Now that I somewhat have solved the breakfast, lunch, and dinner issue I feel much better now trying to have some steadiness in my daily schedule. It’s been somewhat hectic since I landed Thursday night. One of the thing that I still have to adjust to is the eating and sleeping schedule of people who live in Pune, even Neel is not free from this “vice” even though he wakes up really early in the morning. Since I have lived at Zen Center for around 7 to 8 years, I have gotten really used to the strict schedule that temple life calls for. I eat at a certain time--breakfast at 7:30-8am, lunch at 12:30-1:00pm, and dinner at 6:30-7pm and finally go to bed at a certain time...around 9:30pm. But here in Pune, everything is a little out of whack for my schedule and I have made it clear to Neel that I am not planning to change my eating schedule completely even though I am on vacation. Unfortunately in the past few days, I did not have dinner until 9:30pm and I was straight with Neel that it was too late for me to have dinner, hence my grumpiness and lack of energy. He has solved this problem by fixing me up with a woman who will be cooking very delicious homemade food for me for breakfast and dinner. Since I am always out with Neel in the afternoon, lunch will be at a restaurant. So far I have not been disappointed in the food that I have been eating.
We went to the university today to attend classes but instead there was some kind of ceremony that was going on probably to acknowledge the important Sanskrit figures in the field. I’m not too sure about it, since everything was spoken in Marathi. While they were speaking, I browse through Meghaduta, (The Cloud Messenger) a short poem written by the famous Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. I will be reading this work with a Sanskrit sahitya (which means literature) professor this summer. The story is about a demigod who was forced into exile for one year, and while serving his sentence, he sent a message to his wife by having the clouds relay his message. The poem explores the pangs of separation experienced by both husband and wife and the promise of a future happiness once the sentence has been served.
Husband’s words to his distant wife:
“I am constantly reminded of you, O love, when I note the resemblances of various objects with you in part; the Syama creepers put me in mind of your physical frame. The eyes of the frightened female deer, of your eyes; the peacock’s plumage, of your curly hair...I try to draw you in a picture...but I am so much overwhelmed with emotion that tears well up in my eyes and it is impossible to draw the picture at all...Occasionally, I see you in a dream and like a mad man, I try to clasp you in my arms...I also try to embrace the breezes coming from the north, fondly hoping that perchance they might have come into contact with your body!... Of course, I am trying to bear all this with great fortitude; please do not be anxious on my account. My chief concern is for you. One cannot hope to be always happy; these ups and downs in life are normal events in the life of all. But fortune’s wheel is always going round and these days of misery are bound to be followed by days of happiness--is not the darkest hour nearest the dawn? Only four months remain now for the curse-period to end; bear up patiently till that time; and then, believe me, we shall make up for the lost time and enjoy life with greater zest and redoubled vigor....my love for you has become more forcible and more ardent. Truly has it been said that separation intensifies love and makes it more abiding.”
After the lecture and ceremonies, Neel and I with two other girls went out for lunch at a place that was so packed with traffic jams that it somehow ruined Neel’s mood when we met up with the girls for lunch. I suddenly have this big realization that even though it was Sunday in Pune, the traffic was so bad that it resembled nothing like the Sunday that I am so used to in San Francisco. And as a matter of fact I actually kinda miss it. Since Sunday for me at Zen Center meant a day of peace and quiet and maybe even riding my bike to the ocean through Golden Gate Park, today was not like that at all. The weather was super hot, but I was able to keep my head cool by wetting my head scarf, but again I was wearing jeans. Neel for some reason was somewhat kinda grumpy, maybe because he lost his cap earlier and he was getting really hot, and the horrible traffic didn’t help his mood either. Well anyways, while we were waiting for Prachi and her roommate to join us for lunch, we both had some very interesting discussion on India and its numerous problems. This second trip has given me somewhat of a stark and pessimistic view of India as a whole. I just feel that India somehow is heading towards a cliff and that it needs to really act quickly if it’s going to transition into this new century. Neel agrees but adds a lot of other interesting insights on the topic. The first problem for me was overpopulation which leads to numerous headaches like nasty traffic problems and overcrowding. I asked Neel what the cause was to which he said he does not know exactly but attributes the introduction of medicine which prolonged life as one big reason why the population has grown exponentially. He said that back in the days, married couples would have lots of children not because they wanted to but because so many of them died in childhood. But due to medicine, those children have survived. His mother had 21 brothers out of which only 2 survived! I told Neel that I thought the country was beautiful, of which he completely denied. He said due to overpopulation, the beauty is completely gone. So I asked him what it was like in the time of the Buddha and he told me that back then it was probably more beautiful than it is now.
