Sunday, March 28, 2010
The pictures I posted here show Sanjay going for a swim in the pool at Solaris, in Pune. And Ramu enhoying his new birthday present alongside Tushar and Kajal.
Friday, March 26, 2010
I'm confused about a lot of things in India. I never really understand things like how babus can exist so openly. How so many people who claim to live in the "best country in the world" (they seriously believe that here), can allow such horrible disgusting blatant forms of corruption. Down to even the tiniest thing, for example applying for a BPL (below poverty level) card, which is supposed to be FREE cannot be obtained without slipping some rupees to the clerk who handles the forms. You think people who can't even afford a bag of rice will be able to afford the bribe money required for this form?! Obtaining birth or death certificates (also free) require bribes as well. These are only small examples, setting up a business here for a foreigner is incredibly difficult. I honestly don't see how it's worth it. The bribes, the delays, the incompetence with a lot of the workers...I wonder if they factor those things in when companies are like, "Hey, let's set up in India...it's cheap there!"
Labels: complaints
Sunday, March 21, 2010
This weekend was a special festival the school put on. Mostly to sort of put the name of the school out there (since it's still only in it's second year) and attract new students. It's going on right now as I type. There has been music going since 11am this morning. It's a two day event and yesterday they had a lot of music, games, some equivalent of a bouncy house but made for soccer, and other random things. All night they had a really famous rock band play until 11pm. It was so loud I couldn't watch tv at night. Today was mainly paint-ball. Pictured above is Remi and his team, I believe Remi won both matches he played. He is always so calm and methodical when he plays, he also has deadly accuracy with fire arms, it's scary. I would have played, I do love paint-ball. But it's was already scorching hot outside (around 100 degrees), and the idea of putting on these smelly suits that the stinky male students had already been sweating in all day really deterred me. It was so hot that just standing outside watching them for 20 minutes and I was ready to come in. When I finally came back to the AC in our apartment I checked my face in the mirror and it was bright red and hot to the touch.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Holi is a Hindu holiday in India lasting three days, though some people say a week. Now, if you ask the average Indian here what Holi is about, you'll get mixed responses. I think most don't really know, they call it the "Festival of Colors" and that's about it. In fact, I had a Muslim once tell me it's not even a Hindu holiday, that it's just a day of "fun" with colors, which is why sometimes you can find Muslims playing. Since I couldn't seem to get a straight response out of anyone I researched it myself.
The main day, Holi, also known as Dhuli Vandana in Sanskrit,also Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister ofHiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion.
Labels: Holi
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