From Brahma to Buddha, Spring 2010

Eliot on a human powered ferris wheel at Chokhi Dhani. Chokhi Dhani is an adaptation of a US theme park, except here they try to recreate the experience of a traditional Rajasthani village (with a few added features of course)

Dancing on stage at Chokhi Dhani

Billy (Haley's brother), Haley, Margie, and Jeremy dine on traditional Rajasthani food

Kai excited for food and Eliot looking sharp

Back in Jaipur, we visited a book binding workshop put on by Ayush Kasliwal. Ayush is an international designer based out of Jaipur who works hard to sustain the arts and knowledge of local craftsmen. Every other Sunday he puts on different craft workshops that bring together two diverse sections of Jaipur society--the children of upper elite and local crafts workers. Here Ayush (center, in red) helps the kids bind their books.

Jeremy works on his own book

We also visited the Anokhi museum, which houses a beautiful history of the art of hand block printing.

The 14 steps of creating a design in one variation of hand block printing. Different prints carry different meanings: one may be worn only by widows, one only by men from a certain village, one only by girls before they are married, etc.

A finished product in the modern style

Eliot watches the blocks being carved

Two finished blocks. Each would be used to print with a different color to complete the whole pattern.

The group takes a turn at the printing process

Margie printing

Our finished designs. Clockwise from top-left: Jeremy, Margie, Haley, and Eliot.

Peter models his finished print

Posted by Kai at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

The other day Margie, Jeremy and I volunteered at a conversational english class at the Tibetan Refugee Center. The lady I was paired with was a young, shy, but confident nun. She giggled nervously as she sat next to me but three minutes into our conversation she was laying her whole life story on me.

When she was 13 years old, she ran away from home and became a nun at a nunnery located in the mountains above Lhasa, Tibet's capital. Sometime in the first three years of her "nunship" the Chinese police came in and divided the 100 nuns into 2 groups of 50. The other group was moved to another place and her group stayed in the nunnery. For 3 months, the Chinese Police tried to force the nuns to read a book about the evilness of the Dalai Lama and the rise of the Chinese government. When the nuns refused, the Chinese police told them they couldn't eat until they read it. The nuns still refused, so for 3 months they would only eat at night secretly while the police were sleeping. Everyday for those 3 months, during the time the nuns would usually use for prayer and meditation, the police would read to them about the 'evilness' of the Dalai Lama. When the police did this, the nuns would keep their heads down and close their ears. The policemen tried to manipulate the nuns by saying that the other group had accepted the book and renounced the Dalai Lama, however this was a lie. At night the policemen would go door to door and try to listen in on the nuns, if they were speaking against the chinese government or talking about the situation in Tibet then they would be put in prison. Finally, after 3 months, the policemen left and the two groups were reunited.

At the age of 16, she decided to escape to India with 2 of her friends who were aged 12 and 11. One night they sneaked out of the nunnery and walked an hour to Lhasa. They did not tell their fellow nuns or their families because they didn't want anyone to try and stop them or be worried about them.

In Lhasa, they found a group of 20 who would be hiking through the Himalayas with a guide. They would hike at night and rest during the day because the Chinese police would be out patrolling during the day. In one village they stopped at, a young Tibetan living there went and told a Chinese Policeman where they were in exchange for some money. The whole group was sent back to Tibet and imprisoned. The guide was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In prison, she was crammed in a small cell with the other women from her group. They all had to sleep next to the overfull toilet and they had headaches and vomited from the heat and smell. They were given a handful of flour to eat for the whole day. After a month in prison, she signed an agreement saying she would never try to escape to India again.

When her and her friends got out, 1 of them went with her to try and find another guide. They finally found one to take them across, this time in a group of 30. In her group, 3 turned back and 1 old man died. During the day they would hide in caves and fall asleep to the sound of a tiger breathing in and out coming from the darkness. Since she was 17, she was older and would take care of the younger kids whose families had enough money to send only them. It took 35 days to reach Nepal. When she reached Nepal, she called her family and told them, they were shocked because they thought she was at the nunnery this whole time.

