I walk through the alleyways of Kumartuli in northern Kolkata a few minutes from the Hooghly River. I watch the potters responsible for making many of Kolkata’s Kali, Durga, Shiva and Parvathi statues. I don’t see all the different stages, but I see several. In a shop, a man in the alleyway is cutting wood …
Category: 2017 Sabbatical
21. Vivikenanda as Proud Indian and Astute Organization Builder
I see a statue of Vivekananda everywhere. Below my room at the Ramakrishna Institute of Culture’s International Scholars House, I see a tall, proud Vivekananda with arms folded. Outside the Institute of Culture, another statue shows him gazing west toward downtown Kolkata, toward modern India. Who is Vivekananda? Born in 1863 to a wealthy …
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20. People of Rajasthan and Punjab
The people of India are incredibly diverse. These photos from Rajasthan and Punjab show some of that diversity. Here is a future Michael Jackson and a future Dennis Hopper for Easy Rider II. No photographs of Jaisalmer are complete without a camel and rider. Although I wrote a blog on "Mr.Desert 2017," I have to …
19. “Not on the Same Page” and Swat Team Escorts
Status is important to most Indians. Although the Indian Constitution made caste-based employment illegal except for certain “schedule classes and tribal groups,” most Indians can pick up a person’s caste after a series of questions. Despite politicians in the world’s largest democracy giving speeches on “all are equal before the law,” Indian voters know that equality isn’t the …
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18. Reading the Newspaper: Various Traditions Meeting in Contemporary India
As a one-time ten-year old paperboy, I still love getting my hands stained with the ink of newspapers. More than that, I enjoy reading papers to get a sense of local events and local interpretation of national or international happenings. I’m not the only one in India who loves to read the paper. In 2010, …
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17. Money, Money, Money
Morning Shave along Ganga 2 I am staying at a Jaipur BnB. Kul, an executive for Reliance, and Shweta, a teacher, designed and built this lovely home. After children left the home, Shweta has turned it into a BnB. While sitting at their dinner table discussing India, Shweta comments: “Money, Money, Money. That is what …
16. Monty Python at the Wagah Border
I watch the lowering of the Indian flag at the Wagah Border crossing which is only 12 kilometers from Amritsar. The tourist brochure likens it to the changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Even before attending the event, I have my doubts! To put this in context, India and Pakistan have always been at …
15. Mr. Desert 2017
Mr. Desert 2017 sounds better than the title Mr. Mustache 2017. It still sounds a bit cheesy, but the reality is more interesting. I’m talking about Jaisalmer’s three-day Desert Festival. To help you get your bearings, Jaisalmer is in western Rajasthan. Only 57 kilometers from Pakistan, Jaisalmer is near the Thar Desert. A small city …
14. From Village Son to Delhi Bishop: Bishop Subodh Mondal
With a big smile, he greets us on the front porch of the Bishop’s House at Delhi’s Butler Memorial Girl’s School. Sudipta, his wife, Indian pastor Rev. Kumar, two administrative assistants, and a security guard are also waiting. “Welcome to our house!” We are excited to arrive. After greeting, he shows us around the Girls' …
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13. Beloved Wife and Cruel Son
Who can convey one’s feeling when writing about the Taj Mahal? It is one of the classic Seven Wonders of the World! I certainly can’t write in poetic ways that express either its beauty or its effect upon an observer. Instead, I’ll simply describe some features of its history and structure. The Taj Mahal’s history …
Journeys: Explorations in Body, Mind, and Spirit 