In Transit - Ponderings

MANALI, HIMANCHAL PRADESH - So, we finally reached Manali yesterday at 5 am. It was quite the journey. The main reason we want to be in Manali... is that it is the only place you can find jeeps and buses that go to Ladakh. And, why do we want to go to LAdakh? Because, it seems like it will be pretty incredible to experience and learn about the Tibetan culture and the plight of the Tibetan refugees. (Tibet was taken over by the Chinese in the '50's... and basically bullied out... the Dalai Lama and many Tibetan refugees were allowed to take refuge in India by the Indian government. The Dalai Lama now runs his government-in-exile from McLeod Gunj, Himanchal PRadesh. Tibetan refugees have continued to cross into India over the years.)

We left SIDH on the 11th Sept. in the afternoon (I'll write about the SIDH experience and the amazing people we met there later... for now, I believe Sampat is doing a good job covering it in his blog). To get to Mussorrie from SIDH (about 15 km), we jumped in the car with someone who was visiting SIDH. He happenned to be a government employee, just one level under the Mayor of Dehradun.. and after talking to him for a bit, he seemed a bit of a "popat".

After getting to Mussorie... we weren't able to get a bus to Dehradun... we tried getting on the bus, but on THIS bus, you had to have a prepaid ticket. It's a strange system... most buses, you just get on, and then buy your ticket on the bus.... even for the long journey buses... but then, a few buses, you have to buy a ticket from the ticketstand beforehand... and there's no real way of finding out which method you use for which bus. Regardless... we ended up taking a taxi to Dehradun. We paid more than we had to, because we didn't understand the "agent" who said that he'll give us the entire backseat... so, we have to pay for 3 seats, instead of 2. When we got to the destination, we tried explaining to the driver that we're two passengers so we should pay for 2 passengers, not 3. He said, "Didn't the agent tell you that you have to pay for 3 seats?" We told him that we didn't hear that, and why would we agree to that, etc... the argument went back-n-forth a little bit... before we finally paid for the extra seat. Instead of getting upset (which was natural), we probably should have just been honest... and told him that we were confused and didn't understand the agent, and see if we could have compromised somewhere in the middle. It's not a matter of money all the time... but it's the matter of principle.

We couldn't get a bus to Manali until the next day at 3 pm.... and it's a 12 hour bus ride. We thought we'd be smart and take the 6 am bus to Shimla, and then take a bus from Shimla to Manali. We didn't realize that each of these bus rides was about 10 hours. So, instead of being in transit for only 12 hours, we were in transit for 20 hours.... but, hey.. at least we gotta see Shimla for a couple of hours!

The bus from Manali to Shimla was scenicly spectacular. I was awake for most of it... while Sampat was nodding off here and there. At first, I was thinking about how uncomfortable is was... how crowded (people standing), no room for out legs, no room for our bags (on our laps), etc. But then... as we started getting up into the mountains... I was reading Autobiography of a Yogia, just thinking about stuff, looking out the window, etc... and just started getting positive vibes. I was thinking about, "what do I want to do ot here? Where do I fit in? What am I passionate about? What have my experiences in India, so far.. taught me, showed me?

Here are some of the thoughts that were going through my head: Being in the mts of Uttaranchal with SIDH, just experiencing and observing and learning about the villagers lifestyle -- it was pretty incredible... and I felt a connection. I need to experience a few more villages in different parts, but I've always had that soft-spot for the "Indian gham". But, is that really where I fit in? I'm an Indian-American... and, probably should find my niche and attempt to work in the comfort zone that I know best and would be most effective. So.. I was thinking.... how about realllly learning about the lives of the masses in India, how globalization has affected them, the various ways that they've been exploited (corporations, gov't, move to "modernity", etc --- some things, I know a little bout, but definitely need to look more into -- Green Revolution, Water dam projects, bad education system, glorification of 'modernity'), etc. I need to start really reading into it, learning from experiences, and also learning from various thinkers, economists, and politicians on their vision... Possibly.. I should look into programs in universities here and/or the U.S.? To be able to honestly and effectively make a difference, I reallly would need to become an expert. The SIDH and "Jivan Vidhya" philosophy also was an eye-opener in all this (see Sameer's blog). The movement has to come from two directions... the "bottom" up, and from the "top" down. Education is the SIDH's emphasis. The villagers and the masses have to learn to be proud of their culture, traditions, and lifestyle. The current education tries to make htem feel that they are backwards and should move to the city... where they'll find that they'll end up living in slums. The villagers have to be shown how they're being exploited, and how to avoid it. While those doing the exploitiong, the West and the city folk... have to know exactly how they're supporting exploitation. I mean... I know that 10% of the world uses 90% of the world's resources... that villagers are relocated so the city folk can get water (dams)... that buying from certain companies is supporting sweatshops, etc.... But, what are the details??? And what are the true effects??? What can be done?? It must be a mass movement. The easy way out is for the "priveledged" to not even try to learn about the exploitation.. to avoid the feeling of guilt. And.. at this moment on the bus... I just had this incredible confidence in myself... in my ability.. or in the ability of something within me... to really go out and accomplish whatever I set out to do.... I just felt that if I can stick to a path, I can accomplish anything. I felt a reverence for everyone around me.. and all living things. It was one of those brief "spiritual reawakening" moments.

Anyways... this superb positiveness that I had didn't last..... we got off at Shimla for a couple hours. And then back onto the bus at 7 pm, for another 10 hour ride to Manali.... I was highly irritable on this bus... no where for the luggage.. the entire bus ride consisted of feeble attempts to find a comfortable sleeping position. We had seats.. but their was luggage and people all around us. And for a short period of time.. there was this drunk guy that was causing a ruckus.

We finally got to Manali at round 5 am, got a hotel, and slept. Manali has been pretty relaxing. It's been raining most of the time... sooo, we've spent a lot of time reading and on the internet.. instead of being "adventurous".

We did visit our first Buddhist "gompa".. or monastery... and breifly talked to a couple of monks. The Tibetan struggle is an extremely interesting one, and sad one to study... yet, they persevere... and India, as has been its nature throughout the history of its civilization, has provided safe refugee for these Truth-seekers.

Tonight at 2 am, we're taking a "shared Jeep" to Ladakh. We leave at 2 am, and reach Ladakh at 7 pm... over the course of this route, we will pass over the second highest motorable road in the world... we'll be going through snow, and will be witness to the absolute magnificence of the majestic Himalayas.