Weekend in Hyderabad

Sometime during the middle of last week, we realized that we had reached the half-way point of our adventures in India. It is hard to believe we have been here ten weeks already! Time is moving more quickly now, and there is so much we still want to see and do. This past weekend, we decided to take advantage of another free Saturday to plan a whirlwind trip to Hyderabad. We chose the city not only because of its striking Islamic architecture and convenience by air (only an hour flight from Chennai), but also because another Fulbright exchange teacher, Greg Hellman, is working here, along with his family. We welcomed the chance to swap stories with him and his wife, Jennifer, and for our kids to meet theirs.

Our trip started off quite inauspiciously (never a good thing in India!) – the hire car to the airport was late, the Friday night traffic was horrible, and our flight was “indefinitely delayed.” Yikes! By the time we arrived in the city it was 11:00 p.m., but our moods brightened with a cheerful greeting from the wide-awake staff at the Marriott, who informed us that the midnight buffet would soon be starting! The hotel was gorgeous and our room was very luxurious – much nicer than at any chain hotel we’ve visited at in the U.S.

On Saturday, after a big breakfast and a swim in the pool, it was time for some serious sight-seeing. Hyderabad was founded in the late 16th century by Mohammed Quli Shah and, unlike most of South India, was under Muslim rule until the early 20th century. In its heyday, Hyderabad was renowned for its palaces, mosques and ornamental gardens, especially since it became the lone outpost of courtly Muslim culture in India after the Mughal Empire collapsed. Now it is a bustling city (the sixth largest in India) and the major hi-tech hub for the South (hence the nickname “Cyberabad”). Our first stop was the royal burial grounds where seven of the Qutb Shahi rulers were buried in large, ornamental tombs. Originally, the area had gardens with water-channels and pools, but now it has become overgrown and the water has dried up. However, the tombs themselves were quite striking – each one was topped with a large “onion” dome with small minarets (towers) around it. Inside the tombs, it was cool and dark, with high, arched ceilings, little niches, and narrow passageways (which James explored, of course). The acoustics were great – we heard one man chanting to Allah and the sound reverberated as though he was speaking through a microphone. It was very peaceful place, with no large groups of tourists, and only one snack-vendor. (I am certain we made his day when we loaded up with soda, chips and ice cream!).

From the tombs, we went on to Golconda, a massive fort which served as the citadel of the aforementioned Qutb Shahi dynasty. Originally built in the 12th century as a mud fort, it was transformed in the early 16th century into a fortified city of palaces, mosques and gardens. The ruins are so large that they cover an area of 15 square miles! As we drove towards the Golconda, we could see the massive stone walls – most of which appear to be holding up quite well. Visiting the fort involved a long climb up to the top, where the ruler had his throne room with a rooftop pavilion. It was worth the climb, as the views of Hyderabad were amazing, even though the city has a layer of smog reminiscent of Los Angeles on a bad day! There were a great many sights along the way, including a creepy jail, mosques, arched brick hallways, and a small Hindu temple, built into a cave. We even saw a film crew shooting a movie that involved four pretty young girls in very stylish salwar khameez outfits, a guy dressed like a maharajah waiting in the wings, and a tense director yelling out instructions in a mixture of Hindi and English!

On Sunday, we ventured into the heart of the Old City, to see Hyderabad’s landmark, Charminar (“four towers”), which was built in the 16th century. At the top, we had a marvelous view of the city in all four directions. From Charminar, we walked to the nearby Mecca Masjid, a huge mosque, built in the same time period, whose vast courtyard can hold as many as 10,000 worshippers! Then it was time for some serious shopping in the Laad Bazaar, known for its pearls, bangles and perfume. I got to try out my bargaining skills, as we bought a huge batch of bangles for Taz and her friends at home. We could have easily stayed in Hyderabad longer, but we left on Sunday afternoon to catch a flight back to Chennai. The kids had a wonderful time, and got along really well with the Hellman twins (Niko and Kaya, age 10). It was great for them to share their experiences with other American kids who know exactly what they are going through. We look forward to seeing them again, as well as all the other Fulbright exchange teachers, when we meet up for the November conference in Pondicherry.

