Thursday, April 23, 2015

ROW Lecture Tour 2015 Croatia & Slovenia

From the heat of India, in the late 30's, to the coldness of Europe and Croatia. I flew via Moscow, which of course was even colder, and where it was still snowing. Fortunately I did not require to venture out of the terminal building. Nevertheless the temperature was much reduced with every-one, myself included, rugged up in winter gear.

From the freedom of minimal clothing, and the heat of the tropics, with its multiple layers of clothing, in just a few hours, is a test of one's endurance, to be sure.



Some of the enthusiastic people who attended my lectures and workshops in Croatia.


This is the town centre of Csarkovec on a cold Sunday morning. My frinds apologised for its strakness




My hosts who so kindly care for me, and arrange my lectures and workshops as hey farewell me on the station in Zagreb prior to catching the train to Ljubljana, in Slovenia. This was one of the rare occasions that the sun was shining whilst I was there.


And then to Ljubljana, in Slovenia, to be met by my hosts for that day who shared with me their enthusiasm, garden, and the countryside as we travelled to the town of Idrija.



Here is their garden with the new load of top-soil to be added, as this was re-claimed land, which arrived at the same time as we did.


On the way to Idrija we visited a farmhouse in which there was this heated raised bed. I had read of these, and considered that they were no longer in use since the availability of central heating. This appears to be far from the case, as I was informed they were still in wide usage.


And this is the fire-box used for heating the bed. The owner of the farm informed me that they used it regularly until the warmer weather came.




As we continued on our journey we visited the highest spot in the mountains, where of course there was a church, this being their favourite spot to build. 



This is the view from the top of the mountain. I was informed that from this point you were able to see over two thousand churches.


From there we visited another local farm on which there was this North American Indian tepee. I was informed that they held workshops here involving the teachings of the Indian Shamans.


Alongside the tepee was the sweat-lodge, which is a type of sauna.


My next port of call after Idrija was to this delightful restaurant at which I spent the next two nights with lectures. The owner told me that it originally was a barn belonging to the farm which he inherited. Not continuing farming he converted it to what it is today, where it is a meeting place more than anything else. Of course there is also lots of music. A place for the sharing of ideas, friends, conviviality, music, and well-being.


As can be observed, the interior was quite rustic, homely, and inviting.


The decorations were quite unique, and very historic in nature.


The snow was still on the surrounding mountains, with the weather still decidedly cold, in spite of the sunshine.



ROW Lecture Tour 2015


The new head of the Gandhi Trust had previously been Vice-Chancellor of three Universities and was very active in the promulgation of his duties, often commencing at 5am and finishing at 7 or 8pm.


We were able to accompany him on his inspection of one of the villages under the care of the Trust, and the village mayor in the discussion of the problems facing the village.


A part of this required an inspection of the village.


And its mixture of housing from the decaying ruins such as this.


To the more modern and recent structures, such as this.


In the midst of it all was an elderly crippled man living on the side of the road with this cart for shelter when it rained. I was informed that he chose to live there and was quite happy doing so, with the villagers supplying him with whatever food he needed.




Sunday, April 19, 2015

ROW Lecture Tour 2015, Gandhi Trust

After leaving Kolkata I travelled to Bangalore and Mumbai we then travelled by overnight train to Sevagram and Wardha which is the centre for the Gandhi Trust, Ashram,  Hospital, and Leprosorium.
Here we spent the next five days in discussions with the Trust Chairman and directors, and visiting and viewing the various facilities there with the view of setting up a College course, based upon the teachings of Gandhi, in conjunction with a local University.

Here I am with the previous 92 year old Chairman of the Gandhi Trust who had recently retired.

This is the guesthouse in which we stayed. The end of the dry season for them with everything being quite parched and dry.

 

Here we see one of the interminably long long distance trains used by the local people on which we travelled. It is so rare for them to see a Western person travelling in this manner that you find yourself an item of curiosity. And in spite of their length and capacity, it is rare to find them less than full to overflowing. They are usually express trains only stopping at the major cities on the way. It is rare that fewer people board the train than left it at these stops. More often than not it is more.



These are the fees listed for treatments at the local hospital. To calculate what it would cost in AU 
dollars, one AU dollar is equal to .02 Rupees. And the prices listed are in Rupees. Of course the fees are relevant to the local wage.


This photo of Gandhi practising the spinning of cotton, which in conjunction with its weaving and dyeing, was one of the basic teachings of the Mahatama, as something all should learn in the process of becoming self-reliant. Gandhi even learnt to cut his own hair.


In a visit to the Ashram we see here a follower carrying out Gandhi's instruction to spin, during a meditation class. 


At the Gandhi Museum there is diplayed almost every imaginable form for the spinning of cotton, as well as information on the weaving and dyeing of  cotton and silk materials.


This is the original hospital at the Leprosarium.


Sunday, April 12, 2015




My first port of call was India. The land of wall to wall people. And my first city was Kolkata(Calcutta).
Kolkata /klˈkɑːtɑː/, formerly Calcutta /kælˈkʌtə/, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly river, it is the principal commercial, cultural, and educational centre of East India, while the Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port as well as its sole major riverine port. As of 2011, the city had 4.5 million residents; the urban agglomeration, which comprises the city and its suburbs, was home to approximately 14.1 million, making it the third-most populous metropolitan area in India. As of 2008, its economic output as measured by gross domestic product ranked third among South Asian cities, behind Mumbai and Delhi.[11] As a growing metropolitan city in a developing country, Kolkata confronts substantial urban pollution, traffic congestion, poverty, overpopulation, and other logistic and socioeconomic problems.
I have taken the above quotation from Wikipedia, to give you some idea of the extent of Kolkata, and yet it is considered a relatively small city.One of the unique features of Kolkata are the trams, for they are the only trams to be found in the whole of India. This photo was taken in the early morning which was the only time when you would see so few people.


The sacred cows of Inia are legendary and to be seen everywhere you go.


Milk is transported in the cans we used some fifty years ago, and is delivered by hand to those wishing to purchase it by decanting it by hand.


The traffic is the background for a cacophony of sound from the continual sound of horns. Nearly all commercial vehicles have a sign on the back of them,"Sound Horn". As there is a movement to reduce the noise, the new signs read,"Follow Traffic Laws". 
As for the traffic laws though, one wonders if such do exist, as it seems as though,"first in is best dressed". Yet in spite of this, what could well be described, as "controlled chaos", I did not see one accident.

My accommodation was in a lovely old Guest House called the Sunflower Guest House. This was a 150 year old building somewhat dilapidated on the outside, beautifully clean on the inside with an antique lift whose driver slept alongside it and was available 24hours a day.



And here it is in all its glory. Surprisingly enough it was very quiet and efficient.


Parking in India  is not a problem - that is if you can find somewhere to park. There are no traffic inspectors or parking meters.


Just about everything you want occurs on the street. You feel thirsty and here is the man juicing sugar cane. 


Perhaps a shave, or a haircut.


Buy some food


Have your shoes repaired.


Maybe you wish to have a letter typed?


If you need water, you may pump water.


Even wash yourself and your clothes.


Kolkata is the only city in which I have seen the rickshaw still in use. 

My favourite form of transport is the tuk tuk which is to be found everywhere. The original one's were powered by a two stroke motor. These are being replaced by fourstroke motors in both petrol and diesel as they are considered less polluting, with many now going for LPG.


The first method to replace the rickshaw was the trishaw which is the least polluting form of transport.


And of course they have what we would consider as the normal taxi.