Getting ready to head to Jaipur this
Saturday. Tomorrow I’ll go take out some more money, get a train ticket at the
station (going through an agent costs more), and try and see the new
Christopher Nolan movie Interstellar
at a theatre in Connaught Place. It will be my first time at an actual
movie-theatre in India! There are small movie-houses in Dharamsala which are
basically rooms with a big screen where DVDs and pirated films are shown.
Should be interesting! I’m so excited for the film s I have great interest in
astronomy and astrophysics in general, and extra-solar planets in particular. I
just read an article that said that the astrophysicist that helped with the
film will be producing papers based on what he learnt from the data being
converted into the CGI effects, such as the effects on photons at black hole
event horizons. I suppose some insights were gleaned as with galactic collision
simulations on super-computers. Not just
a movie but a thought experiment based on sound science.
On Saturday I headed to the Ramakrishna
Mission down from Anoop Hotel to meet my first interview subject. He didn’t
require being anonymous so I can discuss our encounter with some detail. Sunil,
in his 60s it seemed, was waiting for me in the office where I met the Maharaja
Swami the day before. We went downstairs to find a quiet place and he went to
get keys for an office that wasn’t being used at the time. During the
questionnaire, Sunil was so expressive that it took a couple of hours and for
almost every question he gave a lengthy commentary, which was just fine for
me…the more the better! Sunil, as the Maharaja had mentioned, loved to talk and
is very intelligent. His answers were rich with experience and philosophical
detail. After a couple of hours we were almost done the questionnaire, which
should have taken an hour, and he suggested we go see the Maharaja and then go
for prashad…which I thought meant
getting the blessed goodies from the Maharaja but actually meant lunch. I
resisted because we were so close to being done but he said we’d miss it…so we
went to see the Maharaja, who asked how it was going and I told him it was
great and thanked him again. Then we went to the dining area. People were
coming in steadily and were very quiet and reserved, and I did the same. After
some prayers, we started being served…dhal, rice, curd. I thought that would be
it, which would have been quite fine, but then came the sabji (veggies), then a paneer
dish (cheese), and after 3 types of sweets. The servers were all smiles and
kept joking as they wouldn’t let me refuse anything, so by the end I was
stuffed entirely. There were several swamis there, including a very high swami
in for a visit who kept having people coming to touch his feet, including a
non-Indian older novice. After ending with prayers, we left and Sunil and I
returned to the room. I was sleepy after such a huge meal! Sunil was a force
and kept talking for another couple of hours, so much so that his voice was
hoarse! I asked him several times if he wanted to stop and he kept saying we
can go for as long as I liked and he had nothing else to do! It was an
excellent interview with loads of information. Off to a great start!
On Sunday I headed out to the
inaugural lecture series of the International School for Jain Studies ISJS. I
took the Metro to the closest station to the Jain temple and walked through an
area called the Defense Colony. Very quiet, beautiful homes, and even parks! I
found a map of the area and then a market that seemed very familiar…I went into
a shop to try and make some photocopies of my research info page and consent
forms and was in a pet store…definitely was in this same store during the
research trip in 2010. It must be because we attended something nearby at that
time. I was able to find a place to make photocopies and had some time to get a
coffee and a snack. I mused that the bag Alex gave me and which I
affectionately call my “ethnography bag” has a hummingbird on it and that, like
the hummingbird, and ethnographer tries to extract the nectar of information
and experience and doesn’t harm the subject. Remember this because it will come
up again later!
I walked around trying to find the compound and returned to the
map to take a picture to help me find my way. I decided that from now on I will
take screen-shots of directions whenever I head somewhere. This helped a lot
and I soon found the compound,
and after entering almost instantly saw Dr.
