January 29th, 30th. When Sally foolishly earns the soubriquet 'Six dinners' and some determined young men find us a quiet corner for secret talks
Friday and Saturday in Seetaramanpet is the village's big festival of Kaliamman, who from my observations seems to be some kind of Hindu god of misrule. However I will pin Pam down to write more about this, as she has the Knowledge. 9.30 for breakfast with Santhi, mother of first candle fund girls, was our first engagement. One of the girls was there and able to show Pam her certificates and to tell her about her sister who is doing extremely well as a science student. Again- Pam will tell more. In any event, Santhi-who is a widow and who was therefore going to have to let go of her dream of a good education for her girls- has a great deal to be proud of. Her oldest girl who is married and has a beautiful baby who is terrified of large white visitors, is a tailor at the Tailoring Society.
From here- a delicious plateful of dosi and potato curry and coconut chutney having been consumed- I went to the school and Pam and Brian set off for the next round with the bank manager. I think this is round 3, as they have been once to see him, but spoken mainly to the accountant, then again to the branch in Vellore, as they wanted to try to get e-banking. Friday was supposed to be the final visit, but, needless to say, was not quite the end of the process... At the school poor Rani, as the only member of staff not a Seetaramanpet villager, was working alone, with 15 children (most of the Seetaramanpet children having been kept home for the festival) Couldn't help but think about how Ofsted would respond to this- not to mention the Health and Safety police, given she had to do the terrifying milk boiling with no help and all the children buzzing around. We had all been alarmed enough when Sarida the ayah does this on a normal day.
Along the way we had encountered our old friends Suresh and Raghu, home for the day for the festival. I managed to clarify with Raghu's better English that Balaji does have some big issue he wants to discuss with us privately. Privacy in an Indian village is a rare and precious thing, not frequently encountered. We tried meeting at Nagadevi's house first, because they have a separate room with a door on it, but we had been invaded by family - still here after the funeral. Then we all had lunch at Balaji's house, which was lovely, as usual, but today in a house even fuller of people, Shankar's new bride's family having travelled from their home 120k away for the festival weekend. In addition the Guest House crew, Selvi, Dhandabanni, Vidya and Arul had arrived, having been invited the day before by Raghu's father.
After lunch we thought it might be a good plan to drift back round to the school building for this secret chat, but on arrival we found Sekar firmly ensconced with the KVK carpenter. He is the same chap who made all our toys and blocks several years ago. All we required of him was to make 2 benches for the elderly people and some more cars/ lorries for the children. That shouldn't take long I thought. As the rest of the team has reminded me several times recently, I seem to be a slow learner re The Indian Way, given how much time I've spent here. Sekar could make such a consultation last all afternoon, with his frequent questions to me 'Would you like to have country wood?' 'Will you have varnish or, it can be painted?' 'How long you want for each bench. We reckon one and a half metres per person' Clearly he had mistaken me for someone who knew/ cared about carpentry and mathematics....Either Brian or Andy would have made much better conversationalists at this point, but both had made themselves scarce, sensibly. In any case Sekar has some kind of fixation about always asking me, even when I am patently ill-qualified to answer him. It is one of his least endearing ways too, as very often it is Pam to whom he should address himself, since she is the one who keeps track of all the funds and who is the lead on One Candle fund and on the project with the elderly.
Finally we saw a moment when we could cut and run, or cycle anyway, leaving Sekar still rambling on to the carpenter who reckons the benches will take a week. His previous work for us was excellent quality and the toys are still in excellent condition. Arrived back in the village our chaps immediately re-convened and we agreed to try again in Nagadevi's house. At first we were pursued by older women keen to earwig what was going on, but finally we managed to shut the doors and begin our chat. Nagadevi's daughter Seeta was present, and about 6 of the village boys, including Suresh, Seeta's brother. It did turn out to be about Seeta's future studies, as I had thought from the few words Balaji had managed to whisper to me during the week. It was her mother's wish- as voiced to us when we visited her just before she died- that Seeta should do a nursing diploma course. The big problem of course is money for the 3 year course. We had worried that Seeta might now be kept home to look after the family, but Suresh said that they would manage, and that he himself does some of the cooking. Seeta is fortunate to have so many supporters in this lovely group of lads, who made a good case for her, and promised she would be a good student and that it would make a huge difference to her life and to the family also. We talked frankly about worries we had about her coping with the pressures. She will be many miles away in college, and the course is in English. To whom will she turn for support? Given the dreadful solution that so very many young people locally have chosen, when faced with pressure and problems, we had to talk about this. The boys understood immediately what we were hinting at. This seemed to me such an extraordinary discussion in village India, and I think it is a reflection of the extraordinary group of young men, especially Balaji, who, as he says, has missed out on education himself and is determined to get it for others. We promised to help Seeta as a special case, from our own resources.
As we left the village we bumped into a dramatic fierce display of stick dancing, and wonderful drummers, in a procession lit by torches. Another amazing day in village India.
January 30th
I had been invited- nobbled- by a member of the Kamanchamanpet committee, to have coffee with her at 10. Apart from this, we had- extraordinarily- a free day. Foolishly, I had partaken of Selvi's lovely breakfast dosi before setting off. With enthusiasm I have to admit, since taken with lemon and sugar. Pam and Brian took off for Round 4 with Bank Manager, and Andy and Marilyn kindly came with me. I knew that me on my own would have been a dire let-down, since prestige hangs upon just 'how many members are coming'. Rani our teacher met us at the temple and took us to the house, where- a full hour after this dosi-fest- we had to sit and stuff in a mountain more, plus potato curry and chutney and wodai- lentil cakes. Not for the first time I thought of Dawn French the vicar of Dibley and the multiple Christmas dinners. Before we left an elderly man was brought in to be introduced to us. The villagers of Kamanchemanpet are determined that some of their elderly shall benefit from the new project. Cowardly fashion- but it is also true- I kept repeating that they must discuss with the committee.
Returned home to detect Selvi cooking up a storm for lunch, and to find that Pam and Brian had only partial success with the e-banking, though it does look as if it may be going to be possible, and Pam is now the proud possessor of a debit card.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
BLOG 16
January 28th. Things move on a pace, and a wish looks as if it may come true
The day started a trifle trickily at the Guest House, as it seemed Selvi had been attacked by her conscience overnight about having allowed ( tricked/ wheedled?) Pam to purchase the most expensive sari in the shop as our gift to her. We too felt a mixture of depressed and cross about it ourselves, so the atmosphere was a bit tepid at home over breakfast. Best not to dwell too much on this, except to say that of course all human life is here represented, that there are many different types of people whom we meet, and some are more honest and generous than others. Same as back home I guess, just more obvious and upsetting in such a very unfair society.
Our first meeting was Pam and I with the group in Seetaramanpet who will be managing the centre for the elderly. Mr Immanuel had said there isn't really any reason why it can't now open. The committee were keen, reckoned they could find the names of people and get a new bank account opened in their name, for the centre monies. I said I was a bit sad that we would be leaving now on Monday without having ever seen the elderly in the building. No worries, the women said, although the village is going to be very busy this weekend with their big festival, they can get the elderly people there on Sunday afternoon to meet us, and start next week! They have promised to go in regularly to see how it is working and how the old folk are enjoying themselves. Subsequently Pam spoke to Mr Immanuel who is going to get a mate of his to bring us a new 29" TV and a DVD player and CD player. Sekar has organised the fan to be fixed tomorrow. I cannot really believe this- although of course such rapid acceleration just before we leave has happened before. We just have to worry about getting the right choice of elderly people and about it being supported by the community and by Sekar and Joseph while it is in its infancy.
After this cheering meeting we, Pam and I with Sekar and Joseph, asked to meet with Santhi- mother of the first Candle Fund girls, and with Balaji. Mr Immanuel had had another brain wave and suggested we form this very small committee to help choose the children who should receive Candle fund bursaries, and to advise when children no longer qualify (because they marry (girls) or start employment) This could be a very helpful group for Pam and we would hope over time that they would take over the running of the fund more and more from her. They will also do all they can to encourage children who are now earning money to repay some at least of their bursary, so that other children can be helped in future. Both responded very positively and Balaji in particular was very vocal and offered several very good suggestions. He said that he himself has never had much education, which motivates him to want to help others to achieve for themselves. Santhi then said she too did not go far with her education. As we know this has driven her to be determined, despite being a widow, to get an education for her daughters.
We then repaired with all the rest of the team, who had arrived by now, to have lunch with Rani who lives in Kamanchemanpet, and whom we had never visited before. Then our last meeting of the day was a parents' meeting at the school. This was on opportunity for me to plug more about the nature of the play centre and the way of learning. I talked about children being encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, and developing their thinking and problem-solving as a result. They seemed very impressed and full of praise for differences they had noticed in their children since they had been coming to the school, and spoke of all-round development which has carried over into the home. They managed, after heated discussion, all to agree that the children's lunchboxes could be sent home to be washed rather than the poor overworked ayah having to wash each one and replace it in the correct lunch basket.
A very heartening meeting, again. I showed them the album of photos I've taken during my stay, of the children at play, and they were all really interested in them. After they had gone we had a quick meeting with the committee and talked about how we were sure they would be working better in future with the teachers, who now had roles and responsibilities written down. We promised too that Sekar and or Joseph would be available now to sort out any problems that they couldn't sort for themselves. Fingers crossed that things may work better in future between the staff and committee.
