Excuse the lapse in time from the last post. I began this post last week, but the power has not been on for more than an hour at a time since last Wednesday. The weekend quest to Vashisht was made sans-computer as well, so the next three posts will be a catch-up.
A post wouldn't be complete without a little update on our school. The kids are doing well, and we have settled in a bit as teachers. Weezie has gravitated toward the Grade 3-4 class and I usually split time between the Grade 5 class and the Grade 6 class. We are still running into trouble with the kids not actually "knowing" anything and simply memorizing anything that they need in order to 'get by'. I have found through my work with percentages that the Grade 5 students may not have any idea what a fraction actually is. To them numbers are just a memorized system of numbers; times tables are the same. They have never been made to know how numbers work in unison with each other. They cannot understand that 1/4 is the equivalent of 2/8; they just see the numbers as different and no nothing of the concepts which they are learning. I have had a semi-breakthrough in realizing that much of a child's potential to learn lies in the abilities of the teacher. More importantly, the ability of students to learn lies in the ability of the teacher to explain (many times through simplification) what they know. This becomes increasingly difficult with the language barrier and the universal tendency, inherent in all 10-12 year olds, to get bored in 5 minutes and stare at the wall. Will all of this said, we continue to find joy in the small things which we are able to get through to the kids. The smile and 'lightbulb' look that comes with the realization of a new bit of information brings a tremendous sense of self-worth and accomplishment to the teacher.
On Wednesday we (the CCS group) took an excursion to the base of Dharamsala to visit the Nurbulingka Institute. This is, more or less, the epicenter for the preservation of Tibetan art, culture, and history. Set in an idyllic sanctuary of lush gardens and meandering streams, the pastel reds, yellows, blues and greens of the buildings draw your eye. The serenity of the atmosphere is compounded by the young Tibetan artists peacefully painting small shrines throughout the grounds. The compound is host to a beautiful guest house (with well-equipped rooms going for Rs 1500, or about $30 per night), a central temple, dormitories for all artists and staff, the workshops of all the artists, a small gift shop and an art gallery.
The name 'Norbulingka' means 'Jewel Garden' and was derived from the summer residence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. With occupied Tibet undergoing the tribulations of life under communist China's rule, the institute has taken the initiative to preserve the roots of the Tibetan culture. The institute is dedicated to handing down, and restoring, the traditional standards by providing training, education, and employment for Tibetan refugees. It seeks to provide a safe haven for Tibetan families, while raising awareness of Tibetan values and their expression, through art and literature.
Tibetan masters provide guidance to young artists in the disciplines of thangka painting and embroidery. A picture of such painting will be posted, but one cannot fully appreciate the ornate decoration and painstaking process of such works until they are experienced first-hand. An artist told me that masterfully-made paintings can take anywhere from 2 months to 2 years to complete fully (one man at one canvas for 6-8 hours per day). In my mind this is relatively astounding. The other forms of art include thangka applique (add French accent on the 'e'), sculpture, and woodcarving. The skill and detail expressed in each piece of art is truly remarkable. The artists of sculpture hand-chisel every detail of pieces as large as 6 feet tall and as small as 3 inches tall. There are no casts to be filled with molten brass or copper, just very very small chisels and a steady hand. Likewise with the woodcarvers, who work without the convenience of power saws and such. To them, these machines are too clunky and do not create any detail. Each splinter of wood is painstakingly (literally, I saw three guys wince in pain in a matter of one minute) chipped away until a masterpiece is constructed. It is a wonder that such beautiful things can be made by such skilled hands, and I hope that everyone can experience seeing this at least once in their life. If you cannot make the trip to Northern India then see the Norbulingka Institute online, at http://www.norbulingka.org/ .
After the short trip to Norbulingka a small group of us decided to take the afternoon off in McLeod Ganj, which is the upper market area of Dharamsala. Set on the top of the mountain, McLeod is a busy (and dirty) backpacker's dream with outdoor markets galore. The town is comprised of two main streets, which run at a parallel and converge into the main square at the top. At this point you can take one of three roads, either up the mountain or west, to another sleepy little mountain town. Most of the market vendors peddle handmade Tibetan goods, such as toboggans (known as 'winter hats' to any Yanks reading the blog), mittens, shoes, yak sweaters, and various tidbits and handicrafts such as fake jewelry, etc. We stopped to have tea on a rooftop and ran into three young Tibetan gentlemen who were enjoying the mountaintop view as well. We introduced ourselves and the larger group began asking questions about home, the town, and the community of Tibetans who live there. It was very nice to have such hospitable guests, and after our tea we shook hands and parted ways. From here we needed a place to eat and went to the much-recommended 'Carpe Diem' for a meal. The friendly Tibetan owners invited us up to the rooftop seating area (a covered porch with small tables and seating for about 15 hippies, sitting Indian-style on cushions on the floor/roof) where we found the menu intimidating. They make everything from traditional Indian tandoori (my favorite, and my pick at this particular place) to Chinese fried rice, as well as pizza and burgers (veggie or chicken, of course). We enjoyed the view, the company, and our Kingfisher Lager to the utmost extent possible. At about 8pm it was time to catch a taxi home to Palampur.
This was a wonderful day, as you may be able to tell through the length of the post. I believe that in McLeod Ganj we have found an afternoon respite from excitable children and long school weeks. The hourlong trip is just short enough to allow for a full day after lunch, and the hustle-and-bustle of the mountaintop town and market provide a different kind of energy than the agricultural valley town of Palampur. We hope to visit Norbulingka again, especially for hand-made gifts for our friends and family.
The next post will be comprised of our nice trip to a Himachal tea estate, followed by our incredible trip to Vashisht for the weekend.
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