Sittin' on the Dock of the Lake

A fascinating and eventful year reached its conclusion with Sean joining me for a trip to Winter Park, Florida, to visit my parents.

There we enjoyed the beautiful weather, ate fresh fruit of many varieties from Lynn and Ervin's yard, and altogether had a lovely time.

Also, we "skyped" Isaac Magee Haney who happily ate cheerios and yogurt while he and his mother Amy engaged in a scintillating cross-continental conversation with his adoring grandmother (my sister Lynn) and great-grandparents.

And so, to all who have followed these ramblings and participated in this blog from start to finish:

Aaapko naya sal ki shubhamnay ho!

(For the uninitiated, that's Happy New Year in Urdu.)

All the best for the coming year--sure to be another in a series of adventures, escapades, and narrow escapes.

My Delhi

Come with me to a distant place where every day is an adventure of the mind, heart, and soul--a complete sensory experience.

Chalo India 2008

Beta Bacchanalia

Today is my son Sean's 22nd birthday. The day after Christmas has always had special meaning for our family.

The Hindi word for son is Beta; he's

asked for dinner at Bacchanalia as his birthday celebration with Ron and me and also Casey.

Right now, he and I are just hanging out at home, after talking to Rebecca on the phone from India. Tomorrow we'll be going to Florida to see my parents and my sister. Lots of comings and goings in our household this holiday season!

Yesterday with had Christmas dinner with the Steve, Judy, Sarah, and Anna Henson. A good time was had by all.

Delhi is Faraway

In the middle of the night, India time, I left Delhi to return home. After 24+ hours en route, Atlanta looked pretty good to me when I arrived yesterday. While it was hard to say goodbye to India and especially to Rebecca, it's good to be home for Christmas.

I'm looking forward to sharing my pictures and experiences with Ron and Sean as well as family and friends. As soon as I can, I'll be adding photos to the blog. But first I will be celebrating Christmas and then going to Florida with Sean for a quick trip to see my parents.

Merry Christmas to all--and to all a good night!

Heaven-Earth Human

In addition to all of the wonderful aspects of staying at the World Buddhist Centre, one of our fellow guests is a Japanese installation artist. He has just completed an installation of work, "Heaven-Earth Human," which is on the lower level of the Centre. We've enjoyed getting to know him over meals, and last night he gave us a personal "gallery walk." There are photographs, art t-shirts, computer displays, and other dimensions. I'm looking forward to posting a few pictures when I return home (tomorrow!).

The Hope Project

Basti Hazrat Hizamuddin is a 14th century village built around the shrine of the Sufi Saint Hzt. Nizamuddin Auliya. It is filled with narrow lanes, markets, and mosques. Because it is auspicious to be buried near a saint, there are many tombs in the area.

The Hope Project, founded in 1980 by a Sufi teacher to help the poor in this community, provides a health and education program for young children and women and also sponsor tours of this important but little known site in Delhi.

Naturally, Rebecca both knew about it and was keen for a tour, which extended over several hours. We were intrigued and surprised by the history and mysteries of the place. In addtion to everything else, we visited the tomb of Mirza Ghalib, one of India's great poets who is frequently referenced as India's Shakespeare.

Our day also included lunch at a South Indian restaurant and a trip to FabIndia, a tourist destination for shopping. Exhausted, we returned to our humble abode at the World Buddhist Centre for dinner.

I will be leaving Delhi in the middle of the night tomorrow (Monday), so I have just over 24 hours left on my Magical History Tour. We expect to spend this last bit of time in East of Kailash ("E of K"), our own (relatively) quiet neighborhood.

I will be home in Atlanta for Christmas and Sean's birthday. On the weekend, he and I are planning a trip to Florida to see my parents and my sister for a few days. My father has checked out of the hospital and is now at the health center of their retirement community, walking distance for my mother. I am eager to see both the Georgia and Florida family, although sad and sentimental at the thought of departing Delhi--and, of course, leaving behind my gracious and knowledgeable guide.

Vishwa Shanti

This Hindi term refers to world peace. Navigating the terrain, byways, streets, and alleys of Delhi makes me more fully aware of the complexities, disparities, and diversities of this world we inhabit. Perhaps more than ever before I feel both connected to, and at the same time, different from the masses of humanity who must scratch out a bare existence from ever diminishing natural and social resources.

The people here are exceedingly friendly, and the children especially love to talk with Americans. Rebecca and I receive special notice wherever we go. The tourism trade is down significantly here--for financial, geopolitical, and local reasons. Often we are the only Americans or Europeans in a crowded and densely populated area.

Today, my fearless and inexhasutible guide took me on the Delhi metro (very fast, clean, and efficient), then a tour of Old Delhi. We visited the Red Fort, both a Sikh and a Jain Temple, as well as lunch at Kareems, a famous Delhi restaurant. One highlight for me was a calm and refined tea shoppe. We did a bit of shopping and browsing along the way--every purchase requiring advanced skills in bargaining (and stalling and bargaining again).

