news on arrival in India

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Notes from kate as we journey towards India:

 

After a 10 day wait at Trabzon (half-way to India) the e-visa authorisation came through for me, but the iranian consulate had changed their requirements...  Back to square-one; i feel tears welling up...  Parts of my soul are very much at peace, staying up in the hazel groves, feeding on the beauty of the light in the changing skies and the beauty in the people of this country... but other parts are starved of connection, of purpose, and following 5 cold and rainy nights (with my rib under repair) my body hurts.  Alternative land routes via the north didn't look any more promising for visas, we felt the moment had come to accept that the way overland was no longer opening for us.  Sebastien uses the internet to find us the least extravagant flights. The same evening, just before the rain returns after a 24h respite, we catch the coach for the 18hr journey back to Istanbul.  We dry our washing on our laps in the packed bus.

In Istanbul for the 2 days before our flight we find a hostel between the Blue Mosque and the sea... how strange to be in this little enclave of foreigners and hear the laconic tones of western travellers sharing their experiences... how restful and delicious to sleep on a mattress and enjoy a warm shower again.  A young man from France in the next bunk touches us with his story of a pilgrimage now ending, and of a desire to be of service to others...

Before leaving my top bunk in the dormitory i look for the last time at the picture i have so enjoyed there.  What i see in the print is turks on the move in a former century... the picture speaks volumes to me, of this people, their history, our common humanity.  The picture could also be seen as american indians on the move with a convoy of covered wagons... except that the young men on foot have turkish trousers.

In our last hour in town we stop to admire a very finely worked tapestry of the Last Supper in the window of a very expensive carpet shop... and the owner who is outside notices our hand-woven clothes, invites us in for tea and takes time to tell us about Turkey today, its long history of multiculturalism, and to show us magnificent hand-made carpets - explaining how the people express their local traditions and lore in the craft ...
 
The shuttle bus from old Istanbul to the airport is distressing in more ways than one, a jerky, stressy ride makes both of ill.... and vast areas of concrete and yellow city lights are a salutary reminder that the 'world' continues to firmly turn its back on the values which once inspired in people the desire to devote their energy to the glory of an invisible power.
The new airport over the Bosporous on the asian side is huge and has many signs of  multinational investment.  Anything bought here costs 3 times more than normal - all the food outlets are glaringly empty of customers.
Our flight stops over in Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) where we are contained in the transfer passengers area for 15hrs... wandering about i see 2 'princes' of these desert lands with a servant close behind holding 3 falcons on a stick... and uneasily i think again of reports i have read about the Masaai people violently driven off their ancestral lands in Tanzania by the lords of the UAE who are purchasing hunting grounds there.  As we wait through the day we see waves of different flowing robes and head-dresses milling around the airport... nuances changing in accordance with flights towards India, Arabia or Africa.  Western type suits are the exception here.  I enjoy the relaxed nobility or dignity with which i see people carry themselves and be with each other... whether they be cleaners or sheiks.  We exchange a few limited words with a young man from Bangladesh sweeping between seats... enough to sense the pain in his situation, an immigrant worker far from his family...

We arrived at Chennai (Madras) airport at 2.45am on Sunday last - our luggage came through last, all in bits (not having been conceived for air travel!) but all there.  Sticky heat outside... a few retail outlets open and more far people wandering about than we would find at Saint Jacut on a busy mid-Saturday.... we got a few hours sleep on the pavement - our felt capes are now making good mattresses - whilst waiting for the post-office to open at 7.30 for internet

We are in good connection with Ekta people and Rajagopal's secretary, expect to meet with them in Pondicherry on the 29th October and with them to plan our time in India.

Following advice, we head for Thiruvannamalai by train and bus, meeting the same friendly openness as in Turkey and more easily finding at least one person in a crowd who can speak some english... on the train journey 2 men help us to begin learning with the beginners tamil book we have picked up at the station.  These encountersalso give us the chance to share about the issues affecting us all at this time.  On arrival in Thiruvannamalai a young man who has managed to overcome an addiction to drugs invites us to his home... he works with his dad who is a merchant selling mainly peanuts to wholesalers.  We are very touched to be taken into this family's home for 2 days... we left just after midday today (Tuesday 25th) amidst the firecrackers of the start of the diwali festival, and pausing en route as the skies opened with the first proper monsoon rains.

with love

kate

 ps for french news please look on the blog www.marchedoucementsurlaterre.blogspot.com