Travels by Rail to Jaipur (Jun 9-10)

Hello everyone and thanks for joining me on my trip to Jaipur, capital of the State of Rajasthan. Come along with me to the "Pink City" as I share highlights of this amazing 2-day trip and enjoy a few photos along the way… I took pics with both a small digital and my 35mm Nikon – there’s many great pictures taken by this SLR film camera that I will need to get developed. So for now these few on this post are from the digital. (BTW, I haven't had that elephant ride yet but I did get to hop on the humps of a camel! Read on)

First, when you want to buy train tickets in Delhi, you have to buy them in advance at an entirely separate location that is the Rail Ticket Purchase Station. The train departure station is on the other side of the city and here you merely board the train with your advanced purchase. Apparently with 10million or so people in this area, a huge proportion travel by rail – this is the only way to maintain order! So R.P. Singh from my affiliate (Ministry of Environment and Forests) anbd I left our respective residences around 5:00am and rode by rail on "executive class" departing on a 6 o’clock train– I would not equate this to first class on an Amtrak by any means but it was plenty comfortable for our 5 hour journey... (food however, was mediocre at best!)

So in Jaipur we were to visit two different high schools to talk with students about their experiences with Eco Clubs. We were greeted on the train platform by a fellow name Sri R.P. Vijay and several leaders/officials from the Bharat Scouts and Guides organization who manages and oversees many programs including the Eco Clubs in all of Rajasthan. ("Bharat" = "India" in Hindi). Again, as the other school visits, minimal English spoken the entire 2 days. First stop to the SMDJ school – We were greeted by Eco Club members who, at this point are on summer vacation. They were invited to come to the school to meet with us and talk about their activities, etc. – The school principal and students gave us a tour of their Eco Club gardens, bird feeders that they made, trees planted, etc. around the school yard. First stop was so precious as they had dug a couple of holes prior to our arrival giving us each saplings to plant our own tree!
Very cool experience! After a tour of the Eco Club gardens, etc. we were brought inside to meet the students, get a tour of some of the posters they made, see some of the resources/materials they use, and meet other Eco Club leaders.

The room was set up formally with a head table where several of us sat – leaders gave brief speeches, I was presented with this bouquet of flowers, and both R.P. and I were then also asked to give a few words to the students. Students moved their chairs around the table and the interview process began – I continued the contribution effect that I started in Himachal Pradesh and donated 1000Rs to this Eco Club – After this mornings event, the students again approached me for my autographs and they also wanted “ideas” from me on what else they can do to help protect the environment. Apparently they had quite a day planned for us so we were hustled out to the car to begin our drive through Jaipur to the next school. This city has a similar yet different feel as Delhi in terms of the people and actions around you – Same incredible lifestyles – difference was here in Jaipur you see carts drawn by camels and people riding elephants in the streets!

At the second school, we pulled up to the main entrance and a group of girls along with adults surrounding them all greeted us with song and celebration. We were welcomed with “Roli”. This is a ceremonial procedure (that also means Art). This is absolutely only done by the girls, never the men. However, they will do this for both ladies and men. Roli typically consists of a mix up of the red paste, rice particles, and flowers tossed on our heads to bless us – wow! The red paste that is more natural in art that is applied to your forehead is known as “Tika” and then rice is applied as well (sticks to the Tika). The “bendi” is the ready made/artificial dots that women put on their foreheads that can be made or purchased in a market. They gave us their offering of this tradition and I was so happy.

We met the school director, teachers, and a few people from the local community. Again, opportunity to plant a tree and get my hands dirty right there before us, setting up of clay pot that sits on a thick cloth ring for the bird watering feeder, photo opps galore. Inside we went upstairs to this large multi-purpose room, chairs theatre style and this time the head table was up on a stage! Yikes! VERY formal – yet again, I became very nervous – at the same time, I could not stop smiling. They even printed out this full program of speakers with student performance interwoven to the schedule. When I saw my name listed as “Chief Guest”, my mind went crazy (“uh oh,” I thought to myself, “no pressure!” – A few speakers who talked (in English, thank the Goddess) were brilliant! then students did this incredible dance and sang a song about the hazards of smoking. I loved all of it – Opportunity to then interview the students through our planned focus group. Afterwards I was told we needed to leave to visit one of the State level officials involved with planning and monitoring of the Eco Clubs. We were beckoned to leave yet school officials were insistent that we stay for snacks and tea. I enjoyed this moment and began to be grilled, politely however, about what can the world do about “Mental Pollution”? A discussion that could have gone on for hours! Thank goodness I was escorted out of the school to head to the city center to meet with Atul Kumar Garg, Principal Secretary to Govt of Rajasthan. A very important chance to meet and informally interview with a state level official about the Eco Club programs – My assistant for the trip, R.P. Singh kept interrupting. He did that a lot with interviews with the kids and I was curious and concerned then – this time I politely asked R.P. to please refrain and let this Honorable gentleman please respond to my
questions!