Shugan Jain talking to some people and making some payments (for drivers, and
refreshments) as he usually does. We met warmly and he invited me inside the
lecture hall to chat. Inside was a huge and long room with couches covered in
white sheets, an enormous picture of the founder Acharya Sushil Muni,
and along
the perimeter of the room were pics of the muni with various world religious
and political leaders, such as the head of BAPS and His Holiness the 17th
Karmapa. There was a low but big stage and microphones and a screen were set up
for the event. Shugan told me he spreads my article on Jain fasting to death (sallekhana) widely and that it is
important because I have experience with patients and know how they feel. His
assistant Sushil chimed in and said that the article was also published in an
ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) magazine as well, and
I just found out that it was also published in a book this year (Social Consciousness in Jainism, Jain, Shugan C. and Prakash C Jain (Eds.). New
Delhi: International School for Jain Studies & New Bharatiya Book Corp.,
2014).
He had to go do some
organizing so I went inside the main shrine, which was a huge sand-stone
building with a spire.
What was fascinating was that around its outside were
many panels featuring different trees.
Inside there were the 24 Tirthankaras
(Jain founders) surrounding the perimeter, which were beautiful.
Also central images with the most recent Jinas.
What was
incredibly unique was the tiling on the ceiling which in addition to some mosaic
images of monuments had the various planets of the solar system.
I’ve never
seen anything like this, not even at the Jain Cosmography centre in Hastinapur.
Simply amazing! I made prostration and sat in the huge and silent room for a
while. I entered the lecture hall and saw Dr. Shugan Jain’s wife Uma (which can
refer to the tantric concept of the central channel in Sanskrit) but she didn’t
remember me from 2010 even though we all spent some time with her at the Delhi
compound and their home. I guess there have been a lot of us in the program
over the years. Shugan told her that I was a monk but chuckled that I wasn’t
anymore. He still thinks I was a monk in 2010 even though I have tried to
explain to him multiple times that I was a monk from 1994-2007 and during the
Jain research program in 2010 I took temporary novice monk vows for the entire
6-weeks. I guess it is hard to grasp since temporary ordination doesn’t exist
in Jainism. I know, though, that he was thrilled to have someone with Buddhist
monastic experience in the program, noticeable from the moment I asked his
permission to hold the vows during the program About 30 people were in
attendance for the lectures, and the very elderly and frail head nun came in
and sat on the stage and said some opening prayers.
Even though the event was
advertised to be in Hindi and English, the first lecture was entirely in Hindi.
Dr. Shugan Jain just beamed and nodded as he spoke with passion. I caught a few
words and remembered this fellow as the person who taught us some philosophy at
the Mahaveer Medical & Dentistry University in Moradabad. I also remember
that he would cluck when moved by a speaker, and he did this when Dr. Shugan
Jain spoke next.
His lecture was also in Hindi but some of his slides had
English. Amazingly, some of the quotes spoke of the butterfly moving from
flower to flower without harming them, just as the muni should do when
collecting alms. I was struck that I had just been thinking about this metaphor
with relation to being an ethnographer.
Dr. Jain spoke quietly but, as always,
with conviction. Both speakers had many questions from the audience afterwards.
After it was over I said hello to another professor that taught us in 2010, and
she was one of my favourites. She said she was happy I was learning and trying
to speak Hindi. We all went into another room for chai and a snack that was
inside little boxes. They comprised of a small and soft pastry that tasted like
Chinese food, and a bunch of small but long crackers that resembled those
orange Chinese crackers for soup. Except for Shugan I was pretty much ignored,
even when I tried to chat to a couple of fellows. It was a wonderful afternoon
despite my language barriers, and great to reconnect with Dr. Shugan Jain who I
greatly admire. As I was leaving I saw him making offerings to the head nun.
