Virag: The school of Angels

During the volunteer placement at Prakalpa, one of the first things to do was a handout on an educational complex in a remote part of Keonjhar. We visited the school with Kusum last week. The roads were bumpy, suitable only for a 4 wheeler, but as we went deeper and deeper in the country, even that one was vanishing. Kusum said that they have chosen this spot to be as close to the Juanga villages as possible. Juanga is a small tribe that populates the south of Keonjhar district of Orissa, probably the most disadvantaged in the region.

The pupils in the school are all Juanga girls, receiving primary education in a residential school. They learn how to read, count and write in three languages. You could ask: why do they need this in the mountains? The tribals indians territories' are shrinking, they are poor and they depend more and more on interactions with the outside world. As easily we get lost in their jungles, they can also get lost in our 'civilised' world. Government officials come with complicated forms and procedures to 'help' them; dodgy businessmen come and offer them prosperous work in other states that usually ends in exploitation and misery. The Constitution of India and several rules are established to safeguard them, but they don't know anything about rights. Tribals need to learn about the outer world to be able to protect themselves.

After arrival, Kusum Joseph and I were welcomed by the teachers and we walked into the quiet school building. When we entered the first room, suprisingly we have found about thirty girls of the age 5-6, sitting orderly on the floor, with open books in front of them. Thirty little angels in blue uniforms in complete silence. It was magical, I have never experienced so much innocence before. The second room held another thirty little bit older pupils. The girls looked at us shyly, we must have been a very unusal sight for them. They hardly ever left their villages before. We have sta down and Kusum as a good teacher started to speak to them. Ten minutes later they started to respond to questions and we could see the first shy smiles.

We had to get on with our project of making a couple of hundreds of New Year greeting cards for Prakalpa with their help. After a couple of hours work while the paintings were drying under the sun, the girls went out to play football. Kusum explained that they were asked at the begining of the semester what toys would they like, and instead of dolls they went for a football. Joseph joined in to the bare foot game. That was the first time we saw them relaxed, moving about freely. What is this quietness in them? Is it because the girls are always the last when there is trenching poverty? Or is it a sign of gratefulness for the safety and security of the school that Prakalpa and God gave to them? Girls of their age in rural India would normally be out of education, with the responsibility of looking after their younger siblings and work from dusk till dawn for their daily meal? Could this humbleness be the opposite of the restlessness you see more and more in western kids: a never ending crave for the new and the dangerous and the protest against the adult world? We accept this behaviour as normal of their age, no? Seeing kids at the age of 5-10 being so humble and quiet has deeply touched me and made me wonder.

After sunset we all sat in one room, seventy pair of shy and curious eyes looked out at us from the shelter of their blankets. We listened to their songs in the shady light of the kerozine lamp and I felt God was present. Many call the Juanga primitive and simple. The only words that come to me after that day are innocent and pure. That was my visit to the school of Angels.

Virag: Marry Christmas

I woke up on the morning of the 24th thinking that this is the first time in my life, when I am not pressured to celebrate Christmas. I thought it is an interesting situation, lets find out what do I actually feel about it.

You would think that in India, where less than three percent of the population is Christian Christmas passes without notice. But as Kusum our host said, India understands secularity differently: they celebrate the festivals of every religions of India. So, when we arrived to the Prakalpa office in the morning, a Christmas card and a present waited for us. And a small Christmas tree. This was really sweet and put me right into Christmas mood for a couple of minutes, but the rest fo the day went normal. We had guests for dinner, so we made our effort to cook some Hungarian cum India meal ( I must say Indians are very peculiar about their food...my God, they want to put masala in everything!) and we received a real India 'Marry Christmas' cake. It was fun, and very very assertive of them to celebrate with us. We also lit candles and called the family: after two months heard their voice for the first time. It was a lovely day and evening with lots of love and caring, but I kept thinking: what is it that is important to me about Christmas? You can and should do this thorghout the year and not just Christmas. Is there anything beyond that at all?

We tend to forget during the feasts and shopping spree that it is Jesus who we celebrate. He is very important for me ever since I have seen and read things about him that were condemned by the Catholic church. The latest was from Sri Yogananda Pramahansa who refers to Christ as one of the greatest avatars, God incarnations and says that the great masters of India mould their lives by the same idea that animated Jesus the 'Yogi Christ'. So how should I celebrate him how could I reach him on his birthday? Through the thick veil of consumerism, fake filantropy and without the blessing of the Catholic church?

