Photos!

Me looking stylish in my dress pants and national interfaith youth service day t-shirt. In the background is Gopal Singh's house, in the village of Amloda. This picture was taken by Gopal's son Dipu, for whom I am a camel.

This is me and Sunil (Rohitash's nephew) working on the computer. Notice the mooch (mustache). They had me grow one. It is now gone, but I gave it a go.

British Raj era coin (from the 1920s). See my coming post on the British Raj.

Me and Rohitash at the field office.

View to the West of the field office. The ubiquitous camel carts traveling along the road. This is a village road, but the camel carts also go on the equivalent of highways (though the speeds are only 30-50 mph)

Photos!

One pissed off sand (bull) about to charge. Surrounded by trash. Pretty typical.

Piles of trash, piles of manure. One a greatly prized commodity, the other rubbish.

Rohitash sleeping. This is our cot arrangment. Right now we sleep on the roof because there is usually a nice breeze at night, while it is hot inside. Comfy cots.

Mor (peacock) hanging out amongst the housetops.

Ditto.

Photos!

Around the office.

Goat standing on its post. Does it want to eat that clothing? Possibly.

View to the north. Big hill. Pink water tank (now-defunct). Road. By the dead tree is a Moslem graveyard. Along the road is a Hindu cremation sight. Inside the lip of the mound is a pond-making project, via NREGA (national rural employment guarantee act)

To the South. Many satellites in the village. Field for playing cricket.

To the East. Buffalos. Mud hut. Beginning of growing of chara - buffalo feed.

Northeast. People picking tomatoes. Tomato and chilli fields. Eggplant as well.

Photos!

Me, eating Indian style. Pot of food in the middle, salt to the right, some bread in a container, metal plate, water cup, eating with right hand. Bent over so don't get food on my pants. This is perhaps a lost cause.

Camel love.

The thrice-daily chai-making process

Me with the groom at a wedding, with pagri (turban)

Washing clothes by hand. Tough.

Photos!

My best buffalo friend again. This year. The previous one was from 1.5 years ago.

The white sun in the morning. Has anyone ever seen anything like this? I haven't. It's also not very bright and you can look right at it. Strange.

Cows hanging out in the village center in Jawanpura, knowing that no one will ask them to move.

Volleyball. I'm all about the spike baby. Look at me prowl (I probably wiffed the block...).

Typical Rajasthan picture. Lots of buffalos, heads down, eating like there's no tomorrow.

Photos!

Rohitash and Gopal reading the newpaper and showing the amazing ability of Indians to squat. They read the newspaper like this for 20 minutes or so, no problem. This was during my last trip, in the winter. Hence the coverings (necessary! The cold wears you down with no indoors to turn to)

A discussion amongst women from 5 villages, some of which are pretty remote, i.e not connected by a paved road. This discussion was about Jal, Jiwan, aur Jiwikoparjan - Water, Life, and Livelihood. At this talk the workers had the women ponder their problems (especially due to water shortage) and what they think they could do to mitigate the problems. This is another example of the ways the NGO empowers women through self-belief and empowerment of their minds, economic abilities, etc.

Isn't this a beautiful photograph. It is at a wedding. The groom is at the center in white and by custom he is being fed by all of his sisters. The groom is one of 18 brothers.

Typical rural picture. Straw houses and brick houses, cow patties up, buffaloes lying about.

Photos!

All,
Here are some photos, with descriptions, as I promised. I hope you enjoy.

Dantli ki Dani. Learning about the computer. Typing names, doing math, etc.

Goat tree. Humorous.

My best buffalo friend. She lives behind the office and I always ask her "Badi bheis, ap kaisi hain?" - how are you big buffalo? I also always give her vegetables/fruit from the tree by the office. She wraps them up with her big black tongue and swallows them down. Good buffalo

A microcredit meeting in Dantli ki Dani. Gopal is keeping track of the account while the women talk about relevant issues, give their monthly dues, etc.