Visual Sociology in India

It’s nearly midnight here and New Year's music is thumping from the lobby party below, but we’ve all gone to bed after nearly 15 hour day. We started out after breakfast to the orphanage run by SOS Villages Jaipur . As we end the year, I wanted students to have the opportunity to “give back” to India a little of what she is giving to us. If a picture is worth a thousand words then perhaps the photos I’m uploading will tell the story of the group of sweet, funny, and highly energetic children that we met today. We played for about four hours, sharing songs (e.g., Itsy Bitsy Spider ) and games (e.g. tag) and running around a lot! (Thank your local elementary school teacher / this stuff is exhausting!) As we got back on the bus to leave one of the students said, “I’d be happy to skip all the other stuff and just stay here today and another said he could stay there for a year. This could easily outrank the Taj as the highlight of our trip.

Following the orphanage we had lunch and left for Jantar Mantar, an amazing observatory built in 1728. Here we wandered through a garden of ancient mechanisms once used for telling time, latitude, altitude, and much more. Amazingly, they still work today. Again, I'll let the pictures talk, but...keep in mind the pictures thus far have been mine (except for Newark) and I'm working quickly with a teensy Cannon...not like some of the semipros we've got among the students! Look for their AMAZING photos soon once we find time to upload them!

Then, after the observatory, it was off to a Bollywood film. I was pretty nervous about this one, really. I mean, I knew some of the students would like it, but…what about the geographers traveling with us? And, what if the film wasn’t subtitled? A romantic love story in Hindi? The film , held a the Raj Mandir theater, was called Rab Ne Baba Di Jodii. The film is about a newly married couple...he’s a nerd who works for Punjab Power (lighting up your life) and she’s a beauty who, not wanting to be married to him, is distantt...at first! When she enters a dance contest, he goes undercover (after getting made over as Raj, a macho guy with tight shirts and gelled hair) and ends up as her partner. Jodi dances with him, not knowing that he is really her husband. Each night after practice, he changes back into his dowdy clothes and returns home, Jodi none the wiser. Until, of course, the ruse is up…ending with victory on the dance floor and love between the partners. Even in Hindi we laughed A LOT…and enjoyed the audience participation!

I just have to add one more thing for all the parents there...last night we held class for nearly 2 hours outside because students wanted even more sociology. I am absolutely having a wonderful time with your kids and feel fortunate to be sharing this experience with them. We are learning a lot and I can't wait for you to hear all about it in person.

Tomorrow it's off to Agra and the Taj Mahal. We may not have the internet tomorrow but stay tuned...

Posted by Dr. Andi Stepnick at 11:34 AM | Permalink

Our last afternoon in Delhi was filled with visiting the largest mosque in the city just after the evening prayer time, as well as walking through the neighboring streets and markets. All of these sights, sounds, and smells were so new to me that I spent nearly every moment trying to capture all of these new things on my camera, seeing the entire day through my viewfinder. So, about halfway through the street walk, I was talking with Dr. Stepnick, and I mentioned to her that none of this felt real, like I was actually seeing and experiencing all of this: the immense poverty and beauty on every corner, the dirt-filled streets, the storefronts with locals socializing all around, people so unlike myself and yet so exactly similar. She said, “You should try and put your camera down then.” It struck me with surprise. Here I had spent the entire day trying to “capture” everything, and I was seeing that all the “capturing” was factoring into a lack of quality experience, for the culture to talk to me and show me things to learn, to grow, to change.

Here is an example of some time in the mosque: I spent my twenty free minutes walking around taking pictures of everything I saw. In the corner, there were a few kids playing and running through a large group of birds that had gathered, making them flap and fly in every direction. I went over and stood about thirty feet from them and took some pictures with my film camera. A couple boys, probably around age twelve, came up to me and asked if I could take their picture, to which a half dozen or so other younger children jumped in a posed in a line, smiles all across. They all crowded around me to look through the viewfinder as well, and giggled and laughed. The older boy, who had spoken with me a few minutes earlier, asked me questions about where I am from and how my day was going, to which I replied and asked him the same. I looked around, and seeing that I was late to leave with the rest of the group, had to leave quickly. I thanked him, he snapped a picture with me with his own camera, and we wished each other well.

It was great to interact with him, but the whole time the most dominant thing on my mind was the camera in my hands, not actually the conversation I was having with the boy. This is why I can’t even remember his name. However, this was a very good thing to have happen in one of the first days, because I was able to employ different methods of understanding and observation throughout the following days, where I would go and sit in a space for a while, try to absorb the surroundings, and then take a few choice photos of things that caught my eye. Trying out different approaches to observation and visual sociology have been great, because the camera’s role in my being and my learning is changing, where I am starting to find a balance between the photographing and experiencing, and incorporating the two together.