The day started a trifle trickily at the Guest House, as it seemed Selvi had been attacked by her conscience overnight about having allowed ( tricked/ wheedled?) Pam to purchase the most expensive sari in the shop as our gift to her. We too felt a mixture of depressed and cross about it ourselves, so the atmosphere was a bit tepid at home over breakfast. Best not to dwell too much on this, except to say that of course all human life is here represented, that there are many different types of people whom we meet, and some are more honest and generous than others. Same as back home I guess, just more obvious and upsetting in such a very unfair society.
Our first meeting was Pam and I with the group in Seetaramanpet who will be managing the centre for the elderly. Mr Immanuel had said there isn't really any reason why it can't now open. The committee were keen, reckoned they could find the names of people and get a new bank account opened in their name, for the centre monies. I said I was a bit sad that we would be leaving now on Monday without having ever seen the elderly in the building. No worries, the women said, although the village is going to be very busy this weekend with their big festival, they can get the elderly people there on Sunday afternoon to meet us, and start next week! They have promised to go in regularly to see how it is working and how the old folk are enjoying themselves. Subsequently Pam spoke to Mr Immanuel who is going to get a mate of his to bring us a new 29" TV and a DVD player and CD player. Sekar has organised the fan to be fixed tomorrow. I cannot really believe this- although of course such rapid acceleration just before we leave has happened before. We just have to worry about getting the right choice of elderly people and about it being supported by the community and by Sekar and Joseph while it is in its infancy.
After this cheering meeting we, Pam and I with Sekar and Joseph, asked to meet with Santhi- mother of the first Candle Fund girls, and with Balaji. Mr Immanuel had had another brain wave and suggested we form this very small committee to help choose the children who should receive Candle fund bursaries, and to advise when children no longer qualify (because they marry (girls) or start employment) This could be a very helpful group for Pam and we would hope over time that they would take over the running of the fund more and more from her. They will also do all they can to encourage children who are now earning money to repay some at least of their bursary, so that other children can be helped in future. Both responded very positively and Balaji in particular was very vocal and offered several very good suggestions. He said that he himself has never had much education, which motivates him to want to help others to achieve for themselves. Santhi then said she too did not go far with her education. As we know this has driven her to be determined, despite being a widow, to get an education for her daughters.
We then repaired with all the rest of the team, who had arrived by now, to have lunch with Rani who lives in Kamanchemanpet, and whom we had never visited before. Then our last meeting of the day was a parents' meeting at the school. This was on opportunity for me to plug more about the nature of the play centre and the way of learning. I talked about children being encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, and developing their thinking and problem-solving as a result. They seemed very impressed and full of praise for differences they had noticed in their children since they had been coming to the school, and spoke of all-round development which has carried over into the home. They managed, after heated discussion, all to agree that the children's lunchboxes could be sent home to be washed rather than the poor overworked ayah having to wash each one and replace it in the correct lunch basket.
A very heartening meeting, again. I showed them the album of photos I've taken during my stay, of the children at play, and they were all really interested in them. After they had gone we had a quick meeting with the committee and talked about how we were sure they would be working better in future with the teachers, who now had roles and responsibilities written down. We promised too that Sekar and or Joseph would be available now to sort out any problems that they couldn't sort for themselves. Fingers crossed that things may work better in future between the staff and committee.
BLOG 15
January 28th, in which a small miracle occurs, of a gate-fixing nature, and we make a shocking discovery.
The last two days have been hectic with meetings of one sort or another, as inevitably happens with our visits in the last days. It has felt as if a new committee was being formed every day if not twice daily. On top of that we were up at 5 for an invitation to a wedding breakfast at 6, just outside Katpaddi. We attempted to wear our least grubby and worn clothes and not to look like poor old visitors from England. Pam narrowly escaped having to wear her clown outfit, made out of an old sari of Selvi's. We more and more feel at the mercy of our hosts and friends here, in terms of having to dress up, accept invitations, stand still for flowers in the hair, eat massive meals like geese in a French liver- fattening programme, etc. Two of us at least have been resolving to take lessons in assertiveness before our next visit. Though, realistically, how much good would it do us? So maybe best to just go, uncomplainingly, with the flow....
As we approached the wedding the Very Important Guest, the chief minister, was just leaving in a blare of vehicules and police escort. His face adorns the entrance to the very smart marriage hall and the invitations. That would so seriously hack me off, if I was the bride. He isn't a very attractive man either, being 'somewhat fatty' in the face, and pictured grinning. I guess we were even more jaded, having heard Govindaraj on the subject of how corrupt he is.
Inside the hall was a bit like a film set, with cameras on enormous cranes and television screens all around the hall. The bridal party looked like Bollywood actors and had evidently stood for many hours having photos taken. As Selvi said, here was much money and very grand, but no culture. It seemed that all the traditional bits of the wedding had been skipped and replaced by a flash visit from the Minister and filming. The groom has a good job in Oman and the bride too is highly educated and has a lecturing job. We then moved into the hall where rows of tables and benches were laid out for food and we were served the usual South Indian meal, slopped onto our plates in a school meal type way, by men bearing silver buckets.
Fairly speedily we made our exit, but then had to wait a small while for Selvi, who it transpired had whipped back into the hall and as she said 'borrowed' bags of sweets and dosi from the feast, for us to eat for our supper. How very different from our own home customs..
I then went into school, whilst poor Pam, drawer of short straw, went back to Vellore with Selvi and - oddly we thought- Arul. As Pam said, going to Vellore is like a trip to Hades. She achieved useful purchases though, in terms of pots and pans and dishes for the centre for the elderly and some traditional games. I meanwhile spent another happy morning in school, observing some lovely play again, with another two bouts of Hokey Cokey demanded by the children, who now mostly have all the words and actions 'hin/ hout shake it all about' with confidence. Meantime my elderly knees find it ever more painful to do anything approaching a leap at the end! Then at lunchtime Andy and I set off to see Mr Immanuel.
Yes he said, hello. What can I do for you? Nothing at all, I said. This is just a social visit. Two hours later he had talked us through all the worries, concerns, bad feelings and problems of the last few weeks, and ironed them all out. He did have a laugh at the end about how he was glad I had no agenda. While we were there the chief engineer- not Donald the truly useless CMC man, but Mr Balasubramani. No problem, this chap said, the gate is to be fixed today. Oh yes, I didn't say, we'll believe that one when it happens. By nightfall it was cemented in place and Andy had lost a Rs 500 bet with Brian.
No chance of you having anything to do with well -digging I said, in what I admit was a sarcastic tone. Oh well, he said, this can be possible. After he had gone, Mr Immanuel said, there is some small thing you need to know. Firstly, Dr Rita- who lets not the grass grow under her feet- had called together the coconut traditional diviner and the engineer from CMC, sent them both to the school yesterday, and when they still could not agree- in fact their chosen sites are diametrically opposite to each other at either end of the plot- Dr Rita said, well I will decide then. And the decision is, we go with Mr Coconuts!. His site is nearer the school, which will be easier- if of course water is found there...
A decision having been made, Dr Rita will now expect it to happen immediately. And this is why Mr Immanuel now has to tell me something which has been kept secret from us until now. That well was to be paid for with the parental contributions paid over several years, to the earlier playcentres. The amount was Rs 40,000. But it transpires, the former committee chose to invest that money in a natural dye unit, believing it would make money. However this did not happen and they were left with many items and pieces of cloth unsold. Eventually a man called Shashi, who is from the Harijan community, bought it from them. Except he didn't really, as his cheque bounced. He didn't have the money to pay for it. That money has still not been repaid.
You may well imagine how my mouth hung open in amazement as this tale was told. My word, I thought, among other things, no wonder the RUHSA staff are nervous about Dr Rita. Being so proactive, she is going to uncover all manner of unfinished projects and incidences of malpractice/ corruption. What do we do now then I said to Mr Immanuel. Sekar, who was in on the decision to use playcentre funds in this way, laughs nervously, and as only Sekar can, somehow makes you feel he has been whiter than white and has done all he can to recoup the money.
Mr Immanuel said we have the funds- in money allocated for toys but not used since donations were made by us, individually, last year. But this doesn't sort the missing roughly £ 600, does it. I cannot help but think about what would hit the fan if I was to mention casually to Dr Rita what had happened...Nothing simple in this country, everything complicated and wrapped in secrets and misinformation and lack of honesty and transparency.
At the end of the day we had a meeting with the school staff at which Sekar and Joseph helped me to tell them about changes I have now planned to the timetable, and to discuss suggestions I have re for example disciplining and socialising the children. I focused very much on how positive I feel about their work and how excited I am about the future, especially with Sekar now having promised he will work with them on further training and development each Saturday. We also drew up, with their help, a list of their roles and responsibilities. All in all a very heartening meeting. They are such a super team, who seem to work really well together.
The last two days have been hectic with meetings of one sort or another, as inevitably happens with our visits in the last days. It has felt as if a new committee was being formed every day if not twice daily. On top of that we were up at 5 for an invitation to a wedding breakfast at 6, just outside Katpaddi. We attempted to wear our least grubby and worn clothes and not to look like poor old visitors from England. Pam narrowly escaped having to wear her clown outfit, made out of an old sari of Selvi's. We more and more feel at the mercy of our hosts and friends here, in terms of having to dress up, accept invitations, stand still for flowers in the hair, eat massive meals like geese in a French liver- fattening programme, etc. Two of us at least have been resolving to take lessons in assertiveness before our next visit. Though, realistically, how much good would it do us? So maybe best to just go, uncomplainingly, with the flow....
