The Reunion -- First Day

I've been going over notes that I took on the trip, and I find we actually went to Trichy a few days before the big reunion. The day before, we had a mini reunion with some of Rajan's friends from the mechanical engineering class -- a nice opportunity for old friends to chat before the huge gathering, and time for me to meet more of his friends and another of the wives as well.

The planning committee for the overall reunion did a super job of organizing the three-day reunion.

On the first day, everyone met at Hotel Le Royal Meridien at 3:00 p.m. for a program that went on until 10:00 p.m. Tea was served, and in India, that means tiffin and delicious treats to go with the tea! Each attendee received a gift bags containing photograph books with family news updates, photos, and contact addresses for each graduate, a program of events, a memorial plaque, an artisan handcrafted multi-purpose basket, a calendar/diary with daily quotes from a famous Tamil poet, and several other goodies.

Photos of "then and now" were flashed on a screen over a stage, and several people got up to share anecdotes of their days at the engineering college. Lakshmi Devi Jagadeesan, wife of the President of the organising committee, shared two of her poems in Tamil and I read a translation of them in English. Several people sang. And then to top off the evening, a professional group, the Avigna Dance Troupe, gave an hour-long performance of dances ranging from classical, to South Indian folk, to Bollywood musical. The picture above shows one of the young dancers. Each dancer was presented with a flower to show appreciation. (Again, part of the wonderful planning of the organizers of the whole affair.)

Throughout the evening, people circulated, and I made many new friends that I hope to keep in touch with now that I'm back home. A fantastic dinner topped off the evening. If the reunion had stopped with this one day, it still would have been a wonderful affair indeed. But the wonders kept on coming over the next two days, and I'll blog more about them tomorrow.

Blessed by an Elephant

One day before the reunion, we went to Tiruchirapalli, about a five-hour car ride from Chennai. We left at 5:00 a.m., accompanied by my brother-in-law, Ranganathan, and his wife, Soundara, in a taxi we hired for the day, and returned around 9:30 the same night. I was glad we didn't take the train. Departure times would have required staying overnight at a hotel and losing extra visiting time with other family members. And the sleeper cars wouldn't have given much of a view. From a hired car you can see everything flowing by the windows: The small villages with wares in front of markets, fields with various crops and small shrines near the roadside. Engineering colleges have sprung up everywhere.

In Trichy (as the city is called for short) we first visited some of Ranganathan's Sanskrit students, where we ate a wonderful lunch and they all caught up on news of a pilgrimage the students had taken to Tibet. Then we went to the Rock Fort Temple, a dominant landmark in the city and home to Ganesha, the elephant-headed God.

Ganesha is my husband's favorite deity, so anytime we go to India we visit this temple in order for him to pay his respect. The temple has been carved inside a giant rock and is in two levels, the higher level rising above the city, and bearing a shrine at the top. At the lower level you enter into a gateway topped by a fabulously ornate "gopuram", a feature of South Indian temples. Then you pass through a hallway with ornate paintings on the ceiling and stalls on either side selling garlands, coconuts, turmeric for worshippers, along with small statues and carvings.

The main shrine area is vast, with a counter to one side to check in your shoes, votive candles to another side, and at the far wall, steps lead on higher to the road and the next level. In the center is the shrine, and inside sits Ganesha, covered with garlands and attended by priests. Worshippers throng the rail and sit in the aisle leading up to the enclosed room. The outside of the shrine is topped with more lovely carvings and paintings depicting religious scenes. This is the main worship area and we spent some time there before proceding up the steps to the next level, which houses another shrine and the temple elephant just inside the entrance.

The first time I visited Rock Fort, I was charmed by the notion of being tapped on the head by an elephant for a blessing, but I thought of it more as entertainment for children and tourists. Children are entertained by this, but older people take the idea seriously. Westerners often hear of the cow being considered sacred in India, but the elephant is seen as spiritual as well. At Rock Fort, the temple elephant is considered a representative of Ganesha's power, and many people feel truly they've been blessed by her tap.

Temple elephants are female, and Asian female elephants have only small stubs for tusks. The one at Rock Fort is a gentle giant named Lakshmi, and she is 17 years old. I wrote a picture book about a small girl's visit to Rock Fort, and on this visit I wanted to firm up details in case of a re-write, so I had a list of questions for the trainer, which my husband and brother-in-law helped me with. I also had a new respect for Lakshmi's "job" from the little I had learned since my last trip. Lakshmi takes her work seriously. She is used to people coming up, giving her their coin, and waiting for the tap. As we talked to the trainer, she grew restless, as if aware we were talking about her. When I gave her my coin, she was quick with her tap. Then I paused and simply looked up, regarding her.

