To put it short: The weekend was good. Proof Video:
the beginning:
Friday
is actually lectures. The flights were in the morning but much cheaper than in the evening, so we are missing today and just hope that it bothers no one. JJ, a nice Indians, whom we know in the cafeteria have learned, has invited us to Kolkata, where he celebrated with his family Durga Puja . In some parts India (Calcutta, for example) is the most important festival of the year.
JJ picks us up from the airport and take us to his home. It is of course come by bus to the airport, we can quickly convince him of it, we can also take the bus and he does not need to get a taxi for us. The parents live in a suburban district, it is relatively quiet and extremely clean for Indian conditions.
From the bus stop, we continue with a "Van". Of these, here are some driving around.
The family lives in a small house, 2 floors, roof terrace. The mom cooked dinner for us, Dal with Rice (who would have thought it), it is delicious.
After lunch the whole family go with us to visit some temples, which are particularly important to Durga Puja. From left to right: Arne, a friend of JJ, Mama, Papa, JJ (in background), sister.
The trains are still not so crowded, it is a holiday.
In this temple of Papa JJ treasurer. In the background is the goddess Durga to see that people bring her flowers and sweets as offerings.
This temple is of a different caliber. INSIDE may not be photographed, so no pictures. We can still see here the goddess Durga. Actually, you have to stand in line, some people have been waiting for hours. But as guests from abroad will be presented to pray, and the family of JJ as well. So we are in a very short time through and on the road again ...
to the river .... We still want an angle to another temple towards the fastest way is by boat. Throw down People flowers into the river, but one must then do a little of Mother Ganges. I throw also come in a flower that was given to me before in the temple.
young men are on the water diving. They collect the coins that were thrown in from other people as an offering, and keep the coins then in her mouth. If you look closely, you can see that her cheeks are bulging and even the skin tone from years of Münzsammeln changed to the cheeks. Perfect health is not.
In the background, also one of the boats, which we translate the same.
We have to stand in line, while it dawns. The Verladeprozedur is adventurous, it is reassuring to know that you can swim.
with the whole family is going to the other side, here is another temple which has a rich Indians built. The building with the flourishes looks old, but seems relatively new. No signs of weathering or age, no spot is visible.
late evening after a bus home. It feels great after bedtime, but guests can not be so without Dinner can go to bed. So mom cooks with little sister still fast ...
arise here just small pancake, fried and thereby become a crispy wafer-thin balloon. There are curry and rice ...
begins Saturday morning, at least in theory. Let us now look at the Sunderbans and then go back to Calcutta. The family had probably planned to take the train at 5:50, and has therefore set the alarm clock at 5:50. After getting up, we found that: Huppsa, for the train it is too late.
do we miss the train at 6.50, as Arne and I wear the shoes waiting for it to be a starting signal of the family there, while the parents did not rush us and do not be a starting signal until we wear the shoes . Something you realize after the fact.
7:25 and 7:50, we miss the train at 8:25 is finally ours. Getting up early to Indian.
The dad is a teacher in a village school in the Sunderbans. He commutes there every morning, 3 hours, and evening 3 hours back. We drive to the area, where his school is and where his parents (that JJ's grandparents) still live far away from all the tourists.
Then it's a boat on the river (5 minutes).
continues with a bus (1 hour). Large buses are not here anymore, because all vehicles have to come here by boat. is
At the terminus of the bus It continues with the Jeep (30 minutes). We are sitting with more than 30 people in that vehicle, of which there is no picture more than the camera you just go even more to it.
The jeep drives to the nearest river, where it continues then only with even smaller boats (5 minutes).
On the other hand, there is a further Motorvan (15 minutes) ...
Thus, this simple, if I every day there and back would make I would cry.
The father now attends a couple of friends, while JJ makes us a little tour. We do not really have much time because we missed the morning as many trains and so on the same day back to Calcutta.
The Sunderbans start on the other side of the river, a mangrove forest. There are all sorts of animals, such as the Bengal tiger. The inhabitants of the houses go here occasionally in the forest to collect honey. The But it's dangerous: Sometimes the Tiger hunger.
A buddy of JJ lives in a house nearby and shows us around. A brief rain makes everything slippery. We lose even more time.
The local people still live very close to nature. There is no electricity or running water, and goods from the city are rare. There is neither an inn, a restaurant, no water bottles or anything else from the city. At least the articles of daily use are made here itself.
Some houses have but at least a small lamp, which is charged during the day.
It is quiet and the air is clean.
Any cyclone devastated the region in recent years, the government is building new concrete paths.
The boats are built by local craftsmen.
The green stripe on the other side of the river is already Bangladesh.
Visiting some friends: There are fresh coconut.
And then passed the "misfortune" We are encouraged by the many delays so late that we will not make it more home. So the dad asks whether it is okay if we stay overnight at the grandparents. Yes, that's ok.
After dark we arrive. The grandfather of JJ is 91 years old, still cares for his garden with the 30 banana trees, mango trees, coconut palms and paddy. In the evening he is tying fishing nets. The grandmother cooked for us a Dinner. Or for me: Arne has upset the stomach and not eat.
It's rice-grown, fresh bananas from the construction, home-grown lentil sauce, water from own well, coconut milk, milk from their own cows. The fire is burning with dried cow dung. There is something in the smoke house, but it fits the rustic atmosphere. The grandparents are happy that we are there. We are probably the first white men to visit since the British occupation of the village.
JJ, Arne and I sleep three to a bed under a mosquito net. Fans there are of course not, it's incredibly warm. In the morning it is of course no Shower, but a bucket of water from the lake. Search for a Western toilet, you do not at 30km radius likely. And yet, I feel comfortable here.
Sunday
it is unfortunately back.
Dad, JJ, Grandpa, Grandma and Arne front of the house.
The house Temple (left) and the traditional rice storage (right).
long shot: The house at sunrise. We want an early start.
comes together to leave the village: Everyone wants to see the white guests. The other side of the river is Bangladesh. The soldier in the picture also comes by to us to shake hands. Actually, he wants to show us the invitation of its commander, the army base, but we have to leave. Too bad.
Kuhl here.
two videos of the trip I want to show yet. A little choppy, but still worth seeing. It is the usual madness in the village, so photos show only those special moments.
A Moment with the Fahrradvan.
two minutes on the Motorvan.
Arne does not feel quite as I happily eat the lunch. There is a chicken curry, fish curry, and crab curry. Serve with rice. All very tasty, JJ enjoys great pleasure eating his mum, for him it's also home on leave before he returned 2 days later when we drive back to Mumbai.
The goodbye is very emotional, the mother weeps, when we leave the house. We must promise to bring next time more time.
The rest is a collection of images from the following Calcutta Express visit: 2 hours for JJ, to show us his city before we need the airport.
in which the goddess Durga is living her last day with the Mona Lisa peaceful. The picture is probably not a reprint but a hand made copy of the Mona Lisa has a few dents that I think the original has not.
Main Gate of the University of Calcutta.
And we already have the airport. Much time was not.
entrance to the metro station "Central".
Airport security. Everyone must pass through the security checkpoint, in addition to the Prime Minister, a couple of ambassadors, the President, and his Holiness the Dalai Lama.
My control takes a long time: the officer would like to discuss with me the championship in 2010 and asked me about my favorite football player. Meanwhile, the queue waiting behind me, unfortunately.
return again with SpiceJet, no incidents. In Mumbai and Durga Puja is celebrated on the way back we see a lot of Goddesses Durga in the Lake Powai be drowned.
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