November 1, 2010

We showed our DVD to all the kids today. There is a TV in the women’s dorm where it is really dark so it was like a movie theater. The kids were enthralled and loved seeing themselves and their friends and teachers “in the movies.” Actually, all the adults enjoyed it, too. Tomorrow the three new volunteers will join us. Alexis will work with Carol, Kate with Harold and Claire will help with the elderly and children as needed. We intend to have them help us tomorrow, then turn it over to them and become their aides. All will only be here for three weeks so they need to get started! There was excitement at our placement today. One of the young women (early 20’s’) announced that she is getting engaged on November 15th and married in April. She is somewhat nervous; she’s never yet met the man!!!

After lunch, Carol and two others went to the Sarojini Market by rickshaw. We enjoyed out time there and did some minor shopping. All the stalls and stores are gearing up for Diwali – lots of decorations and gifts; it was quite festive.

[Harold] While Carol was shopping, I got my video and still camera and headed to Nizamuddin. Carol and I had stumbled into here two weeks ago and I had to go back. It is one of the oldest parts of Delhi and is a self-contained Muslim mahalla (village). It is just off a busy four lane divided road, but in 50 yards you enter a time warp. The “streets” are narrow and shops and homes are stacked together just like Old Delhi. Here is also the one of Sufizm’s greatest shrines, the Hazrat Nizamudin Dargah. The dargah is tomb of Sheikh Nizam-ud-din Auli, fourth saint of the Chishtiya Sufi order. I was treated to music and singing whose purpose is to move follower’s state of mind into a kind of spiritual high and bring them closer to God. This is a no shoes zone and I was chastised twice because I wasn’t about to leave my $100 running shoes back in the crowed, smoky alley ways. They were in my hands the whole time and never touched anything. Most people didn’t seem to mind and I saw a few other Muslims carrying their shoes too, so I didn’t feel so much the ugly American. A bit later I met a Kashmiri garment and cloth salesman. He invited me to his house – a 10x10 room off a couple of winding alleys. We had Kashmir Tea, brewed on the spot and talked about our two different families. It was quite cool and I quickly got over my nervousness about being alone in a semi-dark alley residence where my body would never be found. The other chance meeting came when a man drove up to me on his scooter and said, “I met you and your wife last week at Earth Saviours (our work placement).” I wondered how he recognized me, then looked around at a couple thousand Muslim men in white tunics and caps and realized spotting an old, gray haired white guy wasn’t all that tough. Over the course of the evening I shot more than 30 minutes of video and I can’t wait to edit and see what I got. The trip ended with a wild rickshaw ride through Delhi rush hour traffic and a good spaghetti dinner.


Men share a hooka in Nizamuddin.

Hazrat Nizamudin Dargah Shrine




A stall in Sarojini Market decorated for Diwali