stuff out of the way that we need to get done.

I have a request... from now on... let's have no more "stay in good health" comments. I feel that the whole "getting sick" thing has really gotten in my head. And the minute I started eating food here and drinking water, etc... I had this feeling that, "oh no, I hope I don't get sick." It's a complete psychological thing... yes, we will be careful... but not to the point where we are "afraid". We will be adventurous... but careful... but, hopefully, never fearful...

For my day-to-day continuity... I've been doing surya namaskar, excersing and meditating every morning... and writing in my journal every night (I know it's only been two days, but come on... that's a start!). The feeling of doing surya namaskar and meditation in India verus the US... I don't know why.. but the "feeling" is just so much more powerful.

I've picked up "Autobiography of a Yogi" and this is going to be my first read while I'm out here. Pretty crazy book... it seems like we can just go to the Himalayas and find wandering Swamijis everywhere that can perform all kinds of miracles. If we head up there, we'll try to find these dudes. =P

And now.. plea to Jigar... if you are reading this, check your email and contact us!!! your cell phone # does not work, and hopefully, we'll still see you in Mumbai.....

The Thought Process

Sameer and I are leaving for India today (Wednesday, August 3rd), and the plan is to be out there for 1 year (+/- 6 months). This isn't a completely spontaneous decision. We've been thinking about it for a long time... years. My plan out of college was to work for a year or two, save up some money, and then head to India... and search for my passion. I wish to be tied to the development of India in the short-term, and the long-term; while benefitting from the spiritual brilliance of the culture... and this is the beginning of that quest.

Growing up in the Swadhyay environment, and with my family and friends, the seeds were already sown. I had a spiritual base, and was developing a true love for the Indian culture. Through religious/spiritual/philosophical discussions, through Swadhyay and the powerful camps and people there, through raas and bhangra, through my visits to India, this base and love was nurtured. During college at UCLA, courses on the history of India, Gandhiji, etc.; interactions with all sorts of people and with various aspects of the culture; being heavily involved in the Indian Student Union; and just taking initiative to learn more about what the Indian subcontinent (culture, religion, politics, etc.) was like in the past and what it is today further ignited the desire to interweave my life with the coexistence of this remarkable Indian civilization and modernity.

Now, all of this sounds great... and very ideal...... Do I know what I want to do? No. Do I have a background in service work? Not really. What do I have to offer? I'm not sure. Do I have anything to offer? Maybe not. Will I come back in 6 months because I reconsidered and decided that it would be better for me to strive for my goals here in the U.S.? Possibly. Will I be tough enough? Hopefully. Where does spirituality play a role in all this? Somewhere. Now... things are starting to sound a little less "perfect", and a little more of a "stretch". However, the big question is: Would I be able to answer any of these questions unless I go out there and lay it all on the line? No. And that's the only question that matters right now.

So, I'm off.

And I know... I'm not alone. For one, Sameer's with me. =) And two, as Manks and I like to put it... Sameer and I are not leaving to go to India... we're expanding. The idea of the blog is great because people can stay updated on what we're doing and, in a way, share our experiences, as well. Nipun (nipun.charityfocus.org) and Guri's (journeytoindia.blogspot.com) blogs have definitely been an inspiration to me... as they have perfected the art of blog-writing.

Write us emails... leave comments on the blogs... till next time...

Going

We are leaving for India tomorrow at 2:50 pm. Currently, I am franticly running around trying to pack my belongings.

Reschedule?

As of right now... it seems like we're probably going to change our flight to next week. I'll keep you posted.

Stormy...

The rains continue to pound Mumbai... (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1188147,curpg-1.cms) as I try to physically, emotionally, and mentally prepare myself for my journey. Our flight is in less than 48 hours... if it doesn't get cancelled, or if we don't delay it. In all likelihood, we still leave on Wednesday, and fly into Seoul. Then, if the airport in Mumbai is closed, they'll just leave us in Seoul for as long as it takes. Soo.. if anyone has been to Seoul and knows of anything to do or see there... please let me know... =P

My friend, Jigar Patel (seen on the right with me), is in India currently, and has been out there for the last month or so. For approximately 3 weeks, he volunteered with FSL in Karaikal, Tamil Nadu doing tsunami relief work. If anyone is thinking about doing a short-term service project, Jigar raves about his experience there, so check it out: http://www.fslindia.org/Tsunami/index.htm.

I asked Jigs if he's got any advice for me on how I can mentally prepare myself for the trip... soo, here goes his list:

To mentally prepare yourself, things that I should have realized that you may want to consider:
- Always bargain starting at 50-75% of the retailed price
- People can spot foreigners very easily, don't travel with your backpack everywhere
- Transportation by auto rickshaw can get expensive, go for the bus
- Don't be scared of stray dogs, if you see one chasing you, bend down as if picking a rock and act like you're chucking a stone at them
- Eat the fruits, be careful of beetles
- Don't hesitate to speak to someone next to you, even if they speak a different language, I've learned to speak through gesturing
- Find a group of travellers if they are on the same route, it's always fun with more folks if they are good people
- Take every opportunity to play with the children, it'll make your day
- Travel by all means (I rode on top of the jeep with a friend becausethere was no room inside the jeep - it had 14 inside and us 2 were on the top, I also got a ride on a broken catamaran through this smallriver with these 4 small kids who were rowing me)
- If you have the time, volunteer and do physical labor and teaching

Now, I know that if a stray dog is chasing me, I should pretend to pick up a rock and throw it at the dog. I think I'm mentally ready.