Hose down!

I was sitting at Rayagada station on Friday evening waiting on the train to Koraput for Hilary's last weekend in placement. Sadly one gets accclimatised to the "sites" of India, the people living and sleeping permenantly at the station, on the platforms, in the waiting rooms and the entrance hallway, the beggers and the hawkers who stalk the platforms, as well as families just sitting on the ground mid platform waiting on trains.  In amidst all this there is always the inevitable kid who comes up to investigate the white face, the parents who make their kids practice their few phrases on English " How are you" , "What is your name?", and the overseen pointing and head turning as folks spot and then discuss my presence. Sun glasses at least let me also do a bit of people watching  in return. This time I am drawn to a man who is standing between the trainlines. There are two platforms at Rayagada, so two sets of trainlines. Between the lines is a blue coloured overhead pipe which stands on supports and runs at about 6 feet of the ground. At regular intervals hose pipes hang down from this pipe. When a train comes in people go to these hoses and place them on the underside of the carriages. I have always assumed they are cooling the shunts.  So at first I think this man is preparing to do just that. But no, he starts to take his clothes off. First his shawl - which would look to you like a chequered tea cloth - then his shirt, which he carefully folds and places over a hook holding the hose on one of the pipe's upright supports. Then imagine, he stats to undo his trousers! At this point I begin to wonder what mental state this man is in. His hair and beard are long and unkept, his clothes have clearly seen better days, he is without shoes, as are many people here. I avert my eyes but they are drawn back. Next he takes his shawl and wraps this round his waist, before dropping his trousers. I suddenly realise what he is doing - he is taking a shower! At stations there are load of water taps, fo hand washing, and I've seen folks face and upper body wash there before, but this is new and I have to say quite ingenious. He stands hose in one hand and gets his wash, no soap, but he hoses himself down and brushes over himself with his other hand. Then the procedure is reversed, and he gathers up his clothes and is on his way. I doubt whether ayone else even noticed it had happened. Only in India!

Puri

In early March VSO Volunteers and partner NGOs met in Puri for our annual Programme Area Review, part of the planning and review process of the thematic areas in which VSO works with Indian NGOs. It was a great opportunity to meet people from the various NGOs, to reconnect with the group of volunteers I did my in country training with in Delhi in December and to meet March 2010's intake of new volunteers. In this last batch I found someone who is an Arabic speaker, so it has encouraged me to start on the mammoth task of learning some in order to converse with Ayisha, Ahmed's mother. This intake just goes to show how small the world can be sometimes, one of the newbies knows the lady I tent shared with on my first trip to Mali a few years back.

As the meeting was in Puri, by the sea, I took to opportunity to take a few days either side for  bit of R&R. Hilary and travelled up together in a freezing overnight train and I spent the final day with jen in Bhubaneshwar. That me me very pleased I am not in a big city, much as I curse the traffic in Rayagada, the noise, husssle and bussle of Bhubaneshwar left me tired and glad to be home. having to take multiple shared autos to get anywhere, so much traffic, so many people.

For our time in Puri Hilary and I stayed in Z Hotel which I'd describe as dilapidated chic. But it is a lovely place to stay with lots of open space, very airy and cool, set just back from the main road and quiet! Our room had a balcony with sea view at 700 ruppees for 2 people it was ideal. I recommend it. Saunter 100yards or so down the road and you'll find The Honey Bee bistro, which serves great breakfasts, along with salads, pizza, coffee, freshly squeezed real orange juice - alll things volunteers miss :)

We hired a car and  driver and took of to visit all the tourist sites - The Sun Temple at Konark,




the Jaganath Temple in Puri








and the Raghurajpur Crafts Village . We spent probably the best part of the afternoon at the village with only one family being told how they painted on silk and bamboo - much to the chagrin of the other shop keepers!

The Sun Temple can only be described as The Kama Sutra carved in stone. Our guide's English was good enough to provide vivid descriptions of the positions!

It was a lovely few days break away.

Hot stuff! Very

For those of you who might be interested in our local weather conditions as we get into the 40+Degrees C
time of year here please check out Rayagada's weather and thank your lucky stars you are cooler!