Seasons

I feel somewhat of the fool for a rather simple example of how the West has controlled me. I forgot there were growing seasons. I didn't really forget, rather I forgot that some fruit is unavailable at certain times of the year. In the US any one would think that all fruits grow year round, though some items may prove more costly at certain times of the year. In Mumbai, fruits are available only during their growing season. For example grapes are available for about 2 months starting in January, mangos are available for about a month in late spring, guavas make an appearance around the early spring, and strawberries are only available for about a month. Apples, bananas, and pineapple seem to ripen throughout the year, thank goodness, so we always have a supply of those. So the city seems to wait in anticipation of the different fruit seasons. Certainly mango season is cause enough for hooplahs, dancing, and constant yellow halos around children's mouths. Mango is added to all food items; sauces, drinks, ice cream, you name it and someone dices up a mango into it and sells it as a variety for the 1 month they have to exploit the yellow fruit.

Excuse me now, I'm off to dig up my recipie for chicken a la grape with au fraise potatoes for tonight's meal.

Having family stay with you is ever a dichotomy. I feel excited to see them again, nervous to be a good hostess, and concerned that they don't tell me what they want to do to spare me any extra work. When they leave I am a bit happy to return to normal, but overwhelmingly sad to see them go. As I get older I consider 2 choices and how dramatically they affect your life - a life close to home in which you feel the comforts of family, the familiarity of home, and only occasional instances of surprise or adventure. The other choice is a life far from home, every day is an adventure, but no immediate support from family and life-long friends. Both have pros and cons, and overall I've chosen the latter path, but often I have yearned for the former. I wonder if those who have chosen the former ever yearn for the latter.

So here I am in India, once again 12,300km from my family, once again only able to converse in the early morning or late evening with any of my siblings, once again feeling alone even though I have the best, most supportive husband in the world, and the 2 most wonderful children in the world.

As I said - ever a dichotomy.

One of the most amazing women I've ever met, and the dearest friend I have ever had, once reminded me that when I have made a decision or choice in my life, I need to remember that the choice has been made, the choice was probably the best one to make given the available information, there really is not any point in dwelling on the ramifications of an alternate choice since it won't make much difference, and I must now learn from the experience and figure out a way to make the most of everything. She said it her wonderful Texan way,

"Oh Well."

Travels to Jaipur and Agra

I have recently returned from a small trip to Jaipur and Agra. Jaipur, the Pink City, rests in the desert state of Rajasthan and was once the home to the royal families. Forts and Palaces seem to adorn every corner and the sheer grandeur of many buildings challenges my ideas of civilisation. Agra lies to the east in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is dirty and impoverished, the streets teem with tourist-hungry merchants, and the most beautiful building in the world lies in its heart. The Taj Mahal took my breath away and left me forever changed. As we left the monument I felt as though a part of me was forever left in the shadow of that white marble. So totally enriched and honored to have seen it, so sad to leave and know I may never see her again.

Jaipur is exactly what I think of as India; elephants and camels walk the streets, snake charmers serenade their sinuous charges, stunning artwork decorates historic building, bright turbans don the heads of most men, and markets bustle in haggling abundance. My children enjoyed their first elephant and camel rides. Their mother, too, enjoyed the experience, however much longer on that camel and the experience may not have been so fun. Over the course of the 4 days I grew very fond of camels - they contain an elegance that belies their burdensome life as they look down from above with a smile, certain of their superiority and dignity.

My father and I debate on the cost of freedom throughout the trip. When Jaipur was ruled by royalty, wealth poured in to the royal family who built the most spectacular palaces, observatories, and monuments. These buildings exude elegance and harmony. Over time, as invaders came and went, the money left the hands of the few and is still trickling in to the hands of the many. The result of this is that the beautiful buildings are no longer created and are in fact difficult to maintain. Is it better to have wealth devoted to cultural advance and the arts? Or better to distribute it to the masses at the cost of cultural advance? As my father says, "What is the cost of freedom?" I am perhaps a socialist at heart, but I see his point - were wealth distributed among the people, we would never see such glorious sights, perhaps we would not even be able to imagine them.