Yogananda says in his Autobiography that the outward manifestation of the omnipresent Christ consciusness is 'Aum' the Word, or the Holy Ghost: the invisible divine power, the only doer, the sole causative and activating force that upholds all creation through vibration. Aum the blissful comforter is heard in meditation and reveals to the devotee the ultimate Truth.

"The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you." (John 14:26, Holy Bible)

Boldog Karacsonyt!

Sziasztok,

Na azert mar nincs az a depi ami a multkor volt, most mar Orissaban vagyunk, nagy a nyugi meg a csend, van sajat konyhank, nagyszeruek a vendeglatoink es tavakban lehet uszni.

Dolgozni meg sokat nem dolgoztunk, de mar voltunk egy torzs falujaban meg egy iskolaban ahova az indian kolkok jarnak.

Mindjart megyek piacra a karacsonyi vacsorahoz valoert, es beszereztuk egy 20 centis muanyag fat is, ugyhogy pont olyan lesz mint otthon.

Na, szoval boldogat oda is,

es jo etvagyat.

csok

J es V

Kicsit elfaradtunk

52 napja uton. Eddig 12 helyen alltunk meg, negy ejszakat es egy nappalt vonatoztunk at, ket ejszakat es ket napot toltottunk buszon. Atlagban negy-ot napot toltottunk egy helyen. Eleinte azert, mert hajtott minket tovabbb a kivancsisag, aztan meg azert hogy idoben elerjunk Orissaba ahol most vagyunk. Mire kezdtuk magunkat valahol kiismerni, mar alltunk is tovabb.

Nehany hete felvaltva de mindig rajtunk van valami nyavaja: kiutesek, kohoges, hasmenes, laz. Az indiai varosi levego faszan kicsinalja a legutakat nehany het alatt, a kajaval meg nagyon kell vigyazni a higienia miatt...En mar csak fott krumplit es piritost eszek citromos teaval, es hozza hatmillio gyogyszert, hogy bennem maradjon. Elegunk van az ettermi kajabol, fozni es mosni akarunk de a vengedhazakban nem lehet, es egyre jobban hianyzik a Malna is. Elfaradtunk.

Most vegre megerkeztunk Orissaba, India keleti partjaihoz. A tengeri levego a szeles horizont, a viz, a helyiek nyugalma es a szel nagyon jo a tudonknek es a lelkunknek. Eldontottuk: innen nem mozdulunk, amig rendbe nem jovunk.

Photos: Jo is everywhere part 2

with Jill and Jack the guards of the Taj Mahal

Dosa in Varanasi

Sri Jocibindo Gosh

Bumped into SM in Kolkata, he insisted on a joint photo

Photos: Jo is everywhere part 1

Udaipur

Pushkar

Sunset Point, Mount Abu

with Frootie in Pushkar

Indian dogs

They are everywhere, born into the smelly, crowded, chaotic streets of India. They belong to nobody but themselves.

The condition of street dogs tells you a lot about the place and the people who live there. In some cities dogs are healthy, well fed and looked after. Other places they are full of skin disease, malnourished and scared away. They are not holy animals, so it is down to the mercy and compassion of the individual how to treat them.

We have four legged friends everywhere we go. They welcome us, ask for help if they need, otherwise just spend some time with us and go. Humble survivors. We admire their freedom and their strength with which they live their life as 'out castes' and contribute to the colorful Indian society.

Varanasi, Puja

Ez egy gangeszparti szertartas volt, pont olyan mint amikor a frigyladat kinyitjak, es mindenki eleg.