Lunch with Prachi and her friend was nice even though Neel somehow kinda made it difficult to enjoy by dwelling so much negativity on American culture and its past history. In my opinion, it was a little inappropriate. Neel did apologize for his pessimistic and depressed view of American culture afterwards. I saw that he was sad. I accepted his apology but I didn’t make much of it really because at least he did most of the talking and the girls showed interest in what he was saying. Because he kept on talking, it broke a lot of the ice between me and the girls and I talked to them as if they were my friends and I felt that they were comfortable being around me which was a good feeling. So I guess I didn't mind since it ended pretty well.
I have learned so much in just several days hanging out with Neel and talking with other Indian people that I do appreciate this aspect of my travels. Otherwise, I would think twice the next time I come to India. The temperature is unbearable in the summer, the traffic is horrible, and the noise level is pretty horrendous. Thank GOD for my IPOD! But once I overlook all of that, traveling in India is such a privilege. I just hope that anyone in the sangha who will be traveling to this country will not be weigh down by all of its problems.
Husband’s words to his distant wife:
“I am constantly reminded of you, O love, when I note the resemblances of various objects with you in part; the Syama creepers put me in mind of your physical frame. The eyes of the frightened female deer, of your eyes; the peacock’s plumage, of your curly hair...I try to draw you in a picture...but I am so much overwhelmed with emotion that tears well up in my eyes and it is impossible to draw the picture at all...Occasionally, I see you in a dream and like a mad man, I try to clasp you in my arms...I also try to embrace the breezes coming from the north, fondly hoping that perchance they might have come into contact with your body!... Of course, I am trying to bear all this with great fortitude; please do not be anxious on my account. My chief concern is for you. One cannot hope to be always happy; these ups and downs in life are normal events in the life of all. But fortune’s wheel is always going round and these days of misery are bound to be followed by days of happiness--is not the darkest hour nearest the dawn? Only four months remain now for the curse-period to end; bear up patiently till that time; and then, believe me, we shall make up for the lost time and enjoy life with greater zest and redoubled vigor....my love for you has become more forcible and more ardent. Truly has it been said that separation intensifies love and makes it more abiding.”
After the lecture and ceremonies, Neel and I with two other girls went out for lunch at a place that was so packed with traffic jams that it somehow ruined Neel’s mood when we met up with the girls for lunch. I suddenly have this big realization that even though it was Sunday in Pune, the traffic was so bad that it resembled nothing like the Sunday that I am so used to in San Francisco. And as a matter of fact I actually kinda miss it. Since Sunday for me at Zen Center meant a day of peace and quiet and maybe even riding my bike to the ocean through Golden Gate Park, today was not like that at all. The weather was super hot, but I was able to keep my head cool by wetting my head scarf, but again I was wearing jeans. Neel for some reason was somewhat kinda grumpy, maybe because he lost his cap earlier and he was getting really hot, and the horrible traffic didn’t help his mood either. Well anyways, while we were waiting for Prachi and her roommate to join us for lunch, we both had some very interesting discussion on India and its numerous problems. This second trip has given me somewhat of a stark and pessimistic view of India as a whole. I just feel that India somehow is heading towards a cliff and that it needs to really act quickly if it’s going to transition into this new century. Neel agrees but adds a lot of other interesting insights on the topic. The first problem for me was overpopulation which leads to numerous headaches like nasty traffic problems and overcrowding. I asked Neel what the cause was to which he said he does not know exactly but attributes the introduction of medicine which prolonged life as one big reason why the population has grown exponentially. He said that back in the days, married couples would have lots of children not because they wanted to but because so many of them died in childhood. But due to medicine, those children have survived. His mother had 21 brothers out of which only 2 survived! I told Neel that I thought the country was beautiful, of which he completely denied. He said due to overpopulation, the beauty is completely gone. So I asked him what it was like in the time of the Buddha and he told me that back then it was probably more beautiful than it is now.
 |
| Both girls are really wonderful, both are 22 and are roommates. Prachi, the one wearing a purple t-shirt studies Sanskrit at the University. |
I have learned so much in just several days hanging out with Neel and talking with other Indian people that I do appreciate this aspect of my travels. Otherwise, I would think twice the next time I come to India. The temperature is unbearable in the summer, the traffic is horrible, and the noise level is pretty horrendous. Thank GOD for my IPOD! But once I overlook all of that, traveling in India is such a privilege. I just hope that anyone in the sangha who will be traveling to this country will not be weigh down by all of its problems.
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