In Flux

These are my last few days in Kolkata. I have to go back to the project on the 10th though I wish I could be leaving later. But we are expecting a volunteer this month and I'd like to be on the project when he arrives. In fact, I may be travelling back to the project with him.

Not that I don't wish to go back to the project. I do. Very much. I'm missing Roldih very much. Andn this Kolkata trip has lasted a lot longer than what I had initially planned. But then things don't always go according to plan!

I arrived in Kolkata hoping to catch up with mail, send out reports, send out a newsletter and buy a laptop with funding received from Planet Wheeler Foundation. But things did not go as smoothly as expected. To begin with it took me a while to get re-connected to the net. Then we had some problems with Dakshinayan's bankers. Since I am sitting in Kolkata and the bank is in Delhi, it took quite a lot of effort and time to get it all sorted out. And it wasn't till recently that funds were released and I was able to buy a new laptop.

Meanwhile, I did manage to catch up with mail. Send out a newsletter. And set the question papers for the final exams that are going to happen as soon as I get back. Thank God that Mitali is taking care of setting more than half the papers. Without her help I'd be in a tizzy as something totally unexpected has happened -- I have to vacate the flat I have rented in Kolkata.

Quite a lot of my time here has been spent in house-hunting. I've finally found a flat quite near to the place where I am living now. I was supposed to move my belongings today, but the electrician hasn't showed up and the movers just called to inform me they are coming tomorrow. Hmmmm.... things don't go according to plan!

It's really good to be able to get online whenever one wants because of connectivity and electricity. It's such an effort to get connected from the project.... I do hope I will be able to live up to the changed title of this blog -- Dakshinayan Diary. The posts may be few and far in between. But I do hope to keep you posted as and when I can. So watch this space!

Ready to Go

I should have been leaving for the project today. Unfortunately, I did not get a ticket on the bus to Godda. So I am leaving tomorrow -- Sunday.

I do consider my trip to Kolkata quite fruitful. I managed to finish the report for Planet Wheeler Foundation. I also managed to send out a newsletter. I don't know if people have received it or read it because I haven't received many feedback mails. I also don't know if anyone reads this blog because no one has left a comment!

Anyway, I've had a few very good meals, a few drinks with my friend and neighbour Shibaji, and I've also had coffee at Barista, seen an excellent movie -- Last Lear, and I have managed to catch up with friends. It is now time to get back to the project and nature.

I've been in touch with Bansi and Yvonne. All's well on the project. But apparently it has rained all week and everything is wet. And of course work made no progress while I have been away.

I will try to update this blog via mobile. But it's a very unreliable connection at the best of times! So if you don't hear from me.......

This is Bansi...

Kolkata Konnect

It's my fourth day in Kolkata. The first two were spent trying to set up base. There was nothing in the flat -- no food, no soap... not even salt! But I am lucky to have Shibaji as a neighbour. He made sure I did not lack for food. He fed me meat and fish (deliciously cooked by his wonderful wife Moushumi) and kept me company in the evenings.

I managed to get my net connection on Monday evening and I've been busy ever since catching up with mail and sending off the newsletter. Now I hope to sit down and send out a report on fund utilization to Planet Wheeler Foundation. This will take a while and so I don't think I'll be able to get back to the project before the weekend.

I've been in touch with Bansi and Yvonne. It seems all goes well with the school and the project. Yvonne and Bansi are taking care of Class I. Classes II and III are taking care of themselves!!!! The toilets are complete. Only the doors need to be put in place. The masons were doing some work on the boundary wall but since it's been raining, they've put a stop to work for the time being. They'll probably resume work once I get back.

I can't say I am unhappy to be in Kolkata. But my heart and my mind is on the project and I can't wait to go back. I am particularly curious to see how they react when I give them the kites that I bought here. Today is Vishwakarma Puja and it's also a day of flying kites in this city. But it's raining and so I don't suppose there will be many kites in the sky. Besides, Kolkata has changed a lot. I don't know if people fly kites with the same enthusiasm that we used to when we were kids. I don't see any kites up there at the moment.

Well, that's all for the moment. I was taking a break and so thought I'd just put something on the blog. If you have reached here to read this, it means you have read the newsletter too! I'll be hoping to hear from you.

The Changes

Yes, that's the old building where the volunteers stay. It's now got a veranda and so looks completely different. The room on the left is where I live now. The room on the right is being used by Yvonne at the moment. Manami used to live there. The small room in the middle is now the office room.

I spend most of my time on the veranda and even sleep there at night especially if it seems like rain. But on other nights I put out a bed in front of the building.

The kitchen is no longer where it used to be. It has moved to one of the new classrooms for the time being. The "kitchen" veranda has been extended and it has now been designated "guest room". If more that two volunteers arrive, they will stay there. Take a look at the picture below to see what it looks like now.

Oops!! I don't know what happened. The picture that should have gone below have moved up! Anyway, you get the general picture, don't you?

More Rain

It rained early this morning. But fortunately it stopped before school started which is about the time the masons come to work. School went off ok and the masons managed to do some work. But around lunch, just as we were putting tar-felt on the corrugated iron roof of the kitchen, it started pouring. We managed to put the felt just in time. So it plugged a few leaks. But the felt has not set properly because for that to happen the sheets need to be heated in the sun.

Where's the sun? We haven't seen it for ages! Not since the beginning of July. Everything is damp and mouldy -- the mattress, clothes. Awful. But the positive thing is that it's lush green all around. We replanted a few flowering bushes on the the hillock. We know they won't die.

Sanjoy left this morning. Earlier than expected. He's promised to come back and conduct a workshop for the children. Promises... let's see if he keeps them. Dona's wound is healing, though when we tried to apply the ointment on it, she screamed as if we were slaughtering her! I don't even with to look at Norman. He's still very "spirited" if I wish to be euphemistic.

First Entry

It rained early in the morning as usual. Thought it would rain all day as usual. But it did not. The masons were able to come and do some work. They have plastered portions of the walls of the veranda. Hopefully, if it does not rain, they will complete the job tomorrow.

Maneer came for a visit. He's the man who made most of the buildings on the ashram when we moved here from Paharpur. But now he's become a contractor. So he is unwilling to work as a mason. Yet, he seemed jealous of the Babul and Sohrab, the two new masons who are now working on the wall and carrying out repairs to the buildings that Maneer had constructed.

Bruni is still limping. Still can't figure out why. There are no obvious wounds or broken bones. And Nora's wound was cleaned out. All the maggots were removed by pouring petrol into the wound. We then applied the ointment that the vet gave us. Hopefully she will heal. At least she's grazing. Nora, by the way is the goat, who gave birth a few days ago and lost the kid within a couple of days. Her teats are full of milk. Must be very uncomfortable. Bruni is the project bitch.

Sanjoy spent time getting to children to draw. He slept all afternoon. Had dinner and went back to sleep. We don't think he really cares about the project or the people here. If he does, he doesn't show it! Manami went to visit Roldih. She saw paddy being planted. Parvati escorted her.
I managed to get online using my mobile. It's a miracle really. No electricity. No road. And yet I can hook my laptop to the mobile and get online and connect to the world.

Everyone's asleep. Bansi saw a glow in my room and came running to check if all is ok. I'd better turn in. Goodnight. I hope I can sleep. Bruni is snoring under my bed!