Diwali – Festival of Lights (festival of “crackers”!)

It is Monday morning and Diwali (or Deepavali) has come and gone. Our quiet street is littered with debris and wrappers from hundreds of firecrackers set off this weekend. Everyone is moving a little more slowly, as the city resumes its normal routine after the big holiday.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, we felt very fortunate to be in India for the nine-day Navaratri festival in September. Diwali, known as the “festival of lights,” is an even bigger Hindu festival, and the build-up for it was huge. Diwali commemorates the homecoming of King Rama after a 14-year exile in the forest and his victory over the demon-king Ravana. According to legend, the people of Ayodhya (the capital of Rama’s kingdom) welcomed their king home by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (dipa), thus the name Dipavali. Traditionally, people light diyas—small clay pots filled with oil—to signify victory of good over the evil. Although Diwali is only a one-day holiday (held on October 18 this year), the festivities last throughout the week. It is worth mentioning that President Obama observed Diwali this year by lighting a ceremonial lamp at the White House -- a gesture that had a big impact here, and even made the front page of The Hindu newspaper. People in this part of India celebrate Diwali by visiting family, wearing new clothes, giving gifts, eating lots of sweets, and setting off fireworks (“crackers”). And just like in the United States, there are constant newspaper and TV ads encouraging people to shop – for sweets, for clothes, and even for electronics!

Earlier in the week, Mike purchased firecrackers for us, and on Thursday evening (Oct. 15), we went out into our street to join in the fun. Some of the crackers, such as the sparklers and spinning chakara wheels, are fairly safe, but others explode with such ear-splitting noises and terrifying showers of sparks that I know they must be illegal back in the U.S.!! As our kids shared their sparklers, they watched some of the scarier looking firecrackers being set off – one of them was so powerful that the sparks shot up four stories past the roof of our building!! In addition to the smaller fireworks, there are huge ones (like the kind we have in Cedarburg for July 4^th) being set off all over the city.

On Friday night, we were invited over to a party at my yoga teacher’s house to watch the fireworks from her roof. It was fun, although we knew it was time to leave when some of the louder crackers went off and my ears began ringing! Even on our quiet street, the firecrackers started up again at six a.m. on Saturday morning, exploding like gunshots and continuing non-stop. It was then that I was truly glad we had decided to spent part of the weekend away, at a resort in Mahabalipuram, about an hour south of Chennai.

Thus far, we have stayed at some wonderful hotels in our Indian travels, but nothing could compare to this place – the GRT Temple Bay Resort. Granted, it was a little above our usual budget, but we felt Diwali was a good excuse to splurge. It was well worth the money for the amazing pools, the clean stretch of beach, and the gorgeous facilities. Given the price, I thought perhaps we would only see Western tourists, but right away we ran into some of James’ classmates from Vidya Mandir, who were on vacation with their families! There are times when I miss the cool fall weather of Cedarburg, but as I lay on my back, floating in a swimming pool overlooking the Bay of Bengal, I felt very fortunate to be in such a tropical location.

On Sunday morning, we went out to explore more of the rock temples around the area. We had already visited some of them in September (written about in a previous blog), but we had missed a few places. Our favorite spot was the Five Rathas, a series of 7^th century rock-cut temples and animals (a lion, a bull and an elephant) that are amazingly well preserved. We also visited Crocodile Park, a truly creepy place, somewhat like a small zoo, where we could see dozens of crocodiles piled up on one another. At first, they appeared so still that the kids remarked scornfully, “How lame – they’re fake,” until one of them suddenly awoke and opened his huge mouth full of teeth. Note to self – never underestimate a crocodile! All too soon, it was time to head back to Chennai, but we have already decided that we will be visit the Temple Bay Resort at least one more time before our stay in India is up!