I have now used nearly every form of transportation available in Delhi: cycle rickshaw, auto rickshaw (our most common means), taxi, hired car, and metro--as well as a lot of walking in crowded streets. In fact, crossing the street here requires a kind of courage and stamina that I have not completely developed. Yet small children and elderly people do so without hesitation. Spaghetti Junction is nothing compared to the freewheeling corridors of Delhi!

As people in other parts of the globe celebrate Hannukah, Christmas, and New Years--please consider the needs of so many people in this vast and crowded and enchanting land of India.

Vishwa Shanti.

"Resplendent Immortal Tear Drop on the Cheek of Time"

The poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore described the Taj Mahal in this eloquent way. For me, the perfection of the structure, order, color, light, and relationship to the surroundings--the Taj is everything promised by its shining splendor.

Unfortunately, the path to get to the Taj is less lovely. Rebecca and I spent four hours yesterday each way amidst snarling traffic and the otherwise unimpressive city of Agra. Nonetheless, it was worth the trip--and especially to see the school children of Stepping Stone school (north of Delhi) swarming Rebecca and speaking Hindi, English, and Hinglish with her. I'm eager to post some of the beautiful pictures we took. But that will have to wait until I get home.

Everything in India is an adventure. And today we explored some of Rebecca's favorite historical, cultural, and shopping sites: Qutb Minar (spectacular!); Lodi Gardens (transcendent!); Dilli Haat craft market (pleasant!); Khan Market (charming!), and the Imperial Hotel for High Tea (expensive!). Quite a full and enchanting day.

We continue to meet many fascinating people here at the World Buddhist Centre, including several from Dharmsala who have connections with Emory and our Tibetan programs. It is, indeed, a very small world after all.

My local historian and tour guide has gone to bed, which I must do soon as well.

For all of those who have sent sweet messages regarding my family: dhayawad! My father is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow. Please continue to hold him and also my mother in your heart and in your thoughts. Rebecca and I are enjoying the memories of stories of their many adventures around the world; they are our true guides in all that we do in India--and elsewhere.

"We Live at the Temple"

Yesterday, while Rebecca was trying to compete her foreign registration, I struck out on my own to the Lotus Temple by auto-rickshaw. The Lotus Temple is a magnificent work of architecture and a holy place for the Baha'i faith. It is a soothing and silent place, inspiring in its grandeur. I felt it very calming and spiritual.

I was able to negotiate the price, going and coming--and even remembered the address of where we are staying in order to return. I have studied under the master of bargaining with the rickshaw drivers. When they bring us back to the World Buddhist Centre, Rebecca--after much haggling in fluent Hindi will say--"we live at the Temple." This statement brings people to her perspective quickly.

After a busy afternoon of browsing (and just a bit of shopping) we had dinner with the Acting Ambassador for India, Steven White, friends through friends, and his family. Steven is originally from Atlanta, and they have led a very fascinating and nomadic life in the foreign service and greeted us with much "southern hospitality." His daughter Eden has applied to go to Emory.

Rebecca's trip for foreign registration hit a snag yesterday, so she is back in line today. I am suffering from a bit of a cold, so have contented myself with cups of tea and some mysterious Indian remedies. When she returns, we hope to go to the Crafts Museum and also to make plans to go to Agra soon.

We have had a bit of worrisome news from Florida, but Ron--helpful, as always--is down there with my mother caring for my father. All of you throughout the world, please send blessings to my family. It is hard for us to be separated, but I am satisfied that I am in India with Rebecca, where my parents want me to be. She is teaching me many new things about this culture, and we are learning how to take care of one another.

Namaste.

Mo-Mo

Tonight we had "Mo-Mo" for dinner, a Tibetan dumpling filled with ginger, garlic, onion, green vegetables, butter, and a variety of spices. It was the perfect ending for another fascinating day. We started with visits to the archives and the American Embassy for Rebecca to complete some paperwork. Afterwards we visited Triveni Kala Sangam Arts Centre, followed by walks through Raj Ghat (Gandhi Memorial Park), and then the Oxford University Book Store in the Statesman House. Most of our travel is conducted by auto rickshaws in the maze of Delhi streets. Tomorrow Rebecca hopes to complete her Foreigners' Registration, and I am planning to head out on my own to the Lotus Temple. In the evening we will have dinner at the home of a foreign service officer and his family here in Delhi, thanks to the connection made by Laura and John Hardman.
I am still struggling with uploading pictures, although I may have made some progress tonight. Stay tuned!

Ghar ki talash me: In search of a house!

