Chris and Kris in India 38

This Month

Comment

Pickling

Christmas Dinner

Work

NGO

Comments from Kris

Our family grows

The cost of bottled gas in India.

Gas here comes in LPG cylinders, everyone except the very poor or the unregistered have gas.

Why am I telling you this?

When Kris and I first came to India nearly three years ago a friend arranged our gas supply.
We paid the normal full unsubsidised rate; because we are not Indian citizens so don’t get the subsidy registered Indians get. Registration is compulsory for all even if you live on the roadside.

In India gas to each registered household is subsidised heavily, it used to be six bottles a year but has now increased I think to twelve.

Some months later when we needed a refill our friend got us another bottle, we asked how and he told us from ‘the market’. We assumed you could just go and buy gas as in the UK from gas suppliers.
We were subsequently told by many non-Indians here that we could not buy it legally from the gas shops so ours was coming from the (thriving) black market in gas.

After checking that this was true we realised that our gas was in fact part of a huge fraud being perpetrated by black marketers.

Our faith forbids stealing, and no matter how delicately you phrase it, when you commit fraud by using the black market it is stealing.

This is how it works:

A poor family sells their subsidised gas to a black market dealer at a low price. Fine you would think it gives them a little more money. The dealer then sells to unregistered people (like us) at the market price making a huge profit on each gas bottle.

When we found out we returned our only partly used bottle and told our friend we would rather do without than be part of this fraud.

This left us with two choices:

Use all electric which would be very expensive, or find a way to register legally.

All our friends said we couldn’t register, our employers at the time said the same.

Why not they said “just buy from the market like everyone else does” but as I have said we couldn't, God's commandments forbid theft.

So we arranged to meet the official India gas supplier in Udaipur to discuss our situation.

After hearing why we were in India doing voluntary work he agreed to register us as a commercial user, we are C&K Udaipur, anyone can do this. We are now buying our gas legally. We don’t get any subsidy and the bottles are larger and cost more, but the gas price per cubic meter is the same, only we buy a larger amount in the larger cylinder.

So why did we bother, well for us it was demanded by our faith ’Thou shalt not steal’ but what about you, why should you who may not be of our faith bother about where your gas comes from?

It’s about the real cost to the needy.

When a family sells their gas the woman of the household then has to find another way to cook and that means on an open fire, not like we used to sit around an open fire in the garden in the UK, but a tiny miserable pile of anything that burns.

In densely populated areas that means walking miles each day looking for anything that will burn, children digging through waste for anything burnable (Or saleable) is a common sight. Rubbish, wood twigs, and plastic, anything that will burn.

We have seen women in the city cooking on a fire using plastic with clouds of black smoke drifting through their homes. This smoke contains Hydrogen Cyanide gas, and it’s a killer. Their children breathe it; even neighbours hundreds of meters away suffer this poisoning. Sometimes especially in the monsoon the air above the very poorest dwellings is grey from the toxic fumes.

What can we do about it? Or more to the point, what can YOU do about it?

If you live here DO NOT buy gas on the black market, it’s mostly foreigners that do this as most Indians don’t need to. If you live at an unregistered address without a legal tenancy agreement, if a ‘friend’ gets it for you, do you really believe you are not contributing to this? Think of the real cost of your gas, not in Rupees but in lives.

(The dream) If the buyers disappear then there would be no black market. Then poor families would have gas to cook with and heat in winter.  Their children would be warm in winter, they would have light to study by. (The reality) Instead as you can understand  they sell their gas to make a few extra Rupees. This is a short term solution that is only making the crooks richer and keeping the very poor in the power of money lenders and black marketiers who will 'lend' money at a huge interest rate based on the coming gas bottles.
I dont have a solution, but I truly believe that the sooner these people are put out of business the better it will be in the long run for the very poor of this country.        
So stop buying it, sounds so simple doesn't it……………….I wonder now how many so called caring people will take any notice and register as we did so that this corrupt trade at least decines.
Will you? 
Do you live here without a legal tenancy agreement?
Does a 'friend' get your gas for you from 'the Market'?

I dream and I pray that some of you will listen to my words but so often the attitude among visitors and foreigners working here is to turn a blind eye as they do to so many other corrupt practices.
Most have never considered their very real part in this needless suffering of the Indian people.

Like so many corrupt practices here the excuse ‘everybody does it’ seems to salve their consciences, well WAKE UP, you are contributing to killing people.

Am I naive? Perhaps so, but I believe all injustice can be eliminated if only enough ordinary people stand up and say NO.

You can buy legal gas here, so why don’t you?
Do you want to stand up, or turn a blind eye; the choice and the consequences are yours to live with, and yours to ultimately answer to God for.
Please, if you visit India to work, at least do this one small thing that could save lives here, register.

  

Pickling, Jam and candied peel

While the markets are full of fruit and cheap onions we decided to do some preserving.

We haven’t finished yet. When grapes are cheap we will do more jams, we intend to try all sorts of fruit jams and of course marmalade.

This Christmas the pickled onions and cheese is coming to our table for the first time since leaving the UK. We have even found a supplier for Danish Blue cheese! India is built on family and friendships, we are so happy to have been accepted and befriended by so many people here. When an Indian says he is your friend it comes without strings, a friend is always ready to help another friend.

We can’t seem to master candied peel so if anyone knows how to do it please reply via ‘comment’ we would be so grateful to you, and then we could make a Christmas cake!

We have been shown where the main wholesale market is, quantity at low prices so we now buy onions 25k at a time, same for Potatoes, Mango’s, peppers etc. Stored properly they all keep very well.

A loss in our ‘family’

Sadly we lost one of our chickens this month, stupid bird fell out of a small tree we have growing in their run and broke its neck. A bird!! More like man’s early attempts to fly by throwing themselves off tall buildings with handmade wings…same result.  

Well looking on the bright side it solved Christmas dinner.

As soon as the monsoon ends we will be rearing some more chicks to increase our flock to six hens and George. It really is fascinating doing all this, watching them grow, wondering when will they lay their first egg. George herding his ladies away to the coop at night for safety and warmth in winter, we are both so glad we started this, so by the way are some of our friends as they often get wonderful free range eggs. 

Work

All you teachers out there will know what this means. A new semester has started, new fresher’s to deal with, and new problems as you try to bring order to chaos.

Art and design, workshops and English.

We have Christian, Muslim and Hindu students, all with their special needs and problems. But we wouldn't change any of it. It’s part of the joy of teaching to see these young minds develop and grow, in fact it’s a privilege. This semester we have two students to mentor and guide for their final dissertation. This really puts a load on us both, it’s a huge responsibility but also a tremendous vote of confidence by the college in our abilities.

NGO

Well this month I am not going to make any comment on our work. If you want to know how things are going please go to our new website (Yes we have a website J) http://hdsudaipur.org

We are also now networking with several other NGO’s and the Rotary club Udaipur Udai.

Maharaj Kumar Shri lakshyaRaj Singh Mewar

The Prince of Udaipur.

We Had the honour to meet him at a charity bike ride he organised to raise money for needy children.

A really nice guy into helping his people. He runs a charity that feeds the homeless children; he also has a very nice Indian Motor cycle (Indian as in USA made, like a Harley but better). Sorry Harley guys, the great debate continues. 

We exchanged views as I have also owned an Indian and had a pic of it on me. Great to meet him.

Wow the circles we now move in! He is a Prince yes, but he is also very caring generous man and very approachable. 

We rode with his group of Super Cruisers,some of the nicest bikes I've seen for a long time. we were with IBRMC and several other groups joined us all on Independence day..

The only hope I had before I came here of meeting a Prince was to throw myself in front of his car! Sorry to the royalists out there.

The Kitchen Garden

Fencing in the garden begins in earnest to stop the monkeys stealing our produce.