Joci, Pushkar

Virag: Mount Abu

Harom napot toltottunk itt 1500 eter magasan. Sokat setaltunk, mert a hegy egy nemzeti park kozepen van. Joc nagy oromere lattunk krokodilokat is nehany meterrol ahogy sutkereztek a kovon.
Mount Abu egy indiai turista es jainista zarandok hely, csodalatos marvanytemplomokkal es egy tavacskaval a kozepen. Foleg azert jottunk, hogy en ellatogassak a Brahma Kumaris Spiritualis Egyetemre (www.bkswu.com). Londonban ismerkedtem meg evvel a szervezettel: amikor munkanelkuli lettem, tokre magam alatt voltam es meditalni akartam, a kezembe nyomtak egy szorolapot, hogy ok ingyen tartanak tanfolyamot. Mount Abu az egyetem kozpontja es szarmazasi helye, tobb ezer embert elszallasolo komplexum, hatalmas konferencia termekkel.
Meditaltam egy kicsit, felideztem egy csomo mindent amit efelejtettem, ellatogattam az alapito Brahma otthonaba es elgondolkodtam azon hogy ki kene probalnom a szerzetesi eletet. Azt is megtudtam, hogy a vilagora 2013-ban er korbe, tehat kabe ot evunk van meg a vaskorbol mire az aranykor ujra elkezdodik. Joc ekozben kiolvasta immar a harmadik konyvet es betegre zabalta magat fagyi shake-el amitol estenkent orult fingas gyotorte. Szoval harom nap utan mindketten ugy ereztuk, hogy itt az ido tovabb allni, hogy meg elerjuk a novemberi teliholdat es a pushkari tevefesztival veget.

Virag:Varanasi

December elsejen erkeztunk meg. A varos, regi neven Benares a hinduk egyik legszentebb varosa. Evekkel ezelott lattam egy filmet ahol hosszu es magas lepcsokon indiaiak furodtek a Gangeszben. Azota vagytam erre a varazslatos helyre. Volt aki azt meselte, hogy a varost atlengi az egett emberhus szag es a jogik a folyoparton emberkoponyabol szivjak a hasist. Masok azt mondtak, hogy nagy itt nagyon kiepult a turista ipar. Azt is hallottuk, hogy nagy a tumultus mert naponta hatvanezer ember furdik meg a folyoban, pedig az olyan szennyezett hogy a megengedettnel 500szor tobb benne a fekalis korokozo.

Az elmulas es a bomlas aspektusa egyertelmuen jelen van: az allatok az utcan bar joltaplaltak, sok kinzo betegsegben szenvednek. Az utcan es a folyoban rothado szemet es foszladozo ember es allat tetemek is elofordulnak. Rajtunk is felvaltva ul valami nyavaja, de a testi bajaink ellenere a lelkunk nagyon jol van. Naponta tobbszor elhalad melletted egy gyaszmenet a feldiszitett halottal a vallukon amivel a hullaegeto gatra igyekeznek. Itt 24 oraban a nyilvanossag elott egetik a testeket hatalmas magjakon, egyiket a masik utan. A hullaegeto gatak latvanya es hangulata egyszerre barbar es szent, vulgaris es szakralis.

Arrol senki nem meselt, hogy az ovaros fantasztikus sikatorok, ablak meretu boltocskak labirintusa; hogy minden sarkon egy apro templom vagy kapolna van, amiben a hivok enekelnek es a varosban az istenmtisztelet folyamatosan jelen van. A hinduizmus nagyon sok reteget meg lehet itt tapasztalni, ismerni: a sadhuk (szent emberek) a folyoparton ulnek es beszelgetnek veled, a ceremoniakban reszt vehetsz, aldozhatsz a folyonak, vasarolhatsz kis es nagy szent kepeket, malat es viragokat. A folyopart a sok ember ellenere bekes es a lassan csordogalo Gangeszbol csodalatos nyugalom arad. A folyot egyszeruen shaktikent, vagyis az isteni noi energiakent tisztelik a hinduk. Ha a folyoparton setalsz a nap barmely szakaban es befele figyelsz, erzed a gerincedet alulrol felfele atjaro vibralast, a finom energiaesot ami megtolt bekevel, elettel es meggyogyitja minden bajodat. Bar nem nyulsz a vizhez mert tudod hogy toxikus igen nehez elhinni, hogy ez a folyo artani tudna az embernek, es azt is latod, hogy indiaiak szazai, kicsik, nagyok, oregek, fiatalok dacolva a kemiai adatokkal nap mint nap megmartoznak benne. Csoda-e ez, vagy a valosag ket kulonbozo szintje?

Fotok: Udaipur royal city

Udaipur is a royal town in Rajasthan, a little jewel on the crown of the maharaja. Pichola lake and the extremely laid back and friendly residents make it wonderful fresh breeze and calming experience. We enjoyed 4 days there, recovering from the big cities of Ahmedabad and Mumbai. We know that the photos are like postcards, and they are damn cheesy...but this is how this place looks like for real.



