Shub Diwali

Shub = happy/merry/good

Diwali = festival of lights

In our house, we stopped calling the holiday Diwali and started calling it "Sari Day." How many days til Sari Day? Whats on the menu for the Sari Day party? Is it okay if we have a few friends over for Sari Day? If you can't guess, the fact that we planned to wear saris for the first time on Diwali kind of overshadowed the holiday itself. But hey, a girl's first sari is a big deal!

But then again, so is Diwali, the Indian festival of lights. From my understanding, Diwali is the general celebration of good over evil, associated with a few stories of triumphant deities that demonstrate this theme. Diwali is commemorated on a night when the moon does not appear in the sky at all. This darkness is symbolic of evil, so one should use candles and fire crackers to light up the sky and overcome the darkness. It is said that the g-d's above should not be able to tell when it is night time during Diwali because the festivities keep the sky so light. Because much of Hinduism revolves around purity, Diwali is also has some rituals with bathing, cleaning the house, and wearing new clothes. Oops, I'm talking about the saris again. Anyways, Diwali is like a combination of all of America's best holidays. You eat a big festive meal (Thanksgiving), there are tons of sweets (Halloween), many give and receive gifts (Christmas), and there are fireworks (4th of July).

The house, decorated in lights

Lighting up the front of our carport

The neighbors across the street

This is a satellite photo of India on the
night of Diwali. This pic was blowing up on facebook,
supposedly taken by NASA, but I dunno if I believe it

In our house, Uncle got up at 4am for a ritual oil bath. We got up around 10:30am because all classes were canceled. The whole house smelled delicious, as Durga-ma prepared a spread to feed Uncle's 100 students from the English Department. Suzanne, Kyla, and I enjoyed the day off, making a run to the super market in the afternoon. The neighborhood had already begun celebrating and fire-crackers were going off left and right. Fireworks are exciting, fun, and pretty from a distance, but up close, they're TERRIFYING. I literally felt like we were walking through a mine field, just getting back from the grocery store. I could feel my heart pounding and my ears ringing for 24 hours straight.

Looks safe, right?

By 4:30pm, it was finally sari time. The three of us went upstairs to do our hair and make up. We put on the blouse and petticoat (the sari's undergarments) and then our matching bangles, which I struggled to fit over my not-so-dainty hand. My hand has actually been bruised to the touch for the last two days.. the things women of this world do for beauty. That will be my one and only time wearing bangles so good thing we got pictures. With everything ready to go besides the actual sari, we gave Auntie a call. Well, first we tried to go downstairs, only to find a few students had arrived early (start times mean very little to Indians). Embarrassed, we rushed back up to our little flat and mandated that Auntie come help us up there.

She and Durga soon arrived and the fun began. We were supposed to learn how to wrap them ourselves, but I ended up just standing, holding my arms out, and letting them wrap. They tucked clothe into my petticoat, folded fabric to create pleats and snuck safety pins in wherever needed. Kyla went next, and then Suzanne. After about twenty minutes, we were all dressed and looking like Indian princesses. Auntie stuck a bindi on our foreheads for a final touch, and we were ready for the party!

For the record, I'm not a giant.
 Auntie is the size of a seven year old.

Getting there...

Final Step!

Group effort

READY!

For a while, it was a lot of small talk, chitter chattering as the house slowly filled to maximum capacity. Around 8:00pm, we went out front to burst some crackers of our own. I stayed a safe distance from the explosives and stuck to the cute sparkler sticks. We had fun trying to get our cameras to capture words we were writing with sparklers in the air. The whole neighborhood was out, all dressed up and excited. It was a really fun scene.

My expression matched the school kids'

After a while, we sought refuge from the noise and started sneaking food in the kitchen until the buffet opened. Durga-ma had made masala rice, curd rice, sweet rice, chutney, crispy mix, and ladu.

Basically, balls of condensed milk and sugar. 

After dinner, Uncle gave a little singing performance. He then opened the floor in a sort of open-mic night fashion. A few different talented students preformed before the room broke out in a full-fledged sing-a-long. I have noticed that, in India, people are much less humble about singing. You don't have to be a "singer" to enjoy singing songs as you bike across campus or clean the house. And men actually sing more than women, which I think is interesting. The whole thing kind of made me miss camp a little.. sing-a-longs are a lot less fun when you don't know any of the words. But, it was really nice to have the house full of song and laughter.

