Thursday, August 2, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Kochi Sketching
So since I am technically here to draw and paint, everyday I try to do some sketching. It's currently monsoon season in Kerala, which means it can start raining and any time and there are multiple-day periods of overcast and dreary weather, which can make it difficult to do any drawing outside. However, there are breaks in these rainy periods. I think I've figured out a pattern: if it rains during the day it will be pretty clear at night and vice versa. Usually it comes in 3-4 day periods, so it will be rainy for a few days and then clear for a few days.
Anyways, the point is that I have to take advantage of the sunny days to sketch outside. Since kochi is on the coast and is renowned for its huge old school Chinese fishing nets, I go sit on one of the benches that overlooks the water/nets to draw. There is a little pathway that runs along the coast with a bunch of benches on it. This is a favorite spot for locals to come sit or walk. At first I found it dfficult to do any artwork here and limited myself to very quick watercolors because people would come and stand next to me and sort of bother me (and as a result my first few watercolors are pretty poor). Now I've sort of gotten used to the passersby, and I've come into a rhythm where if I am focusing intently enough on my drawing or painting, people still come and stand very close next to me to watch me draw but they typically don't bother me. Instead they chat amongst themselves and look at/gesture towards whatever I'm drawing. It's a very strange experience, mostly because there is a lot of pressure on me to be doing a good drawing! But I'm hoping that what I'm really doing is causing people to take a look at something that would otherwise have gone unnoticed (like a tree) and contemplate its beauty.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Kochi
Okay so I am writing this from my phone so I don't think I will make it very long, but just wanted to give a few updates :). So I was having major stomach problems (typical) and was taking cipro but it was doing like absolutely nothing so on literally my first full day in Kochi I decided to go to a doctor. I'm staying in sort of a homestay situation (i.e. a family rents out rooms to people) so they were very sweet and drove me to a doctor. Unfortunately the doctor was away for the week, so then we went to a different one which was across the street. This was just a woman sitting in a rundown building. She talked to me for about two minutes and then wrote a prescription for something I had never heard of. I tried to get her to tell me what exactly it was and gathered it was some sort of all-purpose fever reducer/painkiller/probiotic/antibiotic that would solve all my problems NOT. So I didn't get that filled and instead my host dad drove me to a hospital that was close by. This was a truly Indian hospital, like no foreigners at all and I don't really think they knew what to do with me. Anyways finally they got a doctor who spoke some English and he just basically had a meeting with me (didn't examine me or anything) and then prescribed a whole bunch of things, none of which was an antibiotic or anti-parasite (he actually got annoyed when I asked him to explain what the drugs were supposed to do). Finally after I reiterated that this had been going on for a week he prescribed an anti-parasite, and since then I've been feeling better each day.
So that was longer than anticipated and all about health problems haha sorryyyy. Anyways Kochi is absolutely beautiful, full of green coconut palms and brightly-colored tropical flowers. It is right on the coast, and though the ocean itself is not so nice to look at, it really feels like a cute little beach down (in India though of course). It is monsoon season right now, so the first few days here were pretty downcast and rainy, but the past two days have actually been quite sunny! My host family is so sweet and feeds me so much breakfast. My favorite thing that they've made was this warm, doughy coconut flour pancake-ish thing dipped in fresh coconut milk. SO delicious, and easy on the tummy!
There is more to say but my thumbs hurt so I'm gonna go, but lots of love to everyone!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Ajanta
Isn't it strange how some things never change and some things will never be the same?
On Thursday, I visited my second group of cave temples. Ajanta is much farther away from Aurangabad than Ellora (103 km as opposed to 36 km--took a little over two hours to get there) and consists of 30 Buddhist caves all carved into the side of a cliff. From the outside as a whole, I think the Ajanta caves seem more impressive since they are all high on the same cliff face right next to each other, looking down into a valley where waterfalls cascade over their edges during monsoon season. Ellora is more spread out, so one does not get the same feeling of complete awe. On the inside though, I was rather more impressed by Ellora with its towering stone carvings of gods and goddesses. Ajanta is more well-known for its paintings, and what remained of these were beautiful, but they are much disintegrated. Sher-Gil wrote, "A fresco from Ajanta or a small piece of sculpture in the Musee Guimet is worth more than the whole Renaissance!" I can see these figures in Ajanta in her work, but I wonder how different her Ajanta is from my Ajanta, nearly 80 years older than hers. How much have these paintings changed since she saw them?
It is amazing that the paintings are still here at all. I enjoy visiting historic sites like Ajanta and Ellora because I can feel the continuity between the past and the present. What always drew me to history was feeling tied to the past, feeling like I am a part of something bigger than myself. History allows us to feel a closeness with each other simply because of our existence as people. People painted these caves and lived in them and worshiped in them. They had hopes and dreams and trials and losses just the same as we do. We are all connected. And in this way it is impossible not to feel moved by Ajanta and tied to Sher-Gil.