On Monday I headed to the office of
Dr. Shugan Jain for my second interview, the first with a Jain adherent. He
also didn’t require being anonymous so I can discuss our encounter with some
detail. I hadn’t eaten so when I arrived at the nearest Metro station I looked
for something…to no avail. At least I could throw back some chai, and
considered having one of those deep-fried toast things but felt it was risky. I
hopped in a rickshaw and found the house and had some time. I walked around to
find food but only found a fresh-juice stand and had a tall glass of orange
juice, which helped. I have to stop going out on an empty stomach! We met In
Dr. Jain’s office and the office was busy with three fellows on computers, one
of them Sushil from the day before. One of them gave me coffee and Shugan said
I should finish before we start. I said we can start right away and he told me
about a group that did a study in death that he would share with me. The whole interview
lasted a reasonable 2 hours…that’s more like it! Shugan also gave very rich
answers, and laughed often. At one point he quoted from his prayer book on
death reflections. He suggested I stay at the Jaipur Jain compound that we
stayed at in 2010, which I had thought of but didn’t want to push it. I left to
go to another interview, which was a bit tough…2 interviews in a day is a bit
much. I had about 3 hours to kill so when I arrived at the nearest Metro
station I looked for somewhere to eat…which was tough. I finally found a place
and climbed the stairs and it looked pretty swanky…and dead. I ordered a bowl
of Manchrian Veggie balls (the closest
thing to Malai Kofta, which are balls of cottage cheese in sauce…one of my
favourites) and, as happens here, I felt it disturbing my stomach within the
first few bites. Yikes. I left and wandered around, feeling worse and worse. Of
course, within a few shops was a regular dhaba
(small food-bar) and a market with fruits and vegetables. I bought some
oranges and kept walking down the market hoping I could find a place to sit. No
luck but I slowly felt better after having an orange. I crossed the busy
street, which was a task, and wondered if I would need a bathroom and lamented
that the restaurant I was at was now too far away. I went down to the Metro
noticing that people were sitting on the steps…of course, because there is nowhere in this area
to sit! It was the first time on this trip I have had to buy a ticket to use
the restroom. After I went back to surface-level to look for somewhere to
either use a computer or phone as I told the next interviewee I would connect
an hour before the designated time. I saw a Krishna temple and though of going
there and dong some practice, and also to find a quiet place to chill out…still
wasn’t feeling well. In this age of increasing cell-phone usage it is harder
and harder to find a telephone stand. I eventually went into a posh hotel and
used their phone, and thankfully the interview was to be the next day….I
rejoiced I could go home and get some stomach meds into me and rest.
On Tuesday I had my first research
interview with an MD. I left an hour and a half to get there, which was still
too much time. Unlike the day before, where I felt sick from some food and
overwhelmed by the main street, as I headed into the residential area it was
much more peaceful: a fence and greenery separated homes from the main street,
and while walking towards my destination I came across several protected areas
with Mughal tombs.
I took my time to look around as I was very early. Several
people were just hanging out on the grass, and a couple of guys played cards
inside the bigger tomb. The whole complex is kept well but inside the tomb it
was very dusty. Interestingly they do not know who is buried in either of the
tombs. It was very peaceful and countered my thoughts from the previous day
where it seemed that there was no place to just sit, hence the many people I
saw sitting on the stairwell down to the Metro. Turns out one just needs to go
a bit out of the mayhem to find some sanity. The day before I walked in the other
direction, through a market, and as far as I went I couldn’t find anywhere to
sit. It was a nice walk and when I thought I had found the house I was meant to
be at, two ladies sat outside chatting. It was about 15 minutes before the
interview and I should have asked the ladies if I was in the right place.
Instead, thinking I had arrived, I went to get a drink. Nearby was a small mall
with, of all things, a Dunkin’ Donuts.
I’m not necessarily always drawn to
Western chains but I knew I could get some real coffee (and I am dying to have
a McVeggie twist, a new McD’s offering that they are advertising
relentlessly!). Inside it was immaculately clean with very nice seating…not
like the Dunkin’ Donuts in Canada! On the wall were several vintage posters about
the US chain, and I was surprised to see that in addition to coffee and donuts,
they serve burgers and wraps, and also deliver! I had a latte and it was
delicious. I went back to the address I thought I was to be at, arriving
exactly on-time, and the ladies were gone. I knocked on the door and a lady
answered and I asked for the person I was here to see, and she told me I was in
the wrong place. Turns out that Google maps altered my entry by a word (for no
good reason as my original entry was a valid address), and that word was quite
significant and meant I had to take a rickhaw to the other side of that area
and was about 10 minutes late…for an MD no less. The doctor had me in their
office, and when the interview began they leaned back, unbuttoned their belt
(which was a bit disconcerting) and every time I asked a question they closed
their eyes to reflect deeply, and gave very short responses….sometimes with a
little extra detail. This was my shortest interview so far as after the first
portion of about an hour I asked if we could keep going and they said no. At
least I got that much!