She has now been living In Dharamsala for 12 years and rarely talks to her family. Soon after she reached India, her sister was released from prison. She was taken as a political prisoner and tortured for 5 years because she was demonstrating against the Chinese government. When she came out of prison she was starved and had broken ribs a long with permanent health issues. Her sister still lives in Lhasa after being released and everywhere she goes she is followed by Chinese spies.

The way this women told me her story so bluntly made me realize that it was just one of hundreds of thousands just like it. Everyone at the refugee center can relate. I have no idea how they can keep going on knowing that they will probably never see their family again nor their country again.

-Haley

Posted by Haley at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The group with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

During our time at Deer Park, we were very lucky to be able to meet with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo. Originally from London, she traveled to India when she was 20 to practice Buddhism and was one of the first westerners to be ordained as a Buddhist nun. After spending over 12 years in retreat, she taught at a variety of Dharma centers in Italy before following the wishes of her Guru H.E. the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche to start a nunnery. We visited her at Dongyu Gatsal Ling, the nunnery near Deer Park which she founded and is currently working on. She is a very accomplished Buddhist practitioner and gives an interesting perspective on Buddhist teachings.

You can read more about Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo and DGL Nunnery here

Posted by Kai at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tashi Delek Tsangma! Hello to everyone!

The group in Dharamsala

After a relaxing and reflective week in Bir at the Deer Park Institute, the students are settling into their new homes and new routines in Dharamsala. Although we are still in India, it is as though we have shifted countries. The culture, language, religion, and climate are all drastically different than what we found in Jaipur. We start each morning with Tibetan language class, followed by a speaker on different aspects of Tibetan culture, history, and the current political situation. In the afternoon, students head off for their various ISPs. Jeremy is taking tabla lessons from an Indian guru, Haley is doing jewelry making with a local jeweler, Eliot is conducting interviews with elder members of the society to capture their stories, and Margie will hopefully be helping teach English in a nunnery. In addition to this, all the students are volunteering at conversational English classes, helping members of the community and newly arrived refugees from Tibet improve their English skills. English is a vehicle not only for communication but also for jobs, and volunteering time to help people improve their English is a great way to give back to this community.

The group seems to be having good collective karma, as we are able to meet with a wide variety of influential and respected members of the community. Yesterday we were given a tour of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and spoke with the Undersecretary of the Parliament and today we met with Tenzin Tsundue, an activist and writer. Tomorrow we head to Tashi Jong Monastery to see Cham (a mask dance). We are hoping that the karma will continue!

The students being picked up by their homestay families:

Haley and her Pala Norbu

Eliot and his Amala Tashi

Margie and her Amala Yangchen

Jeremy and his Amala Palden

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For those of you who haven't seen them yet, Jeremy is a great photographer and has a slue of photos up on his flickr site. Check them out here!

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I heard from Kai and Peter today. They said that the group has arrived safely in Dharamsala and that everyone is doing well. They will have a "council" tonight to debrief their Deer Park experience and discuss the upcoming homestays that begin tomorrow. Their days in Dharamsala will be filled with language learning, ISPs, and fascinating speakers who will discuss with them the history and current situation of Tibet, youth activism, and Tibetan arts and culture. Stay tuned for more.

Here is a little more about where the group will be spending the next three weeks:

From a modest monastery on the side of a hill, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the spiritual and political leader of the world’s Tibetan Buddhists, holds quiet court in the bustling town of McLeod Ganj. In this town perched on a ridge, tucked inside the folds and valleys of the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, prayer wheels spin in the hands of the faithful while novice red-robed monks in-training dart through the streets. Over the last 50 years, Tibetans have transformed this former British hill station into what is now known as “Little Lhasa.” Dharamsala is home to the Central Tibetan Administration, as well as dozens of monasteries and important cultural organizations such as the Tibetan Library of Works and Archives. With a vibrant mix of people—local Himachali, Kashmiri, and Tibetan—conducting sacred daily rituals, bargaining in open markets and shops, and having lively discussions about Buddhist philosophy, McLeod Ganj is an endlessly fascinating town. It is a place where one can gain a deeper understanding of the political dynamics of historical Tibet. It is also where Tibetan traditions of medicine, astrology, law, religion, language, and the arts are preserved and nurtured. In short, McLeod Ganj is one of the epicenters of Tibetans living in exile in India.

