For pictures check http://leo.lecastelas.be
comments will follow
zaterdag 20 oktober 2007
dinsdag 16 oktober 2007
:-D
ok i was wrong, it saves automatically, in "FUCK" i was talking about the "how to become a hindu". Enjoy! xxxxx
FUCK
i was typing the longest post till now and was almost finished, when everything suddenly disappeared. in india you need patience, but i don't feel like typing the whole thing again now. but instead i put some more pictures on the ftp server, which also requires quite some time... i don't know the name of the internet site yet, but Maarten will tell me soon and i will post it here.
tood'loo!
tood'loo!
How to become a Hindu.
Well here I am, back in Trissur, the cultural centre of Kerala. I came here yesterday and saw a Kathakali performance in the evening, much better (and shorter) than the one I have seen in Irinjalakuda. Before I go to Trissur I always give a call to CA Menon, he retired from assurance business 6 years ago (but is still very fit) and knows almost everything about the cultural events which are going on in Trissur. He writes a festival guide every year which contains all the information about the traditional art performances in Kerala. He is a very kind and openminded man. I could stay in his house for the night, he gave me breakfast and lunch and provides me with all the necessary information. Unbelievable how he just does that with pleasure without asking anything in return. I allready mentioned that non-hindus are not allowed to go in the temples. Now you have to know that a lot of Kathakali and Koodiyattam performances are held in temples, they are some kind of ritual. When I asked him about this Hindu certificate he immedeately made a phonecall to the right person in Calicut and advised me to go there soon. There I will undergo some kind of ritual tomorrow, I have to choose a hindu name and I will come out as a hindu. Appearantly its as easy as that. CA Menon told me that they don't allow everybody, he says you need the right contacts. Oh well, we'll see what happens tomorrow. For me the most important thing is to be able to see the performances in the temple. Maybe you have a proposition for a good hindu name, for me it's difficult to find a good one. But it should be without r, my mother doesn't want that because she doesn't like the way my father pronounces the r (he uses the french r(throat) and she prefers the italian(tongue)) :-D So if you have a good idea, tell me.
The Kutiyattam lessons with Sooraj are somewhat different than a lesson i would expect of a european teacher. The european teacher would give many and shorter exercices to keep the attention going. But here it's more about repeating the same thing over and over, it's a real challenge for concentration and for perseverance. The teacher shows and you repeat, while a european teacher (again a huge generalasition offcourse, but what can we say without them?) would systematically explain and show the steps first. He would first make you understand and then teach you the steps. Here you just imitate and wait till the understanding comes. Here they say there is a time for everything and things will come when you are ready for it. I come from an environment where people believe that man is makeable, that one can create his own life.
Yes, i see beggars without some limbs or poor people regularly, it's difficult to look them in the eyes. But first of all it would be wrong to consider their unhappy situation as my fault. My responsibility? Well, today I drank a pinapple juice for 20 rupees, with which you can buy a meal. Should I have given these 20 rupees to the woman with a bruise on her face who was sitting in the middle of a side alley between the sidewalks -which are quite high here- who was adressing her word to me? I was not the only one who was drinking juice, what about the rich Indians, is it their responsability. Oh well, enough of that, it's important to think about but it should not spoil my state of mind.
The Kutiyattam lessons with Sooraj are somewhat different than a lesson i would expect of a european teacher. The european teacher would give many and shorter exercices to keep the attention going. But here it's more about repeating the same thing over and over, it's a real challenge for concentration and for perseverance. The teacher shows and you repeat, while a european teacher (again a huge generalasition offcourse, but what can we say without them?) would systematically explain and show the steps first. He would first make you understand and then teach you the steps. Here you just imitate and wait till the understanding comes. Here they say there is a time for everything and things will come when you are ready for it. I come from an environment where people believe that man is makeable, that one can create his own life.
Yes, i see beggars without some limbs or poor people regularly, it's difficult to look them in the eyes. But first of all it would be wrong to consider their unhappy situation as my fault. My responsibility? Well, today I drank a pinapple juice for 20 rupees, with which you can buy a meal. Should I have given these 20 rupees to the woman with a bruise on her face who was sitting in the middle of a side alley between the sidewalks -which are quite high here- who was adressing her word to me? I was not the only one who was drinking juice, what about the rich Indians, is it their responsability. Oh well, enough of that, it's important to think about but it should not spoil my state of mind.
