Thank U India

Ok I love this song. And it means a great deal to me because I also owe a huge debt to India. During my three months living there I did much soul searching, healed some old wounds and made some decisions about how to lead my life. For a while I got caught up in other things and forgot… but I’ve been remembering again lately. My time in India was life changing and very powerful. The last four weeks have, in a strange way, been a mini repeat of that time – its been a time of remembering and reaffirming what I learnt back then in 2007.  Reaffirming the choices I made at that time.

Thankyou India.

Kiran Bedi

This week I have seen a documentary about Kiran Bedi, and heard her speak at an event related to a documentary film festival being held here.

The film is called Yes, Madam, Sir. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to see it.  It is a cleverly made documentary and deserves to do well for the film maker – an Australian woman, Megan Doneman. I understand Megan, and her mother/producer Laraine, have been through immense struggle and hardship themselves in order to make this labour of love.

Kiran Bedi is a truly remarkable woman. She was the first woman to joing the Indian police force in the early 70s and has achieved many wonderful things ever since – often facing great challenges and opposition. She turned around a notorious prison, Tihar, by introducing Vipassana meditation for the inmates. She believes strongly in stopping crime before it starts rather than punishing people afterwards. She has also set up numerous foundations that are bringing education to children in slums and vocational training to their parents to enable them to move away from crime and into paid work. She also worked as Police Adviser to the UN for two years.

You can read more about her at either of the above websites. But she strikes me as a focussed, strong, independent individual who has a passion for human rights and who has struggled immensely against oppression (both to herself and others). She’s had a very tough time with most of the male Indian heirarchy against her. She upset the status quo and this was not appreciated. Kiran strives to make the world better for those who are powerless and disenfranchised.

I am full of admiration for this woman. Check her out if you want to be inspired by the difference one woman can make.

Darjeeling connection

Yesterday I received an email from a man I met at the conference in Phoenix. He is involved with various projects in Darjeeling, India – the very place I spent three months doing voluntary work in early 2007. He has invited me to attend the opening of the Goodwill centre in Darjeeling in November this year. It would include a full moon meditation for Scorpio, followed by a “Culture of Peace” week.

I was very excited on receiving this email. Immediately I started checking out costs, flights and accommodation. I haven’t made any decision just yet, but if I can manage the logistics of it I fully intend to go. If not, there will be other opportunities as he runs annual events (by invitation) in the area. But November should be a good time weather-wise - visibility should be clearer than when I was there.

I really love Darjeeling. It is a spiritual centre chanelling an inflow of energy from Shamballa. I have always felt strongly linked to the place through my family history – my father attending school in Darjeeling for many years whilst his father served in the British Medical Service in India. My grandmother was born and raised in India (Dehra Dun) and they both spent time in Burma, hence I feel very strongly for the tragedies that Burma has been facing recently.

To me, it just seems destined that I will have strong links with Darjeeling. I grew up hearing stories about the area and had wanted to visit for as long as I can remember. The opportunity to return fills me with delight. I have friends I made whilst there that I’d like to see again. There are things I didn’t get around to doing that I could maybe do this time (such as watching the sunrise hit Mt Everest from Tiger Hill).

For all of this I should be very thankful. And I am. I came back from the conference feeling a bit let down because somehow I’d expected (how those expectations sabotage me every time – I must release them) that the experience would be transformational in some way – perhaps life changing. It was a sense I had rather than a thought. But no such thing occurred. Now, however, I am wondering if it was the opportunity to re-establish links with Darjeeling and the various projects going on there that was the important thing for me. It may well end up being transformative and life changing yet – just not directly in its own right.

Red Pandas

Red Pandas in the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling, India. These little fellows are endangered in the wild and are a part of a very successful breeding program at the zoo in Darjeeling.

This zoo plays a very important role in protecting and breeding endangered species such as the red panda and the snow leopard.

Sunrise and sunset in the Himalaya

Looking west toward Nepal and the sunset. 

Setting sun closeup through the haze

 Looking east over India and Bhutan through the prayer flags to the rising sun.

Sunrise close up.

Difficult to say which I liked best. Both had their charm and beauty. I spent more time looking east as it was easier to get to and more comfortable to sit there. My room was positioned facing east with the sun shining in the window to wake me up naturally (when it wasn’t obscured by cloud and fog that is). There is nothing better than waking naturally to the sun. The view to the west was somehow more primeval and wild though, and I did appreciate that. East was more domestic and covered in tea plants whereas the western side of the ridge was too steep and so was native forest. Leopards roamed frequently through the area and I would sometimes hear them at night.

My Himalayan back garden

My last post was the view in front of the guest house I lived in for three months in India. Don’t be sad asked what the view from the back yard was like. Here it is. Straight ahead is Nepal (where the triangular mountain rears up in the mid right of the photo). If you could turn to the right from this point and see through the ridge you would be looking straight at Kanchenjunga. Five minutes walk up the road from where I stayed you could see the mountain on a clear day (which I happened to see once from that  particular spot while I was there). The tea garden I stayed at was about 1400m above sea level.

Himalayan view

This is the view from where I was living this time last year in India. I used to spend hours sitting on a tree trunk gazing at the view. By turning my head to the right I could see down to the plains. It is very impressive the way the Himalaya just rear up from the Indian plains. This is all tea growing country. Straight ahead in this view – over a few mountains – is Bhutan. Behind me was Nepal only a few tens of kilometres away.

Here I was perched on a ridge overlooking a village where I could observe the local life in all its raucous, colourful glory. It was winter and very cold at times up there with no way to keep warm (other than crawling in my sleeping bag at 7pm!) At times it was very foggy and damp and my hand washed clothes would take 3 or 4 days to dry.

