January 6 Ahamabad, old part of city

I'm a bit distracted as I hear about the tragedies in France and have been without Internet for several days. I have over 100 photos from the last few days. I'll try to summarize and pick some favorite photos to share.

jan 6,2015

A small group of us went into the old part of the city Ahamabad. This a city ringed by a wall and many (like 60) portals which separate "neighborhoods". it has over 1600 temples,shrines from the Hindu and Jayne religions. There are secret tunnels/walkways. The best part was this was a walking tour, so we got to get up close with the people. 

This series is a shrine for women only. Our guides could not enter so we got to go at our own pace.

This mandala was on the floor.

It appeared that the "nuns" lived in this shrine.

This door is the old gate to the compound of several large shrines tha also included the women's one I show above. Notice the spikes get longer and sharper the higher you look. This is because they used to use elephants to charge the gates. ouch! poor elephants!

A kite fighting festival is coming up soon. Our guides are pictured above. Alok, to the right is our primary guide for the whole tour. His dad was a champion kite fighter in his day. We learned that they coat the kite strings with tiny fragments of broken glass so they cut other strings of competitors. We enjoyed watching this process on the street.

They tape around each finger, separate 5 strings and rub that giant ball of pink glass Back and forth along the string. They have a sort of a dance. I took video, but don't think I can post here.

The makings of the glass covering.

There is some spectacular architecture. This is a Jayne temple. It is an offshoot of the Hindu religion.

Then we went into one of the biggest mosques.

Going in. Millions of pillars. Well, maybe hundreds... 

Such detail everywhere. Why don't we make stuff like this anymore?

Looking up. Oh did I mention it is all limestone and marble?

The markets flourish too,

Yes, cows are everywhere. Big old horns. Some are even decorated.

Lemon lime soda. I wish I could!

Dogs sit and sleep on any surface available, so people protect their scooter seats with these rocks. WE even saw a dog sleeping on top of a car.

A bird feeder. Lovely.

Auspicious moments

This earth bag building, the first "dorm" for 7 boys was completed the morning of our arrival, so that Arun could inaugurate the grand opening by moving the Marigold flower "ribbon" aside. Notice also the sand painting along the walkway, and the people lined up to greet us. Everywhere we have gone, we have been greeted with a decorated ground, flowers, and other respectful gestures.

We got to help plant trees around the Avani campus, behind the new earth bag dorm. You know how much I love to garden!

January 21, 2015 is the 100 year anniversary of Gandhi returning to India from South Africa. Ahmedabad wil be having a large celebration on that day.

Gandhi's picture is on all the currency bills. The new Prime Minister is talking about, putting his face on them instead.

I am staying home today since the bathroom facilities will be few and I got hit this morning with the runs. I am grateful for the rest, although know I will miss out.

Overnight in the train to Ahmedabad

jan 3, 2015

We boarded the train at 9:45 pm after an extremely full day. I was sure I would just crash. Was amazed to see the porters carrying peopled wheeled bags on their heads, and the enormous dollys of the clean or dirty linen. The train was cleaner than I thought and each person got a cot with clean sheets, blanket, hand towel, and pillow. It was quite smooth and Sleep came but not as much as I needed. Mt friends, Donna, Monique and I felt safest as we were in the same compartment with our three leaders.

Ahmedabad 1

We arrived at our hotel around 7am and had breakfast... Another feast. We went by bus to Gujarat Vidyapath, a school which was started by Gandhi In 1920. it offers education to kids through PHD programs. there are courses in Gandhian thought, and the philosophy follows Gandhi's principles. We got to watch the youngsters perform a dance, then we discussed the current challenges in India with The college president. The caste system which seems to still be more prevelant than I had thought. 

I learned that the Muslims in the region are quite discriminated against. That those of the untouchable caste, although they may be able to get education and move up in the social worls, cannot in the religious. The are not permitted into the inner sanctuaries of their temples. One's last name determines the caste. Changing one's name is prohibited.

Ahmedabad and Sabarmati Ashram

Jan 4, 2014

It is so nice to be I the same hotel for more than one or two nights.

On Sunday, 1/4 we visited the Sabarmati Ashram, so named for the river on which it resides. Here Gandhi lived for 17 years. He always made a point of inviting a family from the untouchable caste to make up part of the group living at the Ashram. Neighbors gave great resistance, but over time, he won their support. They all lived and worked as equals there. 

