a quick hot one

okay, a really quick one. I have about 8 minutes left before my one hour at the Internet cafe is up.


It's almost April now and it's getting really hot. April and May are the summer months in India, when tourism is at its slowest too. Since mid 12 March I have left Chennai and moved inland towards Chidambaram, Kanchipuram, Thanjavur and now Madurai. Without the buffering effect of the ocean, it's only drier and hotter.

I travel in the morning until 1pm, by which time it's too hot from both ends--top and below. The sun is scorching my hair and skin, making me darker than ever before. From below, the stone slabs of the temples are hot enough to cook eggs on with enough heat left to warm up a glass of milk. I have no idea how the Indians can walk so casually and calmly across the stones, chatting happily on their cells, while I strained to keep a straight face as I deftly danced my feet across the stones. Naked feet and baking stones don't make a good combination.

Between 1pm and 5pm I stay in the hotel room, reading/writing/watching TV/sleeping. Very often I throw a few scoops of water over myself for the cooling...only to find that I have switched on the heater by mistake. Darn. Eh wait, no there's no heater...the rooms were like RM10 or RM20/night...no heater. Not the electrical one at least. The water from the tank was heated up by the sun so much that by 5pm, the water from the tap's still warm...

okay, time's up. have fun all.

Today I completed my Bharatanatyam 'pilgrimage' in Tamil Nadu. This 'pilgrimage' played a big part in my coming to Tamil Nadu.

I learned Bharatanatyam when I was in California. Heck I even did a lousy performance because I have a very bad grasp on beats and rhythm, and bharatanatyam is a lot about keeping to the beat even as the background music goes off-beat. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it tremendously and perhaps one day I will realise my dream of actually becoming a bharatanatyam dancer (of some sort hahaha).

So what is my bharatanatyam 'pilgrimage'? It's a customized tour package :), since there was no such thing to begin with. I traced my memories and knowledge of bharatanatyam to come up with a list of places to visit/things to do to pay homage to my love for bharatanatyam. They are
1. Visit the Kalakshetra Academy in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai; see them practice
2. Visit the Nataraja bronze statue in the Govt Museum, Chennai
3. Visit the Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram

My good fortune continues as in the 2nd week I got to Chennai, Kalakshetra Academy held a one week-long dance performance in memory of their founder, Rukmini Devi, the legendary bharatanatyam dancer. I went for two of the performances and they were awesome. Not sure if I wrote about them earlier on. One of those evenings I almost couldn't get home because it got so late there were no buses anymore!

I wrote about my visiting the Nataraja bronze statue in an earlier post.

And now I am in Chidambaram, staying in a cheap (Rs 200/night) hotel room that has a small TV with 50+ channels, and I have visited the Nataraja Temple! My hotel is just outside the south gopuram of the temple, so I just left my shoes in the room and walked straight into the temple.

The temple is huge with large open spaces between shrines. I will most likely write more later once I get back home (Msia) and can upload pictures. Suffice to say that the shrines were all stone and beautifully sculptured. Every pillar tells a story it seems! Look up to the ceiling and it's either painted mural or ancient writing in Pali. Look down and ...phew~ mostly bare stone. Hahaha. I found the central shrine for Nataraja and the western shrine for Parvati (it was written Sri Sivagami Amman Temple, I believe it's for Parvati, Lord Shiva's consort) most amazing. Oh yes, there was the large water tank, the Sivanaga Tank (could have the name wrong here from memory) around which I sat for an hour just enjoying the shade and the sights of devotees washing and praying in the water, of kids playing in the water, and of foreign French-speaking (truly most of them I have seen were speaking French) tourists snapping pictures.

It's 2.35pm now and it's freaking hot. The bare stones are like sizzling iron plates and I can't walk on them so I won't visit the temple until later this evening when they do the evening pooja (prayer). So now I know what pooja means...so many Bollywood movie female leads are called Pooja hahaha.

Time to get that cold, sugar-loaded fruit juice and return to my HBO in my room~ heck I watched The Rock and Final Destination last night...so lame haha.

~5 weeks gone in Tamil Nadu!

