The Weather Gods Don't Like Me!

Bhola's wife is much better now. But seems to feel nauseous at times. That, I'm sure, is because of the medicines she's taking. I asked Bhola why he did not recommend "Juri Taap", the ayurvedic medicine which is cheap and very, very effective and he said that his in-laws would accuse him of being a miser! They'd feel that he did not wish to spend money on his wife's treatment and hence was recommending cheap medicines.

Yes, it's true. That's how people in the villages think even today. In fact, Bhola's wife was not all that seriously ill that she needed to be rushed to the hospital in Dumka. But Bhola says that if he had got her treated locally, then "it would look bad". His in-laws would accuse him of "not caring for his wife"!

Anyway, now that he has already taken her to the doctors in Dumka and spent a lot of money buying medicines for her, he did  recommend the use of "Juri Taap" to his mother-in-law. Now whether they use it or not is up to them. The sad news, however, is that this medicine is no longer easily available. Some stockists are saying that the company has stopped manufacturing it because of low sales. Sad, isn't it? That the very people (in the villages) who can't afford expensive medicines are the one's who reject cheaper alternatives!

Attendance is dropping steadily. From 100 children at the start of the year, we are now averaging 85 children in Roldih. Some children have dropped out. Some others have moved away. But there are still others who are simply not attending school as regularly as they should. Bhola does something that I never did -- at the end of the month he tells the children how many days they have been absent from school and asks them for an explaination. But even this is not helping. Maybe what we should do is call for the parents if the monthly attendance drops below 95%?

Yesterday it rained a lot in the project area. According to Bhola the trees are looking happy and the farmers too are looking happy because they feel there's now some hope of growing something after this rain. Meanwhile, Godda district has already been declared drought affected. This means a lot of money will pour in for the drought stricken farmers. Some of it may reach them. The rest will, of course, find its way into a few pockets. Everyone loves a drought.

It rained in Kolkata too! Mitali said it rained so hard that she and her son had to cancel going out for some work. She promised that Bolpur would be getting some rain too! And yes, I was looking forward to some rain because I thought since it's raining in Roldih and Kolkata, it makes logical sense that it should rain in between too! Unfortunately, the weather gods don't believe in logic and that's apparent from the fact that it rained in Ladakh and Rajasthan and caused floods and didn't rain where it should! Well, Bolpur certainly has been left out of the loop. There were floods in North Bengal and heavy rains in South Bengal and but no rains where I live! Can you blame me for feeling victimized?

I'm waiting for the weather to improve so that I could go out and explore this area. But it's so hot and humid these days that even if I go on a 5 minute bike ride to the market, I need to come back and change my clothes and have a shower. Honest! I'm really not exaggerating.

Bhola's Wife Has Malaria

No project news. But when I spoke to Bhola this afternoon, he was in Dumka getting in wife treated at the doctor's. In fact, she was being administered "drips" because she was extremely weak from fever. Bhola said she was in no "danger" but was very weak because she had been suffering from low fever for the past few days.

Bhola's wife was apparently staying with her parents in a village near Dumka. And Bhola got a call last night saying her condition was quite serious. So he rushed to his in-laws' place and took his wife to the hospital in Dumka. I spoke to him a few minutes ago and he was in Ramgarh at his brother-in-law's place. His had left his wife with her parents and is on his way back to the project. Since today was manasa puja, a puja in honour of the snake god, he had been invited to his b-i-l's place for lunch. He was having it now, at 5:00 pm!

At the moment I'm somewhat disturbed by the news on TV about the collapse of a school roof in Kapkot, Uttaranchal. The details are quite sketchy because it's a remote area and it's only claim to fame is that it is the starting point of the trek to the Pindari and Sunder Dunga glaciers. My friend (who's a sadhu) runs a school for children in that place and I am wondering if it's his school that has collapsed in the the cloudburst. I'm also wondering if I should go there to see if I can help.

Wonder what's happening to the monsoon this year. It's raining in places where it doesn't and there's no rain here in the east and crops and people are withering away.

Miscommunication

I suppose Bhola was  so terrified that I'd disapprove of "fun and frolic" on the project that he didn't quite convey the facts to me. He told me he had hired musicians -- drummers and people played the flute. But when the girls (Fran, Kaori and Hannah) sent me some pictures, I couldn't spot any musicians. When I phoned Bhola about this he told me they had hired "musicians" only. Well, what he actually meant was that he had rented a few musical instruments -- drums, cymbals, flute, etc -- so that he and the children could make music.

I wonder why he's so nervous about this? I don't disapprove of music on the project. Yeah, I'd go ballistics if they played tacky Hindi filmy songs at full blast -- as it happens at weddings and pujas and all other celebratory occasions. But I would encourage them to make music and if I felt they were serious about it, I'd even buy them the necessary musical instruments if we had money to spare!

