Monsūn Goes Cuckoo

For those of you who haven’t read my initial bio, part of the reason I’m here in India is to continue work for a startup business that I co-founded with four classmates from UMN. We created a business plan over the course of a semester for a class in the Grand Challenge Curriculum called Global Venture Design. As you may imagine, we were presented with the task to create a business idea that would create an impact and work towards “solving” one of the grand challenges in the context of a developing country. My group was assigned a country and one challenge: India and water. Fairly broad, right? Right. But, it was a good starting point.

From there we spent multiple weeks thinking of the various challenges that Indians face when it comes to water regarding either quality or quantity, such as access and affordability. Following the design thinking process which included several rounds of feedback from our advisors/mentors, we eventually finalized (at least for the class) a business plan – our company, Monsūn, would offer lease-to-own rainwater harvesting systems for residents of Bangalore, India.

Over the following winter and spring semesters, we further developed our plan based on more research and feedback from both our MN- and Bangalore-based advisors. In the spring, we were awarded a grant from the Acara Challenge to continue work and begin prototyping/implementing our solution over the coming months. Since I was going to be in India for my program anyways, it made sense for me to continue work on our startup while I’m here.

When I left the States for Bangalore, our initial plan-in-a-nutshell was to work with homeowners and contractors to install rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems by entering into multi-year contracts. Monsūn would pay the contractors and other necessary parties while the homeowner would pay us a monthly fee (set to be comparable to prices of other water sources) over the duration of the contract for the system and regular maintenance. At the end of the contract term, the homeowner would own the RWH system outright and would no longer pay the monthly fee unless they purchased a continued maintenance contract from us.

As I’m sure many of you know, things don’t always go according to plan. Over the last few months here, we have gained new insights into the problems people face here and the intricacies of the RWH regulations in the city. Additionally, a few interviews suggested that funding RWH projects may not be as big of a problem as we had initially thought it was for our target audience. That doesn’t mean, however, that it isn’t an issue for others – a fact which has been mentioned several times by those who still see potential in our plan. At this point though, entering into one of these contracts would require a multi-year commitment in India from at least one of us, our partners, and registration with the Reserve Bank of India in order to deal with monetary transactions. This presents two complications: 1) with the pace of things, getting registered as a business here with the RBI may not be completed by the time I have to leave so we couldn’t legally do anything, and 2) we at Monsūn are at a point in our lives where we cannot truly commit to a long-term contract that requires us to be in India right now.

While we are not completely abandoning our original plan, we are going to use my remaining time in India to our advantage and gain some field experience. My home base, Cuckoo Hostel, is interested in installing a RWH system here to reduce our dependence on tankers for water. As of now, we get some water from the city supply (Kaveri River water) and about 10-11 tankers of water each month. On top of a monthly city supply fee of about 8000 Indian Rupees (INR), each tanker costs approximately 600 INR for roughly 6000 litres of water, for a total cost of about 14000 INR (the bill this month was quite less, so we’ll see whether or not that continues to be the case).

Slightly old photo of home base! As promised, PC to Dawood.

The rooftop is theoretically capable of harvesting up to 80-85 kilolitres of rainwater each year, which is the equivalent of 14 tankers or a savings of about 8500 INR each year. While it might not seem like much, that financial savings will add up over time while also reducing our dependence on both tankers and unsustainable sources of water. As of now, the plan involves redirecting our down-take pipes through a filter and towards some 3-5 kilolitres of storage next to the building. From there, the filtered water would be directed to the sump using a hose and then pumped to our overhead tanks on the roof where it will be available for use at the hostel (for everything except for drinking). As I said, this is just a rough estimate of numbers and an initial plan which is almost certainly going to change after I talk to more people and contact a few contractors. 

RWH Model by KSCST in Bangalore

I’ll keep you posted on the progress, but until then… feel free to share your thoughts or experiences if any of you have done RWH!

Road Trippin'

Two weeks ago was another holiday weekend, which called for a Cuckoo road trip to the west coast. I say this from prior experience: if you want to get to know people and have an unforgettable time, road trips are the way to go! My family will know which previous trip I’m referring to LOL. As expected, this trip was no exception as six of us piled in a car, dreams of sun and sand in our heads as we made our way to Gokarna. 

It seems that third time is always the charm as it took three tries to find the correct turn for overnight parking. But we found the right place, unloaded, and followed the path to the beach. Once there, we met up with a friend of mine who was also staying there and checked into our cottages for the weekend. As expected, our time was filled with sandy beaches and sun… though a bit too much of both as our clothes and hair still had sand upon our return home on Tuesday. Two of us also sported a nice sunburn as well (thank goodness for aloe vera!).