Kerala, Part 2

To continue from our last blog, we greatly enjoyed our stay above the clouds at the hill station of Munnar. The chilly air was a welcome relief from Chennai’s heat, although we found ourselves longing for fleece jackets, which is a first for us in India! As we were packing up to leave Munnar on Wednesday evening (Sept. 30), we turned on the TV, hoping to find an English language show for the kids. Instead, we found ourselves riveted to a local news station, which was showing footage of a boat accident at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady. We learned that a tourist boat, carrying 80 passengers on a wildlife-viewing cruise around Periyar Lake, had capsized, killing 41 people. It is not unusual to read about road and rail accidents in the local papers, but I often pass over them without much thought. This incident hit home for all of us, since we were scheduled to pass through Thekkday on the next day of our Kerala vacation.

When we arrived in Thekkady on Thursday afternoon, the mood was very subdued, with all the stores closed, many of them displaying black mourning flags. Our driver told us that all activities in town were cancelled, due to the tragedy on Periyar Lake. So we left early Friday morning, after a brief stop at one of the nearby spice stores. In addition to its tea plantations, this hilly area of Kerala is known for its spice gardens, where cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla pods, and black pepper are grown. I bought a few spices, though I was most excited about purchasing some locally grown coffee, to replace the Nescafe in my Chennai apartment!

Our next stop was Kumarakom, where we were scheduled to take a houseboat trip along the backwaters. The three-person boat crew greeted us warmly with jasmine flower garlands and fresh coconuts (the coconut milk had a surprising taste – more salty than sweet). The next few hours were spent in complete luxury, as our boat made its way through the backwaters, passing huge groves of coconut palms, other houseboats, men fishing from small docks with nets, and flocks of white birds skimming over the water. After a delicious lunch of fish curry (a specialty in Kerala), we passed the time playing cards and “Indian rules” Scrabble (Tamil and English words allowed), and snacking on coffee, fresh pineapple, and fried bananas. When our boat docked in the evening, we were served freshly-caught prawns for dinner and one of the crew found a nearby cable among the palm trees to attach to the boat’s flat screen TV, so the kids could watch a movie. Although we were warned the mosquitoes could be vicious, we barely noticed them, especially since our bedrooms had AC. In fact, we’ve had worse luck with mosquitoes on camping trips in Wisconsin!

In the morning, when the boat resumed its travels, we saw vignettes of local life: women washing clothes, dishes, and children (!) in the river, ferry boats taking men to work, and children walking to school. As we drew nearer to the town of Alleppey, we saw more and more houseboats – it was a traffic jam on the river, though without all the constant horns!

We docked at mid-morning, and were taken to our final destination – the Maria Heritage homestay in Alleppey. Homestays are quite popular in this area of Kerala, and they consist of historic homes, decorated with traditional furnishings, and feature home-cooked Keralan meals. Our suite was truly luxurious, featuring a balcony with a hand-carved wooden swing, overlooking the palm tree groves and rice paddy fields. We lazed away most of the afternoon, though James got to try his hand fishing in a tank of water channeled from the river and he caught eight fish! As with the houseboat, we dined on Kerala specialties, including more fish. In the evening, we could hear a sort of “jungle white noise” of insects and birds outside our windows, and we even saw a few large bats! The only downside to our stay was our 4:00 a.m. wakeup call the next morning, as we had to be in Kochin at 6:30 a.m. for an early flight back to Chennai!

It was hard to come back to all the traffic, noise and heat of Chennai (still a reliable 90 plus degrees!), so we have already decided to plan our next getaway as soon as possible!

Kerala, Part I – October 1

Vacation at last! After five weeks of school, it was time for a week off, so we planned to leave the bustle of Chennai behind for a trip to Kerala, a state on the southwest coast of India, known as “God’s own country,” due to its natural beauty. We left our apartment on Sunday the 27th, the second to last day of the nine-day Navaratri festivities. As we drove to the train station, we saw evidence of the festive season in the rows of auto-rickshaws lined up along the side of the street, decorated with flower garlands and palm branches. Even the luggage carts in the train station had palm branches tied to them!