This week passed by SO FAST.
No kidding.
I called my mom this morning and she was like "eh, so fast finished your volunteering already? One week liao?"

I spent the past five days volunteering in Kanchipuram for an institution I shall not named just yet. My mornings were spent in the school teaching young children aged 5-8, while my afternoons were dedicated to securing more funding options for the institution. Both tasks were important, though I certainly enjoyed the mornings more because teaching is my first love~ wooh~.

I can't believe I was already teaching Tamil alphabets, albeit only to young children who had no prior education. Tamil alphabets are now a breeze for me, though if you are picky, my pronunciation isn't perfect of course. Nowhere near perfect.
I also taught English and Mathematics, and there I used my newly learned Tamil vocabulary to...
great
effect.

Great effect in entertaining the teachers who stood by and tried hard to suppress their laughter as I went about muttering Tamil words as I tried to explain to the kids what I was saying in English. It was always
"Inga paar. Enga yelli? Where is the mouse?"
"Road mil yelli. The mouse is ON the road"
or
"Tamil-ler 'kaangal', English-ler yeppedi sollu? English-ler 'eyes'."
My Tamil teachers would be proud of me, heck yeah!

Today I had to teach continuously for 2 hours (what the heck...truly tested my creativity and endurance teaching in that heat to a group of yawning students who understood only 15% what what I was saying). In the end I had to sing to keep reinvigorate them. Taught them Rasa Sayang which I thought was easy enough, but either I remained to fail as a music teacher or they refused to memorize Malay words. Funny though that the teacher who was sitting aside learned the song really quick and could sing it well!

Oh darn, got to ciao to a temple now. Will write later...actually, probably will only write a few days later when I am at my next destination.

All the best wishes possible to all quarters of the world now.

Kanchipuram

Just a quick note to inform you all that I have arrived safely in my next destination --Kanchipuram. Will be volunteering with an NGO here for a week.

The trip from Muttukadu to Kanchipuram was kinda nice. The bus ride from Mamallapuram to Chengalpattu took me through rice fields and some real Indian villages! There is hardly a more beautiful scene than that of a wet, lush padi field with buffaloes and coconut trees in the mix, with mountains in the far back. The bus station at Chengalpattu was very busy and everyone rushed to get on the bus when it arrived. Me too! I had to...by now I knew that if I hadn't rushed to intercept the bus BEFORE it reaches the terminus, I would stand no chance of getting on the bus. Lagi more I had my big backpack with me~~. Got on the bus and already no seat. So packed...haha...the person on the seat next to where I was standing slept and his head rested on my tummy. It was no problem, except that his head was warm, and the day was already warm enough. Hahahaha.

The accommodation here is better than expected. My dormmates are two Germans (both at a young age of 20) who are doing their obligatory social service of one year (it was the policy in Germany, abolished just recently). Mathias, the guy, is very friendly and we are getting along very well so far. We talked a lot, probably because we both lacked talking-partners for the past weeks (months for him).

Tomorrow I begin my actual volunteering work. No idea what's in store. Maybe teaching. Hopefully teaching.

Mathia and Alex (the girl) have internet access. It's going to be tempting to use their internet too...BUT I will stay off the Net.

This is written in a Kanchipuram cybercafe as I wait for Mathias to buy tickets for his parents to visit India. Kanchipuram is much more developed and richer than I expected. Even this cyber cafe is the best I have visited so far in India, and the rates are very reasonable--20 rupees/hour.

take care all.

the blaming game

My friends here kept on asking me how come I have no girlfriend(s).

They figured that it's because I don't go to the gym and thus girls think I am too skinny. They can't seem to come up with other reasons.

They didn't seem to understand me when I told them that many people are blind, and would miss the most obvious good things before their eyes.

Some, on the other hand, have too many eyes for too many things, and always try to go after things they haven't called their own yet. In such pursuit, one is bound to make some dear misses.

For too long I have blamed myself for my apparent failures in the past.
I shall blame myself no more.
I just realised that I never gave up, I never backed away from my promises. My efforts were perhaps insufficient, but they were never less than what I could spend.
How could I have blamed myself despite these?

