Hello from Lucknow!
Its waters are said to be purifying, but I was too concerned with fecal coliform levels to test it out, so instead I enjoyed a peaceful moment along its banks.
(the dot between my eyebrows was left over from being greeted at a restaurant earlier in the day- more on that later)
I have been in India about 10 days now, and thought I would finally put together my first blog post. I feel a little bit like an alien, and am repeatedly reminded of Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. This has made it somewhat difficult for me to take many pictures (I'm told this is not unusual, and that I'll likely do more documentation as I become more comfortable), but I'll post a few photos that I've taken so far.
After a quick overnight stay in Delhi, I took a plane to Varanasi (formerly known as Benares), to register at the Foreigner's Registration Office there. I am here as an affiliate of the Central University of Tibetan Studies (which, it turns out, has an affiliation with Smith College and the Five College Consortium in Western Mass!) in nearby Sarnath. The grounds of the University are beautiful.
It took several days to complete my registration, which gave me some time to see the sites. Sarnath is the location of the historical Buddha's first teaching, and has become a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists from around the world. Here are a few photos of the Dhamek stupa, built by the Mauryan King Ashoka (a convert to Buddhism) around the year 500 C.E.
In Varanasi, I visited the Ganges, holiest of rivers in India.
Its waters are said to be purifying, but I was too concerned with fecal coliform levels to test it out, so instead I enjoyed a peaceful moment along its banks.
I finished round one of FRO registration after a mere five days, and hopped a train up to Lucknow, where a friend is studying Urdu. She lives with a sea captain and his wife, who own a beautiful house-in-progress in Lucknow. Here are some photos from the balcony and roof. Notice all the plants. The Captain collects plants from around the world.
Yesterday the family took us to their small organic farm (more the size of a community garden in the States than what we think of as a 'farm') just outside the city. They grow fruit for the family and friends. First we took a brief tour of the farm.
We saw grapefruit, lemon, lime, custard apple, guava, and ber fruit trees, as well as the rice paddy and many exotic flowers from around the world.
Captain I.A Khan and some of the fruits of his labor.
The lovely Afreen.
The Captain bought the land about 10 years back, at which time all the surrounding area was also farmland. Not you can see the neighborhood has become quite developed.
That doesn't stop them from enjoying some quiet time away from hectic city life.
portrait with fruit (grapefruit, sweet lemon, and a cherry)
Anna picks a black guava.
The family also constructed a cricket pitch at the farm for their sons and sons' friends.
Okay, that's all for now. I'll be here in Lucknow until Sunday, when I fly up to Dehradun, and can finally settle in my own place! I'll post more photos soon. Love to you all!