As we approached the wedding the Very Important Guest, the chief minister, was just leaving in a blare of vehicules and police escort. His face adorns the entrance to the very smart marriage hall and the invitations. That would so seriously hack me off, if I was the bride. He isn't a very attractive man either, being 'somewhat fatty' in the face, and pictured grinning. I guess we were even more jaded, having heard Govindaraj on the subject of how corrupt he is.
Inside the hall was a bit like a film set, with cameras on enormous cranes and television screens all around the hall. The bridal party looked like Bollywood actors and had evidently stood for many hours having photos taken. As Selvi said, here was much money and very grand, but no culture. It seemed that all the traditional bits of the wedding had been skipped and replaced by a flash visit from the Minister and filming. The groom has a good job in Oman and the bride too is highly educated and has a lecturing job. We then moved into the hall where rows of tables and benches were laid out for food and we were served the usual South Indian meal, slopped onto our plates in a school meal type way, by men bearing silver buckets.
Fairly speedily we made our exit, but then had to wait a small while for Selvi, who it transpired had whipped back into the hall and as she said 'borrowed' bags of sweets and dosi from the feast, for us to eat for our supper. How very different from our own home customs..
I then went into school, whilst poor Pam, drawer of short straw, went back to Vellore with Selvi and - oddly we thought- Arul. As Pam said, going to Vellore is like a trip to Hades. She achieved useful purchases though, in terms of pots and pans and dishes for the centre for the elderly and some traditional games. I meanwhile spent another happy morning in school, observing some lovely play again, with another two bouts of Hokey Cokey demanded by the children, who now mostly have all the words and actions 'hin/ hout shake it all about' with confidence. Meantime my elderly knees find it ever more painful to do anything approaching a leap at the end! Then at lunchtime Andy and I set off to see Mr Immanuel.
Yes he said, hello. What can I do for you? Nothing at all, I said. This is just a social visit. Two hours later he had talked us through all the worries, concerns, bad feelings and problems of the last few weeks, and ironed them all out. He did have a laugh at the end about how he was glad I had no agenda. While we were there the chief engineer- not Donald the truly useless CMC man, but Mr Balasubramani. No problem, this chap said, the gate is to be fixed today. Oh yes, I didn't say, we'll believe that one when it happens. By nightfall it was cemented in place and Andy had lost a Rs 500 bet with Brian.
No chance of you having anything to do with well -digging I said, in what I admit was a sarcastic tone. Oh well, he said, this can be possible. After he had gone, Mr Immanuel said, there is some small thing you need to know. Firstly, Dr Rita- who lets not the grass grow under her feet- had called together the coconut traditional diviner and the engineer from CMC, sent them both to the school yesterday, and when they still could not agree- in fact their chosen sites are diametrically opposite to each other at either end of the plot- Dr Rita said, well I will decide then. And the decision is, we go with Mr Coconuts!. His site is nearer the school, which will be easier- if of course water is found there...
A decision having been made, Dr Rita will now expect it to happen immediately. And this is why Mr Immanuel now has to tell me something which has been kept secret from us until now. That well was to be paid for with the parental contributions paid over several years, to the earlier playcentres. The amount was Rs 40,000. But it transpires, the former committee chose to invest that money in a natural dye unit, believing it would make money. However this did not happen and they were left with many items and pieces of cloth unsold. Eventually a man called Shashi, who is from the Harijan community, bought it from them. Except he didn't really, as his cheque bounced. He didn't have the money to pay for it. That money has still not been repaid.
You may well imagine how my mouth hung open in amazement as this tale was told. My word, I thought, among other things, no wonder the RUHSA staff are nervous about Dr Rita. Being so proactive, she is going to uncover all manner of unfinished projects and incidences of malpractice/ corruption. What do we do now then I said to Mr Immanuel. Sekar, who was in on the decision to use playcentre funds in this way, laughs nervously, and as only Sekar can, somehow makes you feel he has been whiter than white and has done all he can to recoup the money.
Mr Immanuel said we have the funds- in money allocated for toys but not used since donations were made by us, individually, last year. But this doesn't sort the missing roughly £ 600, does it. I cannot help but think about what would hit the fan if I was to mention casually to Dr Rita what had happened...Nothing simple in this country, everything complicated and wrapped in secrets and misinformation and lack of honesty and transparency.
At the end of the day we had a meeting with the school staff at which Sekar and Joseph helped me to tell them about changes I have now planned to the timetable, and to discuss suggestions I have re for example disciplining and socialising the children. I focused very much on how positive I feel about their work and how excited I am about the future, especially with Sekar now having promised he will work with them on further training and development each Saturday. We also drew up, with their help, a list of their roles and responsibilities. All in all a very heartening meeting. They are such a super team, who seem to work really well together.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
BLOG 14 The saddest day
January 26th
Today has been a sad, sad day, as we were woken at 6 by a call from a very distressed Balaji, telling us that Nagadevi had died in the early hours. For her it must be a blessed release from awful pain, but for her family and friends it is a great loss. At 7.30 Sekar rang me to say that of course now all the meetings we had planned with the people of Seetaramanpet for today, and our lunch with Padmini, would be cancelled. We asked for advice about how we should respond and Sekar suggested we buy a large special garland to take to put on her body and to show respect to her and the family.
Around 10 o'clock, this being Republic Day in India, we went across to the Tailoring Societies building for the raising of the flag (by myself, with some guidance about which string to pull from Arul) followed by the singing of the national anthem. I was then invited to distribute sweets to those present. We mused a little on the fact that the republic of India is almost the same age as Pam and me.
All of us felt somewhat subdued and spent the rest of the morning quietly, with the exception of Marilyn, who held her first sample lesson, for the best pupils. After lunch we went with Selvi, Arul and Dandebanni to Seetaramanpet, taking the huge garland with us, and some firecrackers. When we arrived we were greeted by Balaji, looking very sad, and taken to sit in the next street along from Nagadevi's house. There we found all our friends from the village; Padmini our teacher, Balaji's mother Santa, and brother Shankar, Raghu's mother and older brother, all exhibiting distress and welcoming with hugs and tears. As we watched a procession went by led by drummers and a very wild dancing man, and attended by the boys of the village who were obviously enjoying throwing very loud firecrackers. One can see why Indian children play at funeral processions in the same way that English children will act out weddings. They are so much a part of the fabric of their lives.
We followed the noisy procession down the street to the courtyard in front of Nagadevi's house, where we found a crowd of relatives surrounding her body, placed with garlands inside a glass case, on a table. We went forward to show our respects and Pam placed our garland on her. Nagadevi is from Ooty and so her family, her brothers and her mother, had travelled through the night to be there. Her poor mother was weeping and telling us she was her only daughter. Her mother in law, with whom she must have lived for 20 plus years, was equally distressed. Her two teenage daughters, crying, hugged us as we tried to express our own sadness for them and for their mother.
As we walked away, back to have coffee at Balaji's house, Padmini told me she thought Nagadevi was only 40 years old, less than I had thought. We then saw in the crowd Govindaraj, who used for several years to be the RCO for the village, and who has very strong relationships with many of the people still , even though he left RUHSA some 2 years ago for a government school teaching job. Several of them had called him this morning early with the news. It was so good to see him. We had supposed that we would not be able to fit in a trip to see him this time.
After talking quietly with Balaji's family, and learning from Santi his mother that Nagadevi was her closest friend, we bade them all farewell, and cycled home, all of us feeling very wrung out emotionally. Govindaraj came to call at 5.30 and stayed to share our supper and to regale us with his usual store of hilarious tales. He was just what we needed to make us feel a bit more cheerful. We all agreed together that a very special light had gone from the world, and from the small close-knit community of Seetaramanpet, in particular, with the death of the funny, bold, lively woman and strong community leader that Nagadevi was.
Today has been a sad, sad day, as we were woken at 6 by a call from a very distressed Balaji, telling us that Nagadevi had died in the early hours. For her it must be a blessed release from awful pain, but for her family and friends it is a great loss. At 7.30 Sekar rang me to say that of course now all the meetings we had planned with the people of Seetaramanpet for today, and our lunch with Padmini, would be cancelled. We asked for advice about how we should respond and Sekar suggested we buy a large special garland to take to put on her body and to show respect to her and the family.
Around 10 o'clock, this being Republic Day in India, we went across to the Tailoring Societies building for the raising of the flag (by myself, with some guidance about which string to pull from Arul) followed by the singing of the national anthem. I was then invited to distribute sweets to those present. We mused a little on the fact that the republic of India is almost the same age as Pam and me.
All of us felt somewhat subdued and spent the rest of the morning quietly, with the exception of Marilyn, who held her first sample lesson, for the best pupils. After lunch we went with Selvi, Arul and Dandebanni to Seetaramanpet, taking the huge garland with us, and some firecrackers. When we arrived we were greeted by Balaji, looking very sad, and taken to sit in the next street along from Nagadevi's house. There we found all our friends from the village; Padmini our teacher, Balaji's mother Santa, and brother Shankar, Raghu's mother and older brother, all exhibiting distress and welcoming with hugs and tears. As we watched a procession went by led by drummers and a very wild dancing man, and attended by the boys of the village who were obviously enjoying throwing very loud firecrackers. One can see why Indian children play at funeral processions in the same way that English children will act out weddings. They are so much a part of the fabric of their lives.