In Delhi, I was surprised at how quickly things came back to me. I would find myself answering people in Hindi phrases that I forgot I knew, and not even realizing what I was saying until after I said it. I found myself returning to old habits and finding places to be like I never left them. However, it is this lack of change that reminds me how different things actually are, as I am so changed. As much as we would like to and maybe even try to relive our memories, we cannot, and we must create new ones to appreciate equally as much.
The part of Ajanta that struck me most was the brilliant blue that remained in some of the designs of the caves. While most of the other colors had faded, this blue still seemed to glow as brightly as if it were painted but a few weeks ago. I hope to use this blue in later paintings. I suppose the key to a happy memory is to find the common thread that runs through our experience, just like this blue.
On Thursday, I visited my second group of cave temples. Ajanta is much farther away from Aurangabad than Ellora (103 km as opposed to 36 km--took a little over two hours to get there) and consists of 30 Buddhist caves all carved into the side of a cliff. From the outside as a whole, I think the Ajanta caves seem more impressive since they are all high on the same cliff face right next to each other, looking down into a valley where waterfalls cascade over their edges during monsoon season. Ellora is more spread out, so one does not get the same feeling of complete awe. On the inside though, I was rather more impressed by Ellora with its towering stone carvings of gods and goddesses. Ajanta is more well-known for its paintings, and what remained of these were beautiful, but they are much disintegrated. Sher-Gil wrote, "A fresco from Ajanta or a small piece of sculpture in the Musee Guimet is worth more than the whole Renaissance!" I can see these figures in Ajanta in her work, but I wonder how different her Ajanta is from my Ajanta, nearly 80 years older than hers. How much have these paintings changed since she saw them?
It is amazing that the paintings are still here at all. I enjoy visiting historic sites like Ajanta and Ellora because I can feel the continuity between the past and the present. What always drew me to history was feeling tied to the past, feeling like I am a part of something bigger than myself. History allows us to feel a closeness with each other simply because of our existence as people. People painted these caves and lived in them and worshiped in them. They had hopes and dreams and trials and losses just the same as we do. We are all connected. And in this way it is impossible not to feel moved by Ajanta and tied to Sher-Gil.
In Delhi, I was surprised at how quickly things came back to me. I would find myself answering people in Hindi phrases that I forgot I knew, and not even realizing what I was saying until after I said it. I found myself returning to old habits and finding places to be like I never left them. However, it is this lack of change that reminds me how different things actually are, as I am so changed. As much as we would like to and maybe even try to relive our memories, we cannot, and we must create new ones to appreciate equally as much.
The part of Ajanta that struck me most was the brilliant blue that remained in some of the designs of the caves. While most of the other colors had faded, this blue still seemed to glow as brightly as if it were painted but a few weeks ago. I hope to use this blue in later paintings. I suppose the key to a happy memory is to find the common thread that runs through our experience, just like this blue.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Aurangabad
So yesterday (Tuesday) after a week in Delhi, I hopped on the plane to Aurangabad! I wasted most of the day yesterday sitting in the airport because I got my flight time wrong. Luckily I thought it was earlier than it was, so I didn't miss it but just had an extended period of reading time...
The flight was Air India, and I was amazed because they served a full meal on a flight that was less than two hours! I didn't actually eat this meal because I was not expecting it and had already eaten lunch by 3:00 PM, but it smelled pretty good. We flew over some beautiful, fluffy clouds once we got out of the Delhi smog.
Yesterday I was exhausted after sitting around doing nothing in the airport for so long, so after arriving at the hotel I pretty much just ate dinner and went to sleep after meeting with an overzealous hotel employee to arrange a trip to the Ellora cave temples for today. There is a beautiful, big pool in the center of the hotel though, so I might jump in for a swim later.
Woke up early this morning to shower and prepare to go to Ellora. Got down to breakfast a little after 7:00, as the buffet is included with the room. I wasn't really sure what was included in the buffet and what was separate, so I stuck to some chocos cereal with milk and a cup of fresh nimbu (sweet lime) juice. I've since come to the conclusion that the whole thing was the buffet, so tomorrow I might try some freshly chopped mango! We are in the heart of mango season right now.
Hopped in the car to Ellora at about 8:15 in order to get there by opening at 9:00 (morning is best because it is less hot and less crowded). The temples were remarkable. There are about 35 of them, with a mixture of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain caves. They are all carved into the stone in the side of a mountain. It is sort of like an Indian version of Mesa Verde, but more spiritually centered. My favorite was probably Cave 10, which was a Buddhist cave with a huge domed meditation hall surrounded by thirty pillars. There was an older man there who had the key to the upstairs balcony and he took me through the hall and even sang a little chant to show me how beautifully the hall echoed.
Tomorrow I will head to Ajanta to see more caves temples and cave paintings, Sher-Gil's true delight!
Lots of love to everyone.