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A series of photographs from one of our field trips to the hand made paper factory. These pictures show the process of going from scraps of recycled cotton and paper to finished products.

This is the shredder room where the scrap material is collected from all over India and shipped to the factory

The first step - sorting the raw materials

Sanjeev (Shivani's husband) explains the hand made paper making process next to the pulper

The students watch as the pulp is collected into sheets

Men at the Tank

Sanjeev with the students under drying sheets of paper

A look into the factory

The paper is flattened by a press to make it free from wrinkles

A closer look at the texture of the finished paper

The finished products, ready for sale and export. Many of these products will find their way to stores in the US or Europe.

- Shivani and Kai

Posted by Kai at 1:50 PM | Permalink

Here is a little more information on the Deer Park, the institute where the students are studying Buddhism:

Deer Park Institute is a centre for study of classical Indian wisdom traditions. Established in March 2006 on the campus of a former Buddhist institute, it is a project under Siddhartha's Intent Society. In September 2006, the society was highly honored to receive the patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who deeply appreciates the vision and the small steps already taken.

The core vision of the Institute is to re-create the spirit of Nalanda, a great university of ancient India in which all traditions of Buddhism were studied and practiced, alongside other schools of classical Indian philosophy, arts and sciences.

To learn more, please visit their website: http://deerpark.in

Posted by Deborah at 7:15 PM | Permalink

I just spoke with Kai and received an update that the group is doing well and in the mists of their Introduction to Buddhism Retreat. After spending time in Jaipur and Delhi, they are enjoying being out of a city! They are now in a large Tibetan community, sheltered by Himalayan mountains and surrounded by tea gardens. Kai said the scenery is beautiful and they are able to take daily walks and stay active.

For five days they are studying meditation and Buddhist principles and philosophy, visiting nearby Monasteries, and participating in community service using Buddhist principle. They had a silent morning the other day and the last two days of the retreat will also be in silence.

Here is an example of their daily schedule:

6:30am - 7:30am: Daily Meditation
7:30am - 8:30am: Breakfast
9:00am - 12:00pm: Teachings on Buddhist Principles and Philosophy
1200pm - 1:00pm: Lunch
1:00pm - 2:00pm: Free time
2:00pm - 3:00pm: Dharma talk and discussion
3.30pm - 5:30pm: Volunteering work
6:00pm - 7:30pm: Dinner
7:30pm - 8:00pm: Meditation

This experience will definitely prepare them for their upcoming Dharamsala homestays with Tibetan families!

Posted by Deborah at 1:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We left Jaipur Friday morning following a sad farewell to our host families. After a long bus ride we arrived back in Delhi with enough time to visit the Indian Parliament Building where Congress is held and the India Gate.

Saturday morning we traveled to the Bahai House of Worship, beautifully crafted in the shape of a lotus flower. The Bahai Faith is a religion based upon the belief in one God and the teachings of the three central figures of the Bahai Faith, the Bab, Bahaullah and Abdul Baha. The building is staffed by Bahai volunteers from all over the world, each with a unique story to tell.

Saturday afternoon was spent at the Mahatma Gandhi museum. The museum is built on the land where he was assassinated, and cement footprints mark his last steps through the garden. Visitors poured into the museum from all over India.

For dinner we headed to a Tibetan community in Dehli. We were able to visit a Buddhist temple and were introduced to Tibetan food. The neighborhood was cramped but lively, and maroon clad Buddhist monks intermingled with the crowd.

The way home found us racing on crickety rickshaws and pushing into a crowded Metro train to find our way back to the hotel. Dehli is exhausting and exhilarating at the same time.

Early tomorrow morning we are leaving for a five day meditation retreat at Deerpark Institute. The retreat should be amazing, and it will be a relief to be up in the mountains away from the heat.

-Margie

Posted by Deborah at 4:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

After almost three weeks of living in Jaipur, the group finished their Hindi classes, made their ISP presentations, said goodbye to their homestay families, and has left the Pink City. They have arrived safely in Delhi where they will take in some sights, repack their bags, and rest up before heading off to their upcoming Introduction to Buddhism Retreat.