Ready for action! Two male daily labourers
we employed to put the wire on as Kris
is unable to work for a while and its a two
handed job. On a positive note these guys
had paid work for two days. 

A look at some of the rest of the garden,

and what we are doing with it.

This used to be the cess pit cover

We have planted the beds with big leafy plants. We want a jungle feel to it.

Not sure what to do here, the flowers on the
shrub are lovely but it does attract the mosquitoes
in the evening, thats our front window!

Two of these were planted at the same time 

one in the Sun, one in the shade. We have now 

moved the small one to a sunny spot, it is

already looking better. 

                                                                               

A quick look inside, beginning to feel like home now. We love it here.

'The office'

Kris making fish cakes to freeze,Yummy.

We thought you might be interested in what some of our students are doing during a 'Bamboo' workshop we are teaching.

Yes, thats glue!

Cool

At this stage the task, to build a chair is about
 halfway through.

A lot of new things to learn, The skills and vision shown in  this work is really impressive.

This is the first time these young people have ever worked with Bamboo. Taking this workshop is a teacher's dream, hard working and happy students = A really fun session for me!

And the best news, I still have two more days of this workshop to teach..........YeHaw.

A really true friend since we arrived here. Jatin.

We first met him at Voyage Motors Udaipur. We went there to look at a couple of scooters, then I fell in love! Royal Enfield 'Desert Storm' 500cc single. If you follow this blog then you know the bike. Oh I nearly forgot :) Kris got a Yamaha Ray, Jatin and I have both had to tell her to slow down a bit. Thankfully she has..................madwoman!

Kris 'Do I have to do a selfy?'

Now this is what I call a road block

 Some of IBRMC were going this way a few days later on a ride to the worlds highest road, Ladakh.

Local fruit and veg market

Our friend Vinay goes to the regular fruit and veg market (Mundi) every week and enjoys having Chris along with him, I went once and I was so exhausted I ended up returning to the car to await their return. You need to be fit to go around this market its huge and very busy, its where you get wholesale prices and fresh produce.

And of course 'George and his ladies.

More chicks to come this month.

Comments from wounded Kris (In the line of duty)

Down and nearly out for
the count, lots of painkillers

Putting on a brave face, I
look like the karate kid but
less agile and fit

My darling Chris took these pictures of me just after I returned from hospital having had 6 stitches to a head wound. I will get my revenge on Chris with some photos of him when he least expects it so watch this space in the future I might just publish them. 

It was a freak accident having tried to open some curtains which were stuck on the old steel curtain pole in the office it shot off suddenly and speared my forehead at my hairline, it was old jagged and rusty. 

Chris gave me immediate first aid closed the flap, pressure bandage and put me on the back of my scooter and took me to hospital. The nurse did an excellent job of stitching a very difficult wound, and yes it really hurt, but Chris held my hand throughout and encouraged me during suturing. 

I have had a rough month health wise as a few days after I had the stitches out I turned over in bed whilst asleep and somehow hit the wound although padded on the wooden headboard and wow it hurt. 

I then went to work stupidly, but paid for it later in the day when I was admitted to hospital for a few hours due to pain in my head, and stomach pains and vomiting.Jatin (more on him later) had put me in his car and we all went to the hospital....again. After a couple of IV infusions and IV meds they let me come home in the late evening.

Chris stayed with me in the hospital to care for me throughout my treatment, he is such a rock. I am under orders to take things easy and rest. 

Of course those who know me will know I always do as I'm told hee hee, some chance! (I just read this bit...YOU WILL REST) Hoping to return to work Tuesday where I know I will be told by several of the faculty that 'I told you so' when they said I should be home resting not coming into work with a head injury.

This month was also very special, in that I gained a new brother and sister, more about that below, but I want to say this here in comments that the decision was not taken lightly. 

I made an oath before God and witnesses that I would take my brother and sister for life, protect, feed and be there for them any time they needed me, I now need to tell my brothers in the UK they now have a new Sikh brother and sister. Amazing we now have Christians, non Christians, Muslims and Sikhs in my own family, isn't God amazing, it just blows my mind.