But let’s back up and recap… We spent two full days in and around Gokarna and one day driving back along the scenic route.

Our first day was by far the sandiest as we sat on the beach during high tide. Unfortunately, this was frowned upon as the tides can be dangerous during monsoon season. We wandered farther down the beach after being reprimanded by multiple lifeguards and eventually found a beaten path that led to an overlook (called Kudle Beach View Point on Google Maps for those who are curious) and small temple. The view from the top was overwhelmingly beautiful – one that took several moments to take in and appreciate. A peahen even wandered by while we sat there which was pretty cool.

 

The rocky outcropping below was too tempting so we trekked down the hillside to where some locals were fishing. As the sun began to set, we sat with our feet in a tidepool and watched the waves roll in.

Not wanting to get caught there when the water got too high, we made our way back up to the clifftop. At this point, there were more tourists stopping by but we had already worked up an appetite – one that needed to be satisfied ASAP. We hit up the nearest food joint, Cafe 1987, to rest and refuel before heading back for a relaxing evening at our cottage.

Our plans for Sunday were abruptly changed (darn monsoon, again!), so we walked with some friends to the nearby – and by nearby I mean about 2.5 km away, one way – Half Moon Beach where fewer people would go and swimming was allowed. We trekked for the better part of an hour, across the beach and through the forest – all the while being motivated by the humming of “In the Jungle” from my fellow road trippers. The long haul was again worth the walk as we came upon an almost empty beach where we could relax and play in the Arabian Sea. 

We spent hours just floating along, riding the waves as they rolled in, and later tossed around a coconut in an intense game of catch/don’t let it fall into the water – the latter of which resulted in a few cuts and bruises on the hands, mine included. We wrapped up quickly as the sun went down and made our way back to Om Beach for dinner.

We enjoyed a late breakfast at Dragon Cafe before saying goodbye to Gokarna on Monday. The drive home was made more bearable thanks to a few stops along the way. Our first break was an unplanned stop at Sharavati Suspension Bridge which, as its name suggests, is a suspension bridge over the Sharavati River. As a civil/environmental engineer, I enjoyed looking at the bridge almost as much as the view.

Despite the number of people and two-wheelers using the bridge, it was still a great place to stop and stretch for a bit. It was also fun to see people going for short rides in a speedboat and having such a good time. It seems like such a common thing to go out on the lakes and rivers at home for fishing or watersports and sometimes we take those things for granted. This is one of those little things I will remember to appreciate more.

The final pit stop was Jog Falls, the second highest plunge waterfall in India during the rainy season (it’s not technically a “plunge” waterfall during the dry season). The Sharavati River plunges down approximately 830 feet in four separate falls: The Raja Fall, The Rover, The Rocket, and The Rani. The view from the top of the falls is cool, but I had to get my foreigner fee’s worth and so we decided to go to the viewing platform at the bottom of the falls. After about 1400 stairs, we made it the base of the falls. We snapped some photos and rested our sore feet in a small pool of water where we were treated to a free pedicure courtesy of what may have been Doctor Fish.

Then came our walk back up the 1400 stairs… it probably took three times as long as our descent, though two of the guys made it back to the top sooner. Luckily, they were thoughtful enough to buy us all some cold water and had it ready by the time we crawled up the last few stairs. The rest of the ride home was a blur of passing road signs, naps, dinner (with a special eight-legged guest), some sort of festival with men and torches, and rain.

While exhausting, it was an amazing weekend both because I got to see another part of South India and also because I got to spend time out of the city with my friends and housemates. 10/10 – would definitely recommend it to others.

XO

World Heritage

And I’m back! I took another short trip out of the city just over two weeks ago (plus one this last weekend - so stay tuned for another update from that!!) and have been catching up with work since then. Some of you may have heard of this place, it is a UNSECO World Heritage Site after all. That’s right everybody… I went to Hampi!

We left Friday evening and traveled via A/C sleeper bus to Hampi, arriving at about 6:00am at Hosapete (aka Hospet). A 30-minute auto-rickshaw ride took us into Hampi where we freshened up and dropped off our bags before heading out for the day. 

Luckily enough, guest houses in tourist towns attract autos, so it wasn’t much trouble to find somebody to give us a tour. Most of the ruins aren’t open to visit until about 8, so we were taken to Tungabhadra River where the temple’s elephant goes to bathe each morning. Like clockwork, Lakshmi the elephant lumbered down the steps and waded into the water for a bath. Our driver led us by foot across the rocks for a better view of this daily ritual.

