From Banana Leaves to Bags...Women Weavers in Anegundi

More Memories....

Memories....

TheStory of India as told by the Temples and Palaces...

The history of the country is visible in the architecture of the temples and palaces. As one travels south the expansion of Hindu empires as well as introduction of Islam and Christianity. Hinduism is practices by about 82% of the population in India. About 10% of South India's population is Muslim and 2.3% of the population is Christian with 75% living in South India. In Hampi in the state of Karanata the three main temples were constructed in the 15th and 16th centuries. Virupaksha temple is the oldest with the main gopuram built in 1442. The main shrine is dedicated to a form of Shiva. The Vittala temple boasts incredible sculptural work with outer musical pillars that reverberate when tapped. Also constructed during the Vijayagar empire was the Achutaraya Temple. Visible in the palace at Hampi is the movement toward Hindu Islamic style. For Hindus a temple is a map of the universe. At the center is an unadorned space, the garbhagriha (inner shrine) which provides the residence for the deity to whom the temple is dedicated. Above the shrine rises the structure known as the vinana in South India which is stepped with a solid dome. The gorporam is a soaring pyramidal gateway, visible in Hampi temples and typical of Dravidian style. The invasion of the Muslims brought the introduction of arched cloisters and domes. The most striking difference between Hinduism and Islam is religious imagery. Idolatry or portrayal of god is not seen in Islamic art.

In Mysore the Maharaja's palace is a spectacular example of IndoSaracenic architecture which his a merging of Hindu,Muslim, and Christian. This ornate palace is a combination of mirrors, gaudy colors, stained glass, wooden doors and mosaic floors. Inside the palace grounds is the Hindu temple, Sri Shweta Varanaswamy. The palace complex reflects the history of Mysore. The dynasty was founded in 1399. Until the mid-16th century its rulers, the Wodeyars, were in the service of the Vijayangar emperor. The Mysore rulers declared independence with the fall of Vijayangar in 1565. In the late 18th century Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan usurped the throne and ruled for a brief period of time. The Wodeyars continued to rule until independence in 1947. Then in 1956 the new state was formed. The first palace burnt down in 1897 and was rebuild in 1912. Another example of Hindu architecture in Mysore is the Chamundeswari temple located on Chamundi Hill. It is dominated by a towering seven-storey 40m high gopuram. Pilgrims climb 1000 plus steps to the top. Needless to say I did not make the pilgrimage this trip.

En route to Bangalore from Mysore in Srirangapatam is home to the twin tower mosque, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Daria Daulat Bagh,all built by Tipu Sultan during the 18th century. Daria Daulat Bagh served as Tipu Sultan's summer home and not an inch of the interior was left unadorned. Though Muslim he led with the intent of inclusion and is portrayed as a leader who promoted social justice. The architecture of this incredible edifice demonstrates the influence of several religions and varied styles.

Madurai was an experience in and of itself but the Sri Meenakshi Templemade this city especially memorable. It is one of India's oldest cities and has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. It is wild, congested and colorful. The streets are full with locals walking, those visiting the temple for pilgrimage, bicycles, cars, autorickshaws and bullock carts. All were fairly politely making their way as horns blared. Madurai's landmark temple is as riotous as the streets. It is a baroque example of Dravidian architecture with multi colored images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures. It was designed in 1560 and built during the reign of Tirumalai Nayak. Every twelve years the city of Madurai paints and refurbishes the complex. Most of the gorpurams were covered for the scheduled painting because it is believed that the temple should not be exposed for view during painting. This actually added to the commotion in the temple. It is estimated that 10,000 visitors may come to Sri Meenakshi in any one day. Hindus arrived in large groups, small families, or individuals. Women wore saris or churidars and men wore longhis or typical western wear. Some of the children had their heads shaved signifying acceptance of Hinduism... a rite of passage. All were barefoot. Many pilgrims carried baskets of fruit and jasmine flowers to offer the gods. Breaking the coconut upon entering the temple is a ritual to determine one's fortune to come. Very few non-Hindus were present but those of us who were noticeable were welcomed. It was not uncommon to be asked to pose for a photo shoot since a white woman was a bit of an oddity.

