There’s such a lot of world to see

While my reception from the fathers and brothers here has been nothing short of wonderful, the welcome I got from our animal friends has been, shall we say, mixed?

We’re surrounded by animals here, from the ones kept as pets to the wild ones, of all sizes, in the area.  On arrival at Bangalore, I was immediately introduced to three cages with pets in – two white rats, which I’ve yet to be brave enough to hold, a parrot which took an instant dislike to me and squawks like a banshee whenever I pass, and a cage of budgies.  I’ve been tempted to free them like I did to my pet bird when I was a toddler, but have managed to resist so far.  Elsewhere in the grounds here at Bangalore there are dogs (kept chained and again, bark like anything when I go past), and some pigs which are kept for food.  One of them has just had piglets, which are completely adorable, but the brothers are encouraged not to get too friendly, which makes sense if one day they’ll be eating Babe Curry.

As my family know (mainly because if I suffer I have a complete inability to do it in silence, and have to inform everyone in the near vicinity), mosquitoes see me as a bit of a walking buffet, and will happily ignore everyone else to come and take a bite out of me.  This was proved for sure on my first Friday night here.  I’d been for a walk with the nuns round the area, and we’d arrived back just in time to sit in the garden to watch a wonderful, creative, thought-provoking stations of the cross passion play put on by a group of the brothers here.  Typical of me, this was the one occasion when I’d forgotten to put my trusty jungle-strength mossie repellant on.  I felt a couple of bites during the play, but managed to convince myself it was only a couple, and I can live with that.  How wrong I was.  The next day I woke up to find more than 50 bites on my legs alone, my arms were covered, all round my back – I could make out from the bites exactly where my clothes ended and I began.  They’d feasted plenty on me.  Perhaps I taste foreign and exotic to Indian mosquitoes?  True to form, no-one else had a single bite.

After a couple of weeks here, I went to the house that the order owns in Mangalore, over on the West coast.  It was fabulous getting to know the smaller community there as well, and have made some more firm friends.  As we approached, I was told about the community dog, whom they call Puppy even though she’s now getting on a bit.  “She barks a lot but don’t worry, she won’t bite you”. Hmm, I thought, I’ve heard that one before, usually as the dog is running off with a chunk out of my leg.  However, on this occasion it was, fortunately, true.  Puppy is a sweet old thing.  She has a permanent shake to her front leg where she had a bad injection, and a rather pitiful howl, but she is friendly and loyal, and puts up with teasing from the brothers.  I got a fit of the giggles one night, we were sitting outside for night prayers, when Puppy decided now was the time to come up and play with Manohar.  He was lovely and polite, and kept pushing her away gently, telling her to “come back later”.

Other animals we encountered in Mangalore were less friendly.  On the first night we were here, Fr Austin (an old friend, my parish priest from 15 years ago who was, by wonderful coincidence, here at the same time as me) was being walked back to his room by Samuel and Manohar.  After they’d left him there, the brothers were wandering back and saw a cobra in the path, ready to strike.  They were very calm and quick-thinking, got some stones and killed it.  Since then, I’ve been paranoid about walking outside at night, and always take a brave-looking brother with me wherever I go.  Like a bodyguard.  I was also very brave in Mangalore and went swimming in the salty, warm sea, despite my fear of sharks and spotting a jellyfish on the beach.  Yay for me!

The latest additions to the fold are two white rabbits, a gift from a convent in the hill station of Gudalur.  I have a feeling they may go the way of the pigs and end up in Bugs Bunny Curry, so I’m not getting too attached to them.  Watch this space!

Something that I’ve really noticed since I’ve been here is how interested the brothers (so I’m making the generalisation to mean Indian men – sweeping generalisations are my speciality!), are really interested and knowledgeable about what I wear (or rather, should be wearing!), and have a particular appreciation for beautiful things. 

Because I’m going to be living out of a backpack for so long, I had to be really strict with myself about the clothes I brought with me.  So no Jimmy Choos or my beloved Gap jeans, just 2 pairs of shorts (one of which I can’t wear in India because they’re too short – even the knee-length ones get stared at) and 2 pairs of trousers, a couple of shirts, vests, and t-shirts.  And I’m sticking to fairly neutral colours so everything matches everything else – lots of greens, browns, white, and so on.