Coming from a place where elephants are only seen behind fences, I have to say this was pretty awesome to watch.

From there, we headed off to the ruins and visited so many I can barely remember how many or all of the names. Suffice it to say, they are all part of an ancient and important history, but I will endeavor to describe a few of them in some detail (I may cheat here a bit and use the descriptions posted near the site). 
1)      Krishna Temple & Bazaar

2)      Lakshmi Narasimha (also called Ugra Narasimha)

3)    Queens Bath is located near the royal enclosure and has its own complex of changing rooms and a bath. It was built in the Indo-Islamic style of Vijayanagara architecture, though the interior is stucco and plaster. The building is 30 square meters with a 15 square meter bath of 1.8 meters deep.

4)      Zenana Enclosure - Lotus Mahal

5)      The elephant stable would have once housed up to eleven elephants.

6)      Vitthala Temple & Stone Chariot

7)      Sasivekalu Ganesha

We even saw a wild peacock while we ate lunch! My travelling companion had her entire trip made after seeing him walk by our table. The temples and everything were cool too, of course, but the peacock was the highlight LOL.

Our second (and last) day was spent on the other side of the river looking at a few other temples. FYI, if any of you want to visit Daroji Bear Sanctuary, they recently switched their hours so they don’t open until 2 pm… which we learned the hard way. Anyways, all of the temples were cool, but the most memorable would be Anjanadri Hill Temple, probably because it was a 575-step climb to the top.

If anything, I did get a lot of walking in over the weekend! This place is said to be the birthplace of the monkey-god Hanuman as it is near the village of Anegundi. Anegundi is believed to be Kishkindha, which translates to a forest where the monkeys lived.

On our way back to town, I even had a chance to learn to drive a rickshaw under the tutelage of our guide. It actually was not too difficult as the clutch and gears are both on the left handle and the accelerator is on the right, it’s just a matter of remembering which gear you’re in.

For anybody that is interested in ancient history, particularly that of Asia, I would highly recommend a few days in Hampi where you can see what’s left of that civilization! If anybody is going, message me and I can send you the number of our guide who would be happy to show you around 😊

Unwind With Nature

Earlier this week I took time away from work to meet a friend and enjoy an afternoon at Lalbagh (Red Garden), a botanical garden in southern Bangalore. The garden was originally commissioned in 1760 by the ruler of Mysore, Hyder Ali, as a private garden and was completed by his son Tipu Sultan. It continued to be expanded over the years and in 1856, during the British Empire, Lalbagh was officially declared a botanical garden. Today, it spans across 240 acres and is home to over 1,000 species of plants including trees that are over 100 years old. With an entrance fee of $1.10 for an adult with a camera, this place is worth a visit.

We wandered from the main gate in the north to the band stand and the glass house. For two weekends each month, the band stand is the location of Janapada Jaatre, a folk fair, which features cultural folklore of Karnataka. There are also two annual flower shows at the Lalbagh Glass House which occur during the weeks of Republic Day and Independence Day (26 January and 15 August, respectively).

From there, we made our way past a rose garden and stopped to sketch at a lotus pond.

On our way out of the gardens, we walked along the lake and enjoyed watching the birds and the people walking past.

Purple swamphen wading in the shallows.

I plan to go back at least once more, but possible twice, over the next few months to see the rest of the gardens – perhaps during one of the flower shows. I’ll remember to put on insect repellent next time though.

Home Sweet Home

Prior to coming to India, the most frequent questions I was asked were related to this concept of 'home'. How can you leave your boyfriend (now fiancé) behind at home, alone, while you’re away? Won’t you get homesick? Will you come home at all during that time? All valid questions, but difficult for me to answer when most were from people who are not themselves travelers. The short answers: Because we’re both adults who have adult responsibilities, can function on our own, and this opportunity will benefit my future career, thus having a positive impact on our future life together; probably not too much; and no. Yet, it was difficult to articulate my thoughts in a way that people could understand, especially the ‘why’ behind them.

My passport isn’t full by any means, but I’ve done a fair amount of traveling for only being around for 24 years. In the last five years, I’ve been to five different countries – Ghana, Panama, France, Italy, and now India. In that time, I’ve realized that for me, “home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling” (Cecilia Ahern, Love, Rosie). It’s the feeling I get when I spend time with my loved ones. It’s the feeling I get when I Skype with my fiancé and I hear his voice. It’s when strangers become family. It’s when I find a place that makes me feel like I belong, regardless of where it is. It’s the feeling of relief when you’re able just exhale and think that yes, this is my place. Home.

