Doing Church in Chennai

The Reverends D.C. and Deborah Premraj are co-Pastors of the Church of South India Redeemer Church in Kilpauk, a residential area of Chennai.  This is a huge church with a large and diverse congregation.  Our own Pastor Tim was invited to participate in the Sunday morning Tamil service and had brought his own ecclesiastic garb.  Our group was seated up front, directly across from the chorus, all the better to enjoy their enthusiasm as they sang hymns familiar and new.  It also meant we had to be on our best church behavior during the entire service which included a very long sermon in Tamil.  Most moving was a laying on of hand segment for prayer requests.  Pastor Tim was able to participate as Pastor D. C. heard requests and translated them into English.  Tim prayed for the person, with D.C. providing a translation for the person.  The requests were certainly similar to those expressed every Sunday at home, but the individual touch and clear statement of the need along with prayer was very powerful.

We had some time to meet with the Pastors and other key staff after the service to learn about their work which impacts the surrounding community.  Of course there was tea, but also the most delicious cake one can imagine.  (My piece was chocolate with a chocolate ganache and whipped mocha filling.  I remember this cake as vividly as anything which probably says more about me than the cake itself.)  Members are lawyers, doctors, teachers and professionals and folks who live in nearby slums in dire poverty.  Conscious efforts are made to integrate all members into the church family.  Communion is served each week with juice made by slum dwellers.  In this way they are a vital part of the communion service.  Physicians rotate weekly to provide a free health clinic after the last Sunday service.  Free medications are provided as needed, but most importantly there is someone is listen to the health concerns of congregants.  For many this is the first time in their lives they have really been listened to with care and concern.

We were introduced to their vocational training programs through the beautiful and well made gifts we received.  Many of the bags we ladies received were put into use immediately and will be used for a long time to come.  My own bag is very fancy and made of black satiny material covered with tasteful design in black beads and sequins.  It definitely required many hours of painstaking work.  I was thrilled to learn about the training program and thankful that we could make a contribution towards the purchase of supplies.

A third area of outreach we witnessed firsthand was a house council meeting.  The congregation is divided up into groups of families of all backgrounds who meet regularly (Can't remember for sure, maybe weekly) to talk about their challenges and joys.  The life wisdom shared by members is not dependent upon wealth or education and gives everyone a chance to help and be helped.

We paid a visit to St. Thomas Mount where relics of the Saint credited with bringing Christianity to India are housed within a Catholic church.  The area affords beautiful views of the surrounding area in a serene and contempletive setting and does justice to the saint and the miraculous work he performed.

In speaking with Reverend D.C. Pramraj, I learned that Christianity is accepted and Christians more numerous than in the north.  Because of St. Thomas and early adoption of Christianity it has become an accepted religion as opposed to the struggles and dangers faced by missionaries in the north.  Christians in the north continue to experience persecution in many forms.  And Dalit Christians, who make up 90% of all Christians, are discriminated against through the very constitution which is supposed to uphold human rights.

For me, the most moving church experience occurred Saturday night after a very long day of sightseeing, sitting in traffic and shopping til we dropped.  On our way back to the hotel Daya had the bus stop outside a gate with a CSI (Church of South India) sign.  We all groaned, some inwardly, some outwardly.  As it turned the church was open for a group of youth who were rehearsing hymns for the service the next day.  This was a small, humble church, much like the McGaw Memorial Church in Etah.  Electricity went out during practice, we got a chanced to talk with the kids and Daya had a blast singing with them.  I think they had a blast too.  Somehow, the Pastor was called, the Elders showed up and tea was served out on the front stoop/veranda.  Tears flowed.  And still do.

The Girls' School

I was in the city ("the city" always means New York City, at least to NewYorkers.) today and ran into Lisa and Richard who had been to India with us.  Lisa talked about how they keep thinking and talking and dreaming about the many great experiences they have had.  It puzzled her, though, that they had not shared the experience they thought of as the greatest highlight of the whole trip with anyone so far.  Let me not be guilty of the same thing.