The flight was Air India, and I was amazed because they served a full meal on a flight that was less than two hours! I didn't actually eat this meal because I was not expecting it and had already eaten lunch by 3:00 PM, but it smelled pretty good. We flew over some beautiful, fluffy clouds once we got out of the Delhi smog.
Yesterday I was exhausted after sitting around doing nothing in the airport for so long, so after arriving at the hotel I pretty much just ate dinner and went to sleep after meeting with an overzealous hotel employee to arrange a trip to the Ellora cave temples for today. There is a beautiful, big pool in the center of the hotel though, so I might jump in for a swim later.
Woke up early this morning to shower and prepare to go to Ellora. Got down to breakfast a little after 7:00, as the buffet is included with the room. I wasn't really sure what was included in the buffet and what was separate, so I stuck to some chocos cereal with milk and a cup of fresh nimbu (sweet lime) juice. I've since come to the conclusion that the whole thing was the buffet, so tomorrow I might try some freshly chopped mango! We are in the heart of mango season right now.
Hopped in the car to Ellora at about 8:15 in order to get there by opening at 9:00 (morning is best because it is less hot and less crowded). The temples were remarkable. There are about 35 of them, with a mixture of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain caves. They are all carved into the stone in the side of a mountain. It is sort of like an Indian version of Mesa Verde, but more spiritually centered. My favorite was probably Cave 10, which was a Buddhist cave with a huge domed meditation hall surrounded by thirty pillars. There was an older man there who had the key to the upstairs balcony and he took me through the hall and even sang a little chant to show me how beautifully the hall echoed.
Tomorrow I will head to Ajanta to see more caves temples and cave paintings, Sher-Gil's true delight!
Lots of love to everyone.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Sup Delhi
I'm back! Landed at around 8:30 PM today and got my bag, got a simcard (though unfortunately not for iPhone, but at the very least I am able to use wireless connections on iPhone, hence I'm writing this post), got a taxi to the hotel and checked in. It's so strange and wonderful to be back. In line to board the plane at the airport I caught a wiff of cardamom, and on the flight I chose the veg dinner option and ate some surprisingly satisfactory palak paneer, so I was already starting to smile before I even got here. On the plane I was sitting next to a girl who happened to live in the same neighborhood that I was living in with my host mother Sunita, which was funny and a nice coincidence. When I exited the airport the heat and the smell hit me tenfold and I probably looked like an idiot cause I couldn't stop smiling. It's good to be back. I can't wait to revisit the old places and ride in rickshaws again. Little details that I had forgotten are coming back to me, memories resurfacing (the power has already gone out once, very briefly, in the two hours that I've been in the hotel :)). Tomorrow the adventures begin! For now, I'm gonna read some more of the hunger games and try to get a few hours of sleep before my body wakes me up at five tomorrow morning...
Lots of love to everyone!
Friday, June 1, 2012
End of School
So school is almost done! Finals are Saturday-Monday and then Tuesday I head home! It was a hectic beginning to the week because classes were still going up until Wednesday and I had my Chinese final project due on Tuesday, but now all that stands between me and summer is a 6-page paper, an exam, and a whooooollleee lot of packing and storing and mailing things.
This year I'm feeling more sentimental than usual because a few of my close friends will be graduating :C. But I'll just have to have faith that I will keep in touch with them. On Wednesday evening one of the male acapella groups had their final concert and a few of the seniors were crying at the end of the performance and it made me so sad. I felt like I was graduating, which is not true at all! So just trying to treasure these last few moments with the seniors.
Since tonight is the night before finals, we have late night breakfast and silent dance party! I don't know about breakfast, but definitely going to silent dance party. For those who don't know, on the night before finals in the fall and the spring an hour-long playlist is sent out to the students. Everyone who wants to participate downloads the playlist onto their ipod and brings it to the libe. At exactly 11 PM on the bottom-most floor of the libe (aka the most quiet floor), everyone starts the playlist simultaneously and then proceeds to dance up through the libe, silently, and across the rest of campus. So much fun!
Looking forward to finishing up work.
This year I'm feeling more sentimental than usual because a few of my close friends will be graduating :C. But I'll just have to have faith that I will keep in touch with them. On Wednesday evening one of the male acapella groups had their final concert and a few of the seniors were crying at the end of the performance and it made me so sad. I felt like I was graduating, which is not true at all! So just trying to treasure these last few moments with the seniors.
Since tonight is the night before finals, we have late night breakfast and silent dance party! I don't know about breakfast, but definitely going to silent dance party. For those who don't know, on the night before finals in the fall and the spring an hour-long playlist is sent out to the students. Everyone who wants to participate downloads the playlist onto their ipod and brings it to the libe. At exactly 11 PM on the bottom-most floor of the libe (aka the most quiet floor), everyone starts the playlist simultaneously and then proceeds to dance up through the libe, silently, and across the rest of campus. So much fun!
Looking forward to finishing up work.
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