Kolkata & Puri

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Kolkata…

Within a couple hours of arriving in India I had the good fortune of meeting some kind, outgoing guys who told me about the Mother Theresa House - where I decided to volunteer, “for a few days”. In any rate, I sunk comfortably into the Kolkata/Sudder Street bubble faster than I could say “Motherhouse”, and the days amicably rolled into one another, and before I knew it 2 weeks were away and gone.

The mornings I spent at Prem Den, a long-term care house for those with major ailments and no one else to turn to: washing clothes, dishes, giving pedicures/manicures & massages, chatting, dancing, singing to/with women with every assortment of physical conditions imaginable. On our free day, Thursday, I visited a leprosy colony outside of Kolkata, run by the Missionaries of Charities brotherhood. It was slightly reassuring to know that they could successfully run their own township of sorts, while receiving treatment, but very upsetting to see how truly rejected they are from society. I learned much about the crippling nature of the disease: America is lucky to be, almost, free of it.

Some friends and I planned a trip to Puri, a small beach town an overnight train south of Kolkata, where we were meant to be in the midst of a lively cultural/beach/music festival! But upon arrival we discovered it was canceled/moved, depending on source. Undeterred, we spent a few relaxing days at the beach where the majority of us got sick practically in rotation and knock on wood, I was spared. Thanksgiving, hurrah!!, was celebrated by renting motorbikes and visiting the karma sutra decorated Sun Temple (humorous to say the least), and accidentally ordering, among other massive quantities of food, a whole fried chicken per person.

Kolkata was the longest I had stayed in one place since Franz Josef and it was definitely a learning experience and one which I was thankful to have, but it was undoubtedly time for me to move on.
After multiple reassurances to cool my jumping nerves, I boarded my first train alone in India and immediately knew I was in the right place … little kids, mothers, and fathers were in the surrounding bunks and despite two older scowling women, who would not smile back or respond to me no matter how many times I smiled, offered food, or attempted conversations … I was getting the calming, stomach fluttering, good Indian vibe. Off to Varanasi!

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Photos

school where I played with the kids for a couple hours one afternoon
I was walking along the street and the teacher waved me inside. I ended up teaching them some songs and hanging out with them all afternoon!

Victoria Memorial
Sort of a cross between the Taj Mahal and the U.S. Capitol ... or so they say