Tired Reflections + Ganesha Celebrations

After three full weeks in Chennai and at the program, I am starting to feel tired and ready to make my way home. There are a number of factors contributing to this, and probably highest on the list is the tough life quality caused by being in a city. The pollution (which always leaves one's face covered in a patina of dirt and dust) and the heat mixed together have made it increasingly difficult to explore the city. The excitement and energy which ignited my curiosity during the first days of the stay have given way to a more quiet attitude. Now I am careful about not walking around in the middle of traffic and try to limit my shopping expeditions (whether for food or for fun) to one a day, or less.

Also, while the place where I am staying is lovely, it is difficult to be alone and on several occasions I have wished that KYM would provide a dormitory or better communication among students when it comes to sleeping arrangements. A lot of students are staying in guest houses along the same road (6th Main Road), and I have spent several evenings in that area, but eventually I return to my place and miss a little more human interaction.

Finally, the course. While my perspective on the teachers remains unchanged - the faculty is both well prepared and extremely knowledgeable - I find that the pedagogical approach of the program lacks an interactive aspect for the students that is fundamental, not only for our learning but also for the rhythm of the classes. I feel like over the past three weeks we have been given a lot of information, as if every day,   our teachers were handing out little text books for us to carry. The books keep piling up and we are carrying an increasingly heavy load, but there is no where for us to set it down. I know there will be plenty of time to look back through my notes once I have returned to England, but in the meantime I have felt so tired during and after classes. And it's not just mental tiredness, but physical as well -I am not used to writing by hand anymore and have developed tension through my right arm and right side of the neck, and sitting on the ground for hours in a row has not been kind to my pelvis and spine.

So: pollution+loneliness+information overload = looking forward to making my way home next week! In fact, when I first arrived in Chennai I wondered how I would ever want to leave: the warmth, the delicious fruit, the tropical birds and the smell of incense. All of these things are still delightful and I am grateful for being here, yet it also works out very well that I should start missing home as the program draws to a close. I am also happy to experience the full three dimensionality of being abroad for a month - not just the high energy excitement, but also the quieter, more introspective quality brought on by being away from my loved ones, alone, in a foreign space. This quieter energy is filled with rich reflections that I will carry back with me and are shaping my perspective on who I am and the choices I make in my life.

To follow these sober thoughts, a few images of the celebration of Ganesha (which always takes place on the fourth day of the waxing moon around this time of the year). Ganesha is traditionally worshipped as the Remover of Obstacles. In fact, he is also responsible for placing those obstacles in one's path and is considered the Lord of Beginnings. So, to a celebration of obstacles (and sober reflections) as a means to further understand ourselves and learn to move with the changes that inevitably happen in life!

 These men are preparing the chariot that will later be paraded around the neighbourhood so that residents may bring their offerings to the deity and get blessed by the brahmin priests in charge of the rituals.

I was surprised to see two Ganesh sculptures!

Looking cosy and smelling great.

I missed the Double Ganesh Chariot on its way around the neighbour (I was deep in conversation with another student from my program, Milena). Yet when I heard music playing on the street below, I ran down to find a second chariot being pulled along the road. The chariot was lit through a large light hooked on to a portable generator, so you can imagine the noise!)

The procession moves like this: a small group of musicians (pictured above), precede the sculpture with their drums and wind instruments. This calls down the residents from their apartments (as happened to me), who wait for the deity to make its way in front of their house.

Various families from one of the buildings making their offerings and receiving blessings.

Brahmin priests in the ritual. They repeatedly offered the fire from this candle in the direction of Ganesh and then worshippers brought the energy of the fire to themselves by placing their hands over the flame and onto their heads. It looked like a purifying ritual of sorts.

The young men in charge of moving the cart along. Young brahmin priest on the left.

Green Superman is holding a stick used to lift tree branches in the way of the chariot. There was a real fun and lively energy to the procession!

Green Superman sneaked into this photo at the last minute! In the back, the neighbourhood Ganesha temple all lit up for the festival.

I eventually left the procession, resisting its magnetic pull and opting for a night's rest (this was on the same day of the flower market - a long day!)

Thank you for staying with the blog so far - it is a wonderful thing to have this space to share and to reflect.

Sending you all my good wishes,
B