We went to Chennai to visit Anne and Daya Dyanandun and learn about their work as Christian missionaries.  They have a long history together of  mission outreach and are well known and respected within the Christian community and beyond.  Anne has been working with the young women at Ewart Women's Christian College for some years now.  She provides the girls with a loving presence who supports their efforts through discussion of the challenges they face.  Anne helps them to relate to their own dilemmas by introducing them to the world beyond their villages and beyond Chennai and India through literature and movies.  Issues in Chinua Achebe's African stories resonate with the girls, as do the triumphs and tragedies in "The Sound of Music" and "Fiddler on the Roof".

The girls are 11th and 12th graders.  Most come to school from home which can be two hours away, while others live at the college.  These girls, about 400 strong, are first time learners.  That means they are the first person in their family to get an education and often the first person in their village to go through this level of schooling.  Imagine the pressure they are under to succeed and to be a role model for younger students.  This is why Anne's work is so vital to their overall development and success.

When we first got to Ewart Women's Christian College the girls and staff were lined up to greet us with garlands of marigolds.  Usually this is done with the honored guests processing through the line of students.  This time we were asked to stay at the entryway while the girls performed a dance for us.  It was very well done and set the tone of joyousness that prevailed throughout our visit.  After meeting with the Principal we joined the girls in planting mast trees.  These trees will grow very tall and will provide some fencing and privacy for the section in which they are planted.  Instead of a long program, we were treated to a demonstration of a tag kind of game which is popular in that area.  It was high spirited and good fun.  Then it was time for tea and informally socializing with girls and staff.  Throughout our visit they were friendly and eager to speak to us in the English they have worked so hard to learn.

There was much more to absorb during our three days in Chennai; to be saved for another post.

Hindi? Did you say Hindi?

Three weeks before we left for India I overheard a guy in my Friday morning yoga class speaking to the instructor.  Hearing the word "Hindi", I quickly approached.  Turns out he teaches Hinduism as part of a World Religions series at Stony Brook University and is a Hindi and Sanskrit instructor.

It seemed like a good idea to take a few lessons before the trip so I could say simple things like my name and ask people theirs.  I took five lessons over the next two weeks and tried to keep up with the ten million things he thought I should learn immediately.  This was impossible, even though my instructor, Isaac, made recordings for me to practice with.  When I got to India, I was able to say a few more words than on previous trips, which was nice.  But the only time I worked up my courage to ask someone their name using a complete sentence I was met with a blank stare.  Of course this was in Chennai where people speak Tamil, not Hindi.

Still, I am not ready to give up and am going back for more lessons, just once a week.  This time we are starting at the beginning with the alphabet in Devanagari script, no less.  I made my flash cards and now practice writing and saying the letters, so far every night.  I am still working on the first 10 consonants out of 25.  After that, of course, will be the vowels.

This blog post is a fine example of procrastination.  Really, how much easier to compose a few paragraphs for the blog than to practice ka, kha, ga gha....क, ख, ग , घ.... 

My Favorite City, So Far

Jaipur, aka the Pink City, is my favorite city on the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur.  One reason is the lovely Haveli, or converted royal home, the Alsisar where we stayed.  The Alsisar has soaring ceilings, large rooms, swimming pool, a lovely and good restaurant with an outdoor dining option.  It also has some unique features like the most beautiful brass doorknobs I have ever seen, and rooms situated on second story patios.

I love to visit City Palace, with its huge solid silver water jars at the entrance, Four Seasons doorways, museum and stellar gift shop.  The same is true of Amber Palace, with its entry by elephant and magnificent rooms and architecture.  We were challenged,  by our desire that all our guests have these experiences despite having a group who needed to leave for Chennai after only one night in Jaipur.  We managed to accomplish that, but realize that we need to have 3 nights in Jaipur so that it can be savored and so that folks have a chance to stroll up and down the main drag, stopping in shops of interest along the way.

