GETTING HERE
We woke up on the over night train from Delhi around 4.30am with plenty of time before our stop in Haldwani and just in time to see our first Indian sun rise out of the open train door. We arrived around 6am with Mr. Verma there to greet us. As we had only arrived in India a couple of days ago we decided to get to Kanda on the private taxi that Mr. Verma arranged for us, he picks you up from the station and then shares the taxi back to Kanda with you (this cost us 3000 Rupees at the time), you can take the bus or shared taxi but as we weren’t sure of our surroundings we thought the pick up would be the best idea. The drive took around 7 hours but the scenery was fantastic. The drive was through the mountains with views of the Himalayas so the time seemed to fly. We stopped off on the way a couple of times to have a good cup of Chai (Indian tea), or a snack (one of them being Indian chocolate – a little like butterscotch fudge, gorgeous!), pick up a bit of shopping and stretch our legs.
We arrived mid afternoon at Mr. Verma’s house, we were shown to our room by Chris (another UK volunteer) and then offered some lunch, our first authentic Indian family meal; rice, spinach and daal (lentils). After lunch Chris showed us around the place. Some of the previous projects are clear to see as they are on the property; volunteers in the past have helped to build the kitchen and eating area, cowshed and the all important bathroom and toilets (I will come back to those), as you can see below…
A LITTLE ABOUT R.O.S.E.
Standing for Rural Organisation for Social Elevation, ROSE is located in Kanda in the district of Uttarakhand at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Kanda, and it’s surrounding villages, face similar challenges to other mountain communities in the Himalayan foothills, including high unemployment, poverty, restricted access to quality education, health and sanitation problems, decreasing agricultural productivity and environmental degradation. All factors coming under increasing pressure due to the ever-rising population.
As the majority of the adult population in the Kanda district are illiterate there are also problems in the dissemination of information and knowledge. Coupled with this is the resistance to new ideas, as many prefer to stay with traditional agricultural practices rather than risk production (and hence food on the table) by trying new methods.
The primary means of advertising the advantages of new techniques, therefore, is by example. This is where Mr. Verma (the founder/Director of ROSE and our host) has been instrumental in initiating various models to show working examples of ‘better practice’. These include a Cattle House, Sanitation Block, Shower Block, Kitchen Facility and more. In addition, Mr. Verma has also helped to establish a local school and arrange general improvements in the living conditions of some locals through various other facets of fund-raising etc. (of which the homestay we are involved in is part of).
For more information on ROSE see the website at http://www.rosekanda.org and if you are a volunteer on your way and wondering what to bring a definite winner is chocolate >:o) (even more useful is anything that the school may use such as pens/pencils/paper or second hand clothes for the villagers etc.)
SETTLING IN
We settled into our room while Chris told us what he and a few other volunteers had been up to for the last couple of weeks. Chris was here when the rice fields were harvested, and at the time of writing they are being ploughed to prepare for the next harvest – the locals are very efficient and managing this land is no mean feat; given the geography there is very little flat land so the hills have to be ‘shaped’ into terraces of ploughable small pieces.
Although there isn’t a specific project going on whilst we are here (there is the need, just not the funding), Chris and the others had been helping to maintain the road to the house, helping out at the school, as well as just helping out the family with general day to day tasks. After dinner we called it a night for a well deserved rest.
OUR FIRST DAY
Our first day was a trip to Bageshwar a nearby town with broadband internet access (there is one/off dialup internet access here but it costs ROSE so we chose to pay for our own and take advantage of the speed at the same time)! We got up early and after lunch had our first Kanda bucket wash.
Washing
You get a bucket and fill it up from the tap outside (the water is from a fresh spring and, as a previous project set up a filtration system, safe to drink – cold and tasty), you then go into the “shower cubicle” and use a jug to wash yourself down, as you can imagine this is very refreshing in the morning!! As we are talking bathrooms we might as well explain the toilet. There are two available and they are just the “normal” stand up ones, a barrel of water is outside and after you have “done your business”, you fill up a jug and rinse away down the little hole in the floor.
We are actually very lucky here when it comes to toilets, in Kanda very few people have access to sanitary facilities, originally 5% in 1992, but with the help of ROSE with their latrine building programmes and generally making locals aware (funded by volunteers and government bodies) this has now risen up to around 25%.
Back to Bageshwar
It was a shared taxi to Bageshwar. The drive is up and down mountain roads with big bendy corners all the way; although the three of us managed to keep the contents of our stomach in our stomachs we have found that (on nearly every journey to or from the village) some of the locals are not so lucky and have to stick their heads out of the window! You soon get used to the journey and if a taxi hasn’t got sick down the side of it then the driver is obviously driving too slow and clearly no fun!
