New Delhi, India
early Sunday morning, May 4, 2008
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
(apologies to Simon & Garfunkel)
(But, not really “silence,” maybe, “sounds of quiet?”
Not really “silence,” not even, “quiet,”
…more like, well…
“sounds of quieter” –
“quieter than the sounds of day or evening”)
A vehicle - only one - drives by, sometimes announced by a short horn beep,
sometimes the more usual obnoxious, blaring.
Residents still try to cool off,
• overhead fans and swamp cooler fans drone on,
• A/C compressor motors start, stop, and feast on scarce electricity.
The wind blows gently, sometimes rustling the tree tops of Tikona Park across the street.
A new building being built on the other side of the Park:
• A back hoe excavates, preparing the site,
• bricks are stacked,
• rebar is dropped, grinders cut it, welders weld it,
• cement trucks deliver concrete…
• any time - day or night!
Upstairs Neighbors – When do they sleep???
• A ball bounces, again and again and again… Do they have a disturbed child? Is one of them an insomniac?…or, do they have a computer with a screen saver?
• The interface between marble and the ever-present-in-India plastic chair creates such unusual noises.
Dog(s) bark, growl, snarl, fight.
“Tap, tap, tap,” “thunk, thunk, thunk,” the security guards’ lathi announce rounds - or boredom – each has his own lathi, each lathi has its own unique, resounding tone.
Pedestrians pass by in full – rarely hushed – conversation.
Holidays, celebrations and/or other auspicious events bring…
• Music, Singing, Talking, Crying, Laughing.
• There’s an 11:00 pm noise ordinance…but….
Call to prayer
• Often resembling – unfortunately – the bleat of a “sick cow,” but sometimes a…
• Younger, melodius voice…[We were spoiled by the voice of the Saket muezzin!].
Pigeons coo and battle for place on the air conditioner; birds chirp and sing.
Laughing in Tikona Park…
• The tormented anguish of mentally disturbed? the groan of exercisers stretching?
• No - laughter - not joyous though, evil, sinister - It’s Laughter-Yoga.
The local Madrassa has a daily children’s early morning observance:
• The younger, more melodius muezzin leads,
• The children joyfully repeat in response.
Venders begin calling out their wares:
• Newspapers, vegetables, fruit, garbage pickup, who knows what else?
• …and so begins a day in New Delhi… CL
Monday, May 5, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
2-Cup Showers
The 2-Cup Shower
Because of the method of water delivery, and chronic water shortages, everyone has these basic tools in their bathrooms – a bucket, a large bin for storing water, and a pour cup. The pour cup holds about 2-cups (16 ounces).
Water is pumped through the supply lines only at certain times of the day. When the water is on, each building has to use their own booster pump to pump the water to large black storage tanks on the roofs. When occupants of a building use their stored water before the next supply time, that’s when the contents of the storage bin must be used.
Because of weather variations, poor infrastructure and large, unregulated movement to the metropolitan areas like Delhi, water supplies are increasingly not enough. Hence, even when water is scheduled to be available, more and more often it is not.
Hence the 2-Cup shower…
For some, this means, wet, soap, wash and rinse with the contents of two pour cups. For others who are even more frugal, it means completely showering with the contents of just one 16-ounce cup of water! And we are careful to collect the “brown water” for use in flushing the toilets.
Because of the method of water delivery, and chronic water shortages, everyone has these basic tools in their bathrooms – a bucket, a large bin for storing water, and a pour cup. The pour cup holds about 2-cups (16 ounces).
Water is pumped through the supply lines only at certain times of the day. When the water is on, each building has to use their own booster pump to pump the water to large black storage tanks on the roofs. When occupants of a building use their stored water before the next supply time, that’s when the contents of the storage bin must be used.
Because of weather variations, poor infrastructure and large, unregulated movement to the metropolitan areas like Delhi, water supplies are increasingly not enough. Hence, even when water is scheduled to be available, more and more often it is not.
Hence the 2-Cup shower…
For some, this means, wet, soap, wash and rinse with the contents of two pour cups. For others who are even more frugal, it means completely showering with the contents of just one 16-ounce cup of water! And we are careful to collect the “brown water” for use in flushing the toilets.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
More on "Deemaks" and Some on Friends
Site of the “Deemak” Invasion
This is Janis’ “almari” (i.e. built-in closet) where the termites gained access, ate the cloth shelf lining, ate into a garment bag, and were swarming all over her clothes!
The Path of the “Invasion”
Apparently not only do termites eat wood and cloth, but they are also known to eat concrete and marble! Here’s their passageway from the floor above.
Our Neighbors
This young couple are from S. India and are living in Delhi because of his job – advertising consulting in brand name recognition, especially with technology companies. She is in a pre-doctoral philosophy program at Delhi University in preparation for doctoral studies in zoology.
This is Janis’ “almari” (i.e. built-in closet) where the termites gained access, ate the cloth shelf lining, ate into a garment bag, and were swarming all over her clothes!