Mostly, the only way to get anywhere was on foot. I got fitter than I’ve ever been, in the three months I lived there (and that is not very fit ) I was very homesick for the first month or so, but the place really seeped into my psyche and under my skin. There is a magic and mystery to India and the Himalaya. I feel a strong connection to the area and hope to return some day. It is extraordinarily beautiful.

Not a bad view to have from your yard is it?

Kanchenjunga

During the three months I spent in the Darjeeling region in early 2007, I only caught sight of Kanchenjunga on three occasions. It was winter and very foggy and misty and visibility was low. But the awe and wonder when she did appear made the wait worthwhile. I have seen both the highest and third highest mountains in the world now. Kanchenjunga has five distinct peaks and towers over Darjeeling. I wasn’t ever able to get a really good shot of her, this is about the best of my photos. But the thrill of seeing such a majestic sight will stay with me forever.

I loved Darjeeling. I felt at home there and wish to return someday. I loved the people, the geography, the scenery, the atmosphere, the history and the energy of the place.

K2 watch out … I’m after a photo of you next.

Darjeeling sunset

Makaibari school children

I was lucky enough to spend three months living on the Makaibari Tea Garden near Darjeeling, India. I taught computing and English to the local village children. They were all extremely keen and eager to learn, coming to classes voluntarily during the holidays. It is a magical, mystical spot in the foothills of the Indian Himalaya. The tea is superb and the views stunning. Well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in the area.

Quality of life vs standard of living

When I was living in a community in India for three months I really noticed the fantastic attitude to life that prevailed amongst the locals. They lived lives that would be considered rather simple by some western standards – no running water, no heating, no personal cars. But almost without exception they seemed very happy and content.

The children I taught were keen and eager and came to classes voluntarily even during their holidays. I spoke to a Sri Lankan Fair Trade inspector who was staying there too and he pointed out to me the difference was that in the west we have a good standard of living but in places like this pocket of NE INdia they had a great quality of life. This is not to say that the two are mutually exclusive either in the west or in India, but it struck me how often our goals don’t fit what is really meaningful in life.

My experience on this tea garden near Kurseong was of a community that lived closely together and close to the land – growing a lot of their own food. They looked out for each other and had a very strong sense of family, community and responsibility to others. They seemed to understand what was really important in life – love, family, friendship, doing a full day’s work but also relaxing and enjoying life. Sure they strived for a better life for their children (who doesn’t?) – all the children in the community were educated to at least the end of primary school and many went on to secondary school.

Living in the mountains without personal transport, and eating local, seasonal fresh foods meant they were very fit and certainly didn’t suffer weight problems. That is not to say they were all healthy all the time – the local water needed to be boiled before drinking and colds and flu seemed rife.

These people seemed to find much to appreciate in life and were extremely welcoming to a foreigner like myself – opening up their homes for me to stay in. I was told that visitors are to be treated like gods and they certainly lived up to that sentiment.

Interestingly, almost every residence had a television set and many had telephones – some had mobile phones too. I was teaching in the computer centre where two extremely old PCs were used with great glee by the children. There was no internet connection on the tea garden but there were internet cafes up the road in Kurseong.

The elements of tradition and modern development seemed to coexist quite naturally.

It would be nice to live a life that incorporated the best aspects of both worlds – appreciating life simply for the fact we are gifted with it, treating each other with courtesy and compassion (even strangers) as well as having the luxuries of clean, running water, adequate heating, good health care, education and some spare cash. And an internet connection

I was very impressed by these people and I learnt a lot from them about what is really meaningful in life. I believe they gave me much more than I gave them in doing some voluntary teaching. Now if only we could redistribute the world’s resources fairly so everyone can have the benefits of modern development whilst still enjoying the more traditional values and lifestyle – wouldn’t we all be better off?  So we could all enjoy a good standard of living AND great quality of life.

Snow Leopards

 

This snow leopard cutie (that I use as my avatar) lives in Darjeeling in India at the zoo. Normally I don’t like seeing animals caged in zoos, but here they have a snow leopard breeding program. The species was nearing extinction until they started this program. They have had much success over the years. I was lucky enough to visit the zoo in March 2007. By chance we met up with the Supervisor of animals who offered to show us around the breeding centre which is closed to the public. What a wonderful day that turned into. I was delighted to get so close to these beautiful creatures. I even managed to stroke this fellow through the bars. The fur was exquisitely soft. He was a frisky fellow.

The mother, Neeta, was a real poser. As we walked around her enclosure she kept moving and posing for our photos. I will post some photos of her at some stage too. But this cub stole my heart completely. I am full of admiration for those who are ensuring these lovely creatures survive. I was so impressed by the love and devotion that the supervisor showed for the animals in his care. He was also a wonderful artist and gave us copies of his pen and ink sketches of the leopards and also red pandas. I treasure those pictures. I have no way to contact him or I’d ask permission to post them here.

If ever you are in Darjeeling, don’t miss out on a visit to this zoo – even if, like me, you don’t normally like zoos. It was a highlight of my entire stay in the area. I’d go so far as to say one of the highlights of my life to date.

End of the year of false starts

It is the end of 2007. It has been a really full-on year. My friend and I call it the year of false starts. We are hoping that 2008 will be the year of true starts! I’ve had one of the most eventful years of my life, with many good things happening, but there is no denying it has been tough. I’ve been through the wringer emotionally but I also know I’ve grown up a lot and am much clearer on what I want out of life. I spent the first four months of the year travelling and doing voluntary work alone in India, Nepal and Tibet. I came home and decided to stop being so restless so I got a job, bought a house and fell in love. I guess I plan to tell these stories as I go along with this blog. I have a great need to write about my experiences – usually I journal in notebooks – but now I’ve decided I might as well journal online.