Udaipur egy kiralyi varos Rajasthanban, apro ekszer a maharadzsa koronajan. A Pichola to es a hihetetlenul kedves es nyugodt lakok kellemes es pihenteto helye varazsoljak. Negy napot toltottunk itt, hogy kiheverjuk Ahmedabad es Mumbai nagyvarosi sokjat. Tudjuk a kepek roppant giccsesek, de ha hiszitek ha nem, ez a hely igy nez ki a valosagban.

Fotok: elefantfurdo/elefant wash

In Hampi, a female elephant lives in the Virupaksha temple. Lakshmi is 28 years old, adorned by the locals and she has been living in the temple throughout her life. When she comes out of the temple for a walk the air fills with love around her and the people approach her with fruits, asking for blessing. Every morning at around 7:30 she is taken to the river to have a wash. The ghats are busy at that time, people are having their morning bath and wash their clothes. Lakshmi is driven down to the river to occupy her usual place amongst the people. The process takes about an hour hard brushing from three men and a lot of patience from the nearly 300 kg animal. When its over, she is decorated again by her keeper.

Hampiban el egy nosteny elefant a Virupaksha templom melyen. Lakshmi 28 eves, es egesz eleteben a templomban elt. A helyiek imadjak: ha megjelenik a levego megtelik szeretettel, es az emberek rohannak hogy gyumolcsot adjanak neki es az aldasat kerjek.
Minden reggel fel nyolc korul leviszik furdeni a folyohoz. Abban az idoben a folyo lepcsoit megtoltik a furdozo es ruhat moso emberek. Lakshmit levezetik a lepcsokon hogy elfoglalja szokasos helyet a tomegben. A folyamat kozel egy oran at tart, harom ember sikalja a boret amig az elefant az oldalan fekszik turelmesen. Ha veget er, a gondozoja ujra feldisziti.

Virag: Goai elmenyek

Hat mit is mondjak... tizenket ora vonatozas a rekkeno hosegben, majd meg ket ora busz a goai helyijaraton..egy elmeny volt meg kell hagyni, de mar teljesen keszen voltunk mire megerkeztunk Arambolra, Goa allam eszaki csucskebe. Ez a hely maga a paradicsom. A tengerpart homokos, a tenger hus, a szel fuj, a parton kutyak es tehenek tarsasagaban napozol.

Az indiaiak vendegszeretoek, ot percenkent odajonnek es megkerdezik,hogy kersz-e gyumolcsot, jegkremet, uditot. Erdekes, ahogy itt Goan az indiai nyitottsag es kozvetlenseg osszekeveredik a kalmarszellemmel. A tengerparton le-fol koslato arus asszonyok es lanyok leulnek melled, hogy beszelgessenek, aztan eloveszik a portekajukat es erzelmi zsarolas illetve meccsezes segitsegevel kikenyszeritik, hogy vegyel toluk egy salat vagy bokalancot. Masok modszere, hogy odajonnek, bemutatkoznak, kezet fognak veled es megigertetik, hogy vasarolni fogsz toluk. Aztan tiz perc mulva megjelennek a cuccaikkal es hivatkoznak az igeretre. Joc olyan pipa volt mar a masodik nap, hogy ha rakoszontek avval valaszolt: "nem veszunk semmit". Az egesz jatek nagy turelemre es megertesre tanit.

Istenieket eszunk es motorozunk itt. Lehet robogot berelni es szaguldizni, kerulgetni a teheneket es orulten dudalni a kanyargos utakon.

Minden utca egy bazarsor, kiloszamra aruljak a jol ismert indiai cuccokat. Napkozben az ember sziesztazik valami tengerparti kavezoban, szurcsoli a gyumolcsos joghurtitalt es hallgatja a goat. Vettunk Bagamont, most azt tanulom.

Joc mindig azt mondja, hogy ezt az egesz helyet a Demeter Gyurinak talaltak ki, es nagy huje ha nem jon el ide villamgyorsan.

Virag: What is happening with Shantaram?

Diwali is a great big Hindu celebration of new year. The first day of the festival found us in Mumbai. We checked out of the hotel, and I had to go to pick up my new pair of glasses from Kalbadevi road. (You can get a pair of glasses made with eye test for about 30-40 pounds).
Jo get the taxi for me, and waited in Leopolds Cafe.

We know Leopolds from the book I am reading, called Shantaram. I received it as a present from friends before I left for India. The book is a fascinating story of an Australian fugitive who lived in Bombay for eigth years during the 80's. The main character had met his friends and strated his life in the city in Leopold's.

