Sunday, July 6, 2008

Running of the Bulls!




So, we've been in India for a week now and to say it has been interesting is an understatement! Upon arriving in Chennai we visited a local hospital and toured the facilities as well as met with the chief administrator and interviewed him. They do 200 free cardiac surgeries a year! We met some of the children who had just had the surgery and they were so sweet! Later that evening we went to Spencer's Plaza to do some shopping.

The next day the rest of the group went to the holy site of Tirupathi which I unfortnately had to miss because I got quite sick. I was the first to get sick, but not the last! So far only 2 people in the group haven't gotten sick!!! After leaving Chennai, we headed to Mamallapurum and stopped along the way to see people tending a rice field and a silk weaving shop...very intricate!

Mamallapurum was beautiful and the resort we stayed in was right on the beach! I have never swam in such strong water! The waves tossed us around quite a bit. The many temples and monuments we have seen are breathtaking and it is so surreal to see all of these places I have studied about in person!!! Some of the Hindu monuments we have visited are: Kailasanatha temple at Kanchi, The Great Relief in Mamallapurum, The Gaingakondacolupurum temple, and many more.

Some of the other interesting things we have done is visiting a salt mine, visiting with locals from a village outside of Swamimalai where they invited us inside their huts and we got to see how they live here in rural areas...

Chidambarum was an adventure. The temple there is huge and is actually still a living temple so we got to see, hear, and smell the wonders of the puja that was taking place there as the priests gave offerings of sound (bells, gongs, and chants), scents (incense), sights (light and flowers), and tastes (many coconuts). It was so mysteriously beautiful! As we were walking around the outside of the temple it was getting dark. As we rounded the corner, a large bull came out of nowhere and gored my professor (Dr. Ryan). It was a very anxious and chaotic scene. Krish ran off to see if he could find a stretcher to carry her out and if they would allow him to pull our van up to the temple (not an easy task). We tried to make her comfortable while we waited by elevating her feet and applying presure to the wound on her upper leg where the horns of the bull had gored her. As we waited many locals starting swarming around us out of sheer curiosity. Elizabeth quickly let them know they needed to back off! Yet, that didn't quite work. Once we got her to the hospital she was fine!

So, today we are going to visit some bronze casters and a temple later. We are now in Swamimalai. The Paradise Resort we are staying in is quite lovely and we ate our meal last night off a banana leaf...how cool! I have to run for now so the bus doesn't leave without me, but I will try to post more soon and even hopefully put up a few of the amazing photos I have gotten.


2 comments:

kim said...

Hi Lindsay,

I hope you are feeling better. I can't wait to see some pictures. If you see Sri Ramana Maharshi, tell him I said Hi. Have fun.Love Kim.

BCruse said...

Hey Step-Sis!

I'm sorry to hear of your getting sick and the professor's bull encounter...These are merely minor speedbumps along an amazing and captivating road that you are traveling...Be Safe!

Much Love,
-Brian & Beth