India's Beautiful Children: A Video Presentation

This short video is inspired by the beautiful children whose smiles I was fortunate to behold during our trip to India. Children are every nation's hope and the main foundation in successfully building a bright future. As for India who has the highest child population in the world, these young citizens should be protected and nurtured if India wants to be a nation that is sustainable and continually excels in the global economic arena.  

Geography Of India: A Powerpoint Presentation

Gography of India

View more presentations from Jinky Dagoon.

Day 1: Indian Hospitality

Our group of sixteen students and two professors arrived in New Delhi on an early Sunday morning. After traveling for more than 20 hours from Los Angeles, we were exhausted but equally happy to finally Indian soil. It was an exhilarating moment for me since I had dreamed of visiting India since third grade after seeing "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom." From thereon images of India on my mind continually evolve as I see more movies, read books, interact with its people, and savor bits and pieces of its beautiful culture. Upon arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport it was hard to contain my excitement, especially with the thought of adding to my image bank. So I braced myself to seeing the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of this country I've come to admire.

Day one in India and the first thing that left an impression on me is the friendliness of the people. Starting at the airport, I was amazed at how friendly and accommodating airport immigration officials are. We were politely directed where to line-up to have our documents checked. Wanting to document every step of the trip, we snapped photos here and there and took group pictures during the wait, but not once did I see a look of impatience from Indian travelers in line or an expression of annoyance from airport personnel. The immigration official who stamped my passport even took the time to pose for the camera after checking my documents and dismissed me with a warm welcome to the country. Never have I taken picture of an immigration official before, much more have my picture taken with one. In my travels I always see them as stern-faced, interrogating figures and I never thought of photographs while in an immigration queue until India. I told myself that if immigration officials are friendly, the general population must be pretty friendly as well. And that rationale proved correct.       
   

Pictures of Bollywood stars grace the entrance of airport restrooms in Delhi.

One of the many pictures we took as a group while waiting in line at the immigration.
(From left to right: Xinyan, Li, Me, Gloria, Mayra, Alfonso, and Doris)

A quick pose with the immigration official at the booth after stamping my passport.

On the way to EMPI, our host institution and our home in Delhi for two days, we were warmly greeted by Prof. Vipin's father. He met us during a quick stop on the side of the road to take photos of the monkey god Hanuman. It was so nice of him to warmly welcome us to India with a smile and a handshake as each one of us exited the bus. After unloading our luggage at EMPI, he also welcomed us with fragrant flower garlands that left us beaming from ear to ear. Nothing feels better than to be welcomed warmly with a genuine smile, a handshake, and flowers after a long journey from the other side of the globe. 

Alfonso being greeted by Dr. Vipin's father upon exiting the bus. Mayra comes next.

Donning of garlands. Jesse above smiling as he gets his welcome in flowers 
while I happily posed with mine.

Gabriella and Dr. Lin with Prof. Vipin's father in front of an EMPI building.

The group happy to have finally arrived at EMPI.

More warm welcomes followed during our stay in Delhi and as we traveled to different parts of Jaipur and Agra. The faculty, students, and staff at EMPI were also very welcoming, accommodating, and exudes friendliness during our short stay with them in Delhi. They did their best to make our stay comfortable, enjoyable, and a pleasant one by allowing us access to their facilities, providing us with great cafeteria food, giving us the chance to exchange ideas with their intelligent student body, showing us interesting points around the city, and preparing a special dinner on our behalf. With these, I see that Indian people are the most welcoming hosts and in nature are very hospitable and warm toward their guests. Below are some pictures depicting the friendliness of our host in Delhi. I really appreciate EMPI for having us, for being the most gracious host and for showing us true Indian hospitality.

Getting a bindi and more garlands from EMPI students.

Rangoli, a traditional decorative floor art to welcome guests.

    

 Tea break by the window overlooking an Old Delhi farmland.

Alfonso and Doris enjoying lunch at EMPI cafeteria.

EMPI staff helping Gloria and Gabriella access the Internet.

At the Lotus Temple in Delhi with students from EMPI and Colombia.

Archi Dam, an EMPI student, takes Alfonso's picture 
at the Red Fort while Robert looks on.

CSUSB and EMPI students at the campus ground after day 1 workshop.