We followed the noisy procession down the street to the courtyard in front of Nagadevi's house, where we found a crowd of relatives surrounding her body, placed with garlands inside a glass case, on a table. We went forward to show our respects and Pam placed our garland on her. Nagadevi is from Ooty and so her family, her brothers and her mother, had travelled through the night to be there. Her poor mother was weeping and telling us she was her only daughter. Her mother in law, with whom she must have lived for 20 plus years, was equally distressed. Her two teenage daughters, crying, hugged us as we tried to express our own sadness for them and for their mother.
As we walked away, back to have coffee at Balaji's house, Padmini told me she thought Nagadevi was only 40 years old, less than I had thought. We then saw in the crowd Govindaraj, who used for several years to be the RCO for the village, and who has very strong relationships with many of the people still , even though he left RUHSA some 2 years ago for a government school teaching job. Several of them had called him this morning early with the news. It was so good to see him. We had supposed that we would not be able to fit in a trip to see him this time.
After talking quietly with Balaji's family, and learning from Santi his mother that Nagadevi was her closest friend, we bade them all farewell, and cycled home, all of us feeling very wrung out emotionally. Govindaraj came to call at 5.30 and stayed to share our supper and to regale us with his usual store of hilarious tales. He was just what we needed to make us feel a bit more cheerful. We all agreed together that a very special light had gone from the world, and from the small close-knit community of Seetaramanpet, in particular, with the death of the funny, bold, lively woman and strong community leader that Nagadevi was.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
BLOG 12 Twin triumphs and 10 go in a Tata Sumo
Feeling altogether more chirpy now after a weekend off from the bickerings and jealousies and 'you come my house, eat, eat' which together with the hot and sticky had made some of us at least a bit frazzled. On Saturday we had lunch at RUHSA with Dr Rita who had also invited Sekar and Joseph, and all of us cycled safely through the insanity that is the main road of KVK. An auto rickshaw failed to send me to discover my karma and next reincarnation by just a whisker, which did have Marilyn and Andy, cycling behind me, somewhat wobbly and weak at the knees for a few moments. Marilyn kept shouting a running commentary like BIG BUS COMING from then on, just in case I failed to see the loud and blaring coming towards me often on my side of the road. Not that I want to worry any members of family, nearest and dearest, reading this blog...
Dr Rita again proved a good listener and an extremely warm and friendly person. The canteen is now staffed by a self help group and - wonder of wonder- the food is really good and appears to no longer feature small crunchy creatures as a free extra. The only dodgy moment came when we were explaining to the Doc about the origins of the One Candle Fund, which faithful friends will know were in a distressing moment too far, when Pam became overwhelmed by the sad tales of children having to leave school early because of dire family tragedy. It was set up to run as simply as possible, with children suggested by the then RCO Govindaraj, vetted and agreed by Mr Immanuel, and then cheque paid out direct to the child, by Pam. There were only around 9 children originally but now there are nearly 100, 30 plus of them funded by BTC. Sekar told Dr Rita that the original plan had been that those children who performed best at school in exams would benefit. Since this absolutely was not the case both Pam and I immediately intervened to correct this, but Sekar was having none of it, and kept insisting he was right to Dr Rita. He only stopped repeating this when she said that would have been a bad idea since the poorest families will rarely produce the best students, for obvious reasons. I think more and more that Sekar is not a happy man. I was about to write something here about the challenges of working, as Sekar has, under the leadership they have all endured, but then thought better of it, given a blog is a public document....
In the afternoon we accomplished two major triumphs, the first being airline tickets online to Goa, for next Monday. Thanks and praise for perseverance under extreme provocation, to Marilyn and Andy. The second triumph was a board/bored meeting of the team- Andy Pam Brian and me, with mild heckling from Marilyn, to discuss The Way Forward. Pam had done serious money sums, and we now needed to decide whether we would go ahead with a very bare-bones, reduced to the simplest form, version of the day care for the elderly. Thanks to the HLF group from Seetaramanpet, we had some much more realistic figures for daily expenditure. We are already committed to the school and to the One Candle fund, and clearly they must be sustained. We decided that we would go ahead with the elderly, for just 10 people, and that we will have to start thinking about younger people who might succeed us in years to come, given that we are already in the ranks of the aged ourselves! Offspring and blog followers, you have been warned!
Sunday having dawned bright and clear (!) we were on for our trip to the Golden Temple in Vellore. This is a recent miracle- these happen more in India I've noticed, than in Hounoux or Brighton. An ordinary chap, poorish family, had a vision that he would build a temple made of real and pure gold, and lo! - opened four years ago, there it is. No one is sure how he raised the money, but it now attracts huge numbers of visitors and lots of VIPs from all over India. Our party of 10, Selvi, her mum, Vejaya ( who is intent on becoming Andy's second wife), we five, and the driver, squeezed into the Tata Sumo. Love that name, it being a 'big size one'! The driver, Siva, is not insane, a huge plus.
The temple did not disappoint, it really is astonishing. Our own children will be amused to imagine their father sporting first a red spot splodged on his forehead, then a white one on top, as we all walked through the walkways, beautifully clean and cool, winding our way with thousands of others, dressed predominantly in shades of red and orange. The gardens are glorious- grass everywhere and flowering shrubs, and even a waterfall. As you walk you pass large posters featuring the face of the man whose vision this was, whom they call ' Amma' - mother, as an honorific, despite him being the wrong gender. The posters offer words of wisdom, and begin with a justification for building a golden temple, instead of helping the poor and providing a hospital. People, he declares, will come to the temple and reflect there, be spiritually awakened, and then go away and set up hospitals and do service to the poor. Much for us to think on, as onlookers to this culture. Our Indian friends all performed the acts of devotion whenever we passed a shrine to a god, and again we saw how their religion is sewn firmly into the fabric of their everyday existence. Selvi did do a lot of muttering 'What is this? Is it a temple or is it for tourists?' etc etc, with some nose-wrinkling. It is beautiful, whatever. Andy occupied himself with working out, with Selvi's help, what the cost of the one and a half tons of gold would be. He's re-doing the sums as I write...He says about 40 million pounds. And he's muttering, 'What an absolute waste of gold...'
Late at night on our return, after a really good meal in the Punjabi restaurant opposite CMC hospital, featuring naan bread with serious quantities of garlic, I wrote this poem.
Dr Rita again proved a good listener and an extremely warm and friendly person. The canteen is now staffed by a self help group and - wonder of wonder- the food is really good and appears to no longer feature small crunchy creatures as a free extra. The only dodgy moment came when we were explaining to the Doc about the origins of the One Candle Fund, which faithful friends will know were in a distressing moment too far, when Pam became overwhelmed by the sad tales of children having to leave school early because of dire family tragedy. It was set up to run as simply as possible, with children suggested by the then RCO Govindaraj, vetted and agreed by Mr Immanuel, and then cheque paid out direct to the child, by Pam. There were only around 9 children originally but now there are nearly 100, 30 plus of them funded by BTC. Sekar told Dr Rita that the original plan had been that those children who performed best at school in exams would benefit. Since this absolutely was not the case both Pam and I immediately intervened to correct this, but Sekar was having none of it, and kept insisting he was right to Dr Rita. He only stopped repeating this when she said that would have been a bad idea since the poorest families will rarely produce the best students, for obvious reasons. I think more and more that Sekar is not a happy man. I was about to write something here about the challenges of working, as Sekar has, under the leadership they have all endured, but then thought better of it, given a blog is a public document....
In the afternoon we accomplished two major triumphs, the first being airline tickets online to Goa, for next Monday. Thanks and praise for perseverance under extreme provocation, to Marilyn and Andy. The second triumph was a board/bored meeting of the team- Andy Pam Brian and me, with mild heckling from Marilyn, to discuss The Way Forward. Pam had done serious money sums, and we now needed to decide whether we would go ahead with a very bare-bones, reduced to the simplest form, version of the day care for the elderly. Thanks to the HLF group from Seetaramanpet, we had some much more realistic figures for daily expenditure. We are already committed to the school and to the One Candle fund, and clearly they must be sustained. We decided that we would go ahead with the elderly, for just 10 people, and that we will have to start thinking about younger people who might succeed us in years to come, given that we are already in the ranks of the aged ourselves! Offspring and blog followers, you have been warned!
Sunday having dawned bright and clear (!) we were on for our trip to the Golden Temple in Vellore. This is a recent miracle- these happen more in India I've noticed, than in Hounoux or Brighton. An ordinary chap, poorish family, had a vision that he would build a temple made of real and pure gold, and lo! - opened four years ago, there it is. No one is sure how he raised the money, but it now attracts huge numbers of visitors and lots of VIPs from all over India. Our party of 10, Selvi, her mum, Vejaya ( who is intent on becoming Andy's second wife), we five, and the driver, squeezed into the Tata Sumo. Love that name, it being a 'big size one'! The driver, Siva, is not insane, a huge plus.
