"My life is my message." - M. K. Gandhi
Day 1: Delhi, Avalon Courtyard.
I must say, a little disappointed by the fancy hotel. Call this a Reality Tour? I have just come from Pahar Ganj, and this hardly seems like reality. Good though, if you have just flown for 18 hours, I suppose.
Day 3: Train to Dehradun - New Year's Eve.
Set up at another kind of fancy place, scored some naan for a starving Aussie girl on our trip, fresh out the tandoor, cooked in front of me, just for asking Ab Kay Seh Heh? (How you doin'?) and flashing my losing smile. I have already found that 13 words of Hindi and a smile are the best tools I have here. People fricking stare at you, no problem. Smile at them for 1.3 seconds, and you are rewarded with the HUGEST smile back. It's nice.
Saw a video of a place doing work I thought was amazing. They take dropouts from India's rigorous and not-at-all-liberal-arts degrees and show them that they may not be useless after all, teaching them a well-rounded education of agricultural arts, first aid, building computers, inventing devices. Awesome stuff. They actually invent a lot of really useful stuff there, and the students (who tend to be generalists - India loves specialists) thrive. I will try to visit later on the Enfield.
That night, NYE 2009, Tara, John, and I crashed a birthday party and raged through the new year. I performed public highbrow Indian Whiskey tastings as a sideshow.
Day 4: Dehradun - Navdanya, The Seed Banks of Vandana Shiva.
Controversial agrarian activist Vandana Shiva. I actually didn't know anything about her, but she is a great speaker with a great depth of understanding of the role biotechnology plays in the future of India. She has also won about 200 awards. Pretty much: Monsanto and similar firms are destroying rural India, as they take control of the seed population. She runs a seed bank and farm, and is keeping diverse seeds alive, replanting every year, showing thousands of Indian would-be-farmers how to maintain their own food and resist the monocropping of the large firms.
She very convincingly makes the connection between Gandhi's efforts to get India using the spinning wheel to make their own clothing (they were being forced to purchase British textiles), and her efforts to get India using their native seeds (they are being convinced to use GMO seeds - which seem better, but do not fare better for the farmer in the mid/long-term, and are way worse - big picture - long term).
She had some things to say that did not resonate with me. A strange analysis of Carbon Credits, for one (against), and an understandable but regrettable unwillingness to work WITH Monsanto - she says they refuse to talk to her.
Interestingly, at dinner that night we were talking about our experiences, Tushar Gandhi and Ronjon (the Indian cinematographer working on the documentary) both had strong words about how her unwillingness to work with Monsanto, her resistance to any dissent within her own ranks and the cult of personality and lack of democratic structure of her own organization were not following in Gandhi's principles at all. I think they even used the term dictatorial. I really like that they will not only take us to people who are following in Gandhi's legacy, but also provide insight into the shortcomings of these groups. As many questions as answers are being brought up.
Day 5: Agra - Taj Majal.
Amazing, beautiful monument to love, a collection of the best architectural learning up to that point. Amazing. Alok gave us the lowdown on how it was built, the concepts behind it. Symmetry and brilliant design. Loads of great architectural ideas, and beautiful, with a heartwarming story, to boot. The feel-good structure of the year. wikipedia
I was among 8 of the group to get violently ill at this point. Both ends... bathroom looked like a Jackson Pollock painting. Doctor had to give painkillers and anti-nausea, and now I'm on antibiotics. Bad idea? I'm going to need some of those bugs... hopefully I can make it to Delhi. What's that, train cancelled? Riding on bus for 8 hours? Awesome.
Day 6: Delhi - worked on motorcycle while the others sightsaw.
My bike is painted! Got the stickers made, went with "Enfield" rather than "Royal Enfield" .. the Rajasthan Army Tan color is so good. Feeling better.
Day 7: Ahmedabad - Gandhi Ashram, hand-made paper mill.
One of the best talks by Arun Gandhi last night. Garth (Documentary producer) called it Arun's Greatest Hits He talks in parable. Hiring help, teaching children through penance, non-violence in activism - it's not just physical... Homie is right on. Still have diarrhea, as do most of us... much healthier, but some stomach pain. (stop eating curry. stop eating curry.)
Day 8: Ahmedabad - SEWA
Self Employed Women's Association is a massive org that started micro-loans to women, educating, financing, and supporting poor women's survival all over India. They do loads. Speakers were interesting just because there was so much to the org.
wikipedia
Tara and I decide to start a TV show called ... um... crap, something like "Risky Eating with Tara" ... just ate 2 train station samosas with her in the first episode. Now on to the train to see if it was a bad idea. Fun!
Day 9: Mumbai - Marketplace Share, Women's India Trust
Getting women literate and trained... helping them understand what it takes to become anything in life... like "Nurse?" 4 years this, 2 years that, X amount of money... let's make a budget and timeline and make a nurse out of you!
Really good core problem solving, I like that. "What? Computer course filled up, but everyone's illiterate? Bring in the literacy team!" Why am I talking in quotes?
Day 11: Sangli - Schools and the future of the Gandhian Legacy
Small school taking in homeless and kids working at brick kilns. A couple gave speeches in English, all are learning Hindi, English, Math, all sorts of normal learnin' stuff. Awesome case of somebody doing their part... one drop in a massive bucket, but done full power, a mom raising 20 kids by running a school.
Day 12: Sangli - Sugar Cane Migrant Camps
Up close and personal with tons of kids, migrant workers, oxen... out in a massive labor camp. Awesome. This is the best couple of days, out in Sangli.
Day 14: Mumbai - Namaste
Time for everyone to leave... it's like the end of summer camp. I'm going to miss some of these lovelies... well, at least there'll be a documentary about the whole thing, thanks to Garth - watch for it