Rathamboree to OAT Village
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Jackie Lallier wrote: "We awoke at 5:00, were out at 5:15 and on the bus at 6:00 with Seekay, our naturalist.. On our way in the open cantor, we saw lots of monkeys. Then coming down the main street of town, we observed a naked Jain monk on his way to his temple. We drove into the Reserve where we saw spotted owls, rollers (like blue jays with blue wings), hawks, who",:poos, doves, mynahs, red-capped bull-bulls & red-wattled lap-wings. We saw male tiger prints from about 2 days ago. The queen came here in 1971 and shot a tiger. The area has been protected after that. We observed a banyan tree and lots of other wild life. By 9:00 we were back for breakfast and had rest time until 1 :00 lunch.
At 4:00 we piled into Jeeps and went out again up into the hills for a cocktail party and watched the sun set. 9/17 (THURS)
This morning we visited a private school of 225 and 75 girls in a small village. They bring their own lunches and have no support from the government. It serves K through 10th grade, was started in 1990 and has 13 teachers with 25-30 kids in a class. It costs 80 rupees to 1.30 a month. They have to bring their own books and sit on the floor as there are no desks or chairs. Hinduism teaches that you achieve "moshe" through education so it is very important and therefore, teachers are highly important. We also passed a "public school where 30% of the teachers don't show up (government school) on any given day. The village is "dirty" outside but inside their houses are swept clean. We visited a one-room house of a widow with 2 girls & 2 boys - she served us chai tea. She works in the local womens' co-op - Dastkarikendra, that was started in 1990 as a liberation program and trains.women in merchandising, which we then visited. Quote: "Educate a man, you educate an individual; educate a woman, you educate a family".
The people marry young and go into the family business. They believe children are a gift of God. There are no abortions. More children mean more kids to earn money. A married daughter belongs to her husband's family. The government is trying to sell the idea that a daughter can care for her parents as well as a son. The British brought electricity to the country. Prostitution is illegal but common (corrupt police).
At 2:00 we stopped for a nice lunch in a large tent. Then we traveled through the countryside, arriving around 4:00 at the OAT Village Camp. We took showers and then went on a long camel ride in the area. At 5:30 we had a cocktail party and Raj explained about the Moguls. We then gathered to watch a dancing show, had a cooking class in making naan and had a good dinner before getting to bed at 9:00. "
Jackie Lallier wrote: "We awoke at 5:00, were out at 5:15 and on the bus at 6:00 with Seekay, our naturalist.. On our way in the open cantor, we saw lots of monkeys. Then coming down the main street of town, we observed a naked Jain monk on his way to his temple. We drove into the Reserve where we saw spotted owls, rollers (like blue jays with blue wings), hawks, who",:poos, doves, mynahs, red-capped bull-bulls & red-wattled lap-wings. We saw male tiger prints from about 2 days ago. The queen came here in 1971 and shot a tiger. The area has been protected after that. We observed a banyan tree and lots of other wild life. By 9:00 we were back for breakfast and had rest time until 1 :00 lunch.
At 4:00 we piled into Jeeps and went out again up into the hills for a cocktail party and watched the sun set. 9/17 (THURS)
This morning we visited a private school of 225 and 75 girls in a small village. They bring their own lunches and have no support from the government. It serves K through 10th grade, was started in 1990 and has 13 teachers with 25-30 kids in a class. It costs 80 rupees to 1.30 a month. They have to bring their own books and sit on the floor as there are no desks or chairs. Hinduism teaches that you achieve "moshe" through education so it is very important and therefore, teachers are highly important. We also passed a "public school where 30% of the teachers don't show up (government school) on any given day. The village is "dirty" outside but inside their houses are swept clean. We visited a one-room house of a widow with 2 girls & 2 boys - she served us chai tea. She works in the local womens' co-op - Dastkarikendra, that was started in 1990 as a liberation program and trains.women in merchandising, which we then visited. Quote: "Educate a man, you educate an individual; educate a woman, you educate a family".
The people marry young and go into the family business. They believe children are a gift of God. There are no abortions. More children mean more kids to earn money. A married daughter belongs to her husband's family. The government is trying to sell the idea that a daughter can care for her parents as well as a son. The British brought electricity to the country. Prostitution is illegal but common (corrupt police).
At 2:00 we stopped for a nice lunch in a large tent. Then we traveled through the countryside, arriving around 4:00 at the OAT Village Camp. We took showers and then went on a long camel ride in the area. At 5:30 we had a cocktail party and Raj explained about the Moguls. We then gathered to watch a dancing show, had a cooking class in making naan and had a good dinner before getting to bed at 9:00. "
Labels: India
posted by DT at 11:00 AM
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