It was rush-hour on the Delhi Metro
when I returned to Pahar Ganj. Every time I travel that way, I hardly see
another foreigner and there are always occasions when some people whisper to
each other, and then look at me. One such instance was a young boy, so I would
sometimes look over and make a funny face…which made he and his parents laugh.
At other times, it feels very uncomfortable. When I was here last I was either
in a group or with Alex, which took the heat off a bit. Before that I was in
robes and just took it as interest in the garb, and often people would want to
chat about spirituality…or take a picture with me like I was Scooby Doo. This
time I feel more sensitive about it but am trying to take it as a way to
develop empathy for those who are visible minorities, females who get unwanted
attention, gays who get verbally abused or bashed, or people who are otherwise
different. What amazes me is that it is SO OBVIOUS when people are talking
about me behind my back. In line at the crazy Rajiv Chowk station a couple of
guys were doing the usual whisper, laugh and look…and I turned around and
stared at them as if to say “really? I can’t take the Metro without being gawked
and laughed at?” The pushing out and pushing in the doors at busy stations
continues to amaze and frustrate me, but amazingly (except for a few tongue
lashings given out to particularly rowdy people, or line-cutters) EVERYONE is
smiling when it happens…it is a game. Also, each car has several charging
stations for cells and laptops. This is mind-blowing, and a bit ridiculous when
crowded…a fellow was shoving past in a rammed car and I said “not sure where
you are going” and he said “the charging station!” Ah, I see. Upon arriving to
Pahar Ganj a lady tripped a little and punched me square in the stomach.
Literally being beaten up by the city. I had started to feel unwell earlier in
the day, and was feeling worse so decided I would lay low the next day. I walked
past a protest in front of the local bar, which is affiliated with the Ashok
Hotel chain (the first place I ever stayed at in Delhi 18 years ago…a high-rise
and so unnecessarily expensive…but I had no choice at that point as I was under
a teacher’s wing…great restaurant, though) and someone told me the locals want
the bar to at least close for part of each week as there are quite a lot of
fights due to inebriation.
The next day when I came out of
hibernation I felt a bit better but still a bit woozy (I had been feverish and
woke up drenched so must have blasted out the fever), and went to the rooftop
patio for some food. I strayed from my usual and ordered an egg sandwich and
what I got was sloppy eggs with raw tomatoes and cucumber in between bread. I
returned it and said “I’ll pay for this but can’t eat it. I’ll have a Spanish
omelette, please.” My usual morning dish, which comes with toast, and I just
pop the omelette in between to make a sandwich. Oh boy, everyone got excited
and told me it’s okay and I kept repeating that I’d pay but wanted something
else. They kept protesting and I told them I wasn’t well and had no energy to
debate it. They returned the sandwich to me after frying it up a bit. I took a
few bites and immediately felt stomach upset. Alex doesn’t believe me when I
tell her my stomach often knows instantly when things are going wrong. I took
some pepto bismol as well as a powerful tincture that helps my stomach through
storms, and in a while felt better. Today the server laughed about
it…”Yesterday no good, but today good! I’m happy if you’re happy!” I spent the
rest of the day catching up on concert bookings, and made my first contact with
the Because I am a Girl charity with a proposal for holding an inaugural
benefit concert next summer. As I explained my background and interest in the
cause, the whole process made me surprisingly emotional…I deeply believe in
their mission to develop girls and women in the Global South.
Next up: last night in Delhi and
first days in Jaipur!
