I completed my 5-week long internship with Mauli Seva Pratishthan this week. At Mauli, I conducted interviews to understand the lives and problems of slum women in Khule Wadi (located on the outskirts of Pune) to figure out how we can connect them with resources to improve their conditions. I also taught conversational English to the children. I really enjoyed meeting the families and am missing them a lot! They really made my experience in India special and memorable.
Pune in an Array of Shots: I know a lot of times people prefer to see pictures rather than to read long posts so here is a treat after my 2-week hiatus.
Pune’s Historical Pataleshwar Caves: In February, I decided to take an adventure to see one of Pune’s oldest and most historic temples located in the caves. I didn’t take pictures inside the caves because 1) my real camera was/is broken so this is taken with my ipod and 2) it is rude to take pictures inside an actual temple without asking permission, although I would not take pictures anyway since it seems rude right off the back. This seemed completely out of place since it is basically in the middle of the city. It’s strange to walk down a metropolitan busy area, take a left, walk up some stairs, walk down some stairs, and Ooh, ANCIENT CAVES! Only in India :)
In January, the Alliance took us to a very important, historical place in Pune called Aga Khan Palace. Here, Gandhi, his wife Kasturba, and his secretary were all on house arrest for a few years. This place holds significance as it is the place where Kasturba and Gandhi’s secretary passed away. In one picture, you will see utensils and items that really belonged to the great Mahatma. In the last, you will see a small monument that holds Gandhi’s ashes. His ashes are scattered in places all over the world so this is just one of many.
Another interesting fact: his murderer was from Pune.
Animals in India! Within reach!
Conservation, an Indian Value
This is the first time in my life that I have been seriously told not to waste anything. I never thought about it before. In my mind, I’m like, Yeah, I try to not waste anything. But I do waste a lot without even noticing. I’ve never taken it seriously or looked at a person and thought, Oh goodness, look at all that that he is wasting! What a shame. I just never thought about it before. When I arrived in India, this was definitely something that took me by surprise, something that Bollywood movies did not teach me.
In a country of over 1 billion people, I wonder if this sentiment emerged from a history of food shortages, droughts, high inflation, or something like that. Hmmm…
Signs of conservation are everywhere. The classic Indian dish is the Thali, which is basically a big silver plate on which you place various breads, rice, and tiny silver bowls full of small portions of soup, vegetable dishes, dal, etc . You are not served huge portions of food but small portions. If you would like more, it makes more sense to serve more only once you have finished rather than to serve a huge portion only to throw away what you don’t finish/like. It’s not like Indians frown at you if you eat a lot either. No, no, no, definitely not the case! In fact, it is the complete opposite. Indians will stuff you with food until you can’t move. It’s just that it makes sense not to serve what you can’t consume.
Ever since I came here, I began saying, “Awww look at this! It’s so small. Indian-size!” It’s true that everything is really small here. I got a medium size drink once and it looked like an American-small…or extra small. The ice cream cones are small too but I like the concept. It makes sense. Rather than trying to stomach a huge $6 ice cream cone, it makes sense to eat a yummy 40 cent cone and if you want more, then just buy more ice cream! Also, an Indian friend told me that back in the day, people didn’t have a lot of money to just splurge on a 100 rupee ($2) ice cream cone all of the time – by reducing the size and cost, people find ice cream more affordable.
Communalism
I have said before that in India community matters first before the individual. When we arrived in Pune, we realized that there was not a strong sense of the personal separate from the public/the communal…quite literally. For example, at restaurants, the waiter will place you at a partially filled table with strangers not thinking that perhaps you want your own space. It is a thing here that personal space doesn’t really exist. It’s really fascinating!
Personal space…in regards to Money Transactions. In India, nobody ever wants to give you change for a 500 or 1000 rupee bill and will try to make you buy more things or will tell you to pay for your friend’s purchase and then tells your friend to pay you back, all to avoid giving up their scarce smaller bills. This basically means we had to start lying and saying that we only had big bills to force them to give up their little bills. How does this have to do with communalism? When we go out, my friends and I know we can’t split the bill and pay individually or else the Indian guys at the restaurant either think we are really weird or will be confused as to what we mean. It is now understood that one of will pay the bill for everyone (community!) and that person gets everyone’s change. Even with money, people don’t see it as a super personal, touchy matter in India; we as Americans are so used to the idea that you don’t tell people what to do with their money or have someone pay for you just because it makes the transaction easier. We’re so used to the idea that it is fair for people to pay for their own things but here, it is understood that people will pay you back eventually so it’s not a big deal.
Personal space…personal possessions. My fellow friends have experienced their new Indian buddies taking their water bottles without asking, assuming that it is ok to take it. It wasn’t a big deal but just surprising since they aren’t accustom to people taking their things without asking even if it is something they wouldn’t mind sharing to begin with like water. Another friend had a problem where people would come over and sleep on her bed. The idea of personal bubble…nope, no bubble here!
Personal space…personal relationships. Like I mentioned, marriage is a family matter. Such an important new relationship needs to be consulted with the family; it is a norm that I really appreciate because I feel it brings people closer. As a norm, people just expect that when you become close to someone, their mother becomes Aunty, their sister becomes your sister too. I like the idea that the Indian family is all about forging new relationships and adopting new people into their circle.
Pretty never before seen pic from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002)
(Source: areyoulikecheckingmeout)
In Jan/Feb, I went with the Maharashtra Institute of Technology School of Government (Graduate) on a field visit in the community. We interviewed citizens of low and upper class to understand their feelings about the Pune city governance (called Pune Municipal Corporation) elections and whether they would vote or not. What’s interesting in India is that there is a high distrust of the government period. Corruption is pretty apparent. The more educated and socially well off tend to not vote and separate politics from the social and the less educated, lower class tend to vote more because the candidates bribe them and promise them everything from money to TV’s to a fast certificate for their new phone stall. Very very interesting!