Yesterday, Rebecca,Tapesh (her facilitator), and I spent most of the the day looking for a place for her to live permanently (for the year). Finding the right place in Delhi in the best location for the best price is not a simple task. Luckily Tapesh knows the areas and all of the local customs. We did not find the right place yet, especially since the Buddhist Centre is so calm and accommodating. Her big task for the week will be to register at the Foreign Service Office, apparently a bureacratic challenge. My big task is to find my way a bit more around Delhi. So far, I have had no problems with the food or water or anything else, except for some weird sleeping patterns. The air is somewhat polluted--and Delhi is a noisy place, full of life and spectacles of every variety. We plan to see a few historical sites as well as meet up with some American friends of friends. Later today, I hope, I'll be able to post some pictures that will give a little more perspective on our life and wanderings.

Hello from Delhi--Dhanyawad!

After a long but uneventful flight, I made it into Delhi in the middle of the night on Thursday. Rebecca and I spent Friday investigating our surroundings in East of Kailash near the World Buddhist Centre, where we are staying,which offers lovely (and reasonable) accommodations where we have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the Buddhist monks (of Japanese descent) and other international travelers.

We also explored Connaught Place, seeing a public art installation and various markets and parks there.

Our primary mode of transportation thus far has been auto-rickshaws, where Rebecca has shown her excellent negotiating skills (we always knew that debate experience would come in handy!) and impressive skill in Hindi.

Today we are meeting her facilitator from Fulbright, who is helping Rebecca find a long term place to stay. He will also guide us around the city a bit more.

So far, I have found Delhi much to my liking. We have seen very few Americans or Europeans here, but everyone we have encountered has been interesting and helpful. Lots more explorations to follow. Eventually I will also figure out how to post some pictures, as I'm using the Buddhist's computer for now.

Dhayawad! (That's "thank you" in Hindi).

Lux Aurumque

Light, warm and heavy as pure gold

And the angels sing softly to the new-born baby.

This afternoon I had the privilege of participating as a reader in the "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols."

One of the selections was "Lux Aurumque"--or light of gold--a translation to Latin of an Edward Esch poem by Eric Whitacre. Simple and elegant: a quiet moment in a chaotic time.

Adoration of the Magi by Rubens

Intrepid Traveler

How many people head off to India in a pick-up truck? Leave it to Rebecca to find her own path! After a complicated few days of assessing security, packing up clothes and essentials for a year's stay in a faraway land, and bidding farewell to friends a family--she's off to her new adventure. Ron took her to the airport in his usual good style, stopping along the way for her to give Sean yet another hug. I'll be joining her next week!

Meanwhile, I just received a text message from her (thank the gods and goddesses for modern day communication devices): Just landed safely in Delhi. Love you guys.

We feel satisfied, excited--and relieved!

Dona Nobis Pacem

Tonight we trimmed our tree and had an early version of Christmas dinner--in advance of Rebecca's journey to Delhi on Friday. I'll be joining her next Wednesday for almost two weeks.
This year we shed no tears over broken ornaments or family arguments about the best way to hang decorations on the tree. We did reminisce about past Christmases, including the time Rebecca was convinced her parents had stolen a tree from the local Methodist church (these claims were widely disputed at the time).

Also, for a moment, we held each other close with the prospect of being so far away from one another--as we listened to an arrangement of Dona Nobis Pacem by Yo Yo Ma. Whether in New Delhi, India, or Atlanta, Georgia, that is our wish for each other and for the world.

Transmigration

The term transmigration, for the ancient Greeks, referred to the migration of the soul, a re-birth.
In Hinduism, the character of a soul from a previous life is imprinted on the new one. The recent tragedies in India remind us that our thoughts must always linger on the present in contemplation of both the past and the present.

From the new translation of The Bhagavad Gita by my friend and colleague, Laurie Patton:

I have never

not existed;

nor have you

. . . . .

Nor will we

cease to exist,

all of us,

from now onwards.

In his work Transmigration of Souls, John Adams assembled a text from brief fragments taken from missing person signs, personal reminescences, and a random list of names of victims from 9/11.

Some recent reminders of the richness of the present.

We tend to think of our country as a land of immigrants, yet we also migrate across the world to new places. As I prepare to transmigrate to a new land, here are some photos of a family gathering over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Thanksgiving

The situation in India being too horrific to fathom . . . .




. . . . we chose to celebrate Thanksgiving in the usual fashion: a feast with family and friends on an unseasonably sunny day in Atlanta.

Namaste

I'm reading Love Delhi, a specialty guide book of Rebecca's. I'm astonished by the size and complexity of Delhi, new and old.

It's a city described by Jan Morris as "unimaginably antique," continually inhabited since at least 1000 BC. More than the oft-referenced seven cities of Delhi, there are at least 16 and maybe even 20. It's also a modern day political powerhouse with over 800 babus or politicians (no comment!).

Luckily, there are many small cafes, tea houses, and shops to visit. I've already picked out Triveni Tea Terrace which is apparently a Delhi institution for radicals, artists, writers, and thinkers. In fact, it has has sign which welcomes "staff, students, artists and art lovers only. Outsiders not permitted." I expect to fit right in immediately, perhaps after a visit to The Book Shop or another place called Fact & Fiction. I can already see myself reading an Indian novel over a piping hot cup of chai.

India is calling me.