Day 2: Barefoot in Bangalore

Today is the day we took a tour of Bangalore.  I first learned about the colonial era in India.  I hadn’t realized that it was occurring in the same time frame as the American Revolution and the French Revolution and that people from those different events were interconnected.  General Cornwallis (the loser against George Washington) went to India and fought in Bangalore as well as Nelson (who fought against Napoleon).  

The Holy Trinity Church was built for the English forces and their families and was around the corner of our hotel.  It was filled with plaques for different soldiers that had died while being stationed in the area; this included plaques for soldiers that died fighting in conflicts in Afghanistan.  It seems that some things never change.

I saw a McDonalds which had an extensive value menu but no hamburgers.  When the restaurant came to India that was one of the conditions that they had to meet however there was a TGI Fridays upstairs from McDonalds that sold hamburgers and steaks.  I thought that was a little strange.

We next walked through a poor neighborhood.  We had to dodge cows and calves wandering through the streets.  They were on their way to different areas to graze and they would return home in time for milking.  Most of the homes had intricate designs on the street in front of the house.  These patterns were made with chalk every morning as a good luck symbol.  One area was a cleared grassy area where the remains of a house stood complete with a cow eating.  Our guide explained to her that we were American teachers that had come to learn about education in India.  She then spoke to us, in English, that she had torn down her house to build a bigger one on the same spot.  The cows would be on the ground floor and her family would live in the remaining upper floors.  I was shocked that someone from a poor area could speak English so well and the fact that cows live in the house with you.

We wander through the narrow lanes continuing to dodge cows, people, and motorcycles until we came to a market.  Every type of fresh fruit, vegetable, and grain was available.  Stall after stall of vibrant colors and the smells of fresh herbs everywhere as well as vendors peeling the outer leaves off cabbages and cows grabbing and eating.  Yes, we were still dodging cows.  We could hear a low chant of Om from the Hindu Temple ahead of us. Then our guide explains that there is a meat market in the back that sold not just chicken but also beef. He told us that Muslims eat beef so it was available to buy.  Also in the market they had stacks of fuel, cow manure.  There were stacks of dried manure that people could buy to burn apparently it burns clean without an odor.

The last highlight for the day was going to the Hindu Temple.  The chants were getting louder as we approached and then we had to take off our shoes and give them to an attendant.  We walked barefoot over the red soil until we reached the flower sellers.  The sold long strands of brightly colored flowers that were to be used as an offering.  When we reached the temple we were then walking on cool stone floors.  We walked inside through fairly dark hallway until we reached a priest who took the flowers, spoke, waved a flame, and then marked our forehead with chalk.  Our guide explained to the priests who we were. We continued around and came to two more priests that were there.  The last priest told our group, again in English, that teachers had important jobs.  As we left the temple I did notice a sign that told people to turn off their mobile phones.  We walked around the temple where our guide explained that the history and culture of the region was carved into the sculpture of the temple.  And yes I got my shoes back.

So today I learned that I shouldn’t have been worried about my leather pocketbook and shoes.  I can eat beef while I am here.  A great number of people speak English. I learned that each person can interpret Hinduism to fit their own needs. And that I could walk barefoot outside in Bangalore. 

Sorry no pictures for today.  I forgot to bring the cord to connect the camera, that I used today, to the computer.