Vannakaam!

If "settling in" means getting used to always being lost/confused then I am proud to say that I've settled in quite nicely! It's been just over a week since I met my host family and moved to Maduari. In this week I've seen a countryside temple dedicated to the God Shiva, a sacred tree Grove called Avanyyar, the huge Meenakshi Temple here in Madurai, cows, horses, pigs, sheep, rich people, poor people, trash, carts, buses nearly toppled over with people hanging off the sides, and my own life flash before my eyes (riding a bicycle to school). I'm loving every minute of it!

Where to begin? My host family is a typical middle-class Indian family. The father, who I called Annan (brother) is an Advocate (lawyer) and the family owns several homes that they rent out. The children, Kogil and Sruthi, are incredibly studious- they have school six days a week followed by two-hours of "tuition" (tutoring) every day, and then homework! The whole family speaks some degree of English with the kids being the best. I have formed a great relationship with Chitra, my host mother. Speaking to one another is like floating down a river of gramatically mis-aligned English and Tamil, but if we just keep talking we can usually get the point across. Luckily, most people here speak English and Tamil itself is littered with English words (thanks, Brits!) so I haven't had much of a problem. My Tamil is getting better by the day, though!

My brain is expanding like a wet sponge. Every Indian I've encountered is more than happy to converse about everything taboo in the States: politics and religion. Hinduism is such an integral part of life here but any learned person can as readily quote Jesus Christ or Buddha. I have had so many rewarding conversations and am learning a great deal about the Indian lifestyle and spirituality!

Yesterday was Ganesh's birthday, the huge elephant God that dots the doors of every house in Madurai. Celebrations took place at Meenakshi Temple, the namesake of my blog. The Temple is in the very center of the city and provides it's greatest pride. It is a massive temple that is painted very brightly and contains a multitude of rooms, statues, prayer spaces and it's own market. Frankly, it feels like the Disneyland of temples, and I much prefer the quiet rural places of worship. However, there are always weddings and familial celebrations at Meenakshi. I love seeing the beautiful Indian brides with their henna tattoos, shy smiles, and downturned eyes. Marriage is one of the most important events for any Indian family and the happiness of the parents and attendees is palpable. Marriages here are arranged by the parents and caste-reliant- in fact, caste is alive an thriving here! The intersection of class and caste, which are very different, is a point in a lot of my societal studies.

I have attached some pictures of the rural temple, Grove, and my host family. I will post again in about a week, so let me know if you have any questions!

Pakkalaam!