It is quite an experience to look an elephant in the eye. For one thing, it's a beautiful eye: a deep golden color, rimmed in black; warm and expressive. For another thing, she seemed as curious about me as I was about her, as if she wondered who was this creature asking so many questions about her. For another thing, for such a huge creature, she had a sweet face. Not just because of the decorations on her trunk and ears, but because of the soft expression. Obviously she is tenderly cared for.

My brother-in-law gave me an additional ten-rupee note for the trainer who had so patiently answered my questions, but he in turn directed me to give it to Lakshmi. Once again, she took the tribute from my hand, passed it to the trainer, then blessed me. By then, it was time to move on so other people could have their moment. As we walked away, I looked back, and she had turned to follow us with her eyes. They say an elephant never forgets. I am wondering if, on a future visit, this will be so.

On this visit, we did not proceed up to the top of the rock as we have in the past. Time was short, and we had a relative we wanted to visit in nearby Sriringham before heading home. Stairs inside this second level, however, do take the worshipper past another shrine inside, on up to the top shrine and a large rock face area where you can get stunning views of the city.

But I was content to leave with the memory of Lakshmi's curious gaze following us out the doorway to the road.

Ah, India -- Where to Begin?

India exerts such a pull on me that when I return, it takes me about a month to really get out of India. From the time I step out of the airport in Chennai into the 1:45 a.m. heat, see my husband's brothers patiently waiting amidst the throng of other families meeting arrivals, then ride in the careening taxi along Chennai streets until we reach the house, where my kind sisters-in-law greet us with rich strong Indian coffee, I feel a sense of homecoming that lingers all through our visit.

This trip was busier than most. In addition to our visits with relatives, about 3 days were devoted to the reunion of my husband's graduation class from engineering college, and an earlier fourth day was set aside to meet old college friends he had not seen for years. There's no way I can cover the whole three-week trip in one blog, so I'll try to spread it into a few blogs, knowing that even that cannot do it justice.

As a quick prelude,let me just say that India is a land of contrasts: Extreme poverty flanks great wealth. Ancient temples and shrines provide a backdrop for modern hotels and restaurants. Vegetable wagons and ox-drawn carts travel alongside tour buses and oil trucks. Small kiosks display wares along the street next to bigger businesses lit with neon signs. Billboards are everywhere. In the bustling city of Chennai, everyone seems on the way to somewhere. A liveliness of spirit pervades the atmosphere. Yet, woven through it all is an abiding spirituality, an attitude of dignity, a warm friendliness, and the incredibly gracious Hindu hospitality.

I have been fortunate enough to travel many places, and I appreciate each culture I encounter. I love our home and life in Sacramento. But India permeates my heart and psyche like no other place. Right now, when I close my eyes, I see again the bright saris patterned like butterfly wings, hear the cacaphonious sypmphony of traffic and the rise and fall of Tamil voices, see the banana palms and mango trees, hear the strange repeating call of the Indian cuckoo, taste again the incredible treats cooked by my nieces and sisters-in-law, and I am transported all over again, despite the chill, pale Sacramento afternoon outside my window.

Tomorrow I'll mention our trip to the Rock Fort Temple in Tiruchirapali.

I Am Not in London, Destitute and in Need of Cash

Yesterday I had planned to blog at last about my wonderful trip to India. But my husband and I were awakened at 4:30 a.m. by a call from worried friends in Spain. They had received an e-mail that said I was in London, had lost my wallet, and needed cash. After reassuring them I was right here in Sacramento and fine, I rushed to my computer and found myself locked out of my msn.com e-mail account. From my gmail I notified everyone I could think of not to open any e-mails coing from my msn account, as it had been hacked.

Well, it wasn't hacked at all. I was scammed into giving out information the day before, and I lay out my story here for whatever reader stumbles across it as my own small "public service". The scam is a three-step deal, and here is how it works:

Step 1: I received an e-mail purportedly from the Windows Live Hotmail Team. It looked quite legit. The e-mail stated that numerous attempts had been made to register on my account and that it would be closed unless I could verify I was the proper owner. To do that, I needed to give my name, date of birth, country, and password. Yes. My password. At first I hesitated. (Reader, listen to your intuition!) But then I decided it was legitimate. After all, they weren't asking for credit card information or anything like that, right? So I provided the info and was assured my account would be continued.

Step 2: A few people were sent e-mails stating that I had failed to let them know about the conference I was attending in London. Unfortunately I had left my wallet on a bus and now I didn't have any of my money or credit cards. Could the recipient send me $2000 that I would repay as soon as I got home? No return address was given. So, once I got things sorted out with msn, I was tempted to think it was just a malicious prank. Nope. That brings us to Step 3.

Step 3: My astute niece in France wrote how sorry she was I was in trouble and while she couldn't send a lot of money, she would do what she could. She immediately received the following reply, which she forwarded to me at my gmail:

"Thanks a lot for your response and concern,But the best way for me to receverd the money is by western union money transfer you can send it to my details below through western union money transfer to my below information,I will appreciate whatever you can afford to help me with."