The following days have been great, including a 6-hour drive to Jaipur, where Esme and I were able to sit at the front of the bus, lean out the window, and snap photos during the thirty minutes leading up to sunset. Other things have included elephant rides, the bazaar, and different old military establishments. The number of conversations surrounding Visual Sociology and our experiences with people in poverty have enhanced our understandings of our roles in the world, both as learners and servants.

Shout outs: Mom, Dad, Grandma: I’m safe and sound. Love you all. Faber and Mallette: I wish you dudes were here and I can’t wait to see you guys in a few weeks. MLB: I understand your heart for service so much more now.

Cheers everyone. And thanks for keeping posted. Our schedules have been jam-packed with things all day long, with little time for sleep. This is amazing, and we thank you for your support. We’re all learning and growing a ton. See you soon. We’re off to the Taj Mahal tomorrow!

Happy New Year!
chris

Posted by Chris at 03:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (1)

Sorry for the delay, everyone! We’re having an amazing time, but we haven’t been able to get the internet since last night and we’re just now getting settled into our Jaipur hotel at 10pm after a long and exciting day.

Our first day in Delhi began bright and early at 7:30 with an orientation and a Visual Sociology class over a breakfast of Indian food--naan, dal, chai tea, and curried potatoes. Fortified and somewhat rested from our 14 hour flight, we began our tour with a visit to see the site where Gandhi was assassinated on his way to evening prayer.

As the ‘father’ of modern India, this was an important stop to give students an understanding of how India gained independence from Britain and, more specifically, about the path of non-violence that Gandhi espoused. We wandered the grounds for a good while, walking along a path lined with plaques that cited quotes by Gandhi that had students and faculty alike saying “hmmm, yes, yes…” (One of Gandhi’s ideas about the purpose of education emerged later that night as a few students and I discussed the meaning of life back in the hotel lobby.) For most of us, this stop was a powerful start our trip and in some ways an act of ‘witness’ to seemingly senseless violence which India knows all too well, especially in recent days. In times when Gandhi’s ideas about nonviolence seem all too readily abandoned, students seemed pleased to be reminded of alternative ways of seeing and acting on the world.

From there, we left to visit Old Delhi, including Qutub Minar complex. Minars are towers and this one, an amazing structure built in 1199, was intended to be the prototype for them all, glorious in its intricate carving and towering over the smaller buildings below. We wandered throughout the complex for a short while, simply amazed at the beauty of the place as well as its sense of history. For the first time, we came in contact with a large number of Indian families as it was a lovely Sunday and people were out and about. Our interactions there were a mixture of warm welcome and curiosity.

Leaving the QM complex, we left for the Red Fort, built by Mughal emperor Shahajahan. Though a bit clouded by air pollution, the fort is massive and easy to see. We stopped to visit one of the biggest mosques in India, Jama Masjid, just after the late day call to prayer. While students enjoyed photographing the space, it seems their interactions with children were the thing they liked the most about their visit here. That is the common theme that’s emerging during our trip = a desire to know and to be known at some kind of fundamental level. The students are seeking authentic experiences and those can only be achieved through interactions with others. But, we are also discussing to what degree we can ‘know’ India through photographic documentation.

After the mosque, we headed with our ‘buddies’ through Chandi Chowk, a massive series of streets filled with vendors of all kinds…fish, fruit, clothing, candy, nuts, and even goat heads. We delighted in the cacophony of sound and smell. The most noticeable thing here was probably the crush of bodies at the front of the market where we did not go. It was there we could see how physical space, among other things in India, is a luxury.

On our way to see a performance of Indian folk dances, we passed the India Gate and the Residence of the Indian president. As it turned out, the performers were running late so we settled down for Chai tea and cookies and continued discussion about Visual Sociology. (Chris will be writing about this soon, so stay tuned.)

Finally, after nearly 11 hours seeing Delhi, we settled down for a delicious dinner of our Indian favorites and then back to our hotels for sleep.