Later on we returned to the hotel – we never had a chance to just chill and relax all day because several folks from the Bharat Scouts and Guides were ALWAYS with us! Nice hosts yet impossible to get any “down time”. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and were invited to see a late night movie. This was apparently a very popular and very controversial movie made in India called "Fanaa" – Unfortunately there were no sub-titles and our hosts had already bought tickets in advance. I was exhausted and wanted out yet had to give them the respect of going. I’ve never been to a foreign movie with no sub-titles – seemed meaningless to me but I went. And, in all actuality, while obviously you don’t get every conversation, it was not difficult to follow the theme and the plot of this film. Their movies are 3 hours in length and they actually have an intermission. I had no idea so when the lights came on with sign on the screen that said ‘intermission’ I thought that was quite odd! Anyway, in my complete Hindi-less mind, it was an excellent movie! I’m glad I went.

The next morning, we were picked up at 8:15am – folks piled into my room for the routine tea starting the day – even if people are running late, they stop what they’re doing to make time to “take tea”. We were brought to one of the Bharat Scout and Guides recreational centers. I am truly impressed! It’s their summer from May to June and many kids will attend youth camp. School starts up again on July 1st. We arrived and again were greeted with “Roli” –That tradition is awesome – sometimes it feels like I don’t deserve to be treated like this but it is truly a special occasion for me. They are apparently as honored by my presence and I am incredibly honored and humbled by their marvelous hospitality. Here the children are completely immersed in stations of activities with multiple programs. All were both educational and recreational. Computer lessons, arts and crafts, painting, making stuffed animals, and learning to draw “Mehindi” and they gave me the pleasure of creating a design on both my hands! (Lasts several days up to a week-ish)...Elsewhere around the globe this is called "henna".


They also had puppet making, girls learned about beauty school, there was candle making and macramé, students had sewing classes where they learned to make clothes and other objects from fabric/different cloths, there were swimming lessons and music lessons as well. Then when we got to the building where kids were dancing, it was quite a sight! After only a minute or two, I was physically pushed and coerced to join the kids in dance (little did they know they really didn’t have to try very hard to get me out there!) – these kids could not stop staring at me and smiling as "the American" joined in their dance routines and had such a great time learning their moves! (don’t ask me to teach you, however, I’d never remember those steps!). I loved that entire visit!

Onward to Fort Amber, Shilediva Temple and Jaigarh Palace. WOW! Since I’ve already written a great deal, I’ll limit this section and let you enjoy a few photos. And, I was hoping to get my elephant ride here but none were around this location (without further travel) so I enjoyed a ride on a camel instead – very fun! Then onward to Chandra Mahal which is simply translated and stated for tourists as “City Palace”. Incredible old historic site turned into shops and museums – Here you also saw a lot of the war time artifacts – The different sectors of people who lived and settled in India (as with every country on earth) have been involved in war and violence for as long as “man” has walked the earth. Depending on who the rulers are at any given time period will dictate who is hated and to be destroyed versus who any given kingdom decides will be allies. The tools of war here in India are fascinating and so filled with craftsmanship, precision and extraordinary skill.

aaahhh…..being here in India has finally given me the opportunity of a lifetime to explore a part of our world history that I would otherwise never have a chance to see, touch, feel, and taste first hand.

More India Factoids and Interesting Info:
* Forgot to mention on other pages that the city buses in Delhi all use natural gas
* Traffic police do not work/are not on duty or in operation at all from 12 midnight to 7:00am. Talk about free-flowing chaos! Everyone goes through red lights and basically no “rules” apply (as if they do any other time!?) =)
* I’m told that according to Indians if you (as an Indian) have a college degree from Russia (anywhere in the USSR) this is considered “bogus”, not reputable at all, people don’t care, means nothing! If you get a college degree in America or the U.K.? This is considered extremely prestigious and people are treated with high respect. If you (as an Indian) obtain degree in USA or UK, for instance, you will inevitably obtain a higher post and make more money in your job. Indians who get a PhD from Indian universities often work for the Govt of India and become scientists/science advisors with the Ministry but they’re also known to get a fixed, often meager salary. People who get PhDs from America or UK frequently work in high positions in NGOs or private organizations.
* Indians are serious about their servants, sherpas and “coolies” (men who are waiting to assist passengers at airports, train stations, etc. to carry your luggage). That is, don’t try to do anything on your own – “let him carry it, that is why he is here” – then people seem to bicker over what would be a fair payment for how many rupees for their service.
* Lottery was banned in India about 10 years ago – too many social problems and militants stealing and killing people for their winnings.
* We call them business cards, Indians call these “visiting cards”.
* We call it Hollywood, their center of movie production in India is called “Bollywood”
* We use some sort of metal/steel products for our scaffoldings (re: when working on tall buildings or sky crapers, they make scaffolding out of bamboo.
* Terrorism is and has been everywhere in India for decades. The U.S. continues to support Terrorist Camps in Pakisthan not doing anything about this – Indian people love Americans but also truly hate Prez Bush (imagine that!) – India/Pakisthan relations are still very tenuous.
* This is a generalization – most/many Indian men are “not to be trusted” (interesting comments made by many people!) … Clearly there are some who are trustworthy yet Indian women say this about the men, not foreigners (although ask any foreigner and they’d probably agree) -


See you next time - Upcoming trip is to Cochin ("Kochi") from June 14-17th.