Of course, we did get to visit Satguru's, a favorite of ours.  They demonstrate the production technique of hand blocking fabrics to create complex designs of great beauty and interesting color combinations.  The variety of their stock is mind boggling, from hand blocked linens and bedcovers to pillow covers, a variety of fabrics, and made to order clothing such as men's shirts and suits and ladies' salwar kameez.  I selected a light cotton with a border print for a pair of pajamas.  They were made for me overnight and delivered to my hotel the next morning.  They fit perfectly and are pretty and unique.  You can't beat that for service.

Agra Memories

Not your usual photo of the iconic Taj Mahal, but hopefully one that evokes the haunting beauty that is the Taj at any hour of the day or night.  For all visitors to India, it never disappoints because pictures cannot fully capture the feeling of awe one feels in the presence of such beauty.

We stayed in Agra for just one night.  Despite the beauty of the Taj,  the air quality is the most polluted of any city we visited.  Still, there is much to enjoy.  Agra Fort is stunning in its beauty as a fort and residence for royal families. Our group saw only the main highlights as the heat was hard for some of us to manage.

I most particularly enjoyed our evening at our hotel where we had a chance to cool off and relax with drinks and each others' company poolside, talking and laughing and getting to be close friends.  Thanks to Millie, who brought a suitcase full of snacks for just such moments.  Later in the garden we met with a remarkable young Muslim who shared with us his journey to Islam.  He is as far as one can get from Islamic jihadis in his openness to sharing God's Creation with his fellow humans.  That same evening we were treated to some Bollywood style dancing that took place in a beautifully lit gazebo overlooking the pool.

Every visit to India should include one to a fabulous jeweler.  Kohinoor is for me that jeweler.  Their building comprises two stories with the first housing a museum of the famous Shams embroideries.  These are incredible works of art depicting scenes from nature using cotton threads as a base to create depth and strands of silk subtly blended to create realistic feathers on peacocks, fur on tigers and flower petals that seem freshly cut.  His most magnificent work and climax of the show is "The Good Shepherd"  which evokes a strong emotional response due to its beauty, and love conveyed in the work.  These masterpieces are maintained by Kohinoor and displayed with sound and light, leaving all in a state of wonder.  Then there is the second floor.  I don't know if you have ever visited Tiffany's.  If not, you are in for a treat.  Kohinoor, however, is far more magnificent  and yet somehow approachable.  Even our group of Presbyterians were swept away by finding treasures they never thought they would actually own.  Delight in their purchases was palpable and continues unabated.  No buyers remorse here!

Festivities and Fun

Delhi had a festive air about it as people were busy shopping, visiting monuments and sharing special meals with family.  It was the Hindu festival of Dusshera, which lasts a week, as well as the convergence of other celebrations. Eid al Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, is the four day Muslim celebration which marks Isaac's faithfulness to God in his willingness to sacrifice his son.  And the Hindu Durga Puga celebrates the triumph of the warrior goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura.  She is a mighty warrior and her effigies are depicted with 10 arms, each holding a different weapon.

Dusshera is a Hindu festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil.  Effigies of paper mache'  standing up to 14 feet tall are made of the main characters in the story.  They are King Rama (seventh avatar of Vishnu) and his lovely wife Sita, the demon Ravanna who abducted the lovely Sita to his kingdom, Rama's brother and their follower Laksmana, their follower Hanuman and an army of monkeys.  The latter rescued the lovely Sita and brought her home to Rama.  But Rama became jealous thinking about what Hanuman may have been up to with Sita.  She pledged that she had always been true to Rama, and to prove it offered to walk through coals of fire.  She does and the story ends happily ever after.  Clearly the Ramayana was written long before anyone thought of women's lib.  The celebration ends with the burning of Ravanna's effigy and/or throwing all the effigies into the sea.

Because we were in Delhi at the time of Dusshera, we were able to participate in many traffic jams.  Probably we'll avoid that next year.

Now to the FUN list
The trouble with talking about fun is that it doesn't mean the same thing to everyone. But here is my own, personal fun list from our time in Delhi.