donderdag 11 oktober 2007
Trissur cultural centre of Kerala
On the way from Irinjalakuda to Cheruturuty to see a program in Kalamandalam, I decided to stay in Trissur. The reason was a mister C.A. Menon whose phone number I found in a booklet which contains the calendar of all the programs in Kerala in 2007. He is the writer of the booklet. Claudio showed me the booklet. Claudio is from Verona but currently works in Amsterdam for the European Space Center. He was in Hyderabad for his job. But his passion is music; he plays the flute. Having a specific interest in ethnical music and learning how to play all different kinds of flutes whole over the world, he combines the travels he does for his job with his passion. He knows how to play the western metal flute, the african flute and now started learning Karnatic (south Indian Classical music) flute. If you want to know more about Karnatic music, Ludwig Pesch is an interesting name to look up. I met Claudio on a performance of my teacher. He was amazed by this Kutiyattam performance and praised the interesting and unique combination of percussion and theatre. I think the intense relation a Kutiyattam performance can have with literature is also something exceptional. The enactment of a verse gives it even more significance than just reading it. So I met Claudio, that was interesting, i will certainly meet him when back in Europe. The evening after that we went to a whole night Kathakali performance in the Kalanilayam Kathakali school next to the temple(!only temple in the world which is dedicated to Bharata... in this there is a temple for Rama and one for each of his three brothers, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna, all built by the same architect, it seems to be something intersting, but more time for those things in the end of november).
My my what am I posting here, is it to much of information, still relevant for you guys? I feel I'm beginning to get acclimatised to the culture...(whatever that might mean...). The moment i stepped out of the plain i thought the engine of the plane was still very hot, but when i got down the stairs i noticed that it was the warmth of the climate...
A few days ago i was throwing up and had diarrhea whole night, probably a bad juice i drank combined with eating too much and holy payasam (you normally would never get the milk rice they give you when you go out of a temple as a tourist, but the gatekeeper had a tattoo of "i love India" with a heart and told me that he is a retired soldier and that he met a lot of americans in Saoudi-Arabia. Arun later told me that retired soldiers get jobs in the temples. tourists are not allowed to go in the temples in Kerala, unless you have a "hindu certificate" which seems to be easy to get, but i hav'nt done an effort for that yet.
well, so i decided to stay in Trissur for the night. More about Trissur, the cultural activities here and Barbara Gerard, an elephant trainer from NY day after tomorrow! Now it is time to go back to Irinjalakuda for my class. Keep the sunny side up! Cheerio!
My my what am I posting here, is it to much of information, still relevant for you guys? I feel I'm beginning to get acclimatised to the culture...(whatever that might mean...). The moment i stepped out of the plain i thought the engine of the plane was still very hot, but when i got down the stairs i noticed that it was the warmth of the climate...
A few days ago i was throwing up and had diarrhea whole night, probably a bad juice i drank combined with eating too much and holy payasam (you normally would never get the milk rice they give you when you go out of a temple as a tourist, but the gatekeeper had a tattoo of "i love India" with a heart and told me that he is a retired soldier and that he met a lot of americans in Saoudi-Arabia. Arun later told me that retired soldiers get jobs in the temples. tourists are not allowed to go in the temples in Kerala, unless you have a "hindu certificate" which seems to be easy to get, but i hav'nt done an effort for that yet.
well, so i decided to stay in Trissur for the night. More about Trissur, the cultural activities here and Barbara Gerard, an elephant trainer from NY day after tomorrow! Now it is time to go back to Irinjalakuda for my class. Keep the sunny side up! Cheerio!
vrijdag 5 oktober 2007
Hi everybody,
today:
the great "which picture of Mahapada in India do you want to see?" enquiry.
(the internet connection is quite slow here so we have to make a selection of the picuters)
Please give your preferences in your reaction by giving the number and letter fitting to the picture you would like to see.
Attention! Only one choice per topic admitted!
do you want to see:
1. A. an elephant/B. a cow/C. a huge bat flying in the air by dusk
2. A. Arun/B. Santhosh, a friend/C. Leo Malayali boy
3. A. my room/B. the kitchen/ C. the bathroom
4. A. the temple/ B. my school/ C. the bus stand
5. A. stick no bills/ B. pizza tastes best when eaten with hands/ C. avoid rash driving for your own safety
6. A. a big beetle/ B. a beautiful butterfly/ C. a lizard hunting insects in the bathroom
7. A. motorcycle with 3+ passengers/ B. communist rikshaw/ C. colourful bus "destination Jesus"
8. (please create your own multiple choice here!)
I hope for your reaction, this might make the blog more interactive!!
today:
the great "which picture of Mahapada in India do you want to see?" enquiry.
(the internet connection is quite slow here so we have to make a selection of the picuters)
Please give your preferences in your reaction by giving the number and letter fitting to the picture you would like to see.
Attention! Only one choice per topic admitted!
do you want to see:
1. A. an elephant/B. a cow/C. a huge bat flying in the air by dusk
2. A. Arun/B. Santhosh, a friend/C. Leo Malayali boy
3. A. my room/B. the kitchen/ C. the bathroom
4. A. the temple/ B. my school/ C. the bus stand
5. A. stick no bills/ B. pizza tastes best when eaten with hands/ C. avoid rash driving for your own safety
6. A. a big beetle/ B. a beautiful butterfly/ C. a lizard hunting insects in the bathroom
7. A. motorcycle with 3+ passengers/ B. communist rikshaw/ C. colourful bus "destination Jesus"
8. (please create your own multiple choice here!)
