My Niece Sophie is Back from India!

My niece, Sophie, is finally back from India and she would love to share some of her recent experiences with you.

While this chilly spring weather here in Connecticut leaves me longing for the South Indian heat, I am so grateful to be home with my family.  I would like to share a little about the final month and a half of my 9-month journey. The majority of this time was spent in Chamrajanagar, Karnataka at the Deenabandhu Trust, a wonderful institution that is the home to 50 orphaned and destitute children.  While I may have been sharing my knowledge of yoga, drawing, and English, I was a student there, more than anything else. The children taught so much about many diverse subjects, including cow milking, Kanada (The Karnataka state language which I love.), herbal medicines, Bharatanatyam dance, cricket, and more.

Each day was full, but far from fatiguing. I conducted three yoga classes daily, taught drawing, often visited the 250-child Deenandbhu School, encountered snake charmers, learned about pepper and coffee farming in the beautiful B.R. Hills, attended the children’s music and dance classes, and so much more.  I went to bed each night content and grateful.

I would like to thank everyone who works at Deenabandhu, particularly founder G.S. Jayadev and Mr. Krishna Kumar, for their kindness, selfless generosity, and knowledge. Their institution, which has become a second home to me, is one of the cleanest and most optimistic places that I have visited in India.  I hope the photographs below may even begin to convey some of my experiences and the positive aura I found there.

If you would like to learn more about the Deenabandhu Trust, please visit their website at www.DeenabandhuTrust.org

For more information about me, please visit:  www.sophiesundar.com   

10 year-old Rumya dressed up for the annual School Day performance.  

5 year-old Cheyten, who is wonderful at this tire pushing game.

Megha, the 13 year-old girl whom I sponsor, in her Bharatanatyam dance class. She is a truly gifted performer.

Here I am milking a cow – a daily chore I adopted from my 15 year-old teacher, Siddu.  I'm not sure when I'll need this newly acquired skill back in New York.  2 of the 4 cows are milked first thing in the morning and before dinner.

The founder, Mr. G.S. Jayadev's, coffee and pepper farm in the B.R. Hills, a remote tribal hill region of Karnataka. I miss the wonderful coffee, which I had each morning with fresh milk.

Siddu, my cow-milking teacher, performing side-crow. It was beautiful to watch my yoga students' practices evolve.

10 year-old Gurudath at Deenabandhu.

The Snake Deepu and his python. This man, who lives nearby Deenabandhu, helps protect and rehabilitate snakes into the wild.

Sundar was able to come to Deenabandhu for a few days, one of which happened to be his birthday. We gave a small donation in order to have two special meals. Here he is helping prepare poori, or fried whole-wheat flatbreads, which were served with sagu, a special vegetable curry. We had a beautiful celebration.

Some of the children during the evening free time.

1st standard at the Deenabandhu School.

 

Comments

[Nan Ashby]

Hi Sophie, What a wonderful experience it must have been to learn all these different teachings from India. You will always have the knowledge and background of this wonderful experience. Looks like a truly diverse learning experience which who knows may come in handy here in the US. The children will always remember you fondly as you will them. Milking the cows and drinking their coffee with the milk makes me appreciate their culture along with the yoga dance and how wonderful to have a love for the children there. Nan

[bpfster]

What a truly life changing experience you have had. It is so wonderful that you hae the means to do this so early in your life. I hope you have many more of this adventures.

[deezie]

What wonderful pictures you have shared with us all. I know it must be wonderful to be back but the time you had was priceless I am sure. Welcome home
deezie

[Kathy]

What an amazing adventure you must have had at Deenabandhu Trust, Sophie. Thanks for the description of your travels and the beautiful photos.
Kathy

[Mary Ellen Barnatt]

Dear Sophie,

Welcome Home!

Great pictures and a wonderful experience for you. The photo of the boy with the 'tire' is an old game I used to help children learn when I worked as an Interpreter (Historic Costumed Interpreter, not sign language) at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA. It's called hoops and sticks. It was played with a wooden hoop and stick.Many times the girls would decorate their hoops with brightly colored ribbons. It was very popular in the 1830's and well before.
Also the shot of the young girl with the small black slate, another example of the 19th century, in education. At the schoolhouse, that was primarily used, paper was expensive and considered wasted for practicing lessons. The slate is reusable. Something so popular now in 2008.
The third thing I noticed, the milking of the cow, another duty I performed everyday in the morning and at 4pm. But as you see, nothing is really 'new'!..