Bageshwar is built up around a river (it’s actually formed at the only the point the rivers Gomti and Saaryu converge) and is quite a bustling town. This area is similar to Delhi in some ways as it is a main town in the area, but nowhere near to the same degree, it smells a lot fresher, a lot of the people happily exchange a “Namaste” (Hindi for “Hello there”) without expecting money in return and there isn’t nearly as much touting or begging. We spent the day catching up on the net and wandering around the town and then headed back on the 30km taxi drive back to Kanda.
After our travels and lack of sleep we were both run down and in need of an early night.
DELHI BELLY
A WARNING TO FELLOW VOLUNTEERS!
The night didn’t turn out to be much of a good nights sleep. Mark was up all night with an upset stomach. After talking to Mr. Verma before we set off to Bageshwar, he’d warned us not to have any of the meat in any of the stalls or restaurants, however by then it was too late and the chicken we had in Delhi had already been planted!
Mark spent the day either in bed, or on the toilet, so we didn’t really get up to much. The next few days were the same, poor Mark spent most of the time in bed – with Mr. Verma administering some herbal tonics to ease a recovery.
Passing Time
Chris and I helped around the house, read a bit and visited Kanda market a few times (A small, local stretch of road just a couple of clicks away). Here is definitely a stark contrast to Delhi, with fresh air and very friendly people, all the children greet you with a “Namaste” and quite a few venture to try with a “hello” and “how are you”, and are extremely happy when you reply. In the market there is a shop owner Mr B.D.Pandey who loves to speak English and have chats with you (top of the market on the right – an elderly chap with big glasses), he used to be in the Indian Army and was also a teacher in School Kanda so we had a few conversations with him about English and Kanda life, as well as Shakespeare – his favourite writer. I also caught up with the clothes washing, all you need is a bucket, a scrubbing brush and some wonder soap we purchased from Kanda market, our clothes have been sparkling since we have been here. Although it is hard work it can be quite refreshing in the afternoon sun, a good idea if you feel like cooling off.
We also went back to Bageshwar for some much needed loo roll for Mark. We ended up in the market for quite a while looking for this (there is only one shop that sells the stuff – that’s why you don’t eat with your left hand!), and when we asked the locals where – they would chuckle at us (for needing it in the first place) and then all send us in different directions, however we got it eventually!!
VILLAGE LIFE
The Verma family are really friendly, and we enjoyed spending time with the children, Ruchi and Gotam (Mr. Verma’s grandchildren) and Saju (Mr. Verma’s youngest son). They love to play games, Snakes and Ladders and Ludo being their favourites whilst we’ve been here – so while Mark was ill we spent the evenings with the kids and our board games. Gotam’s English is very good and in the evening as well as playing the games he also likes to spend time reading to you. There were 2 of Mr. Verma’s daughters here when we arrived, Renu and Dipti, who helped Mrs. Verma cook up some lovely spicy meals.
Chores
Even though there was no project due to Diwali festival holiday and farming time ,whilst we were here there are always plenty of things that need to be done around the place. Cooking, pot washing, clothes washing, ploughing, weeding, and gardening to name but a few. You will never feel pushed into helping out, indeed, it’s much the case you will need to assure the family that you wish to help as the general feeling is that you are a guest in the home as well as part of it – so don’t be too shy!
DIWALI
We were lucky enough to be around the village at the time of this festival, Diwali, or the festival of lights which is a religious festival to show Rama and Seeta (a Hindu God & Godes laxmi) the way home after his years in exile. We had been stocking up on fireworks for the last couple of days in preparation but the first day of Diwali was a quiet one. In the evening we sat outside with Mr. Verma and were treated to a spicy Bombay potatoes, my favourite dish so far. While sat, Mr. Verma explained what he was doing with the ROSE foundation and how he had been able to help the poorer people in the village. He had the option to become a successful Goldsmith business man with his father and brother but instead chose to stay in the village and help improve life for his fellow villagers. It was a very informative discussion and it is nice to know you are doing a little to help a man who has given some 25 years to this cause. Later we all had a go at grass cutting (preparing the grass for the cows for the morning) and then after dinner it was bed, ready for the festivities the following day.