The last temple on this trip at Tiruchirappeli was an outstanding culmination of temple touring. Sri Ranganathaswamy templededicated to Vishnu covers 60 hectares. Temple inscriptions date its existence from the 10th century. The complex with its seven concentric walled sections and 21 gorpurams is possibly the largest in India. When stateside the pictures posted will tell the story the words can't.

The trip is nearing an end. The last stop, Puducherry, was temple touring free but not because there were none to see. It was time to take in other sites: the Bay of Bengal, wide streets with French names, i.e. Rue du...., the promenade, the Ashram of Sri Auribondo, and Auroville which was the brainchild of the Mother. Of course it was also time to eat. This city's lure was fresh fish and French-Indian fusion cuisine. More later....

More Reflections from Puducherry on International Women's Day!

Recently on the flight from Bangalore to Chennai the movement of men was most notable. It was truly a business flight. Security has a que for Gents" and a que for "Ladies". Since they "wand" everyone this is most efficient. (Security has been intensified since the bombings in Mumbai. Our car was often checked when entering a hotel.) So the Security line moved quickly for me since I was one of the few women. But true testimony to the nature of this flight was the que at the men's room at baggage claim in Chennai. It was the first time in my life that I saw no line for the "ladies" room and a long line of men having to wait their turn. Sometimes there is justice in the world!

But of even greater significance to me on board Jet Airways was the March copy of Jet Wings. The lead article was "Celebrating Womanhood". In commemoration to International Women's Day the author interviewed several prominent women about the status of women in India and personal struggles. Shabana Azmi, Actor/Activist/Member of Parliament states "India lives in several centuries simultaneously and captures all the contradictions of a multi-cultural , multi-religious, multi-class society. So it is with the position of women." Dr. Mallika Sarabhai, Danseuse/ Thespian/ Writer states, "In some senses gender inequalities are coming down. In others, however, just as the gap between the rich and the poor is increasingly widening thanks to globalisation, the one between women in general is also increasing. Today we have a mixed bag of advantages and disadvantages. Many parts of the world are becoming more patriarchal and violent in the name of religion, and more and more women are being brutalised. If you are in an educated and progressive family today, the choices are sky-high. If not, you bear the double burden of being a working woman from a family which expects you to do all the traditionally prescribed jobs. That can be crippling and totally non-liberating."

Mahatma Gandhi stated, "If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior...If non-violence is the law of our being, the future is with women..."

South Indian women have traditionally had a greater degree of freedom than their northern sisters. Kerala has been famous for its matrilineal kinship and matriarchy was a long standing tradition in Tamil Nadu. Dowry deaths and female infanticide were virtually unknown in South India until recently. In all of India according to reports, every six hours a married woman is beaten or burnt to death or emotionally harassed to the point of suicide. In October of 2006, the Indian Parliament, due to an active campaign for women's civil rights, passed a bill that gives women who are suffering domestic violence increased protection. However, again this is advantage of class. In low income families, girls can be regarded as a liability. But even for the middle class urban woman if she fails to fit in with the in-laws or produce a grandson the consequences can be dire, including bride burning. It may take the form of dousing fuel or scalding with boiling water that causes disfigurement or death. It is claimed that for every reported case of bride burning around 250 go unreported, and that less than 10% of the reported cases are pursued through the legal system.

The message is that though there have been gains made we have a long way to go. And acknowledging women on IWD remains of extreme importance.

Learning the Language: Are You Kidding???? Reflections in Puducherry...

"Arun, did you speak to him in Hindi?" I ask our driver in Madurai. "No", he says "They speak Tamil here." "And when we were in Mysore did you speak Hindi or Tamil there?" I ask again. "No", Arun says "I spoke Kannada there. In Karnataka we speak Kannada." "So when I was in Hyderabad before I met you were they speaking Hindi there?" "No" Arun states. "Hyderabad is in Andra Pradesh and there they speak Telegu." I am thinking so what if the folks in Illinois spoke Illegu and the folks in Michigan spoke Magoo. How would we communicate are my thoughts. So I say... "But Arun, how do you speak to each other?" "Kannada is similar to Tamil" he says. "Actually all three languages are Dravidian." "Dravidian?" I ask.

