The start of over 3 months in India..

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I am so, so happy to be sitting here at the computer for an hour and to be in the city away from work. I havent stopped going since I got here so last night I decided that I am going to move in with the family that I lived with in January/ February, for a week. I was with them for 2 hours last night and 3 other Irish girls are staying there too. I NEED it for my own sanity!! NOT good living and working in Asha Niketan 24hrs! No break at all and up at 6am every morning, sweeping and washing floors - like Cinderella!

It is very humid here since I arrived and sweating all day - Dont know why I bothered bringing moisturiser! Sweat is better than any! Even the locals say it's never like this in October. Not good for me as means there are lots of mosquitos. I stopped counting my bites after 20. Ones on my arms are very sore at the moment and I had high fever with them 2 nights ago. Am praying I dont get malaria as I keep getting wierd sensations in my legs from when had infected one behind my left knee! Say a prayer for me..

Anyway, work with the other Organisations really started this week as the biggest festival for Hindus was on for near a week. It is called the Durga Puja and temporary Temples were built all over the city and state to worship Durga. It was amazing to see all the work that was done for just a week. Unbelievable Art! One whole Temple was decorated with shells. Never seen Art like it. We were busy each day taking the Co-members (mentally disabled) of Asha Niketan to see the various Images of the Goddess and invited to houses etc.. All go.. The best sight of all was on the last day when all the beautifully made images of Durga are taken in trucks and lorries to the river Hooghly where they are immersed in the river. Amazing! Thousands of people everywhere celebrating and balloons, party blowers, singing, dancing, red and green powder and paint on them etc.. It was better than any New Years Party I have ever been too. The atmosphere was amazing and so many tourists at it and TV crew etc. Would have loved to have been in the back of one of the trucks with them as they drove all night around the city - Better than TRYING to sleep and hearing drums and music and singing all night..

WORK NEWS: Firstly I want to Thank EVERYONE who made donations into the Charity Fund before I left. The day I left there was €9116.35 in the account and my mother has infomed me of the lodgements since then. Marie O'D, I persume it was you who sent the cheque to home. Mam read your letter to me. Thanks. The people I am helping in Calcutta will appreciate this much more than I can explain. I am trying my best to purchase Assets that will help the Organisations in the Long Term and make some small change to their lives. I will keep you updated on what I do for each. Whatever is left in the end will be lodged to the Asha Niketan Account for the building of the Day Care Centre, which is due to start before end of 2006.

I especially want to Thank: - McCauley's Chemist, Superquinn, Carlow - 8 cameras and batteries and spare films for each
- Dental Surgery St.Dympna's Hospital (Mary and Helena) - 76 Toothbrushes and toothpastes in plastic pockets - the children are using the plastic zip pockets for school.
- Web Talk, Carlow (Amanda) - A 'ton' of batteries
- CAMS Hall at St.Dympna's Hospital (Sinead and Siobhain) - 2 Childrens' Wheelchairs and 2 Orthopaedic Buggies ... which I was delighted to get through the airport with no charge at all.
- Ann Broughall, 'The Music Factory' - Use of the Function room for Fundraiser, DJ Leo and also the donation of 2 VIP tickets to 'The Frames' (to be sold)

NOW.... SOME of the things I have done so far..... Feels like I'm here a month..... I went to see 'BHALOBASHA' which is the home for the elderly (although the youngest is 43!) who have been taken (voluntarily) from the platforms of the train stations or streets, and given the chance of a new and better life. Two lads from Limerick came with me that day and we took the ladies out in 3 jeeps to see the Images of Durga around the city. There are currently 10 members in each of 2 Homes and they look so, so healthy, compared to my first visit there over a year ago. The youngest lady had been begging for over a year on the one spot of the street as she could not walk or stand. The Organisation (F.O.K.E) - Friend's of Calcutta's Elderly - admitted her to hospital for 5 months and she was taken to one of the homes when she was released. She is smiling the whole time and enjoying her new chance of life...

Last week I also went on the 'Food Programme' where homeless children living in the grounds of Loreto Sealdah School (where principal is from Bray, Co.Wicklow) take food to those begging in the Train Station. An Eye opener!! They feed 35 people each day with a portion of rice, dahl and bread. In the station I saw elderly beggers who were barely clothed and babies playing naked on the platforms, puppies running round ... and thousands of people..

