Quick recap:
early morning up in lobby, dressed for workout (awkward to be the one in shorts/tank sitting unobtrusively in a corner of the lobby), trying to connect to folks in the States. No dice on the google video chat, but I did see a lizard scamper across the floor. Ran in the gym (7K), then used the swank spa facilities and felt fresh and clean for much of the day, even with the sweat constantly rolling down my arms and legs. Linen is underrated back home.
Two lectures at the Fulbright House, including one of the most informative and engaging so far by Dr. Vijay Kumar Srivastava, a PhD from Cambridge in social anthropology, and former head of Hindu College here. He spoke on caste: does modern India have castes or a caste system? And ultimately he arrived at India having castes (4000+) but not a caste system. Briefly, caste matters in today's India most in three situations: matrimony (cross-caste is frowned upon but does happen occasionally), politics (caste is often a source of strength for votes), and the forming of institutions (colleges, schools, banks, etc.) India has over 2000 caste-based institutions and they add considerably to public life. This is information that would SO enrich my India lectures at school, as was the information from our second speaker, Dr. Anshu Malhotra (PhD, Univ. of London). She is an historian and her expertise is the 19th and early 20th century Punjab. She talked about religious plurality, including whether difference thrives here or is merely tolerated. It was an interesting consideration, especially against the backdrop of the three super-violent episodes she described of religious tension: the 1947 Partition, in which a million people lost their lives, 12.5 million were displaced from their homes; the 1984 riots in Delhi in which Sikhs were targeted after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards; and the 2002 riots between Muslims and Hindus in Gujarat, in which Hindu nationalism fanned the flames of retribution against Muslims. This last episode involved fewer people than the others, but due to modern journalism it was broadcast 24/7 into people's homes. So religiously based violence is a dimension of the challenges of diversity here, as in so many places.
Next we had a wonderful lunch at the USIEF cafe (US India Education Foundation), then hit the National Museum. Our tour guide there was well informed and nice, and HIGHLY interested in our group staying with her and the others on the free tour. When our 13 group members gradually peeled off to pursue the galleries at their own pace, she and our staff rounded up those of us closest and basically insisted we rejoin the tour. And I was the one closest, so she monitored my participation and attention directly for the rest of the afternoon, once or twice instructing Indian tour members to get out of the way so I could see. Awkward. And most of our group dutifully joined back in--we learned a fair amount--but we were reminded of how pleasant it is to stroll through a museum following one's own interests. There are some world-class items in this place, to be sure. The early religious carvings (from 4000-5000 years ago) are impressive, as are the various Hindu and Jain statues, plus the decorative arts and musical instruments. But these folks could take a tip from the national museum in Ankara. A little investment in their treasures here would go a long way.
Must go now, cannot describe our trip on the metro to Chandni Chawk, the walk through Old Delhi, or the beer in the hotel afterward. Too rushed. Must contact the girls, then we're off on an early start. Today we're hitting a tomb, the Qutab complex, and the Bahai House of worship. Should be amazing. We'll be interacting with a group of school teachers, then hearing about the ethics of Odissi dance and having a demonstration from one of the premier dancers in India. But I haven't even brushed my hair, much less gotten dressed for the day. And given our agenda, long sleeves and long pants are in order.
Have a good day, everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment