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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1966-09-01, Page 9r M Finds M.uc 'Ilie'following is the continua- tion of excepts from, letters written by Jahn Scott to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James M. Scott which appeared in last week's Expositor. John is in India working with CARAVS, Christian Association of Radio _Mae Visual Services, at Jab- alpur. • March 9 The biggest and most impor- tant of Hindu festivals began on Sunday night. This is "HOLT" celebrated by throwing coloured water and coloured powders at everyone you meet. • It is the one day of the yearwhen people are free to approach and; colour up anyone. Also, on this day many people eat bhang, which is an intoxicating prepar- ation made out of the leaves of S. -tree, probably a narcotic. It, can become quite rough in the • city where people throw cow dung and bricks as well as col- our. It is a bad time to travel because villagers attack tars and trains and do a great deal of damage. It is like an out of control Hallowe'en. About 9 a.m., a rickshaw man r came by and wanted to drive us around the area. Bob Bystrom, Rahul the sitarest, Shaski, an agriculture student, Manju, his w cousin, who is a lawyer and my- self, got into the rickshaw,' and dropped by some of the weal- thy Hindu families. When one visits you, first, take some pow- dered colour from a dish and put it on each person's forehead, then you embrace the person. three times, then everyone squirts or ^throws coloured' dye over you. One family had a large party, with a native or- chestra. People continually threw orange powder so that the whole place was under an orange smoke. Women Quiet • The women of these Hindu families never say much when we are invited to tea, etc., but on Holi they are very aggres- sive, laughing, and shoving and covering people's faces with colour. Yesterday, I saw the mother and daughter of one of the families visited, and they were again very formal, just nodded their heads slightly as I passed. I wore old clothing, but if I am here next year, I will. wear a white Indian outfit and keep it as a souvenir. March 14 Tonight I am in Nagpur. We arrived yesterday about tea- %% Insured Savings - and Loans at CLINTON - COMMUNITY -1 CREDIT UNION LIMITED time, There are several of us,' and we are here for a two-day School on illustrations on Chris- tian Education, and Moral Fti ucation.' The trip here , was a nice change. The leaves are off most of the trees in the jungle, and most of the rivers have dried up completely. In some areas the trees- were "flame in the forest", large flowering trees 'which are blooming at this time of year. The blossoms are bright orange and looked like autumn leaves in the dry forests. The temperature is rising. It has 'been just under 100 degrees at noon for the past week, but the nights are very cool. _ I am staying at the guest house of the National Christian Council of India. There is a long veranda off which are a series of bedrooms. There- are many potted plants on the ver- anda and more in the garden. March 21 It is 6:30, Monday morning and I am sitting on my balcony waiting for tea. As Abdul makes tea, he also fills my water buc- ket twice and I haul it up on a rope. On Sunday Bob, Rahul and I went to the home of a sculptor, who lives by a waterfall, eigh- teen miles from here. We took our bicycles to the bus station, and then switched to a tempo, a three wheeled car which can carry 12 or more passengers. The countryside is very dry noW. Sinha, the sculptor, lives -in a shack on the road to the water- fall. He keeps about 100 laying hens in a building behind his house and sells the eggs in the - city. There is a plaster bust of Ghandi on his porch. He carves mainly small figures in sand- stone, although he has carved larger statues in marble for temples. Sinha's wife is quite ill in the hospital, but Sinha was not concerned. Like most Indians, he is very kind and good natur- ed, but in Hinduism any mis- fortune is the result of fate, so everybody must accept their own sickness, and expect little SEAFORTH DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL OPENS TUESDAY SEPT. -6th, 196 at 10:00 a.m. ❑ ❑ All School Buses will operate over the same routes as were in use at the end of the last .school year. 0 0 All routes will be reviewed upon -completion of registration and may be revised at that time to provide maximum service. ❑ ❑ Buses will leave Seaforth at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 6th, and subsequently .at 7:30 a.m. each school morning 0 0 For further information, contact: L. P. PLUMSTEEL Principal help. There is always the net life.. If soroeolte has some spec taeular sickness er aceident they always., have a good atcd ience, ' I took about 10 coIour photos in the area. Some were of a Sadu, or hely man, who sits by the falls. He is in his 30s, hes hair three feet long and wears Labout four square inches of clothing. , April 6 The work isn't going too well. CARAVS is hauling financial dif- ficulties, so I really do not ex- pect xpect to be staying. There is a vague alternative. I have heard that a school in the Himalayas may be looking for an Art tea- cher. I have never considered teaching art, but it would be an interesting experience. Today was one of the impor- tant Muslem holidays. Iwent' into the Muslem part of the city and took some pictures. The weather is very hot, but, still bearable, that is as bear- able as a very• hot and dry Canadian summer day. April 14 I have had the flu for over a week, but have been able to work. • At the moment 6 a.m., the weather is beautiful. The tem- perature must be down to the high 70's, but from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., I try to stay put of the sun, as it is like a burning oven. -Last Sunday Bob, and I had_ lunch .at the home of Chief Justice Pandy who is now in Bastar, as the chief investigator into the murder of the king there. I expect the photos have ar- rived now. They will give you some idea of India and of Jab- alpur.' At the moment the main colour is dusty brown, but you can see that the city would look like a jungle during the mon soons. Lizard Eggs Yesterday, I 'found two tiny eggs, the 'size of moth balls in my cupboad. They must be liz- ard eggs, but they are exactly like bird's eggs, with a hard shell, etc. I think that I have at Ieast three lizards in my room but they keep. out of sight, and don't make any noise. April 18 ' I am still feeling miserable with the flu. I have had head- aches, so I make sure I wear dark glasses and a hat when I go into the sun. A few days ago the temperature went up to 110 degrees, but there is al- ways a cool breeze through my tooth at night and it is cool in the mornings. I have the op- portunity to go to the Kanika- ski game preserve, about 70 miles east of Jalalpur for 2'/2 days but I won't be able to go if I do not feel any better. Kani- kaski is the game preserve _where the tiger photos were taken for a cover article in "Life" magazine, less than a year ago. April 27 I kicked my flu bug or what- ever it was late last week and I feel pretty well now. ' _The midday temperature goes up regularly to 110 degrees. I am -Working in^one of the offices now, where there are two fans, so I am quite comfortable. May 2 Today is a Moslem holiday so Abdul our cook isn't working. I am writing this as I sit in a restaurant waiting for Bob to join me. It is called "The Clock Tower Rest", a Chinese restau- rant just at the beginning of the densely populated part of the city, It is a very grubby look- ing place, but it is clean, and the Chinese food is very tasty. Outside there 'is a whole street of bicycle sales and repair s - ops. After we have finished here we will go to Peeli Coti (Yellow Cottage), a Methodist rest house run by a fat American lady, who imports all her fav- ourite foods, including Fizzies and candy from America. Three Indian boys are joining us. We will probably play some cards. The sweet corn chicken soup has arrived, really delicious. ,New Job Today I have received the let- ter from Mussoarie, for which I have been waiting. As I have mentioned to you I can only continue on here on a month to month basis so applied to teach art in "Woodstock, School" in Mussoarie. Again, I am working tinder a church board, and ar- rangements are -indefinite as yet, but my duties will com- mence on June. 7. I hope to leave here by May 20 so that I can get settled, and become familiar with my surroundings. Mussoarie, you Will find on the map' above Delhi, slightly to, th, east, near Dehradum and Hardiwar. It is between 6,500-7,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas near the bord- er of Tibet. When the Dali -Lama fled from Tibet because of Chinese aggression a few years ago, he,lived in Mussoarie for two years. It is known' as a "11111 Station", a place where people -go to escape the heat Jut"ing the summer. in the wint- er they even get some snow. /fere are a few facts from the same). liroeli'ilre. "'Woodstock r $eltpol IS a co-edueationat in stitution with an international 911004, providing education in glasses from Kindergarten through High School. The stu- dies culminate in an American High School Diploma, and for some students, the Indian School certificate or 'the Getter - certificate of Education, Lon- don,i England. There are living quarters for Single teachers, and they are expected to eat in the staff dining room and pay for board at the current rate, etc. The school is built on 123 acres of a Himalayan ridge with some long `walks between the buildings, and some steep climbs, etc. Winter and summer clothes as worn in the USA and England are suitable. Good rain gear is essential for the monsoon months, June -October. Niay 9 Today I went -through the Iengthy process of making a train reservation for Mussoarie. I have decided to go first clash, even though it is much more expensive. The• other classes are,. very crowded at this time of year, the season of weddings, when whole families travel to- gether. I will not know for four days if I can get reserva- tions. My trip will take about two days, a distance of approxi- mately 900 miles. At the moment I am selling articles such as my bicycle and bamboo furniture. I have quite a number of dinner- invitations - too, this week. I am sending to Mary for her graduation a silver necklace and pierced earrings. The necklace is actually an anklet, but I must have alterations made on it be- fore I send it. These are of In- dian handicraft, practically pure silver. Yesterday the father of two CARAVS .musicians died which meant that today many of the CARAVS staff were involved in the usual rushed funeral ar; rangements. Funerals involve un -Canadian problems here. Be- cause of the heat, people 'are buried as soon as the coffin can be made, and a horse rounded up for the hearse. The funeral was to take place at 11 a.m. to- day, but when I left at noon word hadjust, come in, that the coffin wouldn't be ready for 45 minutes, and a horse hadn't as yet been found. May S I ant app eaehing my second day ontrap& and in train sta., tions. I left. Jabalpur on Mon- day about 2:30 p.nt. So far, I have stood up to the heat and confusion pretty well, It is al- most impossible to describe the inconvenience and unreliabili- ty of the Indian RR system. At one time during the trip I was separated from most of my luggage for about 12 hoursdue to a mix up in connections. I telegraphed ahead to Lucknow, where it - was taken off the train by the police, and now I have it with me. Trains Dusty I am extremely dusty and sooty because the fans aren't working, so I have to keep the windows open. But. because I am in first class, I don't have. crowds with which to contend and. I can stretch out in the dust for a nap whenever I want to. I- left Jalalpur without panic. Everything was packed in time, and I was able to sell every- thing I couldn't take with me. Abdul, our cook, made a new dessert for me for my Iast lunch, coffee souffle, which was very tasty. I have some really good friends in Jabalpur, and I will miss them. May 22 Mussoarie is a beautiful place, quite dry at the moment, but the monsoons begin in about a month and a half. _. The _school is scattered over the face of a cliff,-faciug across the • gorge, the twin towns of Mussoarie and Landour. The school is at 6,500 feet, while the highest point of the small mountain is about 7,500 feet. I climbed up to the 'top , yester- day and I could faintly see the snows of the real Himalayas in the distance. On a clear .day, usually during or after . the rains, you can see peaks 300 miles away. The city of Dehtta_. Dun is almost straight down from Mussoarie on the plains 4,000 feet below. Mussoarie itself is quite 'pie, turesque, even though it doesn't date back more than 150 years. I haven't spoken with the principal yet, as he is away to Delhi, busy with a large fair which was held yesterday. At the moment I am living in a guest room in the older boys' (Continued on Page 10) THE 'IpktOM !,..xpo,nrok sitAtporoo WittIAM Phone 527-0870 Seaforth: 'Arnold. Stinnssen . GROUP LIFE ACCIDENT acid -SICKNESS - MAJOR MEDICAL PENSIONS - -ANNUITIES Representing Sun Life Assurance Comical Goderich St. East - Seaforth • of Canada - TELEPHONE '5274410 WANT ADS BRING QUICK° RESULTS: Dial 527-0240 one ordinary penny will scarcely buy you one bite of a bran muffin 'or a chelsea bun or a sugar dough- nut to have with your tea. but... one hydro penny will boil sufficient water in an electric kettle to make you 57 cups of tea! 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