Tales from the Island of Serendip 4 4

[Flex Mentallo]

 

 

The concept of buying food in a place like that, inches away from the sewer gutter, off of the ground, is one I could not embrace

 

It is quite astonishing how people in India can be so fastidious regarding personal hygiene and at the same time quite oblivious to the squalor around them. Such is the level of poverty that most would have little choice, so perhaps they become inured to it.

 

Conversely, most of the villagers I have met seem relatively blind to the beauty of their own landscape, and seem confused when I enthuse about it. (They actually wall off acres of land, stick up the odd gazebo or folly, and call them "beauty spots".)

 

This particular market is in a place called Nepalganj. When I first went there 20 years ago it was a beautiful, tranquil village surrounded by canals. (I'm sure I have a drawing of it from that time somewhere so I will root it out and post it.)

 

It is now a horrendous, bare bricked, crowded suburb. Calcutta stretches out its tentacles to swallow up the countryside year by year.

 

Increasingly, village people deprived of a livelihood seek refuge in the cities only to find there are no jobs. This seems to be true of many countries, not just India.

 

Long ago, India was a veritable garden of Eden. The population only began to spiral out of control under the British Raj.Village life is being eroded, inch by inch.

 

Hence Lucina's decision to specialize in agriculture stems from being part of a generation with a more determined mindset - and hopefully - the capacity and the will - to address deep-rooted environmental issues and find abiding solutions.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Flex Mentallo

[Flex Mentallo]

Nepalganj, circa 1985

 

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

Nepalganj, circa 2006

 

[Duffman_Comics]

 

 

The concept of buying food in a place like that, inches away from the sewer gutter, off of the ground, is one I could not embrace

 

It should be noted that pictures cannot convey the, umm, *aroma* that accompanies market places such as these.

 

Now, I have to ask, Flex, can you tell me what the wooden "planks" with metal "prows(?)" are in this pic - some have little hooks, the larger ones do not - Are they coconut "tools?."

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

 

Now, I have to ask, Flex, can you tell me what the wooden "planks" with metal "prows(?)" are in this pic - some have little hooks, the larger ones do not - Are they coconut "tools?."

 

 

 

Hey Duffman.

 

It is called a boti, and is used widely in West Bengal and Bangladesh.

 

 

 

Here is Lucina's mum in her kitchen. She would hold the wooden plank between her feet and use the blade to cut vegetables and other food. Larger versions are used for fish. Sometimes they have a serrated tip for grating coconut. I am not sure about the hook.

 

 

 

But she would use a small "machete" for cracking coconuts.

 

Of course, first someone would have to climb a tree! (Not my photo this time.)

 

Edited October 2, 2014 by Flex Mentallo

[Duffman_Comics]

Thank You

 

I did not know/have not seen this , most enlightening.

[Yellow Kid]

From art to literature to pictures of what will soon be the world's most populated country, Flex's thread is always interesting and I thank him for keeping it alive.

[Flex Mentallo]

Thank You

 

I did not know/have not seen this , most enlightening.

 

My pleasure - thanks for the consistent input. I'm sure it's helpful to other boardies who don't know India that at least two of us have experience of it.

 

Actually, I am finding it harder to post about India than anything else I've done, because it is in my bones.

 

For example, I became so accustomed to the poverty that I scarcely see it. Bill/ciorac's spotlighting of that one picture would not have occurred to me.

 

I "went native" long ago. So far as to feel more at home in India than in the West.

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

From art to literature to pictures of what will soon be the world's most populated country, Flex's thread is always interesting and I thank him for keeping it alive.

 

Great to hear from you.

[Flex Mentallo]

Photographing wildlife

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

I'm sure Duffman will confirm that it is very difficult to take natural photographs of people in India. The instant the camera is seen, children go into wild histrionics; adults come to rigid attention.

 

This girl used to run away the instant the camera came out, and it took several years before she allowed this shot.

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

In others, self-consciousness is evident.

 

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

One solution was to train the children to us the camera, and send them out to infiltrate.

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

The results could be spectacular or mundane, but it was fascinating to see the village - and myself in the village - through their eyes.

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

My other ploy was to return with large prints of photos taken on the previous visit and give them to the subjects.

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

 

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

Eventually, people came to be more relaxed.

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

 

 

 

[Flex Mentallo]

 

[Flex Mentallo]

If not downright mischievous!