The Path of the “Invasion”
Apparently not only do termites eat wood and cloth, but they are also known to eat concrete and marble! Here’s their passageway from the floor above.
Our Neighbors
This young couple are from S. India and are living in Delhi because of his job – advertising consulting in brand name recognition, especially with technology companies. She is in a pre-doctoral philosophy program at Delhi University in preparation for doctoral studies in zoology.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Whooie! Things Are Heating Up!
Take a look at the following Delhi 7-day forecast:
[don't miss the entries following the forecast!]
Wednesday
4/23/2008
Hi: 100°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 100°F. Winds 11mph WNW. Humidity will be 6% with a dewpoint of 25° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Thursday
4/24/2008
Hi: 100°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 100°F. Winds 11mph WNW. Humidity will be 6% with a dewpoint of 27° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Friday
4/25/2008
Hi: 100°
Lo: 73°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 100°F. Winds 13mph WNW. Humidity will be 6% with a dewpoint of 27° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Saturday
4/26/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 12mph WNW. Humidity will be 5% with a dewpoint of 23° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Sunday
4/27/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 12mph WNW. Humidity will be 4% with a dewpoint of 16° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Monday
4/28/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 70°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 10mph WNW. Humidity will be 4% with a dewpoint of 14° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Tuesday
4/29/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 70°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 8mph W. Humidity will be 4% with a dewpoint of 16° and comfort level of 97°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
A Few Other Things...
Add in:
* a little lack of water (over the weekend and up til 8PM Monday our building was without water);
* occasional power outages;
* a termite infestation discovered on the same day as the official, public opening of Reflections art gallery (initially treated with washing down all wood work in the flat with very smelly kerosene - still awaiting the exterminator who will use the "real" stuff!);
* a proposal for Chuck to take a 3-month leave from responsibilities at the Foundation to re-assess if Kingdom advancing purposes will be better met in some other ways;
* Janis began art lessons for a 13-year old dyslexic girl; and...
* this just developed while typing this blog - Janis will begin art lessons for an artist at the Sewa Ashram who will, in turn, begin to give lessons to the other residents of the Ashram, a place of restoration and recovery for recovering drug addicts and any who are seriously or terminally ill who have no other place to recover or die in dignity and peace.
It's been an interesting month filled full of change and challenge!!!
[don't miss the entries following the forecast!]
Wednesday
4/23/2008
Hi: 100°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 100°F. Winds 11mph WNW. Humidity will be 6% with a dewpoint of 25° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Thursday
4/24/2008
Hi: 100°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 100°F. Winds 11mph WNW. Humidity will be 6% with a dewpoint of 27° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Friday
4/25/2008
Hi: 100°
Lo: 73°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 100°F. Winds 13mph WNW. Humidity will be 6% with a dewpoint of 27° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Saturday
4/26/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 12mph WNW. Humidity will be 5% with a dewpoint of 23° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Sunday
4/27/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 72°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 12mph WNW. Humidity will be 4% with a dewpoint of 16° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Monday
4/28/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 70°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 10mph WNW. Humidity will be 4% with a dewpoint of 14° and comfort level of 95°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
Tuesday
4/29/2008
Hi: 102°
Lo: 70°
Sunny. Extremely hot, Dry. Temperature of 102°F. Winds 8mph W. Humidity will be 4% with a dewpoint of 16° and comfort level of 97°F. There is a 0% chance of precipitation.
A Few Other Things...
Add in:
* a little lack of water (over the weekend and up til 8PM Monday our building was without water);
* occasional power outages;
* a termite infestation discovered on the same day as the official, public opening of Reflections art gallery (initially treated with washing down all wood work in the flat with very smelly kerosene - still awaiting the exterminator who will use the "real" stuff!);
* a proposal for Chuck to take a 3-month leave from responsibilities at the Foundation to re-assess if Kingdom advancing purposes will be better met in some other ways;
* Janis began art lessons for a 13-year old dyslexic girl; and...
* this just developed while typing this blog - Janis will begin art lessons for an artist at the Sewa Ashram who will, in turn, begin to give lessons to the other residents of the Ashram, a place of restoration and recovery for recovering drug addicts and any who are seriously or terminally ill who have no other place to recover or die in dignity and peace.
It's been an interesting month filled full of change and challenge!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
A Tale of Kings: a Sultan, an Abyssinian, and The Utmost High King
We finished our first collaborative painting for use by our son, Chris, in his efforts to catalyze interfaith dialogues and re-direct attention to The Utmost High King rather than to the differences between the faiths.
The painting is an adaptation of a mural depicting St. Francis talking with the Sultan during a time of conflict between Crusaders and Muslims. Below is one of the photos of our painting (please do not copy or duplicate).
Planned for next in this series is a painting by Janis of when the Christian Abyssinian King, al-Nejashi, gave refuge to a group of Muslims.