In less than a year, Minnesota became my home because of the experiences I had and the people I shared my time with. When I say I miss home, it’s really the lack of those feelings I would get when I’m with those people that I miss and exploring the city. Due to the advancements in technology, however, this is easier to overcome because I can see and talk to them with the push of a button. I can send or receive reminders from home in under fourteen days (see Exhibit A). I know that if anything happens, I can get on a plane and be there in a day or vice-versa. It’s not easy, but it also doesn’t have to be as difficult as you may think.

Exhibit A: Delivery from MN

And while Minnesota (and Wisconsin) is my home, so is this little part of India. This is the place I come back to after a long day of work and begin to unwind. Where I experience that never-ending feeling of wonder and awe as I wander around my neighborhood. These are the people I spend my free time with; The people I’ve gotten to know over dinner, drinks, board games, and intense conversations – who have become family in the process. There is a sense of belonging when you get to know people and places and the culture. An acceptance when a fellow long-term guest pats you on the back and makes sure you’re alright when you’re having a bad day or when your coworker invites you into their home for chai, dinner, and a chat. When these strangers accept you into their lives and their homes they cease to be strangers but become friends and a surrogate family in this home-away-from-home.

India is a living paradox. There is incredible beauty everywhere yet there are mounds of trash and the smell of sewage in places other than a landfill or wastewater treatment plant. There are so many people who are activists – for the environment, human rights, sustainable energy, you name it and it’s probably here – yet there are those who don’t care or want things to stay as they are. There are slum communities sitting right next to a fancy high-rise – immense wealth beside crushing poverty. Yet it works and these people and organizations that are fighting for a better India are slowly, but surely, making a difference. This is a place I feel fortunate to have been able to visit and can’t wait to see more in the coming months.

To quote Miriam Adeney, “[I] will never be completely home again, because part of [my] heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price [I] pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.” While I know I will be thrilled when I return to Minnesota in January, I also know that I will be sad to leave India, just as I was sad to leave every other country I visited in the past. Each one has taken a piece of my heart and I yearn for the moment I can go back.

So what or where is home for you?

Life's a Beach

All work and no play makes for a pretty dull existence. So, I took a trip to the eastern coast of India! There were four of us in total; me, another young woman from England, and two young men from India – all of us had been staying at the same hostel in Bangalore and got on pretty well. One of the men is originally from Tamil Nadu, the neighboring state to the southeast of Karnataka, and invited us to travel with him for the weekend. None of us had any plans, so we jumped at the opportunity to get out of the city.

On Friday evening, we canceled our previously booked train tickets and instead rented a brand-new Volvo to use for the entire trip. Sometime around midnight, we packed the car and hit the road. After hitting a few tolls and getting out of the city, we stopped for some light snacks and a bathroom break. At this point, we had another 5ish hours to travel so it only makes sense that we’d try to catch some sleep so we’d be ready to go come morning. Now, I am one of those people that cannot sleep when it is warm… however, one of the others in the group doesn’t like the cold. Add together the facts that: 1) it was really warm in the car, 2) I had no room to get comfortable, and 3) the roads are shit, and it’s not hard to guess that I did not get any sleep.

Around 4:30 am, we arrived at Arulmiga Arunachaleswarar Temple. The temple opened at 5, so we took a few minutes to rest. While our driver slept, I found a nearby shop that had bathrooms to freshen up. I am forever grateful for the long days of hunting in the woods or being outdoors all day which necessitate popping a squat behind some bushes… Those experiences prepared me for the squat toilets here which are quite common. Because of my preparedness, I’ve avoided some unfortunate mishaps that have otherwise befallen a few of my acquaintances. Once the clock struck 5, we found a place to remove our shoes (as is custom), and made our way to the eastern entrance. What we didn’t know was that it was the weekend of the full moon, so the temple was only open for worship… meaning the rest of the temple was closed to tourists. Such a bummer, yet understandable. We snuck a few pictures and then piled back into the car for another two hours of driving.

