23 & 24 July: Madurai's Meenakshi Temple, sari shopping, school visits, "brain food"

23 July: Meenakshi Temple...wow!

5K run today. Feeling tired. Much harder to do this run than the last one at Hyderabad (8K!!)

We just finished our tour of Meenakshi temple with the adorable, charming and super-informed Dr. Venkatraman. He's an expert in art history and explained key concepts in Hindu art through stories. And man, what a story teller. At 80, he looks far younger, energetic and spry. 

We couldn't take our cameras inside, so I left everything on the bus. Then we had to leave our shoes at a drop off place a ways from the entrance. As you approach the temple complex in a bus, you can see multi-colored towers called gopurams. The original temple was built int he 9th century and was about 1/50 of the size of todays' version. Destroyed by invaders, the temple was rebuilt in 1310 and added to over the centuries. One of our USIEF guides, Sam, whose academic expertise is in the history and politics of, said most of what we see today was built between the 12th and 18th centuries. This accounts for the "organic" visual aspect: there is not much symmetry with the 5 large towers and 7 small one, nor is there a singular "grand vision" coordination of the halls. At least, that was my impression. 

Our guidebook from the CM Center explains that Madurai has been "the cultural capital" of this area for centuries. "Meenakshi Amman temple [is] located in the older part of the city...[and] is dedicated to Meenakshi Amman, and Lord Shiva. Unlike most Hindu temples, the presiding deity of this temple is not the God but Goddess Meenakshi. The mythology of Meenakshi's wedding has a lot of socio-political significance which will be presented to you during Dr. Venkatraman's lecture." He described how at the dawn of the cosmos, God existed. He didn't create, however, he manifested. I thought this was significant. Additionally, he explained that the terms god and goddess are problematic, as they ascribe genders (and thus limit our conceptions of the deities). Instead he prefers the term "the divine": timeless, genderless, infinite. That too resonated with me.

Between March 20 and 15 April, the Chitirai Festival gives folks a chance to come together despite divisions of class, caste or religion. It would be cool to learn more about this festival. 

The markets start up here much earlier than in the north, some folks had their wares out by 8:30, others by 9:00, 9:30. 

Definitely check out Meenakshi Temple online. It's pretty splendid and hopefully someone has scored access with a camera because it's really a remarkable space to  behold.

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We went to another hotel for lunch--I cautioned myself about over-eating and managed to stick to my guns. Having said that, the beans pooriyal was amazing and if I can get my hands on fresh shredded coconut I'll make it. Pulses, mustard seeds, sliced green beans...some kind of rice (or was that the coconut)? It was so simple, so good. A sleeper hit.

I thought about heading back to the hotel for a long rest. This type of travel wears on a person in ways you don't expect. Sometimes it seems like it'd be easier if we were doing really rigorous physical labor more frequently. The extended waiting around and moving at group-speed is so different from the way we normally live. But I couldn't miss the sari shopping opportunity, especially since Vidya, Karthi and Rama had agreed to go with us. I didn't know if my energy could hold, especially after lunch and in 35 degree heat. We went back to the Meenakshi temple parking lot (a good example of how so many Indian parking lots smell like old urine) and wound into the market streets opposite the temple. They were not as extensive and labyrinthine as those we'd seen in Dharavi or old Delhi. But for our purposes, this was far better. We went into two stores and looked at hundreds of fabric samples. We are rookies with sari shopping and have trouble getting a mental picture of how the fabric will look in a finished product and then on our bodies. For this we relied on our Indian colleagues--we described the colors and the degree of "busy-ness" we wanted in a fabric. And they made suggestions relative to fabric quality, comfort and versatility. The first place pulled out 70-80 flat packets of sari fabric. None of the color patterns seemed right. But it was good to get a primer on pricing. Happily for us, July corresponds largely with the month of Aadi (of the solar calendar, but not the Gregorian calendar). It's an an auspicious month for agriculture and for women. What we were thrilled to find out is that during Aadi, saris are offered at about a 25% discount. This was great. The fabrics at the first store--at least the ones I liked--ranged from 400-600 rupees. But none of them grabbed me fully. So we put a few off to the side, asked the storekeeper to hold them and then tried our luck at a second place. Much better luck. I ended up buying a light blue synthetic number, enhanced with sequined paisley accents. It was originally 1800 rupees, marked down to 1200. Then I got a sensible cotton/silk blend--dark green with gold accents--for 925. Sari fabric is long, and the two pieces that I bought came with the blouse fabric at the end. In total sari fabric is about 6-8 meters. On one of mine three clear red lines marked the spot for the blouse fabric to begin, that's where the tailor cut the fabric before he measured me. At the sari store once we'd chosen our fabric, we went downstairs and selected underskirts because some of our sari fabrics were transparent. Then we selected fabric for the blouse lining too. I bought a few guys' garments as gifts (can't give away too much there) and left having spent about 3600 rupees. It was a big expenditure, relatively speaking but pretty modest when compared to clothes and gift shopping at home. 

