Day 2 Immersion (7/3/12)

     Yes, it is true…(almost, more on that later) what you imagine India is like! Think scenes from “The Exotic Marigold Hotel”, and then magnify it. People everywhere, spices, live chickens, fruits, grains, cows roaming the streets, cars, rickshaws, and motorbikes, all competing for attention.  This was the immersion experience I’d been waiting for. At 7 am, Mr. Arun Pai, a native of Bangalore took my group of 12 teachers on a 5-hour walking tour. We received historical information about Bangalore, and visited a local neighborhood, which included stores, vegetables, spices and even a meat vendor. Sights, sounds and aromas stimulated every sense! The people were very friendly and didn’t mind having their picture taken. I think my American group was a tourist attraction for the locals. The neighborhood we visited included a stop a at a 1,000 year old Hindu temple. From a block away we could hear “Ohm mm”. Before entering this holy area we left our shoes at the perimeter of the courtyard and brought jasmine flowers and roses to give as an offering. The walk towards the temple across the magnificent and well- worn granite rocks was a sensory experience. Our tour guide arranged for us to go inside the temple, something usually not allowed by non-Hindus.  We gave our flower offerings and received blessings from multiple priests as we meandered through the interior of  the oil lamp and electric lite temple.

     The afternoon was spent visiting a local primary school, attending a panel discussion with local education leaders, shopping/bartering in the wild and windy streets, a motorized jipsaw to a local restaurant, then walking back to the hotel at 10pm. Long and fascinating day!