"Diary of a Word"

 

"Diary of a Word" at the Max Mueller Bhavan Theatre

(And random thoughts....) 

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Sunday evening a friend-of-friend asked if I wanted to go see a play in South Bombay. Life is too short to turn down opportunities, so I hopped in a cab and headed out. As we drove over the Bandra-Worli Sea-Link, she told me how she came to India about a year and a half ago. It was inspirational to hear about her work in the social entrepreneur field. She helps people make models to create change, improve the agriculture, and lift people out of poverty. She has some family here, but is from Michigan and went to U of M! I told her that I was from Ann Arbor :) Such a small world!

We drove over the sea-link as the fresh air- with a hint of ocean saltiness- breezed through our windows! ...actually...the air here is quite polluted and burns my eyes a little... but the breeze made me feel free! We could see the beautiful city lights and amazing high rise buildings. We arrived at the Kala Ghoda Festival near the theater. It was nice being there with a friend. I felt a little more free to enjoy myself and not have to be so intense about paying attention to my surroundings... [Unmentioned in my previous blog- as I had been walking around alone the day before, I noticed a guy in a yellow shirt mimicking my moves from place to place, slowing when I slowed, and stopping when I stopped. There were a few times when the crowd would get clumped together and he tried to squish up against me but I was able to dodge him. Then one time the crowd was so crammed that I had no where to go and suddenly he got too close, especially his hand,...so immediately, perhaps out of reflex, I jammed my elbow into his ribs. He stopped and gave me space. After that he left me alone...] So anyway! Having someone else there with me was a great relief.

We meandered through the pieces of art and headed to the Max Mueller Bhavan Theatre to watch "Diary of a Word." The beginning was a love story and the end was about language and culture. It talked about the hundreds of different languages spoken by the people of India. Their rich history, culture, and traditions are intricately woven into these languages- making up who they are. As outside influences and the government cause these languages to dissolve and eventually disappear, they feel as though their culture and traditions are being destroyed and lost forever. They are desperately afraid of losing this heritage, so much that some are willing to die for the cause of keeping their languages alive. It's interesting to see how powerful words can be, and how much culture is embodied into language itself.

After the play we walked around a bit more. I was distracted by the great festivities and art when people started tapping on my shoulder to ask if they could take a picture. (haha so random. apparently I am funny looking). I'm not sure the proper response to that question.... I blushed in embarrassment and said "no" the first few times, but then a nice little family came up and asked, so I finally said "ok." The little boy came up close and took a picture of my eyes. He seemed so fascinated that I was a little different. In the States I am nothing unusual. My blue eyes blend in with those around me. After living in Ann Arbor, Chicago, and Detroit, I feel like I am simply a part of the mixture of races, ethnicities, and cultures around me. I am usually oblivious when people are looking at me, but I've been noticing it a little more now while I'm here. Some look away quickly when I see them, some just stare, and some point. But so far, I have never felt discriminated against. I am thankful for that. I have definitely seen discrimination in my own country, around me, on the news, in our history. People being isolated, turned into outcasts, and even hurt or killed because of the color of their skin or religious beliefs. America is supposed to be a place of liberty, freedom, equality, and acceptance. I think we could definitely use some improvement.... Here they have been very kind to me. I am different but most of them accept me. I know discrimination among religion, race, ethnicity, and culture is a deeply complex topic, with anger passionately fueled deep inside people who have been treated with disrespect, but I wish we could all start from scratch; be more like that little boy fascinated with the color of my eyes. He wasn't being judgmental, he was simply curious. Perhaps one day we can learn to accept each other and live in peace. I'm aware that I'm being idealistic...but I like that idea.

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Kala Ghoda Art Festival

The family that asked for a picture, haha they were so sweet

(I asked them to take one w/ my camera too)

"The Shektor Tree" by Rajesh Buheche 

Art to bring awareness of the violence and mistreatment of women

Many pieces dedicated to increasing awareness of rape, 

violence against women, women's rights, and empowerment to women

And at the end on the night, I drove past a guy riding on an Elephant!!! :)

[I wish I had a better pic!]

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"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

"There is no way to peace, peace is the way." (Mahatma Gandhi)

"It is time for us to turn to each other, not on each other." (Jesse Jackson)