And finally, around 8 am… We made it to Pondicherry! Technically we weren’t in Pondy while staying at Vedanta Wake Up! hostel, but Auroville is right between parts of Pondy, so they’re basically the same place. Our exhaustion got the best of us and we slept for a few hours until it was time for lunch. We hit up Auroville Bakery for a light meal and then set off for the city. For those who don’t know, Pondicherry was a French East India Company colonial settlement which is still apparent today. There are three other French colonies scattered across the South Indian coastline which make up the Puducherry Union Territory. There are currently seven union territories in India which are ruled directly by the Central (‘Union’) Government rather than the states in which they are physically located – sort of similar to Native American reservations back in the United States. The territories of Puducherry and Delhi are unique in that they have partial statehood with their own elected legislative assemblies and councils of ministers. In fact, Delhi is now the National Capital Territory of India. It was fun to see road signs in both French and Tamil and so many places/restaurants with French influences.

Once in the city, we walked around Bharathi Park, saw a few different statues – one of Gandhi, and an old lighthouse. We looked around Promenade Beach, but it was busy so we drove for a few minutes to one that is frequented by fewer people. 

We ended up somewhere between Auro Beach and Pondicherry University Beach which was so empty we had a small stretch of it to ourselves. I did a bit of wading and collected a large handful of shells while the boys enjoyed the waves for an hour or so.

Back at Vedanta, we had a mix of pesto and classic tomato pasta before letting sleep overtake us again – this time we had A/C though!

Sunday morning, we got breakfast at Bread & Chocolate – I know, it definitely sounds like a place I wouldn’t enjoy, just kidding. But seriously, it was so good! I had poached eggs over homemade sourdough toast and a chocolate herbal tea. I would love to find a place like that here in Bangalore. The three of use that hadn’t been to Pondy before went to Auroville to see Matrimandir (a big golden dome that reminds me of Spaceship Earth at Epcot). They’ve got a lot of really cool stuff going on in Auroville but I’m not sure walking two kilometers (1.25 miles) in the hot sun to stare at a golden ball from a quarter of a mile away.

Luckily, we didn’t have to pay to see it. We had just enough time to stop at a few shops on the way back for lunch. I found a nice skirt and found a small place that made shoes.

It was so cool to see the men working the leather, cutting rubber, and attaching the soles right there in front of me. It makes you appreciate the hard work and skill it takes for those jobs when you see the effort that is put into the end product. Dinner was a simple affair at a pizza place before we headed back to Bangalore.

One nice thing about the return trip was that it was earlier, so it was still light out for most of the drive. We went back past the temple and also caught a glimpse of Gingee Fort from the road. For my first time navigating the Indian roads on a longer trip, I think I did pretty well – only two missed turns (which weren’t even turns but were more like ‘get into another lane’ based on Google Maps) that ended up not causing any delays or U-turns. I’d call it a success 😊

But then it was right back to that daily grind. In this place, however, there is never a truly dull day if you keep your mind open to the sights, smells, and sounds around you.

Cheers to all and don't forget to say hi in the comments!

Another Day At The Office

As many of my Facebook friends may have seen, this past Saturday (the 24th) marked the seven-year anniversary of my relationship with Trae and I was able to brighten up my room with a bouquet of flowers. I won’t get all sappy here, but want to again acknowledge how incredible he is as a person and fiancé. 

My anniversary gift, filled by a local flower shop!

Aside from that, this week started out similar to the rest– work meetings, typing up some reports at Cuckoo, Skype calls… the usual. Also typical of my schedule was my visit to Dorekere Lake (also spelled Dorai Kere on Google Maps or Bing, in case anybody wants to try and find it), though this time we arrived within its open hours. 

Not sure what this is, but still cool - looks a bit like a dementor tbh

I was immediately struck by the number of people using the area to go for a morning walk/jog or use the open outdoor gym to exercise before work. This set up worked out well for two groups: the residents were able to spend some time away from the bustle of the city and the street vendors set up shop outside of the entrance to cater to the hungry and thirsty crowd. This also gives people time to relax and connect with the environment and their community in a way that they are otherwise unable to. This connection is important for our own well-being as humans while also giving us more of an incentive to take care of our environment.

Since I arrived early, I parked myself on an open bench and attempted to read more of Askew while also observing the people. The diversity in the individuals using the facilities was cool to see – old and young, men and women, in shape and those working on it. By now, I’m also attempting to blend in a bit more by wearing Indian clothing (I wore a pink, knee-length kurta over white pants) though several of the girls my age wear Western clothing. I found that I prefer to wear Indian clothing here as it’s super breathable, comfortable, and fairly flattering. Despite this, I still received a few curious glances as I sat there waiting for my partner to arrive – probably just people wondering why a white girl is sitting by herself in a local park and reading a book, as I’m fairly sure it’s not a common sight.