And finally.

Today Sat of the full moon is the festival of Raksha Bandhan, usually just called Rakhi.

It is a time when sisters and brothers get together to tie the Rakhi on the brothers wrist.The brother promises to protect the sister always and the sister prays for the brother and confirms her love and her wish to care for him.

This is a time of joy for the family and is done in one form or another throughout India.

Sometimes someone other than blood relatives, a close and trusted friend will become a sister to the man who then takes her as his sister and becomes her brother.

Today we were truly honoured.

Christine became the sister to both Jatin and Sahiba his wife.

Since Kris has no brothers to protect her in this country Jatin has taken on that responsibility. 

She first asked permission of the head of the household before tieing the rakhi on Jatin's wrist and praying for him out loud in front of the other members of the family. She then ceremoniously fed him and he presented her with a gift. They then hugged as Brother and Sister.

For us to be honoured in this way and by such a wonderful family the feeling is so hard to express. As 'foreigners' we never even contemplated that we would become so close to an Indian family, so trusted and loved as to be admitted to their, now our family in this way. 

Just to be clear, this festival and tradition and dates back many thousands of years. It is about affirming the bond between brothers and sisters and has nothing to do with the faith of those taking part. 

Our new family are Sikhs, and fully respect our Christian faith as we respect their faith.

During this festival many tourists buy and tie bands on each other and Indians mark them with the orange mark (bindi) of the Hindu faith. This has nothing whatsoever to do with Rakhe as practiced by Indian Sikhs. Also only sisters can tie to brothers, many tourists have it tied on by the seller. There is no harm in it and everybody, tourists included have a good time on this date and learn a little about Indian Social customs.

.

               As I said this is a fun time but also very special.

                    I am in traditional Rajasthani dress today

I'm (Kris) taking it all in its my turn next
I don't want to get it wrong

 

                     Jatin's Father, 

     Mr.Jasbir Singh Gandhi and Chris

    

Jatin has several sisters so he got all the attention.

Such a feeling of love and warmth among

 the whole family.

 
Kris tying on the Rakhe to Jatin's wrist, symbolising the 'tying together of brother and Sister'.

Christine praying for God to be with him
always and that no evil should ever enter his life.

 The Sister also feeds the Brother, symbolising her promise to always care for him.


.

Proud Brother and Sister. 

Jatin giving Kris a gift as is traditional.

Kris also gained a Sister, she asked Sahiba to join with her as Sisters.From the smile I think you know the answer she gave Kris.

Sisters.

Hey, our family just grew! I think
we should let her Brothers in the
UK know that they have new
family members in India.

One thing to bear in mind, this is forever, this joining and renewal of family ties is the basis of Indian society. Family is everything. So every year they come together to show each other their love and devotion through this ceremony.

A lesson here for many other countries perhaps?

Saturday evening we had dinner at the Hilltop Palace Hotel with the durham wanderers! With Alan, Richard, Lesley, Chris and I. We all had a lovely meal and catch up with what is happening here. But alas I was in charge of the camera and forgot to take any pictures, so I thought I would take some on my phone at Church where Alan was speaking Sunday, but again I was so engrossed in everything I forgot, so I will try to get some later in the week and publish them in the next blog.

We called in on the Durham team whilst they were having breakfast, as Richard had said how much he would like a ride on the bike, so thats what he got. Royal Enfield 500 to church, Richard riding pillion with Chris. They zoomed past our car and disappeared into the distance, it was worth it to see the happy look on Richards face as they arrived at Church. Chris also showed him the off road Indian undertake manoeuvre (ask Richard or Alan).

We just want to say officially, in print and in public that Alan and Lesley both chickened out!!!!

Well, from us in India may God Bless and keep you all safe,and to all of you our very best wishes

Isn't God wonderful, he does so much for us, so much that often we don't even notice until much later. Then we can only say 'Thank you Lord'. 

Chris and Kris