Anyway, I'm very very happy that they actually CELEBRATED Independence Day and more people than usual participated because of the music. The volunteers enjoyed themselves thoroughly and they sent me an email to that effect along with some photos. I mentioned this to Meena and she was quite amazed -- How did you manage to get pictures so quickly from the project, she asked in amazement. Via the net, I said. You mean to say they are so efficient on the project despite the lack of electricity? Yes, I say, it's amazing what all you can do with a Intel-sponsored Classmate PC and a USB Data Card. Jai Ho Airtel!

So here are a couple of pictures that were sent across. Enjoy......

Vande Mataram -- Jai Bharat, Jai Jagat

So we celebrate one more Independence Day. I believe it was a grand celebration at the project. Bhola called to tell me that there were many, many, many people who attended the flag hoisting ceremony at the project. The parents of the children came. The villagers came. Some passersby too.

Was it because I wasn't there? I think so. Because had I been there, they wouldn't have hired drummers and musicians for the occasion! When Bhola heard that I wasn't coming, he decided to hire a "music party" to celebrate the occasion. And that was the crowd puller. I think he was right to organize things to make it more lively for the children as well as the villagers. I may or may not have objected to the "musicians". But since I will be paying the piper, I think I have a right to know that they are playing! I think he should have informed me what he was planning. Especially if he felt that it is something I may disapprove of. I'm no spoilsport. My decisions are always based on what's good for the project and the people who live in it.

For me, Independence Day is a sombre occasion. Even though I feel proud to be an Indian on this day in particular, I also tend to think a lot about those who sacrificed their lives so that we could live in an independent country. Have we been able to honour their sacrifices if not repay them? Have we been live up to their expectation of a free country where every Indian would be fed, clothed and housed and kept safe and healthy? So for me Independence Day is a day of mourning because I tend to think of those who died for ME. A day for remembering their sacrifices. A day of feeling proud to be an Indian living in a DEMOCRATIC country. But also a day to feel ashamed for not living up to the expectations of those who laid down their lives so that we could live in a free country.

Anyway, I'm glad the villagers came and had a good time. I am no longer feeling bad that I was unable to be present. In fact, I'm glad I wasn't there and that everyone managed to have a good time, including Hannah, Fran and Kaori, who, I believe, were recording everything on video. I am waiting for Bhola to send me a few pictures via email so that I can upload for the blog.

The weather is somewhat pleasant today. I was a bit worried that it might rain and literally washout the flag-hoisting ceremonies and disappoint a lot of school children and others who treat this occasion seriously. But the carpenter who is banging away at my doors and windows and trying to get them to shut properly, obviously feels that working is the best way of celebrating Independence Day. He will earn his daily bread and feed his family. Because despite seven decades of Independence we have not been able to provide him with the social security that will allow him to put away his tools for the day. The rickshaw puller, the maids, the servants, the cobbler, the tailor, the mason, the labourers, the farmers, practically all Indians from all walks of life have to struggle today to earn their daily bread. Only a privileged few can sit back and enjoy their "hard-earned" holiday.

Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Shaheed.... Ma tujhe salaam!

Change of Plans

Friday the 13th turned out to be an eneventful and enjoyable day, in fact. Mitali and I chatted in the morning till I dropped her to the station from where she took a train back to Kolkata. I came back and cooked some lunch, watched some  tv and then had a little nap. It had rained a lot and so it was nice and cool and perfect condition for a siesta.

The motorbike mechanic came with the bike late in the evening. Too later for me to take it out for a trial ride. Also, Sunil and Mitali felt that I should first ride the bike in and round Bolpur before taking it out for a long drive. In fact, they insisted that I drop the idea of going to Roldih for Independence Day. There's too much happening in Bolpur on the domestic front -- I need to find someone to help me keep the house clean; my new phones have been disconnected due to non-submission of documents by the vendor and that has to be sorted out. Most importantly, I've been wearing old spectacles and can't see very well. I have ordered new ones and will get them today hopefully. So what was I thinking when I decided to go to Roldih for Independence Day?

Anyway,  I've now decided that I'll go next weekend. By that time I hope I'll have sorted out all "domestic" issues and will be able to stay on the project for a week at least. By which time, I'm sure the volunteers will have formed an opinion about the project and it may be more interesting interacting with them. Hopefully they'll have more questions to ask! One more thing -- my Yoga routine will not be disturbed for at least another week! Maybe  I'll be able to put in an extensive week of yoga at the ashram.

I had a very interesting evening yesterday. Sunil stayed and chatted for a while. Then his daughter came and spent a little time playing computer games. His wife, Abira, who is a research scholar at the Vishwa Bharati University, dropped in for a chat. We discussed what could be done here in Bolpur and came up with some ideas and plans. Now to see if any of them are workable!

I spoke to Bhola this morning. He was quite disappointed that I was not coming. Everyone was expecting me for Independence Day and so I am feeling a bit guilty about not going. But I think it makes a lot of practical sense to go next weekend. Hence, I'm trying to live with the guilt.