A guide who gave a quiz at the end of the day.  With prizes. And was amazed at the group's attentiveness to his talks

The same Delhi guide who got us a discount at "Oudh", an exceedingly nice restaurant in an exceedingly grand restaurant

Fun with the little group of people who weren't too tired to go out for dinner at the nice restaurant.

A great dinner with a very generous gin and tonic and ALOT of ice.

Shopping at a  crowded little shop at the very height of a sale with many women and salespeople all around   Some of our women got really pretty Indian outfits that they wore during the trip at very little cost.

Seeing our folks enjoy shopping and eating at Dilli Haat, a center for the display and sale of goods and foods representing various parts of India

The bicycle rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk, a huge market in the midst of Old Delhi was highly entertaining to our guests.

Enjoying India with first time visitors

Delhi Highlights

We were in Delhi several times over the course of the whole trip to meet up with one another and fly to Bagdogra for the Darjeeling segment of the trip.  Following are some highlights from our time(s) in Delhi.

The Sikh Temple, Guru Bangla Sahib, stands out as a trip highlight.  The temple itself is beautiful and uplifting with a very large reflecting pool, which is a common feature of Sikh temples.  There was an air of serenity within the temple and we were welcome to sit down among worshippers and take in the sounds and sights.  Truly there was a spiritual dimension that was palpable to all of us.  After spending some time outside around the pool, we were welcomed inside their gigantic kitchen where preparations were underway for the daily feeding of up to 10,000 people.  One of our group had a great time helping to roll out chapatis by hand, while  a giant chapati making machine rolled out thousands more.  As we were readying ourselves to leave, I asked the gentleman in the visitor's center if he could share with us some of his understandings of Sikhism.  He took us into an adjoining room so that we could listen without distraction as we sat in a circle with him.  His voice was very quiet,and his accent very difficult to understand.  What was not difficult to understand was the aura of peacefulness about him as he shared Sikh belief in One God over all creation.  Overall, this was truly a "WOW" experience, to quote one of our fellow travelers.

Gandhi Smriti, also known as Birla House is the place where Gandhi spent his last days as a guest of the Birla family.  It is now a museum dedicated to Gandhiji's memory.  It is most compelling to see the room where he stayed with its minimal and simple furnishings and see his few possessions mounted on the wall there.  I particularly love the quote posted in the room "My life is my message."  Also within the house is an exhibit that details his life while upstairs is an interactive exhibit, recently updated.  We were fortunate to be at the museum at the same time as several school groups.  Here at home being in a museum or zoo when school groups are present is something to be avoided.  In Delhi the children, all in the uniforms of their various schools, waited patiently and silently on line, paid attention to the explanations of the exhibits, took notes and took turns working the exhibits as directed by their teachers.
Outside the house you will find Gandhi's footsteps tracing the route from his bedroom to the spot where he was assassinated on January 30, 1948, just months after India achieved freedom from the British.  There are other exhibits tracing the path to India's Independence.

We visited Humayun's Tomb, an archetectural precursor to the Taj Mahal.  It is a beautiful example of Mughal art and design.  The last time Margaret and I were there, our only company was three other tourists and a woman sweeping.  This time there was quite a crowd owing to the Dusshera holidays, no doubt.

Dusshera was a theme that ran throughout much of our trip and I will be happy to write about that tomorrow.

Posting at Last!

Eager to post during my India adventure, I hit nothing but snags along the way.  But let me not whine about technology or my own incompetence.
Starting at the beginning, let's pretend that this is about two weeks ago.
Delhi seemed more orderly to me since 2011 with less honking and less visible human misery.  (At least in the areas where we were.)  To our guests, first time visitors, it was a cacophony of sound and colors, movement and delay.  It was a delight to see their reactions, mostly of awe that there was any forward movement at all and some laughter at the seeming hopelessness of any progress.
We so wanted these first days to make a lasting, positive impression and were not as successful as we had hoped.  We visited Father Monodeep Daniels' projects with the Delhi Brotherhood, an Episcopal group associated with the Church of North India (CNI), but learned that they were not operational on that Monday as it was Dusshera.  So children were not in school and staff had the day off.  His projects include after school projects for children of sex workers, social work with sex workers, vocational training, and job referral.  We did spend some time with him at the Brotherhood's home, talking about the ways they fill some of the needs of desperate people with projects that can easily be replicated.