I hope for your reaction, this might make the blog more interactive!!
woensdag 3 oktober 2007
chai and banana chips
I'm living in Aruns place now for a few days allready. He's a great guy, knows a lot and speaks english well. He is a professional bamboo flute player but earns his money with designing. He also knows a lot about computers (using his now). Today he left for two days to his wife's parents house where his wife is now with his 3 month old son. It is a hindu custom that the pregnant woman goes to her parents house about 3 months before birth and stays there another 3 months after birth. She can have longer rest if the birth was not natural. She takes one more month rest which makes me very happy because that is why I can stay here for this month. I am still looking for something else for the following month.
Let me tell you something more about daily life here. Indians don't mind eating with their hands. I'm sorry, I mean the right hand only, because they use the other hand to wipe their ass -not with toilet paper but with water. The restaurants -"hotels"- are relatively cheap so people go there often. You go in, wash your hand(s), sit and order. The waiters will not start welcoming you with a warmhearted smile and ask if everything is as wished for, but they will take your order, bring the meal in a few minutes, refill your plate if you don't hold your hand and bring the bill on a small paper with the same pokerface. When you finish you wash your hand again and go out after paying at the desk in the entrance. Unlike the Bourgondian way flemish will enjoy their meal in a restaurant, all this is handled down in 10-20 minutes. Polight habits or words during meals are not in practice either. No "enjoy your meal" or "cheers", no waiting for the others. Burping is heard sometimes after the meal, and nose slimes have to be removed loudly, especially in the morning.
Indians don't mind peeing against the wall or in the bushes next to the road -I don't say they never do that in Europe, but in comparison I see it often here. When driving they don't stop when someone is coming from the other direction, they just sound their horn harder. Yes, that is something I had to get used to on the streets, drivers constantly sound their horns. The trucks, busses, cars, rikshaws, motorcycles and even bikes, "ring! ring ring ring!". They don't slow down when they reach a junction but sound their horn 5 times to let the other drivers know that they are coming. There are no or very bad sidewalks and the busses and trucks drive way to fast, sometimes it's really dangerous. But one gets used to it.
Indians don't mind having wet feet. They walk on "chappels" (slippers) whole day, but put them out before entering a room or building. No chance that your feet will stay dry when caught by a mousson rain, even if you wear shoes. After the rain there will be water on the streets for days. The bathroom has a shower but no shower cabin. So the whole floor gets wet when you wash, but then again it will be dry again very quickly. When you leave the bathroom you dry your feet on the litte mat at the door.
Ok I have enough of this for now; time to try to send Jeroen some pictures or to add some here. Have fun and think about me when you cheers your beers!(I think I'll have a Kingfisher here toninght, it's quite good!)
Let me tell you something more about daily life here. Indians don't mind eating with their hands. I'm sorry, I mean the right hand only, because they use the other hand to wipe their ass -not with toilet paper but with water. The restaurants -"hotels"- are relatively cheap so people go there often. You go in, wash your hand(s), sit and order. The waiters will not start welcoming you with a warmhearted smile and ask if everything is as wished for, but they will take your order, bring the meal in a few minutes, refill your plate if you don't hold your hand and bring the bill on a small paper with the same pokerface. When you finish you wash your hand again and go out after paying at the desk in the entrance. Unlike the Bourgondian way flemish will enjoy their meal in a restaurant, all this is handled down in 10-20 minutes. Polight habits or words during meals are not in practice either. No "enjoy your meal" or "cheers", no waiting for the others. Burping is heard sometimes after the meal, and nose slimes have to be removed loudly, especially in the morning.
Indians don't mind peeing against the wall or in the bushes next to the road -I don't say they never do that in Europe, but in comparison I see it often here. When driving they don't stop when someone is coming from the other direction, they just sound their horn harder. Yes, that is something I had to get used to on the streets, drivers constantly sound their horns. The trucks, busses, cars, rikshaws, motorcycles and even bikes, "ring! ring ring ring!". They don't slow down when they reach a junction but sound their horn 5 times to let the other drivers know that they are coming. There are no or very bad sidewalks and the busses and trucks drive way to fast, sometimes it's really dangerous. But one gets used to it.
Indians don't mind having wet feet. They walk on "chappels" (slippers) whole day, but put them out before entering a room or building. No chance that your feet will stay dry when caught by a mousson rain, even if you wear shoes. After the rain there will be water on the streets for days. The bathroom has a shower but no shower cabin. So the whole floor gets wet when you wash, but then again it will be dry again very quickly. When you leave the bathroom you dry your feet on the litte mat at the door.
Ok I have enough of this for now; time to try to send Jeroen some pictures or to add some here. Have fun and think about me when you cheers your beers!(I think I'll have a Kingfisher here toninght, it's quite good!)
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