The temple did not disappoint, it really is astonishing. Our own children will be amused to imagine their father sporting first a red spot splodged on his forehead, then a white one on top, as we all walked through the walkways, beautifully clean and cool, winding our way with thousands of others, dressed predominantly in shades of red and orange. The gardens are glorious- grass everywhere and flowering shrubs, and even a waterfall. As you walk you pass large posters featuring the face of the man whose vision this was, whom they call ' Amma' - mother, as an honorific, despite him being the wrong gender. The posters offer words of wisdom, and begin with a justification for building a golden temple, instead of helping the poor and providing a hospital. People, he declares, will come to the temple and reflect there, be spiritually awakened, and then go away and set up hospitals and do service to the poor. Much for us to think on, as onlookers to this culture. Our Indian friends all performed the acts of devotion whenever we passed a shrine to a god, and again we saw how their religion is sewn firmly into the fabric of their everyday existence. Selvi did do a lot of muttering 'What is this? Is it a temple or is it for tourists?' etc etc, with some nose-wrinkling. It is beautiful, whatever. Andy occupied himself with working out, with Selvi's help, what the cost of the one and a half tons of gold would be. He's re-doing the sums as I write...He says about 40 million pounds. And he's muttering, 'What an absolute waste of gold...'
Late at night on our return, after a really good meal in the Punjabi restaurant opposite CMC hospital, featuring naan bread with serious quantities of garlic, I wrote this poem.
In hope of better karma
In the midst of the squalor
The stench, all human life
Teeming in millions, poverty
Beyond belief a mere existence eked
No hope, save, with luck, the next time round
Reincarnated more fortunately, an upgrade
Not bottom of the heap, dung heap
Flies, barrel scraped
A country which spreads no safety net
To catch its poor or sick, its
Elderly, or sad or mad
See here a miracle has bloomed
Green landscaped lawns
Shaded walkways, quiet order
And central, rising, glinting in the glare
Merciless, a Golden Temple
A wonder Bollywood or Disney might have dreamt
But this the vision of a local boy
So all the more miraculous
Astonishing
The masses come to marvel
And to pray, to walk in circles, chanting
And in hope the gods will then be good
Will ease their pain,
Or send the rains, a baby
Long desired, or marriage partner
Kindness, some better karma
B Sc for student son
Or doctorate for daughter
A way to climb beyond the filth
The struggle and the gutter
Where politicians lie and cheat
Corruption fetid in the air
No wonder then the people come
To marvel at the yellow gold
Whilst calculating weight and price
To bow their head before the god
And walk in circles, chanting
In hope of better karma
Friday, January 22, 2010
BLOG 11
January 22nd
Arrived early at playcentre to find good play already going on in several different areas of the room e.g home corner, a shop selling vegetables, a doctor treating someone with snake bite, water play, puzzles, construction and cars. Gave some input re using a game of opposites and the teacher then took over from me and seemed to be asking good questions of the children. Free play lasted till 10.15, then they went into involving the children in tidying up.
At 10.30 there was register and prayer as usual, followed by milk,which the children really enjoy. I think the ayah puts sugar in it as it is boiled. From 11 to 11.25 we had vigorous play, using their larger muscles, indoors as it would be too hot outdoors even with the shade of the coconut trees. Some children danced, some played with balls, and with skittles. They were very noisy and lively but it was good to see them really moving freely.
Small group time was then from 11.25 till 11.45 and the teachers each used games with the children, one of which was to teach about matching and the other about opposites. It was then nearly time for lunch so we had one round of Hokey Cokey, which they now really love and which they have learned from me very quickly.
Balaji called by then to get me a coconut down from the tree with a long pole and hook. It had what they call tender coconut in it, ie liquid, which is really nice. Andy had arrived by now so Balaji got one for him too. We then had some difficulty in explaining to Balaji what 'tender' means. He is so keen to learn English.
Pam and Brian then arrived, fresh from a very helpful and cheering session with an official at the bank, who had declared himself delighted to meet Pam, who does quite a lot of business through the bank, because of the One Candle fund burseries which go to individual children as cheques. We set off to lunch with Bavana and family, who are weavers from Kamanchemanpet. Politically speaking it was no bad thing for us to lunch with a family from this village, given the tensions between the two villages from which playcentre children come, and our close relationships with the other village, Seetaramanpet. One could get quite tired trying to sort out the intrigues, jealousies and rivalries in the small villages, but perhaps that is true of all village life (though I have to say not terribly evident to me in rural France!)
After a lovely lunch at which not too much was forced upon us ( one of our main criteria for judging a meal to be good!) we cycled to see our good friend Mr Immanuel, at RUHSA. We haven't seen anything like so much of him as usual of course, not living on the campus, so we wanted to go and have a chat. As ever he cheered us up and made us feel things would be possible. There is a rumour that the gate may be almost ready for the school!!! Not holding breath of course- that would be foolish, but watch this space....Also managed to see Dr Rita and to get ourselves invited for lunch tomorrow with her.
BLOG 10
January 22nd Deep breath, here we go- some tricky times to recount. Will try to be as brief as possible and just to give a flavour. Let us start with the positive. Thursday morning in school- and more loveliness seen in terms of the children playing and the teachers interacting with them. Lunch them with Indira, who is a leader of the HLF for Seetaramanpet, with Pam, Brian and Andy, and that was delicious if somewhat huge, as usual. Following this we had a meeting with the HLF ( habitation level forum) who will be the management group for the centre for the elderly, if we decide to go ahead with it.
We found them to be a very lively and seemingly intelligent group of women who were clear that we must start modestly and not raise expectations too high and set ourselves up to fail. Exactly what we've been thinking! They were very practical women too who were able to give us a clear estimate of cost of snacks, milk, gas, oil etc. They also seemed to be saying that they would ask for donations to help support the group from more wealthy local people, and would be willing to help out with making snacks themselves and donating for this. This meeting had us quite cheery and feeling less anxious and stressed about the viability of this project. Things were, however, about to get worse..
Sekar had facilitated the meeting and helped translate, with Joseph who has recently been appointed RCO ( rural community officer) for this area. Pam and Brian worked with him years ago and really found him helpful and effective. We then had a discussion with Sekar and Joseph about what we were going to discuss at the next meeting. This was with the other village HLF, in Kamanchemanpet, which manages the playcentre. Sekar was again fairly robust in his criticism of the teachers and ayah, though he did agree that we would reinstate the money docked from their wages by the committee. We agreed we must reiterate to the committee that children have to be minimum of 3 years old, and that we should limit the number on roll to 20 (currently there are 27, several of them 2year olds)
When we arrived at Kamanchemanpet- an hour late by now, Indian time- the women began their feedback to us with lots of positives about how much the children enjoyed the playcentre and all that they were learning. Then, however, something I asked opened the floodgates, and there was a torrent of accusations against the staff, whom they accused of laziness, not working properly with the children, not showing due care to them, unpunctuality, not cleaning their lunch boxes properly (the ayah) etc etc The accusations were almost exclusively directed against Padmini and Sarida, both of whom are Seetaramanpet people, whilst Rani is from their village. Sekar plainly believes these accusations to be well grounded and also has experienced Padmini as being very rude.
It begins to seem that serious harm has been done because this committee did not come into operation until 6 months after we trained and appointed the teachers, and long after we had gone. No one thought to bring the committee and the teachers together to make introductions and explain how things would be run, and even less did they think to spell out the roles and responsibilities of the staff, and of the committee. Sekar has not been much of a presence on any kind of regular basis, so has not been available to mediate, explain, or to develop the teachers at all. Joseph was the one flicker of light in this meeting, which I did find seriously upsetting and dispiriting. He was clear about what would need to happen now in terms of bridge building, and that it would be his responsibility to help do this.
We ended the meeting as quickly as we could, given that a bridegroom was being paraded through the room ( the mariage hall) to loudspeaker blaring music, and more importantly, it was getting dark and we had the twin terrors of the insane main road and the mosquito to negotiate. I was chased from the village by Pushparvathy with canisters of payasam (sort of special milk pudding thing, much in evidence at Pongal) and with wadai. (Oh but you must just stuff one more bit of my especially lovely food into your already over-stuffed face, please, please, just one...)
Went home and were not killed, surprisingly, on the road, though the mozzies were vicious. Head in hands time, very dejected all of us, especially Pam and I. Pam had also received a bit of a rap over knuckles from Sekar, connected with the distribution of Candle fund bursaries. It seems she had mentionned that the cheques had arrived in a phone call or email to Balaji, which had unleashed a flood of demands from students parents. Meanwhile RUHSA ( Sekar, being cautious and meticulous as ever) was waiting to see if the students passed their exams and were therefore going on with their education.
We have a general problem emerging here, which has to do with our friendship and close communication with lots of Seetaramanpet people. It seems to cause misunderstanding and even some confict with RUHSA people , and it does seem that Padmini especially has taken the attitude that she is purely accountable to us, having been selected by us, and not to the committee. Custom, rumba rumba custom, as they say out here, problem, big problem.
We found them to be a very lively and seemingly intelligent group of women who were clear that we must start modestly and not raise expectations too high and set ourselves up to fail. Exactly what we've been thinking! They were very practical women too who were able to give us a clear estimate of cost of snacks, milk, gas, oil etc. They also seemed to be saying that they would ask for donations to help support the group from more wealthy local people, and would be willing to help out with making snacks themselves and donating for this. This meeting had us quite cheery and feeling less anxious and stressed about the viability of this project. Things were, however, about to get worse..