And now that I blame myself no more, I feel VERY stupid that I have been blaming myself so much for so long a time. I was blind too, my zillion eyes seeing only one and missing out on the rest of the world and possibilities.

(Yet true to my character...I am very sure that if given the chance again, I would be very eager to see only that one again and ignore the rest of the world. Paradoxical.)

If only I am as focused in my research!

Today is my last day in Chennai. Tomorrow a new chapter begins.

And if my friends stay true to their word and find me a beautiful Indian bride, then I can start a new book, not just a chapter. =)
Don't worry mom, I will inform you a couple of days before the wedding.


rendah varam appuram pakkalam.

I have completed 3 weeks of Tamil class. So far so good. This coming week is my last, and on March 13 I will leave Chennai to continue my journey southward.

2 of my good friends here have left last week. Though we only knew each other for 2 weeks, and our communication consisted more of body language, common sense than actual verbal language, it was a sad parting for me. Neither of them spoke Tamil (one was from Kerala, the other from Orissa), and English was limited. They both left on the same day, Tuesday, and I applied for absence from class just to spend more time with them. In the morning Ajith sat down with for an extended time during breakfast as we talked about his upcoming exam in Kerala and his ambitions. The night before I had dinner with Pramod. He talked less after his elder brother came to D.C., wonder why. I got a call from Pramod on Wednesday afternoon telling me that he has arrived in Orissa. He began with his usual question "What are you doing there?" though he seldom understood my answer hahaha.

my brothers in Chennai. You can easily tell who are north Indians and who are south Indians based on moustache :)

Sanjay was supposed to leave today too, but his friend couldn't come to replace him at his stall so he is forced to stay on until end of March. As a result, he will miss his best friend's wedding in Orissa (I have a group of Orissa friends here!). I told him that's disappointing, but I have been through many such experiences, having spent 8 years overseas.

I have trouble forgetting and letting go. Even these guys whom I have met only for two weeks--I miss them. Last night ChinJiat called me and it's not exaggerated to say that talking to her gave colours to the four white-washed walls of my room.

Here, every night and day, I have quite some free time, particularly at night when my friends have gone home and I am alone in my adobe. The occassional bat gives me something to do by having to lure him outdoors, otherwise I stare at four walls and .......think. Thinking too much for my own good. I began to remember things that I thought I have forgotten, I began to imagine, to conjure up dreams only to stop short of the walls and be reminded of the oft cruel reality.

Solitude can be a scary thing, especially for someone like me.
Yet I have always enjoyed a certain degree of loneliness. Being alone has its merits. I wrote quite a good number of poems, short stories, essays and even a skit! Some of them were played out in my mind under the tree where I have my lunch every weekday during class break. Many more were born as my mind try to lock out the incessant horns of Chennai (India) traffic.

Today I went to the Government Museum in Chennai. Took me two hours to get there...changing buses, walking around, overshooting it then turning back etc. If I had gone straight to it, it would have taken 1hour 30 minutes I think. Yet as a tourist in a new place, even getting lost is fun because EVERYTHING is new.
My main reason for going to the Govt. Museum is to see the world-famous Nataraja bronze statue. I first learned of this statue in high school history (ChongHwa's history subject is just awesome), and have loved it ever since. My involvement with bharatanatyam grew from this high school fascination also. Today I finally completed this pilgrimage of mine, and I must say it was worth every effort of my getting here.

Having seen this, the rest of the bronze exhibition seemed worthless to my layman eyes.

There are many things that I can say, but I am in no mood to write a post. Let's end with a happy note?
This afternoon after the museum visit I went for lunch at Masthya, a famous veg. restaurant in Chennai. Family-run, several generations already. THE FOOD WAS AWESOME! So awesome that I had to suppress my urge to order more and more and more....I will try to come again tomorrow, though that means it will take me another 1.5 hours to get to lunch hahahaha....

10 days now

Since I first logged onto the internet years ago, this is the first time I have gone one whole week without tapping into the Net.

In fact, I haven't even touched a computer for 7 days.