House full of students, a very admiring audience for Uncle

Singing in full swing

All and all, it was a really nice holiday. Believe it or not, the next Sari Day is just around the corner. CIEE's big formal "Farewell Dinner" is on Monday night and we are shopping up in full Indian garb. So, I guess my halloween costume this year will be.. Indian woman. Real creative, I know.

The lovely couple. Uncle and I love making that face at
each other and then exchanging fierce high-fives with
the force of our stubby turtle arms. How did they match
 my home-stay so perfectly?

Finally a shot of the whole Ramanan household (and a Verizon commercial.. raising the bar?)
From left- Alok (the infamous PhD student), Uncle, Patti (Uncle's mother),
Auntie, Suzanne, Kyla, myself, and Durga

Darjeeling UNlimited

While we did not save a drowning Indian boy, buy a poisonous snake, or find our long-lost mother at an ashram like the three brothers of Darjeeling Limited-- Suzanne, Kyla, and I did have a fabulous weekend full of adventure in the Himalayas. 

It all began with a long day of travel on Wednesday. After two flights, we landed in Bagdogra still needing to somehow get to Darjeeling. We made a deal to take a shared jeep for a very reasonable price, but we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. And, so began our four hours of off-road jeeping up the side of a mountain in a car full of Indians, with a bumping Hindi soundtrack blasting in our ears and tea plantations lining the surrounding slopes as far as our eyes could see. The Himalayas are like nothing I have seen in my life and our excitement and disbelief far overshadowed the ridiculous ride. It  could have been twelve hours of uncomfortable driving and we would not have minded as long as we could keep looking out the window.

When we finally made it to our hotel, our aching bodies were so grateful for our choice to splurge on this weekend's sleeping accommodations. The Dekeling Hotel was an amazingly located, adorably decorated, incredibly cozy little place. Unfortunately, there was some miscommunication over dates, so we ended up in three different rooms for our four night stay. But we actually found this inconvenience to be a memorable little quirk, and we didn't mind getting to try three very different rooms. There were several common areas with amazing window views, as well.

As we were hoping, Darjeeling was dramatically colder than the relentlessly sweltering Hyderabad. The first night, we turned to each other and remarked on how incredible it was to go an entire day without sweating. Then we realized that we have sweated through our clothes every day for the last 3+ months, ew. It was cold enough to really bundle- leggings under jeans, a tank top, under a t-shirt, under a sweater, under a flannel, under a rain shell, with wool socks and tightly laced closed shoes. At night, the three of us cuddled in one big bed under a heavy comforter and velvety throw. 

Per usual, much of our trip revolved around food. Considering the cold (and our location, duh), we had tea with 2-5 times a day. We even did a "tea tasting" at a famous place called "Nathmull's." Trying six different local brews, I learned about what kind of tea I like. I also got to try tea entirely out of my price range and learn the difference between the full price spectrum.

At Nathmull's, we got cake to go with our tea. We had read on an online travel site about this British woman who calls herself "Cake Lady" and lives in Darjeeling baking and delivering cakes. We have to be her absolutely biggest fans. We tried four different kinds of cake that afternoon at Nathmull's and then ordered ourselves a one pound carrot and chai cake for the next day. What an extraordinary business this woman is running! She must know that travelers in India crave tasty baked goods-- her business has really found a niche. As soon as we arrived, my first thought was "I want to be cake lady!" I want to live in such a relaxed and beautiful place and just do what I love and make people happy. We actually asked if we could come see her kitchen and hear her life story, and she was totally willing, but the timing didn't work out. So, that'll be on my list next time I'm in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Despite the constant tea time, we somehow had appetites for great meals as well. Its like Darjeeling knew exactly what I have been craving... thats right, we had big bowls of soup with handmade noodles. And of course, we had plenty of the ever famous "momos," which are basically wontons or dumplings. Plenty of meat, zero rice. Happy campers.