That same evening we hosted a dinner meeting with Dr. James Massey and his colleagues from the Centre for Dalit and Subaltern Studies.  Dalits and Subalterns are the most marginalized people in India and have suffered so much discrimination over the centuries from invading conquerors that their very psyche is damaged.  It is hard to imagine themselves as persons of worth within the context of centuries of degradation.  Dr. Massey focused on his most current research and plans for upcoming projects.  His work has circulated within the Indian Government, which is a somewhat hopeful sign.  Our fellow travelers would have benefitted from hearing more about the plight of marginalized people, their living conditions and the role the Indian Constitution plays in the continued degradation of Christian Dalits.
 
We were pleased to welcome, as well, Ms. Sushma Ramswamy and a group from the Women's Fellowship of CNI.    They showed a short film highlighting the work of CNI in the community.  Sushma is a powerhouse and fascinating speaker.  She is also a good friend and arranged for our group to meet for lunch at Kareem's, a popular Muslim establishment very near to the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India.  We visited the Mosque and then went on to the Kareem's
 meat fest, with course after course of delectable dishes.

By this time our group had experienced some basic Delhi transportation, with a bicycle rickshaw ride through the crowded shopping area of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi.  It is an exciting experience with so much traffic and so many little shops selling all kinds of wares.  Next Post:  Fun Times in Delhi.

              India Gate, New Delhi

A Most Propitious Meeting

Yesterday Arvind Vora of the Dialogue Committee of the Long Island Council of Churches hosted a luncheon for members and their guests.  The occasion was a visit from Swami Nikhileswarananda on his way home to Gujarat from Oregon.  He spoke about the teachings of Swami Vivekananda; the existence of God within all people and the role of religion in human affairs towards promoting peace.
His words struck a chord in me and I felt I was in the presence of Truth.  Actually, there were two Swamis present:  the other I had met when the Committee visited the Hindu Mandir in Flushing, NY.
Swami Balgopal is associated with Ashrams in Kalimpong and Darjeeling.  So we are invited to visit ashrams in those two places, which I love, in addition to the hospitality house in Gujarat.  Margaret and I will have to take a separate trip to all the places we can't fit into our regular tour!

Countdown to Takeoff

Excitement builds as 16 folks (all Presbyterians as it turns out) from Long Island prepare to make their way to India this coming Friday, October 11, 2013.  The trip is organized by Margaret Cook of Baldwin and Grace Simonette of Smithtown.  We two have paired up to form India Journey with Grace, Inc. a travel company designed to acquaint first time visitors with India and her culture, and to introduce them to mission projects of our partner, the Church of North India.  During our journey we will visit houses of worship of Hindus,  Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists and learn about those religious traditions from scholarly adherents to different faith traditions.

Our trip will not be limited to scholarly and mission pursuits, and will include major tourist attractions in North India.  Visiting the Taj in Agra, riding an elephant up to Amber Palace in Jaipur, the Pink City, and visiting Birla House in Delhi, Ghandi's last home before he was assented are all musts on the tourist's itinerary.  A group from Northport will break off and travel to Chennai to visit Missionaries Anne and Daya Dayanundun who have a special relationship with Northport Presbyterian Church.  Meanwhile, the rest of the group will relax in between jeep safaris at Ranthambore Tiger Park.  We all meet again in Delhi and prepare to fly to Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas.  Here we will be lulled by the soft, cool  mountain air, and soak up the beauty and serenity all around us.  This last stop will give us a chance, too, to stop, think and talk about all we have learned and seen.

Keeping a blog up to date is quite the challenge, and I can only try to make frequent entries so we can travel along together.