This is simply unbelievable, for me at least. I am progressing well on my no-internet therapy. And you know what? I don't think I have missed much.

Nor was I missed, I think. In this world now, everything happens so fast, so many things changing that everyone seems insignificant in reflection. Perhaps only one or two persons would really notice your absence!

My classes are progressing excellently. My teachers are pros and friendly. They think that I am picking up quickly and so they pressed me quite hard, forcing me to listen to their fast speech. People here speak a zillion languages, and when I try to pick up words on the street, I really couldn't tell if it was because I sucked at listening Tamil or just because they were speaking in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam etc.

I have made quite many friends here at Dakshin Chitra where I am staying and at the Institute of Asian Studies where I am studying. Even at Kovalam, where I change buses every weekday, I have made friends...those few guys that helped me out with directions the first time I got into Kovalam, well now they see me every weekday and we chat briefly if time allows.

Every meal at DakshinChitra is something to look forward to, as I will be chatting with Ajith (the waiter) and Ratamani (the chef). They told me their stories, their aspirations, their struggles. I taught them Mandarin and even some French (what I can remember of course, and very imperfect).

Every weekday is also exciting, as I will be learning new words and classes are really very friendly. I buy my cookies (lunch) from the grocery store on my way walking into IAS, and the storekeeper was always eager to give me Tamil practice :). Naagu and Rani (who I find very pretty!) who takes care of the guesthouses also talk to me in Tamil whenever they catch me hahaha.

Today I read some poems from classical Tamil texts, translation of course. Simply breathtaking. Their love poems are really so...good!

During my free time here, I read my Song Ci and English poems that I brought with me. In IAS, during breaks, I hungrily read up on Tamil literature and Hinduism.

This Tuesday I have taken a day's holiday from IAS. Why? Because I will be bringing Ratamani and the Sanjay gang (see pic below) out for bowling and maybe cinema at Mayajaal, the entertainment center just minutes away from DakshinChitra. Looking forward to it!

Apna keyal rakhana (take care in Hindi).

Everyone gets so close during such times :)

Fort Museum at St.George Fort, Chennai. I once promised a friend that I would take dancing pictures of myself for this friend wherever I travel. Well, I hope a picture of my dog in place of me would suffice. If this friend is reading this, know that I miss you and I wish you all the best.

Lady making flower garlands in bus. After stealing snaps of her, I told her I was taking pics of her and she sportingly said ok and smiled at my camera. Of course with her looking at me I got nervous and the subsequent pics weren't as good as this one. I spent at least 5 minutes trying to figure out how she tied the knots but I failed.

from left: Pramod, Jogi, Sanjay. These guys are handicraft vendors in D.Chitra selling works from their villages. All the vendors at D.C. are my friends, but I am particularly close to these guys. They are all from Orissa and speak no Tamil, so I pick up some Ordio (spelling?) from them. They invited me to join them for a fruit juice session at Kanathur, just minutes away from D.C.. That was my virgin roadside stall meal experience in India, and luckily I had no stomaches. The fruit juice selection was broad and juice was good. After that I even joined them for their grocery shopping, including a visit to the chicken slaughterhouse haha. Oh yeah, these guys excitedly bought me Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate...haha...macam small boys je.

first five days in Chennai

Just to let you guys know that I am doing great in Chennai.

Let me try to summarize my five day experience in a few lines:

1. People here are very friendly, though they may be in poverty condition.
2. Traffic is unbelievable. KL/Melaka/Penang driving is heavenly compared to here, though I have yet to experience major jams here. Cows, goats, people, bikes, motorbikes, cars, rickshaws, buses, trucks all fight for space on the narrowest roads.
3. Weather's very dry and sunny. Doesn't feel hot though it should be. Extremely dusty.
4. My Tamil is progressing nicely. Even picking up Hindi and Malayalam from my friends here.
5. Visited my first temple in Chennai today. Their devotion is quite touching.
6. Still haven't tried food from roadside stalls yet...scared of diarrhea!
7. I haven't seen so many pretty girls in a city since I left Montreal. Going back to KL would be a major downgrade in this department HAHAHAHAHA.