Some of the photos taken on our second day 
with EMPI students, faculty, and staff...

 

EMPI faculty and students introducing us to traditional Indian accessories.

EMPI and CSUSB students happy to work together.

E

CSUSB guys looking good in traditional Indian accessories.

 

A night of good food, good music, and dancing sponsored by EMPI.

EMPI student teaching CSUSB students basic Indian moves. 
(From left to right: Gabriella, James, Jesse, and Ashley)

EMPI and CSUSB students having a grand time dancing. 
Thanks for having us, EMPI. Your hospitality is appreciated 
and hope to meet you guys again in the future.

Day 4: Village Life in Rural India

On our fourth day in India we took a two and a half hour bus ride in search for a village where a group of weavers contracted by the Jaipur Rugs Company reside. From our hotel in the heart of Jaipur, armed with cameras, bottles of water, scarves for protection against the elements, and loads of sense of humor, we headed northeast to visit Narhed, a small village community in rural Rajasthan. The primary objective of the trip was to see sustainability impacts of the company's business model especially in the lives of women weavers in the countryside. Significant impacts were indeed observable and I commend Jaipur Rugs for embodying social responsibility in its organizational framework. But what left lasting impression on me was the vibrant colors of the Indian countryside and the loveliness of its rural dwellers, their sense of contentment and the glistening smiles in their eyes.

A view of a lonely country road from our moving bus.

So off we went, stopping on various points of interest along the way including a small marketplace several miles off the main highway. There we picked a man to help clear the road for us as we tread deeper into the heart of rural India where roads are narrower and rougher. The bus had to stop from time to time to wait for the road to be cleared of rocks. Finally, the road ended and branched into tiny streets that could only be entered with single motorbikes, carts, or by foot. It was a hot day but parts of the streets were muddy and we had to be careful where to pass in order not to dirty our shoes. It must have rained the previous day.

A residential complex with large courtyard for animals to sleep and children to play. 

The water buffalo relaxes under a shade while the other animals enjoy lunch.

The residential structures in the village of Narhed are varied in size, materials, and design. Some houses are large and made of bricks and mud with good size courtyards for animals to stay and children to play. While some houses resemble that of a makeshift hut with mud walls and thatched roofing. Most houses regardless of size are well-ventilated and with decorated facade. I don't know about the economic dynamics in the village but looking at the residences, one may see that life in the village is not created equal for everybody. To add to this, one may observe that some have large irrigated farmlands and herd of cattle that supply milk; while others who aren't lucky enough to acquire such property have to seek employment or learn a trade. Most of the inhabitants of this village belong to the latter. Agriculturally landless, they have to work as hired laborers to those with land, an unstable source of income as farming is seasonal, or learn a sustainable skill that could support the family year-round. In this village many learn the art of weaving, a two-thousand year-old cottage industry that supplies quality hand-woven rugs to luxury homes worldwide. Jaipur Rugs Company has several looms in Narhed that continuously run year round, providing employment opportunities to agriculturally-disadvantaged villagers. These weavers are fairly remunerated and given various opportunities to mobilize themselves upward socially and economically.        

A smiling woman welcomes us to the village and pictured at the right 
are two ladies hard at work in the fields under the noonday sun.

   
A big brother happy to look after his younger sibling. Pictured on the right is a
 weaver looking through an unfinished carpet while taking a break 
from work to smile for the camera.

 

A young weaver happy at work and a curious woman 

carrying a  jar (probably containing lunch) checking out 

newcomers to the village.

Reflection: Though I hail from a third world country like the Philippines, I have very little exposure to rural life and this type of lifestyle always fascinates me. I was curious to see how people close to the earth live and how they manage their day to day affair. This fascination on rural living also stems from my belief that simplifying our lives, trimming down complications and going back to the basics, is one of the keys to happiness. The trip to the village confirmed this to me and strengthened the truthfulness of the adage that the best things in life are free. We need very little material goods this world has to offer in order to be happy, as proven by the smiles glistening in the eyes of the village folks especially the children.

School children smiling and waving for the camera.