Meet and Greet

On Sunday Margaret and I held an informational party for our guests so they could get to know one another, and we could talk about the upcoming trip.  It was a wonderful afternoon with beautiful weather so that we could enjoy being out on our back porch.  Thanks to my husband, Gerard, who acted as host, serving and cleaning up.  There was plenty of food, surprising people who thought they were just coming to a meeting.  What surprised me was that many of them seemed unfamiliar with basic Indian appetizers of samosa and pakora.  They were pleased to try Indian food and find that they liked it and it was not too spicy, a fear that many share.  We reviewed our up to the minute itinerary and the general information included in our India Journey with Grace tote bags.
As of this writing, everyone has their visa.  Now we can concentrate on  confirming some of the details that will further separate our journey from those of other tour companies.
On another note, I met a young man in yoga this morning who teaches Hindi and Sanskrit.  Perhaps I can squeeze in a few lessons before departure.

The Visa Blues

Guests for the 2013 journey have had an incredibly difficult time getting their Indian Visas. The problems are of many dimensions, all of which overlap.  First, there have been changes to the Visa Application forms themselves.  The new instructions include separate forms for three types of visas.  But it is only by reviewing all three that you can get the complete instructions.  So one must constantly refer back and forth to get the complete instructions.  Secondly, the Indian Embassy has changed the company that processes all visa applications.  They are overwhelmed and seemingly unable to process everything in a timely manner, especially since the applications frequently contain errors and/or omissions.  Communication from and to the company is difficult at best.
The good news for our travelers is that they have all received their visas, and all passports have been returned.
Our advice?  Carefully review your application.  Make an extra copy for yourself. retain extra copies of your pictures. Don't forget to include a return envelope. Make an appointment to submit your application in person, if at all possible.  And submit your application as early as possible before your trip.

Yoga

Yoga, which means union, is an integral part of daily life in India.  This tradition dates back thousands of years and over time has grown many branches or styles of practice.  Our guests this year will be treated to a yoga workshop which will explain the development of yoga and its role and practice in daily life. Some of our guests may already be very familiar with yoga, but none have ever experienced it under the guidance of a yogi in the beautiful setting of Lodi Gardens.  This unique opportunity will be enjoyed and remembered by novice and experienced practitioners.  

Sixteen Travelers

We are very excited to host fourteen people on our Journey to India this year.  Counting us, that makes 16; a larger group than we had anticipated.
We depart on October 11th and there is much to do before we get on the plane.  This Sunday we will host most of our fellow travelers at a meet and greet party at my house. It will be a chance for folks to meet one another before we go, for us to answer questions and reiterate suggestions.  Many in the group have had and continue to have difficulties with new visa requirements and procedures and that will surely be a topic of discussion.  Suggested reading for the event is "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry.  We keep fine tuning our itinerary and will share it on Sunday.  I expect it will be the highlight of the afternoon except, of course, for the food.  And the company.

Come to the Mela!

Grace and Margaret Cook at the Marigold Garland Booth

  Mela is a Hindi word for festival, usually marking a religious event.  Our mela was a "Mission Extravaganza" at the end of September. The Parish Hall of First Presbyterian Church in Smithtown NY was set up like a fair with booths for each mission the congregation supports.  Of course India was well represented, with saris used for draping and three of the booths related to our India Mission.  One of them was educational and two were just for fun and appealed to people of all ages.  The puppet making booth used paper towel rolls, fabric and a paper head to make Indian ladies.  We had plenty of colorful trims, beads and sequins to make each puppet your very own creation.
Our other fun booth used fresh marigold heads to make garlands to wear around the neck.  In India garlands are used to welcome respected guests to an important event.  It was a challenge to find fkresh marigold heads, but of course there is a supplier in upstate New York who sells everything a Hindu Temple would need in the way of floral decor.
The feedback about the event was great, especially from the woman who said her grandchildren rarely remember something for even two hours, but they were still talking about the Mela several days later.  High praise, indeed!