 

When we weren't eating, we were mostly wondering the streets of this adorable city. Literally built on the side of a mountain, Darjeeling is made up of winding narrow streets, connected by narrow stone staircases. There are little market booths lining the road, selling sweaters, scarfs, hats, purses, tons of tea, and SARS face masks. Yea, unfortunately, the air pollution in Darjeeling was pretty disgusting. We often found ourselves breathing through our scarfs and still hacking like old smokers. But if you ask me, the friendly vendors, calm culture, and mountainous views more than made up for this inconvenience. And I do amend the city for their current environmental campaigns that seemed more present than those of Hyderabad.

So, we ate, we wondered, we bought tea, we tried on fur hats, we stopped in a monastery, we followed a demonstration about Tibet, we stared at mountains. Oh, we went to the zoo and mountaineering museum! Both were pretty interesting. My new favorite animals are blue sheep and red pandas.

We also went to this special view spot that is supposed to have a beautiful sunrise view. We got up at 3am, paid for a cab and a surprise entrance fee, all to be super squished by crowds of Indians as the foggy sky gradually lightened with blurry mountains and minimal color.. womp womp. From that point forward, we agreed to ditch the tourist attractions and just explore the city, and we ended up finding an incredible view spot from which we could clearly see the snow capped Himalayas in the distance (with Mt. Everest out there somewhere). It was absolutely breath taking. I thought the mountains surrounding Darjeeling were outstanding, but this view made me literally feel like I was living in a painting. Our jaws dropped, and it took an afternoon full of gawking and photo snapping to pick them back up. 

Overall, an outstanding and memorable weekend, for sure. In so many ways, it felt like an entirely different country than Hyderabad, and one that I can absolutely see myself going back to one day, hopefully for longer than four days and in better health!

(Suz and I share photo credit on this entry!)

A Guava a Day Keeps The Doctor Away?

Casual dinner at home. Eating with our hands. Rice, curry, and veggies.
Auntie and Uncle were out that night, so just we Americans at the table. 

Kyla, Suzanne, and I have gone through a lot together at the Ramanans-- From the excitement of two engagements in one weekend in August, to the dissonance caused by Umma's (the thirteen year old maid) sudden departure yesterday. We eat three meals together every day and sit around on our laptops together every night. The three of us listen closely to Uncle's discussions on Hinduism or linguistics, and laugh at Auntie's silly rhymes and dances. We've seen been through ups and downs, laughs, tears, and many candid rants. We've discussed religion and politics and love. We know all about each others' family and friends back the US.

Through this semester long home stay, Suzanne, Kyla, and I are sharing experiences that will shape us for the rest of our lives, experiences that no one else in the whole wide world will ever understand in the same way. Sometimes, I feel like our lives could be a reality show-- three random twenty year old girls sent across the world to do everything together as part of a big crazy family in a foreign country, where they don't know the language or culture. Trust me, if our lives were taped, it would NOT be boring.

But, I think that living together as part of this family makes us more like sisters than reality show co-stars. Like sisters, we push each other's buttons, we get sick of each other's mannerisms, we snap with impatience and bicker over the petty things. And, like sisters, we have a deep sense of loyalty that I find hard to explain. All I know, is that if another student ever brings up Kyla or Suzanne in any sort of a negative light, I become personally defensive.

Auntie and Uncle have mentioned to us a few times now that we are a "unique batch of SIPpies". (SIP being the name of the greater program, Study in India Program). Of course, in the past ten year, the Ramanans have hosted other memorable individuals, but Uncle asserts that we have a profoundly good dynamic with each other and the family. Auntie and Uncle have gone so far as to say that we are the best students they have ever hosted, to which I always joke "you say that every semester". But one night, Uncle got very serious and said, "Stop saying that Leah! Its true, we are going to miss you girls so much and I need you to understand that I mean it!" It was so sweet! And we are definitely going to miss them too, so so much. 

Anyways, I am bringing all of this up because today was a pretty horrific day for we three Ramanan SIPpies. The three of us have each been pretty sick this week. Turns out, sharing everything includes germs. I was proud to have mostly maintained good health up to this point, but this week I started to fall apart. Basically, my body just felt wholly unwell and unregulated, hormonally and digestively/gastrointestinally. Simultaneously, I had a mild fever, sore throat, and overwhelming congestion. Kyla and Suzanne were big balls of symptoms, as well. 