After a breakfast, while Mr. Verma’s oldest son, Jeetendra, was setting up the fairy lights and the electrics they needed, I was asked to help the children with the floral decorations, we spent most of the day on the roof (a good sun trap and a great place to dry your clothes) making bright orange marigolds carnation chains (after picking the carnations further down the road) to decorate the house. Inside some of the women were decorating the house, they made a small shrine in one of the rooms and also painted the stairs and the floors with white motifs, very pretty. Near the end of the day I also helped Ruchi build and decorate a small temple which we put at the side of the house. The decorations were the same as the house. First a few bricks were painted with a clay like substance and once they had dried we then decorated them with a flour and water mixture, Ruchi was much quicker and better than me at this! We then put the bricks together to make a mini temple, and once this was constructed we decorated it with more flowers and some candles and it was done, very pretty.
FIREWORKS
When the sun went down it was time for fireworks!!! We had a collection of rockets, fountains, Catherine-wheels, fire-crackers and ‘bombs’. Much fun was had with the children and the fireworks, they were going off around the village, so when we ran out we could still watch from the terrace. We then popped upstairs where the girls were praying and singing and enjoyed and Indian sweet.
Chris left after the first night of fireworks so we joined him to Bageshwar, however due to the festival most places were closed so it was only a short journey, on the way back Mark had a “cut throat shave” at a local barbers in Kanda, a bargain at 20 Rupees . Later in the evening it was more firework fun and a few games of Ludo before bed.
Last Day of Diwali
The next day was the final day of Diwali. We had our breakfast and then decided to go a tea farm further up the mountain. After walking to the main part of Kanda (a couple of kms from the market and all up hill!) we got a taxi to the farm. The farm is organic and absolutely huge, unfortunately there were no tea-pickers out but we did get a couple of pictures before walking back. Because the farm is quite high up on the mountain you get some great views and the scenery for the walk back was amazing, walking along the winding roads through the forest, picking up some more fireworks on the way of course, and when we got back to the house the sun was going down over the mountain tops.
Gotam and Ruchi weren’t about that night so Mark and Saju went into the fields to set off a few rockets – one didn’t work, one reacted more like a banger (fortunately the glass bottle was good quality and didn’t shatter) and at one point, Mark set a rocket off that veered disturbingly close to the dried hay stacks such that the whole family where out for half an hour with torches checking for fire!
FINALLY…
This brings us pretty much up to date, the past week has been fun with the festival (and festival food mmmm). This morning we went with the family to a small homemade temple along the road. The family prayed for their grandmothers and grandfathers and give thanks for the harvest (they do this twice a year after harvest). We also had brunch there which was a real treat, spiced rice, vegetable curry, yogurt, fried chapattis, banana fritters (Puwa) and guava (a really tasty fruit that they pick from the nearby trees), very nice! After that a clear up and back to the house where Mark has been helping Mr. Verma set up a blog for his volunteers (https://rosekanda.wordpress.com). While Mark has been beavering away I have been playing Ludo with Gotam, as well as teaching him to play hop scotch, and doing more clothes washing.
Late after noon we had the best
“Pakaori” onion+ Gram Flour bhajies and lime dip ever as a snack. Renu has promised to write down the recipe for us. Then for our evening meal we had a treat, goat curry, it was very tasty, a little like lamb/mutton. While eating we were talking to Saju about the meat, saying it tasted a bit like sheep, but he had no idea as they don’t have any sheep here. To finish the meal we had a couple of Indian sweets, they are small “sugar balls” and taste a bit like candy floss, very very sweet but very nice.
Mr. Vermas’ family have been great, we are due to leave in a couple of days but have had a lot of fun here, and although there were no big projects while we were there it was good to be involved with the family for the short time we were here. Unfortunately we didn’t get to visit the school due to school holidays (because of Diwali) and we didn’t partake in a multitude of other things available (due to time and Mark not being well) but we got to enjoy the festival (and festival food) with the family instead, it has been great.
ADVICE TO VOLUNTEERS
Things we couldn’t have lived without…
- A jumper for the cold evenings – it can get quite chilly up here
- An IPod and books– in the evenings it can get a bit quite so having some books and a bit of music really helped
- Toilet roll – as we have mentioned there is only one shop in Bagashwar that stocks this and it isn’t the easiest place to find!
- Travel games or some cards – the children love to play, Ludo and Snakes and ladders being there favourite, but they pick up games really quickly (we thought Gotam how to play hop scotch while we were here)
- Sleeping bag – covers are provided but sometimes it can be a bit chilly, however if you don’t have one Mr. Verma is happy to provide blankets
- Wind up or Solar torch & candles – all really handy as there are frequent power cuts (although they don’t last long) and a torch is handy for a trip to the toilet too. There are batteries available in the market but there isn’t really anywhere to dispose of them safely.
- Walking shoes/sandals – there are some great views around the village so make sure you have some comfy shoes and go for a few walks around the surrounding market and mountains.
Mark & Helen
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R.O.S.E. Kanda 