Sekar had facilitated the meeting and helped translate, with Joseph who has recently been appointed RCO ( rural community officer) for this area. Pam and Brian worked with him years ago and really found him helpful and effective. We then had a discussion with Sekar and Joseph about what we were going to discuss at the next meeting. This was with the other village HLF, in Kamanchemanpet, which manages the playcentre. Sekar was again fairly robust in his criticism of the teachers and ayah, though he did agree that we would reinstate the money docked from their wages by the committee. We agreed we must reiterate to the committee that children have to be minimum of 3 years old, and that we should limit the number on roll to 20 (currently there are 27, several of them 2year olds)
When we arrived at Kamanchemanpet- an hour late by now, Indian time- the women began their feedback to us with lots of positives about how much the children enjoyed the playcentre and all that they were learning. Then, however, something I asked opened the floodgates, and there was a torrent of accusations against the staff, whom they accused of laziness, not working properly with the children, not showing due care to them, unpunctuality, not cleaning their lunch boxes properly (the ayah) etc etc The accusations were almost exclusively directed against Padmini and Sarida, both of whom are Seetaramanpet people, whilst Rani is from their village. Sekar plainly believes these accusations to be well grounded and also has experienced Padmini as being very rude.
It begins to seem that serious harm has been done because this committee did not come into operation until 6 months after we trained and appointed the teachers, and long after we had gone. No one thought to bring the committee and the teachers together to make introductions and explain how things would be run, and even less did they think to spell out the roles and responsibilities of the staff, and of the committee. Sekar has not been much of a presence on any kind of regular basis, so has not been available to mediate, explain, or to develop the teachers at all. Joseph was the one flicker of light in this meeting, which I did find seriously upsetting and dispiriting. He was clear about what would need to happen now in terms of bridge building, and that it would be his responsibility to help do this.
We ended the meeting as quickly as we could, given that a bridegroom was being paraded through the room ( the mariage hall) to loudspeaker blaring music, and more importantly, it was getting dark and we had the twin terrors of the insane main road and the mosquito to negotiate. I was chased from the village by Pushparvathy with canisters of payasam (sort of special milk pudding thing, much in evidence at Pongal) and with wadai. (Oh but you must just stuff one more bit of my especially lovely food into your already over-stuffed face, please, please, just one...)
Went home and were not killed, surprisingly, on the road, though the mozzies were vicious. Head in hands time, very dejected all of us, especially Pam and I. Pam had also received a bit of a rap over knuckles from Sekar, connected with the distribution of Candle fund bursaries. It seems she had mentionned that the cheques had arrived in a phone call or email to Balaji, which had unleashed a flood of demands from students parents. Meanwhile RUHSA ( Sekar, being cautious and meticulous as ever) was waiting to see if the students passed their exams and were therefore going on with their education.
We have a general problem emerging here, which has to do with our friendship and close communication with lots of Seetaramanpet people. It seems to cause misunderstanding and even some confict with RUHSA people , and it does seem that Padmini especially has taken the attitude that she is purely accountable to us, having been selected by us, and not to the committee. Custom, rumba rumba custom, as they say out here, problem, big problem.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
BLOG 9
January 20th From Marilyn, working on the English language programme for the Tailoring Unit
Having spent most of yesterday morning swearing at my new computer as it had lost two early morning hours work, I did eventually manage to get my English assessment form and materials ready for this morning. Arul had said he'd make sure 5 supervisors or clerks would come an hour before their clocking in time at the factory but I was none too sure this would happen.....already sceptical, how sad! But, to my delight, six people, all very keen to show what they knew in English, came and were 'tested'; they answered some fairly straight forward questions about their jobs and families, read a simple text and did some writing; our assessment criteria was pretty simple, but it worked. I'd tested the materials on the ever willing Selvi and she said my beginner level listening text would be degree level here in Southern India!! So, now I can see their levels; either almost complete beginners or elementary. Pam helped me and did some recording of their language for me to see what pronunciation areas will need work. Spent some of the day listening to the tape and made a start on the syllabus. More of the same tomorrow.
Having spent most of yesterday morning swearing at my new computer as it had lost two early morning hours work, I did eventually manage to get my English assessment form and materials ready for this morning. Arul had said he'd make sure 5 supervisors or clerks would come an hour before their clocking in time at the factory but I was none too sure this would happen.....already sceptical, how sad! But, to my delight, six people, all very keen to show what they knew in English, came and were 'tested'; they answered some fairly straight forward questions about their jobs and families, read a simple text and did some writing; our assessment criteria was pretty simple, but it worked. I'd tested the materials on the ever willing Selvi and she said my beginner level listening text would be degree level here in Southern India!! So, now I can see their levels; either almost complete beginners or elementary. Pam helped me and did some recording of their language for me to see what pronunciation areas will need work. Spent some of the day listening to the tape and made a start on the syllabus. More of the same tomorrow.
BLOG 8
January 20th. I got to the school early enough to see the children arriving and was delighted to see that activities were already out for the children to choose for free play. I suggested some more areas, like the home corner and more construction toys. As I opened the boxes of wooden bricks which we had made several years ago for previous nursery centres a lizard leapt out at me and subsequently as I took the bricks out quite a variety of wild life emerged, including an enormous cockroach. I started to carry them outside to give them a good wash and Saridha the ayah took the rather dirty job away from me. The children immediately made really good use of the wooden materials, making slopes for cars and other structures. In fact all around the room they played enthusiastically with all that was on offer and the teachers joined in with their play. Several children were happy to approach me and involve me in their play.
After a good hour of free play we had tidying time and again the teachers encouraged the children to take part. Following this was registration, prayer and milk time. Whilst they drank their milk the teachers asked some of them to talk about where they had played that morning and they translated some of what they said back to me.
I then suggested it was time for the children to move around a bit and use their gross motor skills, so we had vigorous action songs - Once again the Hokey Cokey led by me, to great enthusiasm from the children; and several other songs which involve moving around, in English and in Tamil. Andy and Brian arrived at this time and we managed together to teach them the basics of What's the time Mr Wolf?
After this, we had small group time, when we swopped groups from yesterday and they experienced either the clay or the vegetable printing. Again lots of enthusiasm and creativity from the children- chappati making with clay, rolling snakes and one child made a long train. They do seem very imaginative and I think they reflect a culture in which children aren't used to having lots of toys and are used to inventing playthings.
I left telling the teachers what lovely play I had seen that morning and cycled back to BTC where some English visitors ( Dawn and Pete from Cumbria) had arrived to see the factory and to hear about how things are made for Bishopston Trading Co. Selvi had prepared a lovely lunch for them , of course and also some garlands had been purchased for them. They were very interested and delighted with all that they saw, I think. After touring the factory Arul took them to Seetarampet to see weaving and they met Balaji and his family amongst others.
In the evening Selvi had another feast to prepare for Dr Rita from RUHSA. We had a great evening with her and all felt even more favorably impressed with her afterwards. She listens so well, knows immediately what we are talking about and makes quick responses, mostly positive. She said she would be happy for Sekar to give at least 2 hrs per week for working to support the playcentre. She would look into whether we might be able to link in with Tamil Nadu open university for offering courses in pre-school education and she obviously understood how important it would be for Sekar to get this going in order to generate income. We told her how anxious we are about being able to sustain the elderly project in terms of cost, especially if we are to give midday meals. She agreed that giving them milk plus nutritional snacks ( she especially recommended lentil burgers called wadai- with onions) would be a good idea. It may be that the elderly people will only come in the mornings. Finally we told her about the problem of the bore well sinking and the need for a gate to secure the front garden- both the responsibility of Donald the chief engineer at CMC. She all but rolled her eyes in despair when talking about Donald. It seems that he is the one who has to write letters to get things to happen and then he has to process the letters before the correct people/ committees at CMC. Donald appears to lack initiative and also to be extremely disorganised, which means that all such projects - anything to do with buildings under the auspices of CMC- stall and take for ever to happen. She seems to spend a great deal of her time on the phone to him trying to move him on stage by painful stage. I felt extremely sorry for her by the time she had finished explaining! She said she would speak to him about what we needed and we said that if both our projects were not possible then we would opt for the gate first. Extraordinary! Still all in all such an enjoyable evening and we all felt, such a very pleasant person.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
BLOG 7. Mr W finally makes it to join the team!
January 19th. Through snowstorms from the south of France, via strike-ridden airport and broken down Easyjet flight, after a day and a night on Gulf Air and a tussle with the bustle of Chennai central station (cheap travel for aged persons over 60) and finally a rip-off auto rickshaw from Katpaddi junction, at last he hove into view, husband, kanavan/ veetakar. Vidya who wishes to become his 'second wife' insisted on arranging a pink rose in his hair. Now if you know Andy that will leave you puzzled, especially as Anna had given his hair a No 3 before he left England...Anyway he now has to catch up on sleep as we did a week ago and try to acclimatise to the heat and humidity.
The morning was then spent in some frustration and shouting of obscenities, fighting with Marilyn's new computer. By the end of the day all was right again and she has made good progress with finding on line resources, and with planning for initial assessments of those staff to whom English will be taught. She and Pam had a meeting with interested people yesterday which they feel went well ( interpreted by Selvi) and Marilyn now has a skeleton idea of how the programme with be planned.
In the afternoon I went to school again and it was apparent they had already begun with the free play as suggested yesterday. We had a great time doing clay with one small group and examining some vegetables and then doing printing with them with the other group. All the crossness which Pam and I have been feeling due to frustration re CMC and their stalling and hindering of progress, melted away whilst I watched these lovely children and teachers. Nonetheless we are going to have to try to be very firm to ensure that the elderly persons' centre does get started soon and a whole lot swifter than the school did last year. Dr Rita the new RUHSA director is coming to supper tomorrow and we are going to use the opportunity to hammer home our points.