Took many pictures, but won't be uploading any until I return to Malaysia or I get faster connection.
take care all.

Happy Valentine's Day. I will try to make it somewhat fun here in Chennai.

bye bye for now, and a shitty hero.

I will be gone for the next few weeks and very unlikely to update this blog.

During my travels, I hope to avoid the internet and computers, and use the internet only sparingly to check emails in case there are urgent matters (these are so rare). If the internet connection is good, I will try to upload one or two pictures.

It was my birthday. Birthdays have ceased to be a big deal for me LONG TIME ago. Nevertheless I did give a call and when it ended, I realised that the person didn't wish me happy birthday. That was disappointing, maybe because I expected something. Guess I was foolish to start.

Unexpectedly, I will start my journey with a heavy heart. This may be a blessing in disguise, as the next few weeks can only become better, no?


And now for something completely different..........a caterpillar with a club at its end.

Eh, no it's not a club, is it?

It's a wet blob. Hahaha...a wet blob does not a club make.
I believe it's fecal matter (i.e., shit and pee) excreted by the caterpillar and used to defend itself or to camouflage as a piece of useless, awful bird poop.
When I expose the caterpillar to ants, our shitty hero pushed its glistening blob towards the incoming intruder and lo' and behold, the ants backed off.

I mean...look at our shitty hero! Even without that wet blob, he/she has yellow spines protruding from the sides. You wanna mess with our hero?
Guess not.

Do you know what leaves our caterpillar was feeding on with the other 15++ of his/her comrades? Our curry leaf plant in the garden. I couldn't find other herbivores on the said plant other than these caterpillars. I suspect that the caterpillar uses some of the nasty compounds in the curry leaves and secretes them into its fecal matter, and then use it as a wet club. Such strategies are no longer alien to ecologists. Some caterpillars use fecal matter as shield.

Once I get back, hopefully these guys are still around, then I can commence a proper study on them.

Drama !

Last week, I stumbled upon a spider web without a spider in it. I followed the thread of the web to a leaf wrapped up in silk. There within a silk chamber was the spider. I don't know the species or even the family, but I will pretend that it's an orb spider (and I am likely correct).

To entice it out of its chamber for a better picture, I needed........a sacrifice.

Sorry to say there were some ants nearby foraging on nectar, so I took one lucky fellow up and cast her into the web. I admit that I felt a tinge of remorse.

 Poor ant.

A few days later, I tried to check on the orb spider again. Let's call her Spidee for we all love naming spiders, no?

I found Spidee not in her chamber. Instead, I found another web nearby with traces of Spidee's activities.

Spidee's web claimed more lives.

Then I found Spidee...or what was part of her.

Spidee has grown into a new outfit, leaving behind her old, pale former outfit.

(technically, this meant that the spider has molted, breaking off its former exoskeleton and replacing it with a new one. Here was its former exoskeleton.)

But WHERE WAS SPIDEE?!


Oh there she is! On a nearby branch.

Wait...that ain't right!

No~~!! Spidee has fallen to another spider, this one a jumping spider if I am not mistaken. When I arrived at the murder scene, Spidee was firmly clasped in the jumping spider's fangs and legs. Spidee might have given a struggle, as a small part of her legs has broken off.

How did Jumpie actually claim Spidee's life? Did Jumpie break into Spidee's silk chamber, or lured Spidee out by faking a prey caught on Spidee's web? Spidee was just as huge as Jumpie, so I find it hard to imagine Jumpie having an easy time if the attack wasn't facilitated by an ambush or toxin.
K, toxins are guaranteed.


Trying to get a better view, I tried to pester Jumpie into moving to a nice spot. Obviously offended, Jumpie released Spidee and jumped off!

So I managed to get close up pics of Spidee after she has passed on, but I was very sorry.
If Spidee was killed, the best thing was to at least have her eaten by Jumpie! Now her death was truly in vain.

Wasn't Spidee beautiful? She carried what looked like a "Tree of Life" on her back! or a "Rising Phoenix".

What was eating was then eaten.
Life.
Too bad I wasn't there to record the whole drama., only what was left of it.