Independence Day

August 15th marked the 60th anniversary of Indian independence. Traditionally schools hold special ceremonies to celebrate the day. I was honored to be invited to Grace Kids Centre creche for the occasion. It is the custom for the children to portray various characters from the independence movement. I'm not sure who this young man was meant to be, but he took his role very seriously and his lines were loud and clear. Some of the other children performed dances including this little girl dressed up in a saree for her performance. The morning ended with the children being presented with their new creche uniforms by visiting dignitaries and then sweets for all!

Smokeless Cookstove Installed

I was aware that the Creche Project had partnered with the International Humanitarian Foundation to provide each creche family with a smokeless cookstove. Recently I accompanied Selvum and Sixton to observe an installation first hand. We found grandmother and creche child's brother at home, anxiously awaiting our arrival. The village families are thrilled to receive these stoves, a vast improvement over traditional open cooking fires which fill the one room homes with smoke that irritates the lungs and stings the eyes. By enclosing the fire and adding a chimney there is a significant reduction in indoor air pollution.
It was a hot day and a steep climb to the house with the materials needed to install the stove. (Masks are on order to replace the handkerchief!)

Close Encounters of the Gaur Kind

After having missed several gaur (wild bison) sightings on hikes when the animals heard us and ran off into the forest, I was thrilled to arrive at the house of friends recently to be greeted with, "Quick, upstairs, there are two wild bison behind the house!" Indeed this massive fellow and a younger bison were within feet of the house, "stolidly indifferent" (an apt description I have read about them). We remained in the house initially and gradually ventured outside for a closer look. There is a story circulating here of a man who was gored to death after taking a flash photo of a gaur. I have also met a local woman who collects firewood in the forest and had been attacked. So we kept a safe distance. We watched them for quite some time and then went off for tea. In the meantime the bison moved on. Later my friend and I set off for home on foot and on rounding a corner came face to face with one of the bison. We made a hasty retreat up an embankment, not really a rational decision since bison are as quick and agile as mountain goats. A few minutes later the bison ambled past us on the road and as he passed me, he stopped, turned his huge head, looked right at me, and then continued on. I was more awe-struck than frightened.