I got back happy with my new glasses, and we were about to leave the place when an extravagant man walked in. Tall, fit body, strong features, long blond hair. He looked like some kind of a celebrity from the 80's. We made some jokes, that he looked like a wrestler from WWF. But I suddenly thought... Maybe he is Shantaram, Gregory David Roberts the author of my book? And he was! Those who have read the book will know why I got so excited. I have been reading the nearly 1000 pages book and told every story to Jo, including lots of hints about India and the Indian people. When you travel, you can experience how difficult it is to get real close to their culture and break this tourist-Indian wall. Shantaram had managed to do that so we can learn a lot from him.

Because I kept telling all the stories to him, Jo was very interested about him, and said we should find out from the Internet what is happening now with Shantaram. I approached the long table where he sat with friends and asked him to sign my book and tell me how his life is going now. Despite his celebrity look, Linbaba is a natural, honest man, who has no allures at all. He gave me the impression of a happy person, who after all those crazy things that happened to him finally found the way home.

My Diwali present was to met the real Shantaram and to learn that he is safe and happy and really the Son of God. All respect to him.

Elephanta Island

We have visited Elephanta island, 9 kms from Bombai, an hour journey on a small boat. There is a spectacular view of Bombay's coastline from the boat. A never ending panorama of high rise buildings in the mist which would make New York look like a small place. We were so lucky, we could catch the the sunset against this backdrop. The Island is beautiful, only a few people live on it together with a lot of monkeys and dogs all specialised on tourists. People sell, dogs beg and monkeys steal.

The caves were pretty impressive, especially the three faced Shiva sculpture. it was all grey and badly lit, so itlooke dlike as it was just a picture your mind created out of the shadows on the wall of the cave.

By the time we got back it was after dusk and Bombay was lively again. You have to realise that the traffic you have seen during the day was nothing! The energy is bursting the traders keep calling you, the cars keep horning...it is actually unbearable after 15-20 minutes.

We hardly ate anything for the last two days since we landed. During the journey here, we couldn't wait to get the next meal but since we got here we have been craving for liquid and hardly had a proper meal. We forced outselves to have a dinner, and ate the normal portion, but felt soo full!!!I don't know where you get your energy but food is not the primary source here.

Virag

Bombay, elso nap

Azt hittem szornyen fog erinteni a szegeny emberek es a kobor kutyak latvanya, de azt kell mondjam a hely legerdekesebb jelensegei koze tartoznak. Bombay zsufolt, szennyezett, hangos es kibirhatatlan lenne ha nem elnenek az utcain emberek, tehenek, kutyak. Az emberek szorgosak, nagyon kemenyen dolgoznak a betevoert, megis van turelmuk a turistakra meg lathatolag egymasra is. A nap egyik legszebb pillanat avolt, amikor leultunk egy vizesember kocsija melle pihenni, es odabattyogott egy tehen. Lathatolag szomjas volt mert az edenyeket szagolgatta. Harom ember ott termett, vizet mertek egy vodorbe es megitattak. Pedig ok abbol a vizbol es annak bevetelebol elnek. Sokan vannak akik nincstelenek, a jardaszelen felvert satrakban alszanak. Lattam egy ket szomoru arcot. De sokkal tobb volt a szeretet a baratsag az oszinte mosoly.

Lejartuk a labunkat, nagyon elfaradtunk. Joc mar alszik pedig csak kilenc ora van. Engem beszivott a hely, gondolkodni keptelen vagyok, csodalatos es brutalisan kemeny. Ismeros es nagyon idegen. Ma ketszer is lattam ezt a kerdest a busz oldalan: " What are you searching for?"

Virag

Kepek Karnatakabol

ezek a kepek Hampiban es kornyeken keszultek.

Tehenmosoda Hospetben.

Washing the water buffalos in Hospet.

Hampi viztarozo, allitolag krokodilok is elnek benne. Hampi reservoir, apparrently crocodiles live in it.
A Hampi vizeses mellett.

At the waterfalls in Hampi.

Little girl waiting for the ferry.

Kislany a kompra varva.

A Hampi vizeses mellett.

At the waterfalls in Hampi.

Piheno a delutani napban.

Nap in the afternoon sun.

Lunch at the Hampi festival. Jo's favorite truck.
Ebed a Hampi fesztivalon. Joci kedvenc kamionja.