24th January

24th January, just a brief blog about an unhappy day

There are in my experience of coming to RUHSA over more than twenty years, always low points of the visit, and today was definitely it. I was called to go and talk to Matthew of RUHSA and when I got there he was with Sanjeevi the accountant. They had hoped that the arrangement they suggested yesterday for us buying the sari gifts would be acceptable to Dr Rita. Unfortunately when they spoke to her this morning she totally forbade it. The saris are to be purchased by someone at RUHSA at some date in the future, after we have left. Matthew and Sanjeevi were evidently very sad to have to tell me because they have understood how important it is to us to be able to give the saris as a way of expressing our gratitude. Over and above this, however, they were very anxious that Dr Rita's order should be obeyed as they know that if we go against her expressed wish, they will be on the receiving end of her wrath. I said I did feel sad but understood that they had tried their very best for us.

Went back to the flat to share the good news with Jude and Andy and felt very miserable and powerless. My other big worry is that if as seems likely Dr Rita really is going to forbid Sekar from ever working with us again, then it will be very hard indeed to conclude our work with the teachers this week. Eventually we roused ourselves to set off in a taxi to the swimming pool at Vellore, where a good swim did perk us up a little. In the evening we had a supper invitation to Rita's house, which is very close to the pool. We agreed that the best thing we could do was to avoid work talk and we subsequently had a very pleasant meal with her. She has a cook who is Keralan ( Rita herself is from Kerala) and she cooked a delicious meal which was typical of that region- lots of coconut milk used, also fish. 

This being a low point, we have to hope that tomorrow will be onwards and upwards.