The address where my niece was supposed to wire the money: "121,Kensington High StZip code : W8 4PTState : LondonCountry :England." (Reader, if you are an Internet Scam Detective, please take note.)

The reply continued: "Send it today as soon as you receive this e-mail and once you have it sent,send me the money transfer control number (mtcn) with details used in sending it like below information1.) MTCN (10 DIGIT NUMBER)2.) EXACT AMOUNT TRANSFER AFTER WESTERN UNION TRANSFER FEE....3.)SENDER FULL NAME AND ADDRESS..... I awaits your reply."

I have reported this to two agencies concerned with phishing scams. But, after getting my account straightened out, running various virus checks on my computer, and spending an entire morning re-notifying people that my msn account is okay now, it occurred to me that I might help a few strangers by putting this on my blog. I am thankful that only a few letters went out before I notified msn of the problem. Once I had my account back, I was able to read the replies and no money was sent, thank goodness.

Meanwhile, the trip to India was fabulous. I can't wait to blog about it tomorrow. (Today I have errands and a dental appointment and I'm eager to get back to work on Granny's Jig.)

Yesterday did have a bright spot, however: My art club has grown. I have sixteen students now, ages 7-12, and they are all enthusiastic little artists. (When I finish telling about India, I'll probably blog about them a little. They are a wonderful group.)

Until tomorrow, ciao.

Passage to India

Today is probably my last blog for awhile, as tomorrow my husband and I are leaving for a three week trip to India. It's a family visit, but it will also include a class reunion of Rajan's graduating class from engineering college. We expect to be on the move quite a bit, as we have lots of relatives, and several of his college friends want to see him before the reunion. We will probably not have much access to the Internet.

We are taking a computer with us, though, so I can write up some blogs in advance. The main reason we're taking the computer is so that I can keep working on Granny's Jig. I'm at a good place in it (about two-thirds through this particular re-write) to stop and analyze it in terms of scenes, and tags, and the like, and to re-evaluate the ending.

I also will be taking lots of notes. India is so rich in history and culture. Earlier I wrote a picture book text for a little girl's trip to Rock Fort Temple in Tiruchirapali. We'll be going there, and I want to firm up a few details--as well as have the temple elephant "bless" me again by tapping me on the head with his trunk.

Meanwhile, I can't wait to see the family again. It's been just about 4 years since my last visit. Every time I go back, it feels just wonderful to be there.

So, ciao for now, and please tune in again next month, when I have a nice line-up of guest bloggers.

Guest Blogger -- Susan Britton

Susan Britton is the author of the middle-grade fantasy The Treekeepers (Dutton 2003). Currently she is working on an adult novel about Kateryn Parr, the sixth and last wife of Henry VII. Here are her thoughts for what makes an interesting story:

“When I’m thinking up a story, I’m usually worried about plot: how will I keep the reader glued to the page? It seems an impossible task. But lately I’ve turned my mind to considering character. I was goaded into this change of focus by a remark I encountered somewhere in cyberspace, something about how when you think of a book you love, you will find you are thinking of a character you love, not a plot, or theme, or fine writing. You think of Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth, not the plot or language use of Little Women. This rings true for me.

“Here’s an idea for creating memorable characters that I’m trying to use these days. It’s an offspring of the common writer’s trick “character tagging” where you identify a character by a certain attribute, such as continual nose blowing or blinking fast or saying “nope” a lot. The idea is to push the tagging farther and deeper—let’s call it deep character tagging. You think up a unique small detail tag that works in a large metaphorical way, and so is able to evoke the whole spirit of the character. Then you mention it at least three times, sometimes dozens of times. For example, in The Book Thief, Papa is continually described as having silver eyes (sometimes said to be like rain as I recall.) His eyes embody much that we slowly learn about Papa—that he is a tragic hero, that he is of great worth, that he is an almost magical presence. A deep character tag should give the character a sort of mythical depth in the reader’s imagination. The villain can benefit from this sort of detail too.

“One way I generate deep character tags is to note specific things about the people in my life. I list them in a sort of character detail pantry to raid at need. The richest tags seem to be those that capture and evoke my love for that person. For example, my husband has this way of springing as he walks that comes from his optimism and energy. I gave his bouncing stride to Farwender, the father character in The Treekeepers. Farwender’s walk renders the joie de vivre that is his signature trait.

“For me, it works best to create characters from real people, not abstract notions or horoscope charts or psychological profiles. Sometimes I think of several people who are similar in character and smoosh them together, gathering typical body language from one person, manner of speech and attitude from another, a flaw from another. Bird, the heroine of The Treekeepers, is a mixture of my son Josh, my niece Anna Rose, and my good friend Bonnie. All three are fierce, risk-taking survivors with tender hearts.