Then we went to the tailor row of the market, a long row within the temple complex (40' old stone pillars with demon heads on the top). Barefoot men in their 40s sat at antique  black sewing machines propped on old sewing tables, food treadles powering their expert stitching. I probably saw 15 of these men--there were not 100s or 1000s, but these few looked to be pretty busy. Dr. Vidya took us to the "head tailor" and he parceled out our work to a father and son who had us select a blouse type then measured us. We'll be able to pick our items up on Saturday and mine with cost 340 rupees for blouses and linings.

24 July

Just looked out the window and saw a goat getting slaughtered. Yuck. Then a cow meandered in front of the bus, Dolores sent out the alarm, but I daresay the driver say it. ...the bus took a wrong turn so we ended up retracing our path and driving back by the sidewalk stall where the goat met its end. The man there had already done much of the skinning, though I didn't take pains to see it for myself. Again--yuck. But the Indians seem to pretty consistently prepare and use just what they need for that day. I've been told repeatedly that they do no eat leftovers, just fresh foods. 

I finally got in touch with Ruby last night--still have to get Liv on the computer, but not able to coordinate timing well with those busy girls. Ruby got really upset that I hadn't bought her a sari. How were we to know that kids don't really wear saris here? I'm sure she'll like what I got her, but it stunk to get cut off mid-way though the explanation. Poor thing.

We're driving through a rural area, Sam thinks we're heading east. (He checks: northeast). The landscape is increasingly brown and red, now into green. The Coloradans in our group say that this area reminds them of Boulder (minus the huge mountains). There are a few mountains here, and relative to the surrounding area they're a major topographical feature. We see schoolchildren heading off in their uniforms, browns and pinks and oranges. I'd say just less than half are barefoot. Girls wear their hair in two long braids looped back up so they hang down like long brown drops. Men are wearing lunghis (maybe 20% wearing pants), many are barefoot. You can really see the evidence of no rain, closer to town there people squatting in make-shift shelters on the dry riverbed. There are patches of green where people have cultivated patches of vegetable gardens. They stand out like lush ponds. Sam says there are lots of mango trees around, but this morning Karthi told me mango season had passed. I feel a little sad; I missed it almost completely. The road we're on is paved now and our speed has increased accordingly. We honk as we drive past men on scooters--usually 2 sometimes 3 or a family together. When we pass the occasional family compound, the earth is often packed and neatly swept, with laundry hanging on lines across a small earthen courtyard. I see women in saris bent over sweeping the courtyards, bent down almost double to strong-hand the errant debris in the right direction. 

And there's a disconcerting amount of garbage clinging to the brush along the road, much of it in small pieces so you can't easily discern what it used to be. You see cigarette packs, juice packets, lots of bits of colored plastic. This is a serious challenge for any nation--I remember being horrified about Russians' attitudes toward their garbage--but it's not right to point fingers and say the Indians have to get their act together. At least, I as an American cannot do that. We've een reminded more than once by scholars here that our country uses 40% of the world's resources yet has 5% of the world's population. And what can you say to that?

Some homes are build of concrete slab, some of brick with a mortar overlay, some of thatch. Two of our number are saying the lush green landscape here reminds them of Indonesia. Amazing how a few kilometers makes a big difference in the prevailing colors of the earth. 

I left my camera back at the hotel--DRAT! What a bummer. If you want to see pictures from today, check out my feed on FB because my friends here will certainly post their best pics. Hopefully between the 13 of us we can capture the beauty and discovery of the day. 