After the children had gone home- though the last ones did not go until 5 o'clock, one hour late, the teachers showed us the small plants which they have planted in the garden and have kept alive with careful watering. I find it harder and harder to believe that these are teachers who have slacked and not shown enough enthusiasm for their work.
BLOG 6, in which we return to school
January 18th. Arrived at the school towards 10, to find a room full of children - about 24, though there are now 27 on register. The teachers and the ayah, Padmini, Rani and Saradha greeted me so warmly and presented me with flowers and a note of thanks for us all, and then fixed more flowers in my hair (on top of the roses Selvi had already insisted on back at the house. Have spotted that as well as a competition to feed us there is another to pin flowers in our hair. I fear the net result could be - and would by my children undoubtedly be- called silly and most definitely not age appropriate!)
It did in any case feel lovely to be back with them in the school and with the children. Sekar had led me to believe that perhaps the teachers weren't totally pulling their weight with enough enthusiam. I had to say gently to him that- through no fault of his own- he hasn't really been able to see much of what has been going on, and I think his judgments are based on too little observation. I feel defensive of the teachers because we selected them last year and they seemed such a good pair. They have also kept in touch with us by text and email this year,which is no mean feat for village women.
After being with them for the day and observing what went on I am much relieved that I still feel they are good teachers who are kind to the children (not always the case in Indian schools) and who have lots of commitment. I think that because our training last year was so minimal and we left them to make a start on their own, with as it turned out, very little ongoing support from Sekar, they may have become a little stilted in the way they work, and for example they have timetabled too little free play. Still, all that will be needed, I feel, is for me to be with them giving them ideas and modelling the way to work with the children, giving them as much first hand experience as possible and as many opportunities as they can each day for making their own choices and being creative.
Meanwhile the children are as ever, delightful and full of life and beans and character. They joined in immediately with the pretend doctor's set, taking my 'BP' repeatedly and administering at least 5 'injections'. One of them then wrote a prescription for medicine and told me to take it after eating! I was soaked in the water play, as we poured and splashed and floated, and then shown a beautiful garden with hills and trees they had made in the sand. All in all a day to gladden the heart and make me feel that all the frustrations of delay in getting things going, by officials at CMC and at RUHSA, are worth it in the end.
After school Sekar came and we had a meeting with staff and a representative of the committee which runs the school, Pushparvathy. I was able to get Sekar to explain about adjusting the time table to have more free play sessions, with all activities available from the time of arrival, and about planning for a small group teaching session each day. I said I would show them some ideas for this whilst I am here. Pam and Marilyn had arrived in the afternoon, and Pam stayed for the meeting with me. It became very heated at one time when Pam used the record of wages and outgoings to ask why staff had had a pay cut last month. The committee decided that they were unpunctual in arriving in the morning and that therefore they should be disciplined with a pay cut!!!! I said I felt sure this was not something the committee could just decide to do, and that it seemed a very unjust thing to do, to me. I did actually take a deep breath and say 'To be honest, this makes me feel very angry'
Sekar back-pedalled like mad, though I don't think he had disagreed with this action, and he certainly hadn't addressed it. After much to-ing and fro-ing of lively debate(!) we resolved that terms and conditions of employment and job descriptions will have to be worked out before we go.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
BLOG 5
January 16th
Today in the morning Sekar from Ruhsa came to talk about our plans for this stay. We identified main aims, 1) to inaugurate the centre for the elderly 2) to do further training with the teachers and give them support to develop 3) to establish a plan for programmes of teacher training at the centre and 4) to plan for developing the outside area.
Sekar agreed to set up meetings with the relevant bodies and explained simply to me how the area is divided politically at local government level. The village of Kamanchemanpet has an H L F (habitation level forum) which is responsible for managing the playcentre. The HLF in Seetaramanpet will be taking the same responsibility for the elderly centre, and we will begin with a meeting with these people to find out what they would like to happen and which members of their community they think would benefit.
As a result of this discussion with Sekar I have decided that I will spend the maximum time in the school, working alongside the teachers and playing with the children, so I've given myself a very attractive sounding plan! Pam will focus most on the elderly project though we will all be able to attend meetings about it and help with resourcing.
Someone will have to administer a very big kick up the bum to the chief engineer at CMC, the mother-ship organisation for RUHSA, because in a year they have failed to decide where to sink the bore well for the playcentre. Blog followers from last year will recall the hilarity of the old chap who divined water with a coconut ( to be parodied later by Andy and Brian with a lemon). Unfortunately the CMC engineer believes the water is in quite a different area of the plot and consequently a Large Nothing has occurred since last January. Ruhsa have historically been quite adept at procrastination, especially when CMC are involved.
After the discussion Brian Pam and I cycled to lunch in Seetaramanpet with Raghu's mother, whilst Marilyn stayed to meet with Arul about her project to teach English to some of the BTC workers. She now hopes to meet with staff on Monday morning to begin to move it forward, and Pam will stay with her to take notes.
Lunch was, as we knew it would be, delicious and evidentally a lot of care had gone into making a special meal. Raghu's family are delightful and his parents are always smiley. They are especially grateful for the help with college fees for Raghu which has enabled him to continue his education and to attain a position with a good company (TVS) Raghu talks often of his determination to give back to the community when he has a permanent position and has finished his training and we are quite sure that he will do this.
After lunch we went again to see Nagadevi, their very sick neighbour, who is home for the weekend. I have used poetry again to try to express some of the powerful emotions we all felt. We then organised to get a taxi to take her on Monday to CMC hospital in Vellore after hearing that she planned to go by auto, which is a dreadfully uncomfortable ride even under normal circumstances, and is unimaginable for someone in constant pain.
Nagadevi
Even now, your life reduced to barest bones
A cage for monstrous pain,
And all your fierce woman's flame
To bitter ashes
Even now, you struggle upwards from the bed
Whispering of coffee
Hospitality still imperative
And you the mother in this home
Impotent the words in both our tongues
No comfort in regret
The shock of your diminishing
Is shouting in our eyes
Perhaps you feel our sorrow
In the touch of fingertips
For silenced by the pity here
Compassion's all our gift
To you, the mother, heart and soul
Beloved in this home
Friday, January 15, 2010
BLOG 4
Lying in bed listening to the high pitched waily-waily temple music issuing from tinny loudspeakers all through the night (oh the delights of Pongal festival) and to the scream and chuff of endless trains, with fan whirring noisily to blend all the sounds together, I realised that in yesterday's blog I left out several important things. Thinking of Andy - still struggling to reach us despite snowstorms, air traffic control strikes and broken down planes- I realised he would want to know about the complete solar eclipse which happened yesterday, 300 miles south of us, peaking at 1 p.m. The sky was just a little darker and it was mercifully cooler but lacking a glass to look through we dare not do so. All around the locals kept shaking their heads and obviously warning us not to look directly at the sun. However whilst we were cycling Marilyn and Brian noticed some boys looking through X ray film and stopped to have a look and had a really good view of a full black sun, as it was a cloudless day. We desperately tried to think of how to contact Arabella, our visiting doctor from England friend, who we knew was really keen to see it.
The other forgotten incident happened as we were cycling home, through Veppenari, which is as they would say in Bristol 'all trimmed up' for Pongal, with pretty lights strung along the main street. In the middle of the village they have erected a stage and there are obviously all sorts of entertainments happening over the 3 days of festival. Yesterday there was a pole-climbing competition. Teams of three young men were competing to reach a bag of money right at the top of the pole, whilst buckets of water were thrown to put them off. As we watched one lad, standing on the head of his friend, who was on the shoulders of a third, managed to pull down the money, to great cheering from the crowds.
The other forgotten incident happened as we were cycling home, through Veppenari, which is as they would say in Bristol 'all trimmed up' for Pongal, with pretty lights strung along the main street. In the middle of the village they have erected a stage and there are obviously all sorts of entertainments happening over the 3 days of festival. Yesterday there was a pole-climbing competition. Teams of three young men were competing to reach a bag of money right at the top of the pole, whilst buckets of water were thrown to put them off. As we watched one lad, standing on the head of his friend, who was on the shoulders of a third, managed to pull down the money, to great cheering from the crowds.
BLOG 3, a sad meeting
Today, Friday 15th, being Cow Pongal, is another holiday. We had agreed to meet the lads met in Blog 3, at RUHSA hospital, to visit Nagadevi. In the event we were also able to arrange our meeting with Dr Rita, director of Ruhsa, to fit with this.
We had been warned that we would be shocked to see Nagadevi, who is gravely ill. She has been a very energetic and full of fun organiser ( animator) in their village but is now stricken with what began as cervical cancer and went undetected for too long. She is in great pain and was we think pleased to see us, but unable to tolerate much time. Her daughter who is a nurse stays with her. The Sitaramanpet people, like our lads, are so grateful to Dr Rita who found money from an Australian fund for helping patients with this cancer, to pay for some- I would imagine mainly palliative- treatment in RUHSA and at CMC, the large hospital in Vellore. A shocking transformation in a year for this lively and attractive woman, and a great sorrow for her community too.