Today, Kyla and Suzanne both landed in the hospital! (I faired slightly better, only requiring some NASTY ayurvedic medicines.) Needless to say, it was a miserable day of waiting rooms, forms, nurses, doctors, insurance, blood test, operations, and prescriptions. And, because its India, unexpected frustrations came up at even the simplest part of this complex day, just trying to direct the rickshaw back form the hospital. 

This synchronized physical breakdown could not have come at a worst time. Kyla, Suzanne, and I are supposed to leave tomorrow at sunrise for a trip to Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas! We have been so looking forward to this trip-- a break from Hyderabadi heat, beautiful mountain views, delicious tea, and great shopping. And it was supposed to be a bonding weekend for the three of us! There were points today when we were each individually certain that we would not be able to go. But by some miracle, we survived the day and all landed home around 5:30 this evening-- worn out, full of medicines, down a few thousand rupees, but okay-ed to leave in the morning. HALLELUJAH THANK THE LORD!

It is time to print our boarding passes, research activities/restaurants, do some laundry, and pack everything up! (Oh, and have some cake at midnight for Auntie-dearest's birthday!) We leave the house at 6am tomorrow and land in Bagdogra (closest airport to Darjeeling) around lunchtime. We have some monasteries and sites we'd like to hit this weekend, but at this point, I'd be happy to just sit all day every day with some tea, a book, a blanket, and a view of the Himalayas. We are all just grateful to be alive and well enough to go! Let the family bonding go beyond the Ramanan household all the way to the mountains!!

So, goodbye internet, I will see you again in five days.. and I will bring back many gorgeous pictures of Mt. Everest at sunrise :)

Ayurveda Field Trip, Round Two

Yesterday, my Ayurveda class went on our second field trip of the semester, this time to the Andhra Pradesh Forestry Academy. Its was an incredible and exhausting day. We could not have asked for nicer weather-- bright blue skies, fluffy clouds, and the ever-scorching sun. I definitely got my week's worth of Vitamin D. We were led to believe that we would be touring a garden, so the class dressed according. Of course, we arrived and ended up forest trekking all morning! I wore rubber flip flops, but luckily, there was a pretty clear path. We wandered past all types of plants labeled with their common, scientific, and sanskrit names. Our teacher teamed up with a forest tour guide to explain how each plant is transformed into a medicine and what conditions it treats. We listened closely and took lots of pictures. For convenience sake, I only brought my little camera, but I really missed the big guy when it came to the close up flower shots. The whole class gave up on taking notes pretty early on.. too many sanskrit words, not enough coordination to write while hiking. Our trek brought us to some really amazing boulders.. and these ones had steps built up the side, so we didn't have to scale them this time around! After a morning full of hiking, our lunch break finally came around 1:30. We were all wiped, but there was a whole afternoon ahead! Next, we hit the herbal garden and then the aboritorium. Throughout the day, I tasted all sorts of bark, grass, fruits, and leaves. Some tasted better than others, but I'm hoping they were all good for me! I also saw a sickening amount of creepy crawlers, from the staple 6 inch centipedes to swarming hornet nests. I swear, these fieldtrips are like the desensitization therapy I never signed up for. 

In general, it has been a very good week. Of course, the first day or two was spent recovering from the weekend of travel. I could sleep in a little, because my sociology class is having oral presentations.. we only have to attend on the day that we present, so no early morning classes for a while! I spent one of my mornings off at the mall, where I splurged on pants I will need for my upcoming trip to the Himalayas next week. Buying Western clothes is such an indulgence. Things around the house have been a little quieter and more fragmented this week because Uncle (father of my home stay fam) is traveling for work. He really is the glue that holds this family together, and his absence is powerful. But without his evening prayer to work around, we have been eating dinner before 8pm, which we Americans really appreciate. As always, I am thankful for Friday. This weekend will bring a little homework and a lot of planning for our trip to Darjeeling (leaving on Wednesday). Hopefully, I will mix in some volunteering and a meal out to get my occasional carnivorous fix! 

Anyways, here are some pictures from the Ayurveda field trip!