For the first leg of our journey to Kerala, we took the night train to Cochin – a twelve-hour trip. We opted to go via Second Class 2-Tier AC, a fairly comfortable way to travel (though not as posh as First Class). In 2-Tier, each compartment has two upper and two lower bunks, enclosed by a set of curtains. The bunks were actually quite comfortable, and we were given clean sheets, blankets, and pillows by a train attendant. By 10 p.m., the carriage was dark, as everyone around us attempted to sleep, lulled by the rocking of the train. At times the train would stop briefly and I wondered who might be getting off or on in the middle of the night. We awoke the following morning to see the lush landscape of Kerala – huge groves of coconut trees, rice paddies, so much greenery.

We got off the train in Cochin, a popular tourist spot on the coast, known for its historic district, Fort Cochin, which is full of Dutch and Portugese colonial buildings. Our hotel, the Poovah, was one such building – a beautiful Dutch colonial mansion with gorgeous hardwood floors and amazing views of the Arabian Sea. I am not exaggerating when I say that the hotel was one of the nicest places I have ever stayed – in India or anywhere else! The seawalk just outside the hotel was full of people out strolling, as well as the usual ice cream vendors and trinket sellers. The waves here were not as powerful as the Bay of Bengal, although the huge clumps of scary-looking seaweed deterred us from putting our feet in the water. At one end of the seawalk were huge wooden fishing nets, operated by a system of weights, that originated in the 14^th century, brought to India from China. After six weeks in Chennai, we found it a nice change to be in a smaller, more tourist-oriented city. I think we saw more Westerners in Cochin during our one night there than we have seen during our entire stay in Chennai!

As hard as it was to leave the comfort of the Hotel Poovah (especially after breakfast on the terrace with the Arabian Sea in the background!), we were en route the next morning to the hill station of Munnar. At a height of 5,920 feet, Munnar is part of the High Ranges, a very lush, cool area, known for its tea plantations. The contrast between this area and the tropical environs of Cochin was quite striking. The higher we climbed, the cooler the air became. It is hard to describe the beauty of the area, with its waterfalls, green hills and rock cliffs – it simply felt like another world, so different from the India we had seen so far. At one point, when we stopped at a waterfall to take pictures and buy snacks, we saw a group of monkeys, sneaking down the side of the hill to forage among the discarded pineapple leaves and coconut shells. Taz was entranced with the adorably cute monkeys, especially the babies.

Our hotel in Munnar, the Deshadan, billed itself as the “highest resort in Kerala” and we did feel like we were above the clouds, with views of green hills that stretched for miles. The morning after we arrived, we visited a tea museum, where batches of tea leaves were dried and then ground in varying degrees of fineness, to make various types of tea. Even in this world of mechanization, the tea leaves are still picked by hand by the workers. From there, we went on to an “elephant park,” where we could finally indulge in an activity from our Indian wish list – an elephant back ride. As we waited for our turn, we watched one of the drivers give an elephant a bath with huge buckets of water, concluding with a soaping-down of the tusks. The elephant ride was not all that comfortable, since each time the elephant went uphill or down, we swayed precariously, holding on for dear life, trying not to fall off. At the end, we bought big pieces of cut-up pineapple (leaves and all) to feed our elephant. It was fun, although I don’t think any of us are cut our for a serious jungle trek! Our day concluded with a ride around Maupetty Lake in a speedboat. I think James enjoyed it the most, even though he didn't actually get to "drive" the boat.

So far, we have enjoyed our trip to Kerala. We still have more to see, but that will be covered in the next blog! Stay tuned . .

Of Weddings and Festivals

Now that we have been in Chennai for a month, time seems to be speeding up. The weeks go by more quickly and the longer we are here, the more we learn about South India. Over the past week, we’ve been fortunate enough to see two cultural traditions firsthand: we went to a wedding reception on Saturday, September 12, and we were invited to join several families for their celebration of the Navarathri festival.

Last week, when I dropped James off at school on Friday, one of his classmates, Balasubramanian (Bala), came up to me, grinning broadly, and gave me an envelope. “For you, aunty,” he said. (“Aunty” is a common term kids use to address women here). Inside the envelope was a beautiful, handmade invitation to Bala’s older sister’s wedding reception, which was being held on the following day. So, on Saturday, we made a quick trip to a nearby handicrafts store to buy a gift, then dressed in our finest and went to the Lakshmi Mahal mandapam (wedding hall) to attend the festivities. Although no start time was specified on the invitation, we were told by the Vidya Mandir teachers that 7:00 p.m. would be a good time to show up.