Posted by Deborah at 4:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The morning before Holi the group was very excited for the Old City Heritage Walk which was a new element in this semester's program. Digging deeper into the city, Jaipur has a lot to offer besides the usual forts and palaces. Vineet Sharma, a banker with a passion for Jaipur's History, Arts, Crafts, and Architecture, was our guide for the walk.

We head to explore the Old City in the early morning, one of the few times you will find its streets empty

Here Vineet explains the architecture and planning of the buildings and roads

We stop in the house of a metal crafts man, busy with his work. These artisans create both utility products and artifacts, much of which is exported to the West.

The story continues outside of an old haveli (mansion)

Jain cosmology is depicted on one of the walls of the Jain temple

We meet fellow inhabitants in the narrow lanes of the old city

Stopping for a chai (tea) break in one of the smallest but best chai stalls in Jaipur

In the midst of the narrow lanes comes these surprises - an historic and ornately decorated haveli gate

The student's expression at the end of the walk

- Shivani and Kai

Posted by Kai at 5:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Hey all
This past week has been loads of fun. On Friday we went to another bollywood movie called 3 idiots. Although in Hindi it was a fantastic movie about the pressures of college. There was this one character who was trying to make everyone see how life is much bigger than just college. It was filled with musical interludes and funny characters. On Saturday we went to a mall here in Jaipur and saw the modern, hip clothing that Indians would buy. It was pretty similar to walking through a mall in the US but it was interesting to think about the culture India is becoming. We had some McDonalds but course here there was no beef. Straight veggie pattys. That night we took a group outing to a local fair that shows off the traditional Rajasthan heritage. We had loads of fun watching a magician and riding a manual Ferris wheel. The food was also delish. In India there are many different states not unlike the US. However each state has its own unique culture and traditions. Foods dress and celebrations can differ from state to state. Today will be our last day of ISPs and then on Thursday we move on.

-Eliot

Posted by Eliot at 4:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

On March 1st we all partook in the festival Holi. In the morning, Margie and I were awoken by our mother at 8 AM. She said "come" and we followed her into the kitchen where she gave us a bowl full of Almonds to peel. When we were finished we went back to our room to get some sleep, but our mother, aunt, cousins and brothers followed us. Our aunt proceeded to rub lines of red dye on our foreheads and then stick rice on them. Our mother tied yellow and red strings around our wrists, and the kids ran around with our toilet paper claiming it to be our diapers. Our mother then again told us to "come" and we followed her to her mother-in-law, where we had to bend down, touch her feet, and then our foreheads. After this awkward exchange, we followed our mother outside where all the neighbors were waiting for us with bags of dye to throw at our clothes and rub on our faces. Then all the kids of the house soaked us with squirt guns full of dye. The day was full of sweets and bright colors.

Our homestay has been full of fun times and awkward cultural faux pas. My mother Sangeeta (before Margie moved in with me) dressed me up in a Sari a few times. I have two little brothers who are 9 and 4 that are obsessed with running into my room and asking what every single thing I own is and how to say it in english. Yesterday, I took my little brother and cousins to the park and I realized how much I really love India. I have become quite familiar with the squat toilet and other indian things like touching feet and wearing bindis. We will definitely be sad to say goodbye to our homestay family and Jaipur.

-Haley

Posted by Haley at 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Namaste everyone,

After a hectic week 1, we have settled into our Jaipur routine. Every day begins with Hindi class, followed by a speaker centered on topics such as Religion, Culture, and the Arts. After the speaker we head out on a field trip to a related area of the city: Hindu and Jain temples, the City Palace, Amer fort, a hand made paper factory, the Ayurvedic Institute, and many others.

The afternoon is dedicated to Independent Study Projects. Jeremy, Haley, Margie, and Jack are all doing Yoga with our local coordinator Shivani Ji, and Eliot is conducting interviews with a variety of Jaipur's citizens through the help of a teacher and former body builder Babu Bhai.

Holi was fun and colorful. The whole group got into it. Here are a few photos from the day:

Team Ganesh

Jack

Margie

Haley

Jeremy

Eliot

Shivani Ji

Sanjeev Ji and Justin - a former Global LAB leader

Peter La

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