It was at this time he was spinning regularly, making his own cloth, and clothes. He required others to do the same, to help prevent dependence on English clothes. The white homespun cotton became the norm among Gandhians. Watching Arun sit and spin here was a treat. He immediately got into a meditative state and invited us to go look around on our own. Other tourists were pinching themselves when they realized who was there. 

On the property of the Ashram includes the original buildings, although they have been restored in a way that will last much longer than the originals. There is a museum (and gift shop!) and an non profit, Manav Sadhna, which is assisting children of the untouchable caste through education, housing and love. The serve over 8000 children and women through more than 35 projects. We met some of the children and they always steal my heart.

Also on the Ashram property is a sanitation project. This team of volunteer engineers have created toilet facilities that can be used in a variety of circumstances: urban, mountainous, water-filled, clay... They also designed a system which converts the waste from 7 toilets into a gas that heats the water for their morning tea and other cooking needs. It was the cleanest place I have been.

This was the place of morning prayers. I sat in the sandy ground for a restorative 20 minutes of my own reflection. It was very powerful.

The museum had copies of his hand written letters and other documents. His grandson comments that he had terrible handwriting.

Logo was designed by Tushar Gandhi. It includes all religions.

The tree of life!

The western style toilets are behind our lunch cooks. of course we all contributed something!

can you figure out the chart, how to turn waste into usable Gas?

memo sang a couple of songs for us about kindness and gratitude. brought me to tears.

Elephants raise money for their keep. Took our rupee offering with his trunk.

Mumbai

Jan 1,2015

Long time on the bus, then Aga Khan Palace, where Gandhi, his wife and secretary were imprisoned in the 1940's. Both Kasturba and the secretary died in captivity. The rulers were hoping Gandhi would die while there. They had the sandalwood ready for cremation. It was used on the others. 

I felt the spirits on the grounds, near the rooms in which they lived. Visiting this palace (now a museum dedicated to Kasturba-his wife) with Arun and Tushar, gave it even more signifance. Arun lives in the USA mostly now and had not been there for two years. He was very over and shared graciously with us. Tushar lives in Mumbai and is frequently in the news with his projects that follow the Gandhi principles, so occasionally he is stopped for a photo. Everywhere we go, if they know our trip guides, I witness the ultimate respect and sometimes prostrations that come Arun's way. 

Jan2, 2015

We visited Marketplace SHARE. This non profit led by an American woman from Chicago has grown into an organization that has organized 14 independent co-ops in which 480 artists dye fabrics, stick clothing, appliqué and other decorations and sell their wares to the Use market in fair trade shops. After a tour of the sewing rooms, we showed, had a fantastic lunch, then two artists decorated our hands with henna ($2.00).

Mani Bavan was our next stop. Gandhi lived here off and on for over 17 years. It was from here he launched and completed the Free India campaign. we saw his room, and the place where books are restored and sheltered. The created dioramas for several stages of his life. 

I am just learning how to decide what order the pictures should come, so they are likely not to follow the order exactly. Oh well.

The first two days in India Text

We visited Women India Trust (WIT) which offers a school for young children, while their mothers work as textile workers making block prints, appliqué, or silkscreen. These women were extremely poor and have been given this piece work, skill development and education for their children. They sell their products all over the world at a fair trade rate. They also provide education for women in the trades of teaching and nursing. The school is certified and is offered to those with qualifications and financial need. Most costs are covered. The uniforms are made ing the sewing shop by the textile workers.

Avani was our second stop. This organization is led by a powerhouse of a woman who is fighting child labor in the sugar cane fields and brickyards. She is operating at three different levels; 

1. Offering educational opportunity to the children of 300 migrant worker families in the sugar cane plantations. She had to fight the plantation owners because they were breaking  the child labor laws. And fought she did! These families build temporary (3month) shelters of sugarcane stalks. they travel with their animals.

2. She also created a school at 13 of the 40 brickyards that had been and still do use child labor. Kids had the job to carry bricks across the yard - 1,000 bricks for $.30. Heavier than American style bricks. Workers dig the clay, make the bricks, move the bricks, and load them onto trucks. Just recently they started using mules to replace the children workers. The schools are on the same grounds where the parents are working.

3. A residential school for children from the previous two for those kids who have lost their parents to death or other challenges (mental health issues). The foundation has bought 5 acres of land and are building earth bag structures and beginning a farm for sustainability.

Most of these children in educational programs are breaking the bonds of uneducated, migrant worker poverty based livestyle. That's the hope anyway.