Upon arrival, we were led upstairs to the upper floor of the wedding hall, where the bride and groom stood on a stage, wearing flower garlands. Groups of friends and family took turns going up on stage, giving them wedding presents (wrapped in very shiny paper!), and posing for pictures with the couple. Videographers were on hand to capture the moment, and the photos were immediately displayed on monitors prominently placed around the hall. There was music provided by a live band, and most of the guests sat on plastic chairs, watching the bride and groom. Once we sat down, we were greeted warmly by Bala, who was thrilled to see all of us. He was dressed in a traditional outfit and looked like a little prince! He soon corrupted James into running around in the back of the hall with him and a few other classmates from Vidya Mandir. Meanwhile, Taz and I gaped at all the gorgeous outfits – beautiful saris and lots of gold jewelry!

We eventually went up on stage to present our gift, and then were told to go downstairs, where food was being served, buffet-style. The food was delicious – South Indian vegetarian fare – although there were no tables to sit at, or even chairs. No decorations either – I guess these were reserved for the upper floor of the hall. Most people ate fairly quickly, mingling and chatting all the while, and then went back upstairs to watch the bride and groom again. When it was time to leave, we were given a parting gift of a flowered metal storage bowl!

The week after the wedding (our fourth week of school here) was exam week for the upper classes (Grades 6 – 12). However, even the threat of exams could not dampen the excitement of the upcoming Navarathri festival, which started this Friday. Navarathri is a nine-day Hindu festival, dedicated to the Mother Goddess in the form of the goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. It is celebrated differently in the various regions of India. In Tamil Nadu (the state we are living in), families set up steps in their house (either in their living room area or in their puja [prayer] room) and place idols on them, known as golu or kolu. The kolu include wooden or clay figures of the gods and goddesses, and even bowls of miniature food. During the nine days, friends and families gather at each other’s homes to see their displays and receive gifts.

Today, our family joined some of the teachers from Vidya Mandir School and went on the rounds, visiting three houses. Families take turns serving as hosts, entertaining guests and giving presents. Each house we went to had a beautiful display of the kolu dolls, arranged on a set of steps. Most of the clay dolls are handmade and they vary in size from fairly large Ganesh idols to small bowls of miniature food. We visited each house for about 45 minutes, talking and enjoying refreshment. As we prepared to leave each house, we were each given a thamboolam (gift) bag with traditional presents - a coconut, a lime, betel leaves, and mini containers of yellow and red turmeric powder (which is put on the forehead). The kids were also lavished with other gifts as well; Taz received a beautiful, handmade silver necklace, bangles, and a pair of earrings. My kids were just grinning like it was Christmas, unable to believe their good luck.
This is just the beginning of the festival, so there are more houses yet to visit. We all feel very privileged, gaining entrance to this slice of traditional life in South India!

First Impressions of Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School – from Mike

Having taught for the past eleven years at Cedarburg High School, I was a little nervous as I was about to begin my teaching assignment in India. At Cedarburg High I was accustomed to a well-equipped classroom with the latest technology, class sizes that typically stay below thirty students, and a great support network from my colleagues. In terms of a high school teaching assignment in the United States, I find myself fortunate. What exactly would I face as I prepared for my first day in an Indian classroom?

Within hours of my first day on the job at Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, it became clear to me that any fears I had were unfounded. Students, faculty and parents greeted me warmly. Now three weeks into the job, the enthusiasm continues. Any walk down the hallway involves returning dozens of greetings of “Good morning, sir!!” I also seem to be the daily beneficiary of birthday treats from any student who happens to be celebrating their birthday that day. With nearly two thousand students in the school (K thru 12), I have not lacked for sweets.

While there are tremendous strengths in the American educational system, I have found some interesting and inviting differences while teaching at Vidya Mandir School. A tremendous culture of respect is reinforced with students. Each morning begins with a brief assembly where students chant a Sanskrit prayer. While I don’t understand the words, I am impressed with one thousand teens showing daily reverence to their gods. When I enter the classroom, all students rise and stand as they wait for me to greet them. At the end of the lesson, some students will rise again and say “Thank you, sir!” as I leave the classroom.