Our meeting with Dr Rita went excellently. She explained first of all that she has long had a particular interest in cervical cancer screening programmes but that take up is very very low. I mentionned that this has also been the case even in Britain, and she seemed to have heard of what happened with Jade Goody last year. Dr Rita had taken the trouble to visit the projects already existing for the elderly, and our play centre, in order to prepare for our visit. She asked very good questions about how we would plan for sustainability and what funds we proposed to draw on. We came away very heartened indeed by her interest and her evident intelligence and readiness to listen. We will meet her again after we have made a start on identifying the elderly who will benefit, and also later to see how progress is made re setting up teacher training programmes.
We then cycled our old favorite ride, down the back way from RUHSA to Sitaramanpet, along the line of the railway, to Balaji's house for a fabulous spread, and yet more flowers in the hair. This causes much mirth from the swarms of grinning village children, and perhaps is weird for pensioners from England! Balaji's older brother Shankar was there with his new bride of 2 months, Shanti. She seems a very sweet person- young, 2o years old we think. I told her she has been fortunate to find this family to come to live with and she seemed to agree. This marriage was arranged through a broker. Her family live near Bangalore. The couple seem so far to be very happy with each other, showing affection for each other in a way that is unusual here. Maybe things are changing in India too. Suresh told us that nowadays the idea of love mariage is gradually becoming more acceptable.
Ah ha, as I write, the regular 2 minute late evening 'current off' which makes us all the more grateful for the return and the fans when it comes.
We had been warned that we would be shocked to see Nagadevi, who is gravely ill. She has been a very energetic and full of fun organiser ( animator) in their village but is now stricken with what began as cervical cancer and went undetected for too long. She is in great pain and was we think pleased to see us, but unable to tolerate much time. Her daughter who is a nurse stays with her. The Sitaramanpet people, like our lads, are so grateful to Dr Rita who found money from an Australian fund for helping patients with this cancer, to pay for some- I would imagine mainly palliative- treatment in RUHSA and at CMC, the large hospital in Vellore. A shocking transformation in a year for this lively and attractive woman, and a great sorrow for her community too.
Our meeting with Dr Rita went excellently. She explained first of all that she has long had a particular interest in cervical cancer screening programmes but that take up is very very low. I mentionned that this has also been the case even in Britain, and she seemed to have heard of what happened with Jade Goody last year. Dr Rita had taken the trouble to visit the projects already existing for the elderly, and our play centre, in order to prepare for our visit. She asked very good questions about how we would plan for sustainability and what funds we proposed to draw on. We came away very heartened indeed by her interest and her evident intelligence and readiness to listen. We will meet her again after we have made a start on identifying the elderly who will benefit, and also later to see how progress is made re setting up teacher training programmes.
We then cycled our old favorite ride, down the back way from RUHSA to Sitaramanpet, along the line of the railway, to Balaji's house for a fabulous spread, and yet more flowers in the hair. This causes much mirth from the swarms of grinning village children, and perhaps is weird for pensioners from England! Balaji's older brother Shankar was there with his new bride of 2 months, Shanti. She seems a very sweet person- young, 2o years old we think. I told her she has been fortunate to find this family to come to live with and she seemed to agree. This marriage was arranged through a broker. Her family live near Bangalore. The couple seem so far to be very happy with each other, showing affection for each other in a way that is unusual here. Maybe things are changing in India too. Suresh told us that nowadays the idea of love mariage is gradually becoming more acceptable.
Ah ha, as I write, the regular 2 minute late evening 'current off' which makes us all the more grateful for the return and the fans when it comes.
BLOG 2, in which we renew friendships with our lovely lads from Sitaramanpet
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Day 2, and still slowly adjusting and acclimatising. Morning spent in the house chatting, mulling over what our priorities will be for this trip. I watched mesmerised whilst Selvi and her helper Vidya prepared food, grinding coconut, tearing at coriander leaves etc, and out of this later came this poem:
Like a prayer
Side by side the women stand
Small, sari-clad
Fluidity and elegance in every careful move
Silver anklets on bare feet
A sweep of sequin border
Falling like the stars
The well-worn everyday routine
Peel chop grind wash
Coriander coconut and rice
Is quietly performed
Beautiful as ballet
Offered like a prayer
In the afternoon we cycled to Sitaramanpet to visit the several families we know there. It is in this village that the recipients of the One Candle Fund bursaries live, now up to a hundred children who are enabled to remain in school for longer because of this small donation from English friends. Balaji's family welcomed us first with coffee 'sacre ille' ie ' no sugar' and with hugs and kisses. This is not so usual in Indian culture where they have not yet adopted the custom of hugging and touching which has developed so strongly in England in the last generation. The three lads, Balaji, Raghu and Suresh, are a real credit to their families, such determined students and now 2 of them in excellent jobs, and also boys with a real sense of duty to the community. Again our welcome here, so heartfelt and genuine, was a real tonic after the cynicism of modern British culture. This poem came out of this experience. Suresh who is 23, and works in computer assisted car design, for TVS, has been able to buy a new house for his parents which was built last year. Small wonder that in this village and this locality education is the great goal for all families, being the means to improve their situation in life. The boys still return home for weekends and for holidays- such as Pongal at the moment- and are much more naive and unspoilt than young men of that age would be in our culture.
Best described as love
Best described as love
With just a few words
Perhaps fifty Tamil me, and you
Two dozen English
Plus, your phrase,'Body language'
Smiles and laughs and hugs
Not usual in your culture
But borrowed now from us
Together, in our strong determination
To communicate
To tell each other we are glad
So happy, rumba santoshum, to be back
Pulled from village house to house
Each family with food or drink, a welcome
Warm to give
One year on returning home
From home, stretching our languages
Across the barriers of age
And lives lived half a world apart
To a perfect understanding
Each of each
That what we share here
This day, this place
Is best described as love
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
BLOG 1, 13th January 2010
Arrived this morning hot off a Gulf Air- very good - flight, via Bahrain, to stay at BTC Guest house, quite at the other end of KVKuppam from our usual haunts at RUHSA. It is hot hot hot and quite humid/ mozzy weather, especially after snow bound England. I was holed up in the Premier Inn at Heathrow for 3 days, largely to ensure that I snow didn't prevent me from making the flight. Andy is still in France having -indeed- been prevented from joining us by snow. He will arrive - hopefully- next Tuesday, so will have missed our first week. Our journey from Chennai airport with lovely Veejay, Ruhsa driver,and the old faithful Annandan, was fairly hair-raising, because Veejay drove at high speed down the new road, in Indian weaving in and out of lanes syle, and he kept falling asleep! Thank heavens for Brian shouting at him repeatedly...
We have had two lovely Selvi meals already, spoken at some length to Sekar, caught up on some sleep, and then visited Mr Immanuel, our dear friend, at Ruhsa. Tomorrow is Pongal, so we will just be socialising - priority to our friends in Sitaramanpet, who have been wonderful at keeping in touch with us over the last year by text and email- especially Balaji, Suresh and Raghu. All seems to be going well with the playcentre and it will be lovely to see it in action next week.
Our priority for this visit is to open the centre for the elderly in the Patchikilli centre. We also hope to get under way the programme for training teachers there too. There have been changes at Ruhsa this last year, and now Dr Rita is appointed Director, and we are looking forward to working with her. She has recently been to see the centre and is keen to be brought up to date with details about our aims etc. The third aim for us will be to try to initiate some development of the garden at the centre. Sekar is keen that the elderly will be involved in planting and watering etc and maybe even benefit from any veg grown. All very exciting in prospect.
Marilyn, our new girl- who is tomorrow to be tested on who is who in KVK- hIstory of the Link, key personnel etc etc-is on a mission for BTC to establish a programme to teach English to some BTC personnel and also to our teachers too, we hope. She is a quick learner about the wonders and vagaries of life here, because she spent 20years living and working in several African countries.
Just had a ten minute 'current off' which left me in pitch black touch-typing, but at least now indoors not under the shitting crow tree as last year. All curtesy of a dongle- a handy if expensive little truc, as they say in France. More tomorrow plus photos.
We have had two lovely Selvi meals already, spoken at some length to Sekar, caught up on some sleep, and then visited Mr Immanuel, our dear friend, at Ruhsa. Tomorrow is Pongal, so we will just be socialising - priority to our friends in Sitaramanpet, who have been wonderful at keeping in touch with us over the last year by text and email- especially Balaji, Suresh and Raghu. All seems to be going well with the playcentre and it will be lovely to see it in action next week.
Our priority for this visit is to open the centre for the elderly in the Patchikilli centre. We also hope to get under way the programme for training teachers there too. There have been changes at Ruhsa this last year, and now Dr Rita is appointed Director, and we are looking forward to working with her. She has recently been to see the centre and is keen to be brought up to date with details about our aims etc. The third aim for us will be to try to initiate some development of the garden at the centre. Sekar is keen that the elderly will be involved in planting and watering etc and maybe even benefit from any veg grown. All very exciting in prospect.
Marilyn, our new girl- who is tomorrow to be tested on who is who in KVK- hIstory of the Link, key personnel etc etc-is on a mission for BTC to establish a programme to teach English to some BTC personnel and also to our teachers too, we hope. She is a quick learner about the wonders and vagaries of life here, because she spent 20years living and working in several African countries.
Just had a ten minute 'current off' which left me in pitch black touch-typing, but at least now indoors not under the shitting crow tree as last year. All curtesy of a dongle- a handy if expensive little truc, as they say in France. More tomorrow plus photos.
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