Incredible India! Beautiful, Infuriating, Amazing, Heartbreaking, Marvelous India ... Land of Contrasts. The journey in pictures.
Our locations in India, courtesy of Google Earth:
Going halfway around the world takes a while. December 27, 2006 was the official start date, but due to the quirk of the earth's rotation around the sun, we actually don't arrive in Bangalore until Dec. 29, two days later. Because we were coming from 3 different cities, we met up in London at Heathrow, and continued on to Bangalore from there. Luckily we were on British Airways, which at least provides some video-entertainment. Otherwise I believe I might have eaten my foot.
Upon arrival in Bangalore at some un-Godly early hour, we're of course excitedly greeted by Nag's family. Blearily, we hop in the bus/van (seats 10!) Nag's father, Prof. Shivanna, rented for our time in Southern India, and make our way up to Tumkur.
Since it was the morning, despite the fact that we hadn't really slept, our first stop is the Mama's houses in Tumkur, (next to each other), for coffee and breakfast. At this first of many, many, many homemade and spectacular meals in Manju-mama's house, we stuff ourselves with iddlies, while Prof. Shivanna and Nag's grandfather look on, and Raju-mama (Nag's uncle) catches up with Vilan...
We head up to Nag's family's beautiful organic, self-sufficient farm to start dealing with the jet-lag. Welcome to Odekar Farms!
At the farm, a villager does mysterious things with rice on the porch. And that right there is the Indian "squat". Everyone there can do this. It's harder than it looks.
Pictures of Photos. Nag and his Apu-gi Prof. Shivanna lead the way on a tour through Odekar Farms.
Allen partakes of delicious "star-fruit", right off the tree.
Coconuts are a major feature on the farm, as well as S. India in general.
Every single part of the coconut tree is used. Here the husks dry out, they are used as fuel for hot water.
Tiny baby mangos!
the farm has some strange and unusual plants...
...and the areca nut trees are insanely tall
At Muthi-chicapa's house, Melissa poses with Bump.
Muthi-chicapa lives on and runs the farm with his family. One of his many projects in the community is teaching local farmers safe and productive farming techniques. They've built a school for this!
Nag remembers his written Kanada.
Not a dent in my jet-lag yet.
Unsurprisingly, we sleep. The next morning, we head back down to Bangalore for sightseeing. Tumkur is on the way, so of course, we stop at Raju-mama's for more coffee. These gracious meals and refreshments are part of the deal, you'll find. Like jealous suitors, our presence at houses for visits is constantly argued.
While we drank more coffee, Raju-mama showed off his really cool electric scooter. I took a test-drive up the driveway.
Bangalore. Or, as they officially changed the name two months ago: Bangaluru. Imagine a city infrastructure built for 500,000, but with a population of 7 million. There are people, EVERYWHERE. This beautiful lady rests her burden on the highway median.
The scene on a typical Bangalore intersection. This is M.G. Road actually. You-know-who is "M.G.", of course...
At night, Bangalore is party central. Honking horns, cars, scooters, bikes, lights, waves of people. Vilan and Somu (Nag's fantastic cousin) are blurry from the insanity.
Melissa pretty much sums it up.
The next morning, back at the farm, we explored some more.
Here's the self-sufficient hot water system - throw in some dried coconut husks and you've got yourself a bunch of hot showers!
Really, everything is pretty there. Even the doorsteps.
Mmm, peppers!
Muthi-chicapa shows off these bizarre long gourd-type things. (Beats me.)
They may be exotic, but they're perfect for sword-fighting. Lissa and Vilan duel with vegetables...
India has been plagued with an awful, awful drought. This used to be a lake. If you haven't seen Al Gore's movie yet, folks, please, go... It's getting ridiculous.
Lissa gets some herbology from Muthi-chicapa. You can't spit without hitting a botanist in Nag's family.
Muthi's adorable teenage son, (and Nag's cousin) Anil pulls down some fruit for show and tell...
...and Nag makes a friend.
One of the delicacies of the farm, and South India in general, are the bananas. The tiny, tiny, yummy bananas. They are so sweet and delicious, you can't even imagine. It's like you haven't had a banana before until you've had these.
Mmmm, bananas.
It's New Year's Eve! And the family is getting ready to party at the Farm. While preparations are happening, the beautiful farm dogs, Romey and Julie, hang out with Nag's little cousin Apoorva. At night you could hear Romey and Julie patrolling the farm, with gusto.
It's party time! And New Year's starts with a bonfire, and a fantastic performance of Karnateka-dance by village children. These kids were AMAZING. They practice every day to learn these dances. The choreography is beyond complicated.
Check it out for yourself:
Nag's awesome mother, Pramila, joined in the fun, too
These gentlemen were their teachers. I love their hand-cymbals.
They were just way too cute.
When they finished, they all got prizes from Muthi-chicapa - blank notebooks to write in!
Coconut husks burn nicely
Apoorva has been taking Indian classical dance lessons ... later on in the evening, she gave us a performance!
She was awesome!
Dinner for everyone! There were a lot of people to feed. But still there was food left over.
Party! Pramila and Nag's beautiful hipster cousin Sweetha get down while the Mami's look on...
Kenny and Francy are always first to join in.
Cousin Durshan shows us his Bollywood moves...