For 4 days last weekend we took the co-members of Asha Niketan to TAIZE (Pilgrimage of Peace and Trust on Earth), which is a huge gathering for Prayer and song. People of different religions from ALL over the world were there and it was amazing to see that the common language for us all was English. Even those from different regions of India had to communicate through English, as over 100 languages in India.. It was a job trying to keep my eye on 1 co-member among the thousands there ... and the heat didnt help either..

Some memorable sights are :- The chicken stalls - You choose your chicken from a basket, it has its neck broken and then cut up for you.. Makes me feel sick each time! All that is wasted is the Feet. I saw a stall the other day and it looked like it was the necks of the chickens on it
- Queues outside shops for mutton on a Sunday. The poor goats! I have often seen the heads of goats just sitting there (looking out) on the counter.. Saw a piece of what I thought was cloth on the ground one day - on slowing down I noticed that is was skin off a goat with an ear still on it and 2 stubs of horns.. I CAN'T eat meat out here - Just eat prawns, as Know they are prawns!
- Fish stalls have ladies sitting on the ground with a sythe between their feet to cut off bits of fish or clean them out..You can imagine the sight around their feet with blood, guts ..!! And not to mention the flies! How do they do it!
- Smell of urine and sewage after heavy showers of rain. Am great at taking long breaths now!

Today was the first day I got to visit the CRDS SCHOOLS in the slums (as all on holiday with the Festival) - I went to 3 of them and am totally exhausted now. I am going to one of the villages on the Sunderban islands Saturday morning and staying the night, with the School Co-ordinators family. I cant wait as stayed there the last time and it is beautiful there and only the sound of crickets at night. Marian, I am going there to meet the teachers and organise 2 children for you to sponsor each year. I will choose 2 from very poor families who are most successful at school and need the sponsorship to continue education. Am going to their family homes too so will take lots of photos for you and will set up good contact for you.. If any special requests, mail me..

Every morning this week (except today) I am in the office typing up Case Files on each Day Member at Asha Niketan. Amazing to read about their lives - One family of 5 live in a one-roomed house and their monthly income is less than €11 a month. Finish at lunch tomorrow as going to purchase a TV and DVD/CD player for the Asha Niketan House I am staying at. Also need to buy a dresser, on wheels, with a lock for it, to store the TV.. Then I am ordering a Harmonium to be made for the house - It is like a mini piano with an accordian attached to the back..The Mentally disabled residents (who have NO family at all) love the Harmonium. In the evening then we are having a gathering of parents of the DAY members and all associated with the 2 Asha Niketan Homes. I will THEN get to take the wrapping off the wheelchairs etc and present them officially to the organisation. Rakhi (manager) said she will take me to homes of some of the children one day and hopefully 2 of the families will accept these gifts. Rakhi said the parents carry 12 year olds around to try hide their disabilities.

I also went to a 'Tribal Village' last weekend and there was no transport there (once got off train) only bicycles and motorbikes. You can imaging me sitting crossways on the back of a motorcycle, and trying to hold skirt away from wheel.. Anyway, am Ashamed to say I learned SO, SO much from them and ideas for Art etc.. They sit around in a clearance in the trees and teach groups of children. There were 61 children in the clearance I was at and divided into 6 groups. Amazing to see the energy, enthusiasm, creativeness of the teachers as they changed from lesson to lesson. NO BOOKS are used - Each lesson has a bag number to match and the teachers take the required bags for that days lessons with them on their bicycle, from the office. Amazing system!

ANYWAY, I HOPE none of you mind BUT I was so touched by what they do (as ALL Voluntary work) that I offered to help in some way.. THEY need good posters as the ones they use at the moment are all handmade and get ruined with being used in the open. I am going to purchase good strong ones for them and also I offered to buy them a Microphone (Public Speaker) System for when they have large group gatherings. Hope you dont mind, as your money..

Treating myself to a 5 day break up in Darjeeling, to see the tea plantations, on 23rd, as 4 French people going and invited me. Will be freezing there - one girl told me she had 2 trousers on and 2 jumpers as she was so cold there.. At least will be NO mossies!!

Bye for now, Elaine

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