“Here are some observations from my character tag pantry, some of which might serve as a deep character tags: A small boy with a point blank unflinching stare. A young teen who loves to serve food to people. A little girl who is always skipping and twirling; she has this lightness to her. An 11-year-old with the writing voice of a 70-year-old man. A girl with a way of hugging you, holding on to you, and not letting you go when it’s time to leave. A boy who whatever happens is pretty sure it just isn’t fair.

“So, dear reader, what are some observations from your character pantry? What are some thoughts that help you create a character? I would love to hear them.”

Susan can be contacted at: @susanbritton.com.

Guest Blogger, Riley Carney

Today's guest blogger is Riley Carney, a sixteen-year old author who has published a five book fantasy series, The Reign of the Elements, and is now working on a new trilogy for young adults. In addition, Riley has started a nonprofit for children's literacy, Breaking the Chain.

You can read Chris Brett's November 27th review of Book I, The Fire Stone at: http://thepiratebounty.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-of-fire-stone-by-riley-carney.html . At the end of Riley's post you'll find purchasing information, her website, and also the website for her nonprofit. And now..., Here's Riley:

"For as long as I can remember, I have been a storyteller. Throughout my elementary school years, I thought of myself as an author and I wrote an extensive collection of books – stacks of paper, words, and drawings all stapled together. None of these works were literary masterpieces, but they were the first manifestation of my desire to be a writer.

"I actually came up with the idea for The Fire Stone, the first book of The Reign of the Elements series, when I was in fourth grade. I love fantasy adventure stories and one evening I was sitting with my family around a fire, and I started thinking about how mystical the flames were. I began thinking about the elements and their properties and weaving those into a story about magic. Eventually the story began to take shape. During the three or four years that followed, I would begin to write the story and then I would stop and eventually begin again. I tried numerous versions of the story, but I wasn’t able to get it quite right.

"Finally, when I was fifteen, I sat down and wrote a very detailed outline of the story. After outlining, I wrote the book in about a month. I spent about six months editing the manuscript before I began sending it to agents and publishers.

"I wrote the other four books in the series in quick succession; the second and third books, The Water Stone and The Wind Stone, while I was still fifteen, and the last two, The Immortality Scroll and The Final Alliance, when I was sixteen. All together, it took me about fifteen months to write the entire series.

"I think the biggest inspiration behind my writing is my love of reading. Many authors have inspired and influenced me! In terms of originally making the fantasy genre so appealing to me, I would have to say that T.A. Barron and Brian Jacques are two of my favorite authors. I was reading those authors at around the same time that I decided I wanted to be a writer. Now, I would also have to add writers like Suzanne Collins, J.K. Rowling, Eoin Colfer, Cinda Williams Chima, C.S. Lewis, Rick Riordan, Orson Scott Card, and J.R. Tolkien.

"My love of reading is partially what inspired me to create my nonprofit for children’s literacy, Breaking the Chain. I believe that the way to help people, especially children, break the cycle of poverty and exploitation is through literacy.

"I created Breaking the Chain, when I was fourteen, after learning that there are 120 million children around the world don’t have the opportunity get an education and that there are 800 million adults that cannot read or write, two-thirds of whom are women. These women and children are very vulnerable to exploitation. They are unable to get jobs and they cannot feed or clothe themselves. Only through education do they have the opportunity to make their lives better.

"The mission of Breaking the Chain try to eliminate the bonds of poverty and illiteracy for children and their communities through education and sustainable development, both domestically and internationally. Building schools in places where the government cannot or will not build schools for their citizens seemed like a good place to begin. Breaking the Chain has built three schools in Africa, two of them in villages that we adopted where we also provide a water purification system, alternative income for the adults, like goats and sewing machines, and basic medical supplies. We’ve also created a children’s literacy center at a women’s shelter in Colorado, and bought over 1000 new books for children in low-income neighborhoods.

"This year, Breaking the Chain achieved tax-exempt status and my older brother, Nick, who is twenty, joined me (I wasn’t old enough to sit on the Board of Directors or to file the paperwork with the IRS). We are currently developing, and raising money for, a program to put new children’s books in U.S. schools with low literacy rates.

"I believe that Breaking the Chain is making a difference in children’s lives and I hope to continue to provide that hope and opportunity to children in the U.S. and around the world.
I have learned through my experiences with my nonprofit that one person really can make a difference if they persevere.

"A portion of the sales of The Fire Stone go directly to Breaking the Chain.

"You can buy my book at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, indiependentbooks.com (they have autographed copies), local independent book stores around the country, and you can read it at your local library. It is distributed by Ingram and Baker and Taylor."

Author Website: http://www.rileycarney.com/
Breaking the Chain Website: http://www.linkbylink.org/