Driving through a small town with another dried up river. Kids en rout to school: red and peach uniforms, brown and tan uniforms, two-tone blue uniforms, all signalling different schools. Not all kids wear shoes, more barefoot boys than girls (but there are both). Some walk to school,, most ride bikes, some arrive in autorickshaws. We passed one with about 12 little girls in it. I lost count after 10 but knew I hadn't seen them all. There's an open sewer running below shopfronts. The walkway is being rebuilt, so there are 8-10' meter-wide wooden "gangplanks" connecting the street to the various shopfronts. One stretch of them was blanketed with bunched threads from coconut husks. I wonder if that's to protect feet from the summer heat. Even many of the day laborers are barefoot--amazing. And I don't like walking down our driveway to the mailbox in April/May before my winter feet get toughened up for outdoor activity.

Finally! A cricket game in an open field. Wonder why those fellow are not at work. This is a big space, but it's not fully clear or flat, and most of those guys aren't wearing shoes. Ouch. 

We're at the school, funded half by the gov't and half by an NGO. There are about 365 kids here in 12 classrooms in 6 grades, K-5. It's spread out campus style over a few acres, with single story individual (or double-spaced) open classrooms with slate or concrete floors and grated windows. All classrooms have an open feel, and I saw a few ceiling fans so I assume they have electricity. The kids take off their shoes outside the classrooms, or maybe outside the school walls, as none is wearing shoes in the class. There are no desks in the classrooms,so the first thing I noticed was that the kids were sitting and working on the floor. This allows them the freedom to pursue the activity-based curriculum and methods that they're so proud of. Plus, the classrooms don't feel so crowded with small groups of 7 or 8 sitting together in small circles. The Indian staff members say they see a real difference between the education they received (in terms of instruction methods) and what's happening here. The rocky dirt courtyard doesn't daunt the children's playfulness as they scamper around on a quick break. 

We're hearing a lot of instruction through dictation and repetition, but almost all the voices are those of children. Each of the classes showed us group activities, and the style of delivery (shouted little voices) was touching in its earnestness. We have seen lovely games, songs and stories from all levels. The 5th graders just now shared a story linking religion (god concept), the environment and industrial waste. It was deep and important, and I was impressed that they covered this in English and Tamil. 

We're outside now (seated in the shade) while a 3rd grade teacher bangs on a big drum and about 60 ids do simple stretching and circulation-boosting exercises. Again, they're all barefoot, paying no heed to the uneven dirt/rock surface below their feet. They move in unison, arums up, arms down, jump up, stretch down, sit and do the same. I'ts pretty cool. Their morning assembly included pranayama yoga elements (breathing exercises) along with news announcements in English, a moral thought of the day, and the songs of both Tamil Nadu and India. 

My friend Robyn (from Louisiana) pointed out that the staff has emphasized several connectors to place here, from an emphasis on horticultural projects (kids know and practice the care of local plants, their medicinal properties, etc.) to language to geography. A special group of 5th grade students is now giving us a demonstration called "Junior Doctors" to showcase their knowledge of the medicinal properties of local plants, and to maintain personal hygiene (nails cut weekly, first aid kit in good order). Also they help identify diseases and give remedies. We're getting a demonstration that adorable and informative. Measuring and recording a student's height, weight (with adults offering corrections from the side--some things transcend cultures!)

Among the herbs they're showing tulsi, or Indian basil. Apparently it keeps the snakes away, put it in boiling water to inhale the steam, and use it in other ways. It smells great. Wonder if I can get some to take home. The child gave 2 recipes: crush along with onions and cumin, squeeze juice out, put in tumbler of water, drink for three days, will cure cold. Next herb is neem. It's margoso leaves (sp?), it cures skin diseases, grind with turmeric to cure smallpox, chicken pox, wounds. Also can make a poultice with salt and turmeric to get worms out of your stomach. Next herb: one clove of garlic daily will strengthen heart and cure GI problems. Next, drumstick spinach, nickel-sized light green leaves running up the long stem. Eat handful with salt, stomach ailments will get cured, rich in iron. Ginger: mix 1 spoon ginger juice, + lemon juice + honey, will cure stomach and head ailments. 

Next stop: International Center for...

Hari Shankar, physician and naturopathist (27 years). Body has its own medicine, healing powers. Don't use external medicines. 