I found with the many visitors who came to see the 'Village', the people who most understood our 19th century ways, were always the travelers that came from the less developed countries. Most of them were still using all the practices that we were showing on a daily basis. It was the 'advanced' societies that had no clue what we were doing!

Thanks for sharing your adventures!

Mary Ellen Barnatt
Milford, MA

[Cara]

What lovely pictures! Thank you for sharing!

[Heidi - Botanical PaperWorks]

Wow, thanks for sharing this wonderful snapshot of your time in India, Sophie. The pictures are beautiful and so are your accounts.

[ShopLittleGifts]

Great photographs. Sophie really has an eye for children - true faces. I remember watching her segments on the Martha show from the past. She has really branched out to do other really cool stuff as well. To go to bed content and grateful everyday - that is such a great feeling and it just proves that reaching out, learning about another culture can open your life. How inspiring!

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Sophie, Welcome back! It is so nice to hear from you again. Thank you for sharing not only part of your life with us but your life in another part of the world. Your photos are absolutely outstanding. It's easy to tell how much you enjoyed teaching, as well as learning, about another culture. You are an amazing young woman! I hope you will be on Martha's show soon and share more of your life's experiences. Jan

[Nina]

Amazing trip! great pictures!

[Trish]

Welcome home Sophie and I just know your mom is tickled pink to have you near again! I think you have had the experience of a lifetime because your words exude happiness. You taught and were taught and that has to be a most satisfying accomplishment. As far as not knowing where you might use your cow milking skill in New York, beware if Aunt Martha starts talking about fresh milk to go with her fresh eggs! (I couldn't resist). Trish

[Margie]

Sophie,

We are all proud of you. Nan Ashby expressed my thoughts so well and Trish was so cute with you going to the farmer's market with fresh cream.
The children's smiles are so beautiful.
Enjoy the world, you have worked hard to open the windows to it.

[Linda Gail]

Sophie:)
Thank you for sharing such wonderful pictures and your account of life with the children and your time in India.
The children are really beautiful and the picture of you milking the cow is priceless.(Did you make sure your hands were warm? Cows hate cold hands.)
This experience will be with you for the rest of your life. Let it guide you in all you do and you will always know peace and happiness.
Linda Gail

[daia]

Hi Sophie,It's Daia.I couldn't tellyou buy that day but still i got you in mind and heart.It's wanderfull to heard your words and see this wonderfull pictures.Ramya is so pretty,and also meghat.....well all of them.Please send me some more pictures to my mail when you have time.
All the best sophie and big love from heart to heart.
P.d......still i have sprains from your yoga class...ji,ji,ji

[narayan gowda]

We at SEWA (Society for welfare and Advancement of the needy helpless) and ASTI (American Service To India) are actively involved in helping Deena Bandhu Home for homeless Orphan girls. Sri Jayadeva is doing yeoman service to the children, Please help us raise much needed resources for this critical project. Thank you. Narayan Gowda

[Narayan Gowda]

Dear Sophie, Thanks for visting Deena Bandhu Home for homeless children at Chamarajanagar. We at SEWA Society (Society for Emancipation and Welfare of needy and voiceless) and ASTI (American Service To India)are actively involved in raising resources to establish Deena Bandhu Home for homeless girls. This critical project needs support and help. Sri. Jayadeva, our dear friend, is rendering yoeman service to the children. Plese joi us in helping these homeless children. With sincere best wishes.
Narayan Gowda

[Joseph Brennan]

Welcome back home, Sophie!

I've always enjoyed watching you with "Aunt Martha" on TV.

Your photographs are excellent and really capture the spirit of India and its people. I particularly like the shots of the little boy playing the "tire pushing" game and the other boy smelling the rose.

It's amazing how much we can take for granted in this country. We all could learn a lesson or two from your trip: always be grateful for what we have and learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

God Bless you!

Joseph Brennan