Gujarat Continued - My Week in Badora Part 1

Dinner with Kashmira Jaiswal and Family

Paan after dinner

I have to say that the teachers who hosted me and my colleague were very caring. When we returned to Badora from Ahmedabad we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Kashmira’s home. Westerners often think that everyone in India (and Africa) lives in poverty. This is not true. Kashmira and her husband raised two daughters in a lovely bungalow. They were a typical upper middle class Indian family. Kashmira’s husband owned a business that manufactured and sold surgical supplies. Their daughters were in high school and college. In India, dinner seemed to always involve multiple courses. Dinner begins with several kinds of appetizers that they call ‘starters.’ These were usually delicious and highly spiced pieces of chicken, shrimp or lamb. Very yummy. Then there is a main meal with involves several kinds of entrees that are shared. Then there is dessert and then tea. They also served paan which is a confection of betel leaves and rose petals. This is a traditional breath freshener. I had read about paan in a book I read about a young girl who lived in Pakistan and always wanted to try it. After we returned to the hotel, I fell into an exhausted sleep.

Welcome Assembly at Navrashana

A Welcome to Navrachana

The women teachers told me that I should wear a scarf to cover my arms during my time at the school. Bare arms are considered to be immodest. At that point, I had one scarf that I had brought from home. I wore it every day that week.  There was a wonderful assembly the first day we arrived at the school. The school is called Navrashana. It is a Kindergarten through 12^th grade school private arts school. The students learn traditional Indian dance, classical Indian instruments, like the tabla drums, and classical Indian singing. For the assembly the girls danced two styles of Indian classical dance, one from the north and one from the south. The southern style was my favorite. It involves very intricate and syncopated footwork that is danced in sync with the tabla drum rhythms. The table drums are very tonal as well. The assembly was a warm welcome.

Me and my colleague with Ms. Bazmi, the Principal of Navrashana

Students perform a classical Indian dance style from north

Highly skilled Tabla and Classical Indian Voice Instructors

Very skilled arts teachers at Navrashana.

Caring ladies prepare huge amounts of rice, chapatis and all kinds of healthy Indian foods for Navrashana students

Heritage Class at Navrashana. Students learn to identify India's precious and semi - precious stone.

Unfortunately, there was a major difference in the way my colleague and I were treated. In group discussions, all eyes were on him the entire time. If I asked a question, he was given the answer. They only addressed questions to him. During our dinner with the principal on Saturday evening, when she arrived, I could tell that she was surprised to see me. I could tell that she had been expecting me to be white. She stared at me coldly and directed all conversation to my white colleague. The only question she asked me was where I got my degree from. In other words, “How are you qualified to be here?” If Chris was asked if he wanted coffee or tea, and he said coffee, then we both received coffee. When we visited a textile factory later that day, the presentation was directed towards him. All communications about the schedule were given to him to tell me. With their treatment, they made him the leader of our team because he was white. The children asked him if he was in the movies. They asked me about my hairstyle. One student tried to give me a pound. Special workshops were arranged for the students with Chris, who was perceived to be a more knowledgeable musician. He did nothing to stave off or stop the discrimination. It was as if I was invisible. The next day, I woke up sick with a throbbing headache and fever.  And here lies the paradox. Although they racially discriminated against me, my host teachers showed me extraordinary care when I “fell ill,” as they put it. Kashmira brought me medicine and other items that I needed. With rest I recovered and made it through the rest of the week. When I spoke to Kashmira about my being treated differently from Chris, she at first denied it. I asked about the eye contact issue and if it was because Chris is a man. She said no, because most of the school’s staff were women (and there is a women’s movement underway in India.) I asked if it was because he is taller. She slowly nodded her head and said “it is because he is taller.” Lol : ) Bless their hearts. After this conversation, the eye contact issue resolved to a certain extent. She must have said something to everyone else. They really created a wonderful itinerary. In between class visits there were teas, refreshments and sumptuous lunches. The cafeteria was fragrant with traditional Indian food from that region. (US Indian food only really comes from the northwest region.) Huge numbers of woman prepare fresh chapattis, veggies and other nourishing foods for the children every day. I was able to observe a class where girls were learning about traditional Indian jewelry. They were learning how to identity quality and value in a piece. The teacher used several necklaces from her private collection. She gave me a beautiful necklace on my last day. I miss them.  It was a very special time.