Focus today is on yoga, earlier was only a spiritual science, meant for spriritual development, only a few folks used it, not the common public. Over the past 200 years started to be practiced for exercise, health. Yoga has many branches.

How does yoga help religious harmony. Hinduism isn't a religion by itself, it's a way of life. Hinduism has come into existence as a term applied by outsider. 65-70 emphases in Hinduism: Shiva as main god, Vishnu as main god, Shakti (female element), Ganesha...or other versions. Shrividya:  The pathway may be different but the goal is the same: what is the absolute. Use religion to find this. 

Absolute is none but your own self. "That is the idea everywhere". Religion is part and parcel of this quest. 

Drew on board Shrividya (mantra to address male god; to address goddess, vidya)...we approach the divine from many doors/paths. Pray through a faith/practice to access the divine.

Chant: I find myself as that god. Yoga calls God "us". Not affected by your actions, habits, emotions...the divine remains the unaffected factor within. Thus, our conscience is our best teacher. As in Indian society, pay greatest respect to your teachers--i.e. yourself. Must lose triputi: 3 things/entities: will, god, your own truth. All three should meld. The loss of triputi means you are able to identify your teacher, your god and yourself as one. 

For all these things, food plays an important role: must be pure to aid you in this process. 

Impurities:

of the ind: jealousy, anger

tendency with which the mind will work: guna (goo-NAH): 

there are 3 gunas...trigunas: 

1. rajoguna: works very fast, catches up with something, doesn't understand the reality, goes by itself...all emotional outbursts come from this. This is necessary to take action. Important for taking action, but must be tempered so not be excessive. Stimulated by some foods: strong tasting ones (pungent, saline, bitter, salt, astringent, sweet). Kings have more rajoguna...hence they're called kings. Non-vegetarian food...due to stress hormones released when animal is killed. Adds to your stress. Coffee/tea are stimulants.
2. tamoguna: comes from tamos, meaning darkness, no clarity. Indecisive or responsive. Too slow. Not able to reel the reality. This is difficult with educational environments bc some students are slow to learn, not doing it consciously. Induced by stale foods (age and/or flavor). Stale food tantamount to alcohol...makes you sluggish. Not good for white-collared job. Not so difficult for laborers who don't have to think as much when they work. Garlic and onions are here, reducing your energy (becomes clear when you do a course on meditation). All processed foods go here because they're stale.
3. satwaguna:   mind is fresh, neither fast nor slow, ready to execute in a planned fashion, not in a hurry. Ideal condition where you can meditate. Food is fresh, not spicy, medium taste, natural food. 

Wants to show a few traditional Indian foods that are satwaguna:  beets, cabbage, carrots, chilis, tomatoes, 

Foods high in prana: high or low voltage.

cucumbers, snake gourd...looks like a snake, chayote (another gourd); maximum prana is ash gourd, a type of pumpkin...uses grated version

carrot, yellow pumpkin, 

major flavorings: sour: acid lime, grated mangoes or tomatoes, green peppers (or other)

Pungent: black pepper powder, cumin seed powder, salt, curry leaves (garnish), cilantro, coconut

Tradition in Tamil Nadu: sweets served first. Goes with story from Prof. Venkatraman about Ganesha and sweets in his hand. 

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school interaction with teachers: TRV high-secondary school...Madurai's best. 5000 kids in 2 shifts, separate staffs for morning/evening. 13-acre campus. This school has the only god quality library I've seen so far, but our small school library has 5-6 times the materials, it appears. Strange that this country, with its emphasis on literacy, doesn't do more with its school libraries. We did not come with a gift and that felt awkward. Gene and I pledged to send them copies of our school yearbooks. Need to remember that--it's a matter of principle.

Teachers (need to write names down because I can't get a mental picture of the name when people say them aloud, then I have no idea what to call them): 

• Dhanalakshmi
• Shakura Vincent
• Navya
• Irine 
• Radhika
• Padmavathi
• Rajalakshmi: director of middle level program

top school in Madurai. 40-42 students per class.

Back to the hotel late--dinner was peanuts and beer (finally!) in the bar, hearing about everyone's day, discussing matters of family, obligation, conflict management in our lives. And a great video chat with the girls last night. I went to sleep incredibly happy.