On A Personal Note...
We've posted pictures before of views from the front of our flat. Below is a view toward the other side for context and perspective.
The painting is an adaptation of a mural depicting St. Francis talking with the Sultan during a time of conflict between Crusaders and Muslims. Below is one of the photos of our painting (please do not copy or duplicate).
Planned for next in this series is a painting by Janis of when the Christian Abyssinian King, al-Nejashi, gave refuge to a group of Muslims.
On A Personal Note...
We've posted pictures before of views from the front of our flat. Below is a view toward the other side for context and perspective.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Multiple Holidays Weekend
As a result of mid-semester break and Good Friday, the Foundation and Language Institute offices and classes were closed Weds-Fri. Janis and I took time to go the Reflections, the new art gallery and studio space. Because I reached a technical impasse in my painting of St. Francis and the Sultan, it became a collaborative piece as Janis finished it at Reflections studio.
Catching up on laundry - this lady works in our building doing cleaning and ironing - she earns every rupee she charges!
Several holidays were celebrated this week and weekend. One that remains a bit mysterious to us is Holi, the Hindu festival that is described in various ways. Perhaps the most fitting explanation is the recognition of the coming of Spring with a celebration of colors. Below is a visual record of some of the festival.
Colored powders being sold in advance of Holi celebrations.
Even the malls were decorating with color for Holi.
In Varnasi they were making preparations for huge bonfires all over the city. This pile of brush on the ghats of the Ganga became a bonfire on Friday night.
Overlooking the park in front of our house, there's a group of young men colorfully splashed. The gray in the trees is the actual appearance - it's accumulated dust on the leaves.
Our building had a Holi celebration. Here, some of the men ask us to "come out and play Holi." We declined, but they let us take their picture. then they asked if they could put some color on us...
Catching up on laundry - this lady works in our building doing cleaning and ironing - she earns every rupee she charges!Several holidays were celebrated this week and weekend. One that remains a bit mysterious to us is Holi, the Hindu festival that is described in various ways. Perhaps the most fitting explanation is the recognition of the coming of Spring with a celebration of colors. Below is a visual record of some of the festival.
Colored powders being sold in advance of Holi celebrations.
Even the malls were decorating with color for Holi.
In Varnasi they were making preparations for huge bonfires all over the city. This pile of brush on the ghats of the Ganga became a bonfire on Friday night.
Overlooking the park in front of our house, there's a group of young men colorfully splashed. The gray in the trees is the actual appearance - it's accumulated dust on the leaves.
Our building had a Holi celebration. Here, some of the men ask us to "come out and play Holi." We declined, but they let us take their picture. then they asked if they could put some color on us...
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Varanasi (Banares)
We spent last week in Varanasi, also known as Benares.
We visited to take some R&R
at an ashram run by colleagues we met in Pasadena, and to attend a seminar for cross-cultural workers who have been in India for 2 years or less.
Varanasi is a very ancient and spiritual city. The folklore of the city is that it is the:
* oldest city in the world,
* site of Shiva's creative act,
* site where a tree grows from the branch of the tree under which Gautama Buddha received enlightenment.
Also, the revered Ganges flows beside it.
Lining the side of the Ganges are a series of steps (ghats) to access the river, many of them have temples of various religions at the top.
Due to all these factors, Varanasi is visited by religious pilgrims from all over India, Asia, and the world. It also draws tourists from all over the country and world - interestingly enough, two of the most common are hippies and Israelis - probably not for the same reasons!
We happened to be there the weekend Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, also visited. Consequently there was a massive clean up effort all over the city - it was reported that one street was paved overnight! Guess what route the PM took the next day. He spoke at a graduation ceremony of Benares Hindu University (BHU), the largest residential university in Asia.
Sam & Chuck
Entrance to the Ashram
Chuck & Janis overlooking the Ganges.
We visited to take some R&R
at an ashram run by colleagues we met in Pasadena, and to attend a seminar for cross-cultural workers who have been in India for 2 years or less.Varanasi is a very ancient and spiritual city. The folklore of the city is that it is the:
* oldest city in the world,
* site of Shiva's creative act,
* site where a tree grows from the branch of the tree under which Gautama Buddha received enlightenment.
Also, the revered Ganges flows beside it.
Lining the side of the Ganges are a series of steps (ghats) to access the river, many of them have temples of various religions at the top.
Due to all these factors, Varanasi is visited by religious pilgrims from all over India, Asia, and the world. It also draws tourists from all over the country and world - interestingly enough, two of the most common are hippies and Israelis - probably not for the same reasons!
We happened to be there the weekend Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, also visited. Consequently there was a massive clean up effort all over the city - it was reported that one street was paved overnight! Guess what route the PM took the next day. He spoke at a graduation ceremony of Benares Hindu University (BHU), the largest residential university in Asia.
Sam & Chuck
Entrance to the Ashram
Chuck & Janis overlooking the Ganges.
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