Given the lateness of the hour here (combined with another early wake-up call tomorrow), I’ll just briefly described our day today… We packed our bags (!) and hit the road for Jaipur, the Pink City. Due to fog and sheep (and sheep herders) in the road, we had to take it at a slow pace. Most of the day was spent in transit, but this gave students a wonderful opportunity to take in the sights of a less touristy nature. We passed field after field of bright yellow mustard, soon to be replaced by wheat after the upcoming harvest. We stopped for snacks along the way, including delightful pastries, some made with edible silver foil. One of our favorites was a nut brittle made with rose petals! Unusual and fantastic. It’s hard to describe what made today so special….but I think it was found, again, in those moments of human connection. One student reported how, when our private bus rode alongside of a PACKED Indian bus she started to take a picture. Then wondered (in light of her Visual Sociology readings) about the ethics of such a thing. However, one man smiled and waved. She waved back. And, soon about 6 people on the other bus were smiling and waving. We soon arrived and stopped for a while to see how rugs are woven and how batik fabric is made by hand. Students had more tea, tried on saris, and generally were wowed by how much work goes into hand making rugs! Off to a Rajastani dinner and more dancing and music. Students LOVED the day today and are eager to see what unfolds tomorrow. Again, it’s likely that we’re out until very late into the evening so know that we might ‘skip’ a day of the blog!

(click images in this story for enlarged view)

Posted by Dr. Andi Stepnick at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Hello Everybody! My wonderful family, and Bryan! We made it to Newark! And we have been bonding in the airport. Oh, the sweet culture of the Jersey airport… We are camped out in a corner discussing music, school, and our trip expectations. We have also been people watching, oh, so fun, and even exploring the airport through pictures. All is well and we are having a BLAST!

(Click image to see larger size)

Posted by Erin at 05:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Oh, East is East and West is West , and never the twain shall meet, Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat.
---from Rudyard Kipling’s The Ballad of East and West.

Born in Mumbai and raised with Hindi as his first language, Kipling was a credible judge of the relationship between the Eastern and Western ends of the earth. To be sure, there are more divisions in the world than East and West, but in the crossing of one such line, I hope to gain a much greater understanding of why separation exists and how to bridge it. There is just something so….magical about India that appealed to me in first hearing about this study abroad opportunity. After having fallen in love with sociology in my Intro class, I knew that studying this country under Dr. Stepnck was a once in a lifetime chance. This class combines sociology with photography, which is an art form that I have always dreamed of exploring. In fact, I always promised myself that I would take a photography course once I got to college, but I never dreamed that it would look anything like this! I expect my experiences on this trip to be another huge step in the personal growth that has been taking place since my time at Belmont University. Since transferring to Belmont, God has revealed to me my heart for human rights and social justice, as well as the career path by which I can best thrive in His will. In the same way that I had no idea what I was in for in August of 2007, I cannot even dream what to anticipate from this time in India.

In India, I look forward to having my mind BLOWN. I expect to see and learn things that I have never even imagined with my own upbringing. I hope to gain a deeper appreciation for different cultures and paradigms. I want to understand more deeply how the components of culture, such as food and dance and dress and religion, all interact to form different worldviews.

In anticipation of this trip, Marti and I have visited Sitar Indian Restaurant an unacceptable number of times. We learned to prepare an Indian feast of our own, which is not complete without some outrageous dessert such as Gulab Jamuns or Petha Halwa (a Northern delicacy…a pudding made with white pumpkin that would stun you). I have also tried very hard to adjust my body clock to India time, knowing that my body does not adjust well to such changes. And we will not think about how much money spent on my camera!

This trip is very telling about who I am. It directly parallels my passion for discovering other cultures which has brought me so much joy over the past year. Since my eyes have been opened to the colorful, diverse world that exists around what I have always been shown, my hunger is growing to proportions that I expect will never be satiated.

Posted by Esme at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Amidst the eggnog and cranberry relish of tonight's Christmas Dinner (which I was happy to share in with my friend's family in Nashville), it seems rather unreal to me that in less than two days, I will be in India. I am extremely excited to study Visual Sociology amid the sites and streets of a few Eastern cities, not just in the tourist hot spots but also in spaces of local cafes, orphanages, and theatres. I am feeling anticipation, excitement, and some sleep-deprived jitters, or perhaps that has something to do with all the sugar in the fifty coconut cake bites I ate tonight.

I will be meeting with the "Nashville 11" around 7:30 in the morning, just after a quick trip over to Harris Teeter to pick up last minutes supplies. We are meeting the rest of the group in Newark throughout the afternoon, and we will all be departing for the 16-hour flight to Delhi around 8:30 PM. Very exciting!

Please keep checking into our blog, as we will be spending the next few weeks in the colorful landscape of India, New Year's Eve at an orphanage, sunrise at the Taj Mahal, overnight train transits, and taking a dip at Triveni Ghat.

Remember the time difference, though. It may take us until the 28th to post again!
Cheers!

Posted by Chris at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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Posted by admin at 07:00 AM | Permalink