So here's the scoop...there is no one Indian language as such. The constitution recognises 18 different languages including English. The non-English languages fall into 2 groups, Indic and Dravidian. There are also over 1600 minor languages and dialects. Efforts have been made to promote Hindi as the official language of India and to gradually phase out English. Hindi is the predominant language of the north but it bears no relation to the Dravidian languages of the south; so very few people in the south speak Hindi. Resistance to change has been strongest in Tamil Nadu.

"I ask directions," Arun says "because I can't read the street signs." "You can't read?" I ask. "I can read" he says "but I can't read Tamil." (Tamil has it's own alphabetic script.) "The street signs are all in Tamil and none offer an English translation."

Yes, English is widely spoken but as the trip has progressed there have been many more instances when I have not been able to make myself understood. This morning while walking someone attempted to speak to me in French. Puducherry in Tamil Nadu was formerly a French colony so here they speak Tamil and French with some English. It is comforting to know that even Arun struggles at times. As if communication wasn't difficult enough even when speaking the same language!

From Mysore to Bangalore...sounds catchy!

I left you eating and given the delicacies of the recent two nights in Bangalore it seems the place to start. The odds were again in my favor as we deliberated restaurant choices in Bangalore. Four "pure" vegetarians and one carnivore considered the options and the carnivore in need of a "chicken fix" won. But the restaurant of choice was so good we opted to repeat the experience the second night. This place was a vibrant North Indian delight. Punjabi music with a beat played in the background and the energy was palpable. The crowd was young at our table and throughout the restaurant. The starters included a spicy, grilled panneer with a fabulous mint chutney sauce. The garlic and butter naan were to die for. Plus a myriad of entrees including aloo (potato), dhal (curried lentil dish), gobi (cauliflower), mattar (peas), and many other sabzi (vegetables) .... everything spicy, everything vegetarian! What more could one want... I will tell you what! Indian ice cream on a bed of chopped carrots that have been treated with sugar and curdled milk or beetle leaves stuffed with a sweet and wrapped in silver butter paper that looks like aluminum foil but melts in your mouth. Incredible! Lest you think that all I am doing is eating I will tell of the sights of Mysore and Bangalore.

One highlight from Mysore that still falls in the category of food fetishes are the Mysore Masala Dosas. I was on a mission and had the driver searching at lunchtime for a Dosa though typically served for breakfast or a snack. Success at last... we found a very "strictly Indian"place that served up 3 mouth watering Masala Dosas famous in Mysore with chutney for a total of 60 rupees or $1.20. Oh my...am I going to gain weight this trip or what!

Though there are temples and palaces that deserve a blog entry and will receive their due in a future summary of the temple/palace section it is the experience of the markets that continue to linger in my memory. The colors, smells and sounds were captivating!! Fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and incense were everywhere. Meat of any kind was noticeably absent since so many markets I have seen throughout the world boasted slabs of beef hanging in the heat. Also noticeably absent were tourists. Either it is the off season or these markets truly draw only Indians. The people were excited by our presence and welcomed pictures with no request for baksheesh (tip,donation). Truly the wish was just to be photographed and see themselves on the screen. By the time I walked out of the market in Bangalore I had flowers in my hair and around my neck, a mark of red dye on my forehead, and my picture with a myriad of Bangaloreans! Wearing my Salwar Kameez, my skin color was the only dead give-away of my non-local status. Babagi in Mysore made it a point of leading us to his many "brothers" stalls, one of whom made Jasmine incense. The smell was intoxicating and the process was interesting to watch. But nothing quite amazed me as much as watching the men carrying huge baskets of bananas to market....balanced on their heads they moved rapidly through the crowd to empty their load and return to the trucks for another...oh to have that balance!

You will have to create the image of these scenes until I can download some shots for your review. Now in Madurai I am off to another market, a temple and a palace before my next curry!