This, apparently, doesn’t cut the mustard here.  Indian women, it’s true, usually leave the house beautifully dressed – you see saris in every colour of the rainbow, from bright jewel colours to pale pastels, and they do love their jewellery.  Ankle chains that jangle when they walk, necklaces, bangles, earrings… anything that can be gilded, they gild.  I’d joined in to a certain extent by having a henna tattoo on my right palm and my right ankle when I was in Udaipur, and I’d also bought four beautiful bright pink shimmering bangles there.  The brothers appreciated these, although there was some discussion about whether pink was the right colour for me – some felt that, as a white person, I should be wearing black as this shows up more.  I’m soon learning that 10 Indians = 12 opinions!  My friend Ravi then started the tradition of giving me a flower for my hair – now, every day, a different brother picks one for me (again, after some discussion and contemplation about the right type and colour of flower to go with what I’m wearing).  Jude upped the ante as well by making me a long string of Jasmine flowers, joined together by thread, and pinned in the middle so it sat the length of my hair.  I kept getting the delicious smell of Jasmine all day long. 

The sisters who I have been helping told me they wanted me to wear a sari, but when I told them I’d already bought one in Jaipur and sent it home, they decided I should get a salwar kameez instead – this is the name for the long tunic and trousers worn by many Indian women.  So we had a shopping expedition.  First they bought me some earrings (clip-ons, I’m not brave enough to put holes in my ears – although, again, Jose offered to do it for me using a red-hot poker – I think he was joking), and a pack of stick-on bindis.  It’s strange, when I’ve seen Western women wearing these in the past I thought somehow it would be offensive to Indian culture – another sweeping generalisation on my part – but I have now learned that it is seen as a lovely sign of beauty, and basically, the more decoration, the better!

Next we went to the salwar kameez shop, where there was the regulation half-hour discussion about colour, size, fabric, shape, and so-on.  I ended up with the most beautiful dusky pink tunic, quite long – below my knees – with cream trousers.  The trousers are a bit odd to wear, I admit (I think they need heels to look really great), but the tunic is something I can wear again and again – with jeans when I get home, and until then with the trousers or (when I’m in a different country) with shorts underneath.

When I wore it the next day, the reactions were amazing – lots of open mouths, smiles, and comments that it looked beautiful.  Every person noticed what I was wearing, which I think might not have happened in any other country.  Since then, I have been given more bindis and hair clips as gifts and, funnily enough, the bindi that got the most compliments was the black one.  Maybe I’m more fair skinned than I realised!

There has also been plenty of interest in my henna tattoos.  Even strangers have come up to me and asked me about them.  When they started to fade, it was decided on my behalf that I should have some more done.  Apparently, when boys are younger here, they help their sisters with these tattoos, and so, naturally, there was much expertise and another group discussion!

Yesudas was the ring-leader, and he marched me over to the shop and bought some henna, and explained the whole process.  He then recruited Vipin, who is the most wonderfully talented artist, to be the tattooist.  A book off tattoo drawings was produced, and Jude picked the one that I now have on the back of my left hand – lots of swirls and flowers.  Vipin made his own design for the palm of my right hand.  So, while I sat and played one-handed cards with Jude, Vipin painted the henna onto my hands.  It looks really wonderful.  I’m glad I started listening to the experts. 

Each and every one of the brothers and fathers here in Bangalore is an absolute joy to be with.  Here is an introduction to just a few of them - I just wish I had time to tell you about ... [Continue reading this entry]

My first few days in Bangalore fell into a happy routine. I'd wake up either naturally at about 7 o'clock, or would be forced awake by the really loud music they play at the crack of dawn - it's a ... [Continue reading this entry]

When I went to book my train ticket from Mumbai to Bangalore, I had planned to buy 3AC class.  This means an air-conditioned sleeper berth, with three tiers.  However, the guy at the counter told me this was full, and ... [Continue reading this entry]

When I was younger, the children's programme Blue Peter ran a series all about Japan.  We watched enthralled as our minds were introduced to the delights of sushi, and amazing technological advances.  One thing that stuck in my memory quite ... [Continue reading this entry]

All my photos are now online at my flickr site:

I think this is my favourite one of the lot so far, taken at dinner at sunset at the Jagat Niwas Hotel, Udaipur.

[Continue reading this entry]

Chai

Per person:

1 glass milk

Half a cup of water

Two teaspoons sugar

Half a spoon of black tea leaves

1 cardamom pod

2-3 black peppercorns

Half an inch of root ginger (whole)

Combine the liquid in a pan.  Crush the ginger and cardamom, add them to the ... [Continue reading this entry]

An early morning start from Pushkar to Udaipur saw us all bleary eyed, not least Gary who was feeling decidedly iffy this morning.  Unfortunately his condition got worse throughout the long, hot, journey over bumpy and winding roads (not surprising, ... [Continue reading this entry]

From Jaipur, the others had discussed hiring a car and driver to tour round Rajasthan, and they asked me if I wanted to share it with them, as the first couple of stops (Pushkar and Udaipur) were on my itinerary.  ... [Continue reading this entry]