I love my home and the place it is located but I have to admit there are days when I am completely befuddled by the place.
Just recently Karlu the young man who worked for us died; quickly and rather mysteriously. He was fine the night before out with the village singing Bhajans [Holy songs ] until the early hours of the early hours of the morning- nothing naughty involved.
Did not wake up in the morning so when his Mum went to rouse himhe was dopey and partly paralysed, could not stand up or speak properly...they tried to get transport [for some reason did not ask us] and tried to rush him off to...wait for it...the temple 2 hours away.
He died on the way- everyone locally is of the opinion if he had got there faster he would have been fine.
He had had a toothche a few weeks prviously and we had sent him to the dentist, who had administered antibiotics and removed the tooth- he was happy with that.
Our cow when she calved, enede up with mastitis- not unusual for first calf but important to treat immediatly or she could have scarring and never be able to be milked. I was told about it and asked is she being treated? Yes I was told...then I saw her milk a few days later still looked red. I asked to see the bottle of medicine and was told OHH no we got someone to pray over her and ward off the evil eye. I was livid, what No medical treatment!!!
I don't like to tread on local customs and I don't think everything I think is right BUT really!!!
So keeping myself on a tight leash I said great if this happens again get the cow blessed and AT THE SAME TIME get the vet.
Well the other night about midnight my phone was ringing as I staggered up to see who it was I realised Sohan [he looks after our animals] was at the gate trying to get our attention. His sister-in-law Sadha ahd woken up laughing like crazy and speaking in a mumbled way [sounded like sleepwalking to me] but it had scared teh living daylights out of the family and after waht had happened to Karlu they wanted to have her looked at immediately. Fair enough, they had not been able to hire a car at that time so had come to us for our car [a cousin is a driver so we knew they could drive properly] and they were going for treatment.
Come morning we had not heard from them and the hospital is rather close so we were concerned so Praveen rang- what had the doctor said??
Oh no they had gone to the temple 2 hours away and now she was fine.
She was to spend a week at the temple praying and all would be well.
She is back home now , fine, I am still scatching my head- after what happened to Karlu would you not consider a doctor as well?
I really am scratching my head....what to do? It is not up to be to tell someone else how to live there life but if I had realsied it was temple and not doctor I would have been in anguish over whether to say something or not????
The world is a mysterious place sometimes.
We are discovering who can sticth various designs and so able to funnel work to those best suited to it....I am in love with these- all that lovely stitch- yeh!!
Visually satisfying and heart felt satisfying becuase it embodies a lot of good handwork and income for women...I think they will have a ready market once stockists see them [I hope and pray as well]
Mould report [due to rain and humidity]
cloth under the fan is still wet after 5 days....
I found mould developing on the notes in my wallet,
and my camera has a little coat on the outside even sealed up in its camera case- hate to think what is happening inside camera or computer
my bone handled knives have developed a bloom, it is all truely yuk!! and I am running around like crazy checking and airing things.
life in a damp and confusing world :)
3 comments:
Thanks for sharing this Fiona. It's a perspective only someone living there can bring. I must admit, it does challenge the sometimes uncritical interest in ritual that tourists can bring when visiting other cultures. But I wonder with Sadha that the temple was really the right choice. It sounded like she was suffering from some mental confusion, so the structure of prayers in the temple could have been a real help. Obviously, this wouldn't work for animals, like cows, but for people sometimes following belief can be quite powerful. Many Westerners feel better on the mere sight of a doctor in a white coat.
It's great to from someone on the ground, Fiona. It certainly challenges an outsider's interest in the authentic rituals of another culture. But I wonder in some cases, like Sadha, that the temple is actually a better option. If she was mentally confused, the structure of pray in a temple might have helped a lot. Obviously it wouldn't work with animals, but even Westerners can sometimes feel better at the mere sight of a doctor in a white coat.
It's great to from someone on the ground, Fiona. It certainly challenges an outsider's interest in the authentic rituals of another culture. But I wonder in some cases, like Sadha, that the temple is actually a better option. If she was mentally confused, the structure of pray in a temple might have helped a lot. Obviously it wouldn't work with animals, but even Westerners can sometimes feel better at the mere sight of a doctor in a white coat.
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