Day 6: Train Ride to Agra

Traveling within India by land especially for a foreigner could be tricky and full of surprises. Add to this when you're traveling in a group of eighteen with one-week worth of luggage and shopping. During the week, we've tried various forms of transportation like bus around Delhi, plane to Jaipur, tuk-tuk around the Pink City, elephant to get us up the Amber Fort, jeep on our way down from the fort, and a quick stint with the camel at the cultural fair, but nothing beats the train ride experience. Personally, I could say that you haven't really seen the real India unless you've taken interstate railway transport. On our 6th day in this incredible country our group traveled by rail to Agra to see the highlight of our tour - the amazing Taj Mahal, this marble mausoleum considered as one of the wonders of the world and the domed structure I had been dreaming to behold since third grade.  But for me, surprisingly, it was the railway experience that served as the cherry on my sundae.

I'm a sucker for train rides and would get into a train whenever I get the chance. I've taken long train rides from Bangkok to Malaysia, London to Wales, Paris to Amsterdam; and short ones within Hong Kong, New York and Southern California. But the Jaipur to Agra train ride is so far the most eventful ever. It was not only pleasant but it was bad and ugly as well. And the chance to see the fusion of the good, the bad, and the ugly all in one setting is what makes the experience a real and authentic one, as this type of setting brings the worst and the best out of people. One may get a glimpse of the character of people in this interesting shared experience.

I've come to admire India more after this train ride adventure. Let me tell you why. First and foremost, you get to see different facets of Indian life as the train goes from one station to another passing through rice fields, small communities, city traffic, etc. Secondly, train stations and rail travel in India is synonymous to chaos. People and luggage are strewn everywhere and poverty is evident in the face of the masses hurdled at some stations. There are families with babies squatting on the pavement protective of their worldly possessions. There are old folks eating dinner, taking a nap, or simply waiting in silence. There are individuals stranded and staying the night out in the open air. But I didn't feel pity, but respect, for they have this sense of dignified bearing as they patiently wait for the train that will take them to their destination. They have this sense of peace in the chaos enveloping them. Porters shout amidst the loud noise of departing and incoming trains, but yet they hear each other. These manual laborers use every muscle and sinew to earn an honest income by carrying heavy luggage, but yet are uncomplaining. Hawkers and vendors are constantly in the look-out to sell their wares, tirelessly jumping in and out passing trains. Commuters in the economy cars are crowded against each other competing for precious space, but yet they could still spare a smile and wave to curious tourists in the platform. I admire this positive attitude of tenacity and cheerfulness regardless the situation one is in. It's hard to explain but after witnessing this, I've come to understand more how India thrives despite glaring paradoxes and see how is it possible to be peaceful amidst the chaos, to be cheerful despite discomfort, to be persevering in the face of abject poverty and hopelessness, to be hopeful despite the uncertainty.          

A family with four small children traveling by rail along with their worldly possessions.

 

Travelers hurdled in the economy car waving at us from the other side of the tracks. 

Pictured on the rights is the porter balancing my and Alfonso's red suitcases. 

That's my backpack he's also carrying.

A hawker going from one train car to another selling Indian snacks.

Traveling with the group is another special experience on its own. I've come to know and appreciate my companions more, and the shared experience with them has made the trip even more eventful. We sang songs in our berth (both in English and various native tongues), took pictures, draw pictures (yes, Mayra could draw interesting-looking mustaches), made new friends, tried Indian snacks, teased each other and laughed at jokes, and exchanged stories. The view from the train window as the train rolled from one city to another also did not disappoint, especially after Robert hopped off in one station and wiped the glass clean. Good thing he made it back unscathed to rejoin in the merriment as the train rolled on to Agra. The five-hour train ride from Jaipur to Agra was one memorable experience I would surely hold onto for a long while.     

Xinyan and Li posing by the window. Robert cleaning the glass during one of the 

stops for a better view of the Indian countryside and other interesting things to see.

 

Having fun with old friends and new :) Meeting a USC student 

from China traveling solo across India. 

Dr. Vipin sharing with us one of his hidden talents - singing while strumming a 
stringed Indian instrument. Alfonso and Doris pretending to be funny pirates. 
Mustache courtesy of Ms. Mayra Sigala :)

Alfonso and Dr. Vipin chatting over tea aboard a moving train.

 

Crowded in a single bunk but happy :)

 

Pre-departure look: Early afternoon photo while waiting for our train to arrive. 

The scene that welcomed us upon arrival in Agra Station.