Flu/Musings

There isn't really much to talk about this week because I was ill for most of it. And NO it's not from the chaat stand and NO it wasn't a stomach issue. I guess the seasons are changing or something (I don't really understand this because every day feels exactly the same: hot, hotter and hottest) and most of the students have been coming down with the flu and of course I was the first one to catch it. For two days I was really actually ill with a fever, chills, coughing and nasal/chest congestion. It is quite odd to have the flu when it's 100 degrees outside. I spent a couple days in my apartment sweating it out (which was oh so fun when the power went out) but after two days I wasn't just better, I was refreshed and completely back to normal. Usually when I get the flu back home, I'm out for at least a week. I've never gotten over a cold so quickly and that too with zero meds. I don't know how to ask for things at the pharmacy here. I asked someone to pick up something for me that alleviated nasal congestion and the person returned with shady looking red pills with no dosage instruction, no directions saying how much you can take or how long you have to wait before taking it again, and an ingredients list that included Caffeine as one of the main active ingredients. Hmmm. No thanks.

Nevertheless I am completely well and back to normal. The students are so sweet. When I came back to school on Friday they huddled around me to see how I was feeling and whether they could get me anything. Can you imagine that happening in the States? I can't. Right now I am trying to prepare tomorrow's lesson plan for choir. They're starting to get the hang of singing multiple melodies at once and I think they'll be really good by the end of the semester. Hopefully we can start singing some exciting music soon. I don't think they ever thought music would be so difficult - or ever considered it to be a disciplined craft. Some students are telling me that they've never had so much fun learning and that they've never felt so comfortable with a teacher, and some students are telling me that I have killed their musical spirit and that they hate music now because of me - because I keep going on and on about good technique instead of letting them continue with their bad habits. So some people hate me and some love me - I guess that's a good sign.

My favorite part of being here is riding on the rickshas. I always feel like I'm in a video game and the goal is to get from point A to point B but there are all these hurdles blocking your path. What's funny is that the ricksha drivers look so gleeful when they see us scared to death holding each other for dear life in the back. Whenever we scream I can see the guy look back at us with a giant smile from ear to ear. I think they get a kick out of it.

Since being here my ricksha adventures have included:

One that almost turned upside down when making a sharp turn
One that just died in the middle of the road where the driver had to push us to the gas station.
One driver decided he needed a break and stopped the ricksha so he could drink water for 10 minutes with his buddies.
One that almost got hit by a bus
One that drove directly headfirst into a cop on a motorbike. The cop didn't seem to care; they exchanged some words and then both went merrily on their way.

I have also learned that I am a champion haggler. We went to this street that has loads and loads of fabric stalls up and down and I bought some really amazing fabric for dirt cheap. They see us and they immediately say like 80 or 100 rupees per meter and I have actually brought them down to like 30. How crazy is that? It's almost exhausting in a way. I'm kind of getting sick of it because it's just so silly. Both people know that both people are acting.

He says "great price madam, 80 rupees meter"
To which I roll my eyes dramatically and scoff "Yeah right, that's ridiculous" and walk away.
To which he says "okay okay okay come, I'll give you, what price you want?"
"You give me two and a half meters for 100 and I'll take it."
"Vaaaat Madam? This is too less..."
"Okay bye then, thank you."
"Okay Okay Okay come.. I give you for 110."
"No, 100."
"10 rupees madam, I give for 110."
"No. 100."
"110."
"100."
"110."
"100."
And with a reluctant side nod I get it for 100.

It's exhausting. Sometimes you just want to see something and buy it.

This is Ram. He is the boy who comes to clean the apartment. He wanted to have his picture taken so we took one together.






These are the construction workers who are working on the house. They always come and say "Hello! How are you!" and we say "Fine!" One of them saw that we had nail polish and asked if she could paint her fingernails. They were so fascinated by it. They were also fascinated by spray-on deodorant.

Celebrity

I have randomly had the most celebrity-esque week and I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it. First of all, two newspapers/magazines came to KM; (I think one of them was like Hindustani Times, or Hindu Times or something) and when one of the administrators approached me and said they wanted to interview me, i said "but... why?" I've never been interviewed before... formally. It was a very interesting experience and it's funny how people try and get the "juice" out of you. He kept asking me questions about A.R. and what I thought of him and I think I successfully dodged some pretty serious traps. There was only one moment when I thought "Wait, maybe I shouldn't have said that." The interviewer was suspiciously charismatic and made me feel like I should tell him everthing I know. They're clever aren't they? The attention was delightful.

Then, one of the biggest names on the advisory board of KM came to do a concert in Chennai on Friday evening and did a workshop with the students on Saturday: L. Subramaniam; better known as the husband of Kavitha Krishnamurthy. Yes, I met them both and they are quite humble and lovely. The concert Friday evening was on the beach and it was amazing to hear Carnatic music on a handmade violin with 5 strings, while digging my feet into the sand and hearing the sound of the waves in the distance. Before the concert I ate chaat at a stand and hung out with my fellow faculty members and a new friend who used to play with A.R.: Paul Jacob. He's an amazing musician who has his own studio here in Chennai. He goes to remote villages around the country and records amateur musicians playing rare folk instruments. He played some of his stuff for us and it's amazing how tribal and African it sounds. He then mixes it with typical south Indian music which creates a really bizarre but cool fusion. Really great music.

The next day L. Subramaniam gave his lecture to the students at KM and Kavitha sat in the back with their kids. I got a chance to meet her, but acted like a total idiot. For some reason I was totally and utterly star struck. I'm generally not big on celebrities. I don't read magazines. I don't keep up with celebrity gossip. But for whatever reason I was acting like a total weirdo so I removed myself from the situation immediately. It's strange to think that I've been listening to her all my life and now I'm like working with her husband. Weird.

So that's the news for this week. More to follow.

Agni Kavadi

I was walking home from the conservatory and suddenly found myself in the middle of a huge religious celebration involving many rituals I had never seen before.  It was the most bizarre experience to turn a corner and find yourself in the middle of something so ornate and ritualistic. I looked it up immediately and learned that what I had walked in on was the Agni Kavadi festival of Chennai.

The Kavadi festival is celebrated by the devotees of lord Muruga and involves a long processional from the Palani hills by a man carrying a large gold and flower adorned diety on his head to the Muruga temple which apparently is on my street.  I had no idea. 

The journey to the temple is filled with songs dedicated to Muruga, dancing and loud rhythmic drumming.  In this processional men and women carry baskets filled with fruits, coconuts, vegetables, rice, and milk as an offering for the god.  Even animals like goats and roosters are brought along for the ride.  

The Agni Kavadi (which I experienced) is the most intense offering to the god.  Once the people finally arrive at the temple, they have to walk across pits of burning coal as their final hurdle before entering the temple. It is said that the men who cross this fire come out unscathed because of their devotion.  Oh and did I mention that these men also had their lips sewed shut with long silver lances pierced through their face?  I don't know.  I feel like your body would be confused as to what it should tend to first - feet or face.  

It was absolutely amazing to watch and everyone was so nice to us.  They offered us food and took our pictures.  I felt a little like a specimen and I'm sure our picture is in some Tamil newspaper somewhere as "the foreigners who came to worship."