I was a bit surprised to find that most students like math! Even abstract math. The level of engagement is high. Every student takes notes in a school issue “class book”. These we periodically collect to grade notes and to make sure students have completed the homework. Since students typically work EVERY problem in the text as either class work or homework, these books fill up quickly. Some students buy supplemental texts and work these problems as well. The curriculum is abstract, challenging and several grade levels ahead of the standard U.S. high school curriculum.

While I occasionally yearn for my air-conditioned classroom back in Cedarburg, my teaching experience in India has been excellent. I love the high level of mathematics that is being taught and I am confident that these experiences will help me to continue to improve as a teacher.

Queensland - "India's No. 1 Amusement Paradise!"

Another school week done and we are gradually adjusting. To be honest, it was not a full week for the kids. On Thursday afternoon, it was announced that Friday would be a school and government holiday, due to the tragic death of YSR Reddy, the Chief Minister of the province of Andhra Pradesh. Mike had to work a half-day on Friday, but the kids had the full day off and accompanied me to my Yoga class (they even got to participate!). Afterwards, we went to a wonderful coffeehouse called Mocha Mojo, where they serve decadent milkshakes and even muffins and bagels!

Mike also had to work on Saturday at Sports Day (sort of like a track and field meet), so we decided we’d attempt a family outing on Sunday to one of Chennai’s theme parks. We chose Queensland, which was recommended by most of the students and teachers at VM School. I was a little anxious, worrying about ride safety standards and such, but Mike and the kids talked me into it!
It took us about 45 minutes to get to Queensland, in the comfort of an AC call-taxi. The park itself seemed clean and well-run, with the rides in working order (always a big plus!). The entrance fee was only 350 rupees ($7.00) per person, with the caveat that you could only go on each ride once. No problem here, as there were a lot of rides, most of which were like typical carnival rides, plus a section of kiddie ones. The carousel was quite unique – instead of animals, the kids rode on musical instruments! Taz was psyched to ride on a baritone – her band instrument.

The tricky thing about the park was the “Timings.” Certain rides/areas were only open at specific times, which would be announced in Tamil and English on a loudspeaker. Unfortunately, the announcements were incomprehensible even in English, so we couldn’t tell if things were starting or stopping! However, park employees went out of their way to help us. “Cable car closing at 12:30” one of them said to us. “You must hurry. Go there!” OK, and off we went, and had a super long cable car ride with a great view of the park. Later, other employees came over: “Himalayan Water Ride closing at 2:30!” So again we ran over to the ride, which was like a rapids ride (awesome!).

The best part by far was the water park, which included an “American Wave Pool” and a swimming pool. I had read about the water area and wisely brought our swimsuits in my backpack. Once we got there, however, I realized that we didn’t need them. In the “Ladies and Children” section (the men and women are strictly segregated in the pool), all the women were fully clothed! Most were wearing full saris or salwar khameez (long tunic and pants). Rather than put our swimsuits on and stand out even more, the kids and I went in with our t-shirts and shorts on. Once we got over the weirdness of swimming in our clothes, it was wonderfully refreshing, especially since it was 95 degrees out! It was a great area, kind of like you’d find in the Wisconsin Dells, with slides and buckets dumping water. The men’s side was even more exciting, with tube rides and huge body slides, but only Mike got to go on that side! I have no photos to share, as photography in this area was strictly forbidden!!

I have to add, also, that unlike an American theme park, all the food and drinks were super reasonably priced. This photo of one of the stalls shows the kinds of snacks you could buy – all of it under 15 rupees (30 cents): popcorn, cotton candy, ramen noodles, sugar cane water, tea and coffee. There were also places selling ice cream, and a restaurant stall where Mike and I had yummy, spicy Indian/Chinese fried rice and noodles.

In the end, we purchased the kids a couple of Queensland T-shirts (70 rupees - $1.40 each!) to replace their wet ones, and headed for home. It was an exhausting day, but definitely a success, and I’m sure we’ll be back!