Once Shreyas arrived, we made our way to the sewage treatment plant (STP) to gather some information. Both of us have Environmental/Civil Engineering backgrounds and like to spend time discussing the various water treatment processes, so don’t mind me while I put on my nerd hat and go into a bit of detail about this one… As I mentioned in a previous blog, the city has been making an effort to rejuvenate several of its lakes which includes Dorekere. In 2010, the lake was fixed up and an STP was constructed to treat about 1 million liters of sewage each day (MLD). I later discovered that this area actually receives about 10 MLD but it was said the lake can only handle 1 MLD, so the remaining 9 MLD gets diverted elsewhere in the city for treatment. Seems a little odd, but I don’t yet have enough information to know what other options may have existed at that time. It was refreshing to see a system that used conventional processes like we typically design in the US – headworks (where they get rid of the big nasty bits to protect equipment), aeration, two clarifiers: a primary one followed by a clariflocculator, and final tertiary treatment (filtration followed by disinfection). As a note for those not in the know – probably most of you – flocculation is where small suspended particles join to form a larger ‘floc’, usually due to the addition of chemicals, which will then settle to the bottom of the tank leaving the ‘clarified’ water on the top which is sent to the next stage of treatment.

STP process layout... We spent more time than I care to admit discussing it 😆

The treated water is then sent to the lake, which normally isn’t a huge problem. The biggest issue they have is nalas (open sewage and/or storm drains) which will overflow and cause untreated sewage to enter into the wetlands and eventually into the lake itself.

My office > Your office

One big difference I learned is that at this lake, their sampling requirements to ensure their effluent quality are not as strict as those in the US. In fact, we were told they don’t do regular testing which would result in major fines at home. While these regulations can be a pain in the butt, I’m thankful for them as they protect our waterways – and in turn, us and the environment as a whole – in a way that many developing countries struggle to do. Despite this, I’m encouraged by the number of individuals and groups that are taking interest in these issues and are slowly but surely creating positive change.

We continued on our way around the lake – almost 1 mile in total – to note the various inlets, outlets, wetlands, and quality of the lake and grounds. A little over half-way around, we were stopped by a resident who was interested in what we were doing. I’m guessing we looked a little odd since we were frequently stopping to point at things, jot down notes, and take pictures. We were advised to be wary when walking along the fence as there are, you guessed it... cobras! I should maybe mention that neither Shreyas nor I are big fans of snakes. This man then walked us over to a termite mound and informed us that cobras will often use the mounds as their dens. My mind immediately went back to when I stood right next to tall termite mound at Navadarshanam and the fact that somebody had seen a cobra in the bushes about 15 feet away. I’m incredibly thankful one didn’t slither out of or into the mound while I was there, otherwise I would have been the first person to get back to our rooms for the night. He then went on to share more about these snakes and a bit of their significance. In fact, on the other side of the fence was a temple which has a large, decorated termite mound where Hindus perform pooja (worship) to the nagas (snakes or deities that take the form of a snake, particularly a king cobra). 

Kinda visible - Cobra den saved from the elements by a large roof and trees

This is done because the cobra has made the mound into its home there and people may offer milk, incense, or sweets for the snake during worship. Snakes, particularly the cobra, are important in the Hindu faith and can be seen all around. Some examples: 1) killing a cobra is believed to result in bad karma; 2) God Shiva can be seen with Vasuki, one of the nagarajas (king of all nagas), coiled around his neck; and 3) the bed of God Vishnu is actually Shesha, a multi-headed nagaraja. Random nerd fact I just learned: A female naga is a nagini… this word may be familiar to all you Harry Potter fans because the name of Voldemort’s python is Nagini!! I think the symbolism of so many things and the intricacies of Hinduism are fascinating and beautiful in a way. If you’re curious and want to know a bit more about what I’ve mentioned, feel free to do a quick Google search – I used these websites (copy and paste) as additional background so I sound like I know what I’m talking about: http://www.hinduwebsite.com/buzz/symbolism-of-snakes-in-hinduism.asp, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasuki, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shesha. 

As we made our way back to the entrance, we passed by another area of significance – a kalyani. A kalyani is a stepped bathing well, also called a temple tank, which were intended for bathing and cleansing activities prior to pooja.

Start or end the day by walking around a peaceful kalyani.

I suppose it was just another day at the office full of learning – technical and non-technical – and lots of fun. 

If I got something horribly wrong or anybody wants to say hi or ask any questions, leave a comment at the bottom of the page 😊 Thanks for dropping by!