Getting Around Campus

You can never underestimate the size of the University of Hyderabad. It is probably bigger than entire city of Hanover. And instead of snow, there is a blazing sun to accompany you as you walk. This made me think of the best ways to travel around campus:

5. Walk

I love exercise just as much as the next Houstonian (lol) but walking across campus can surprisingly turn into an all day event. There is always something great to see on a walk and you will most likely befriend a water buffalo on your stroll. However, if you are trying to make it to class  “on time”, you need to prepare for 30-40 mins. of walk time.

4. SIP Shuttle Bus

This is a great resource, if you can catch it. It’s like a ghost sometimes. You hear it coming, you see a glimpse of it, but when you need it…its like the Miami Heat in the clutch: nonexistent.

3. Bike

Bikes are useful at times but most of campus bikes are broken and require a lot more effort than they should. (Wasn’t the wheel supposed to make things easier?) If you purchase a nicer bike perhaps a mountain bike then it will become your best friend. If you happen to have the Mary Poppins Antique, then you might want to try another mode of transportation.

2. Taxi

No I am not saying you should call a taxi to get around campus. I am saying you should enjoy the free ride of a taxi when your friend has ordered on to leave campus. Always be on the look out for a taxi on the move, they always are willing to help out. Which brings us to my favorite mode of transportation

1. Hitchhiking on motorcycles.

This is my go-to punch every day. When you luck up and get someone who is a speed demon, there’s nothing like having tears roll from your eyes because of the speed. Of course this is dangerous because you do not have a helmet, but hey, you live once and living in today’s world is dangerous anyway. Have to enjoy life.

When you hear a bike coming behind you, the trick is to turn around and look the driver dead in the eye with your thumb out. Usually after eye contact, they wont refuse. If they do, then it’s on to the next. You will have at least 5 opportunities to hitchhike within a 1km walk. Enjoy the thrill.

Aaron Limonthas '12

Cool

I have always been a people watcher. Perhaps the reason I am a sociology major is because I love studying people. (Or maybe because the economics department is egregious.) Nonetheless, studying globalization has really opened my eyes up to notice various things in my surroundings. What I have begun to analyze now is the perception of “cool” in India. Possibly “cool” is the wrong term. But, in risk of dating myself, maybe “hip” is a better choice. Either way, marketing teams continue to transform and exploit what is desirable in India.

Shall I start with KFC? Yes, Kentucky Fried Chicken. This American based fast food chain is known for its quick service and extra crispy fried poultry in the States. However, don’t be surprised if your significant other takes you out on a date to KFC in India. This company has a completely different perception over here and is known as a classy, American restaurant. It is interesting how the adjective “American” all of a sudden makes things “good”. Or in this case, “cool”.

Next stop, Apparel. While in the mall, I was walking by the Reebok store and I saw a huge poster of Gilbert Arenas, who is a professional basketball player in the NBA. This is usual of course, a sports star in a sports store. However, Arenas was wearing a Washington Wizards jersey, which is his former team. Also ... (continued in comments) 

AL 

Seed Saving in Gangwar

Today a small group of us were able to do a field visit to Gangwar village (about 2 hours from Hyderabad) with The Deccan Development Society (DDS), a local NGO which works on food sovereignty issues. I'm very interested in food systems, so the trip was one of the highlights of the FSP for me! In an ever-globalizing world, food sovereignty has become a major issue for Indian farmers, many of whom have found themselves indebted to companies like Monsanto. As part of the visit we were able to meet Anjamma Nadimidoddi (pictured below), who runs the village's seed bank. DDS helped start the seed bank to preserve the variety of indigenous crops planted and allow farmers maintain to their independence from multi-national corporations.

Anjamma with her seeds

 

The seed bank, with 50+ seed varieties

L to R: Amy, Sarah, Anjamma, Meg and Anna

-Sarah '12

Movie Night at Prasadz

Last night we ventured out to Prasadz Entertainment Complex (check out the FAQs for advice on how to ride an escalator).

That place is AMAZING. It houses the largest IMAX theatre in Asia, along with many other theatres, some shops and restaurants, an arcade, a bouncy house, a climbing wall and a "4D" virtual entertainment station. Accessible by train, car, auto and bus, sitting on the edge of Husainsagar, Prasadz is the place to be for consumer-based fun.

We chose to get there by train and shared auto. We learned that when traffic is stopped for train crossings, vehicles pull up in every available space on either side of the tracks, parking lot style. When the train passes and the gates lift, cars somehow manage to cross the tracks and get back into loosely defined lanes. The traffic rules for this driving in this situation remain a mystery. We were on the train about the time that many workers at Hi-Tech city head home, so our car was filled with lots of tech employees heading home.

We got to Prasadz, made our way through 2 separate security check points, and settled in for dinner and a movie. There was a good mix of Indian and western food options, but we opted for the fast food dosas. Unlike in many of the other malls we've visited, we seemed to be the only Westerners there. We saw many families and groups of young men, but not too many couples or groups of women.

We didn't have time for arcade games before our movie, but we may go back.
Avatar in IMAX was exceptionally good. The graphics are so much better supersized! People tended to talk throughout the movie, but we expected that from our previous movie experiences.

If you get a chance to visit Prasadz, give yourself enough time to explore, eat, and catch a movie at the Imax. It's definitely worth it.


-KD

Weekend in Kerala!

We spent the past weekend exploring the beaches, mountains, and backwaters of Kerala. What an adventure!

Tea Plants

Tea Workers

Chinese Fishing Nets

We stayed in guesthouse in the city of Kochi (formerly know by its colonial name, Cochin). Must-see sites include the Chinese fishing nets, Santa Cruz Basilica, and an the Paradesi Synagogue.

After a late arrival Friday evening, we sat down with our host and planned out our weekend. We sampled some of the delicious fresh fish, and went to bed.

Mhmmm Fresh Red Snapper!

We left bright and early Saturday morning for Munar, a tea plantation community in the mountains outside of Kerala. On the drive up we learned about the different crops harvested in Kerala, including rubber, cashews, pineapples, and pepper. The landscape was lush and green, with waterfalls and hydro-electric dams along the way.

At the plantation, we visited the Tata tea museum and learned more about the tea making process and the history of the plantation. Most of the people working on the plantation are immigrants from nearby Tamil Nadu. The documentary shown went in to great detail about the welfare programs offered to the workers, including maternal health care, child care, family care and other provisions. Munar is also a hot spot for honeymooners, so we saw many young couples.

Sunday we visited a few villages on the outskirts of Kerala and went on a backwater tour.

View on the backwater tour

Monday morning was the day for site-seeing in Kochi. I was able to go to mass in the Santa Cruz Basilica. It was entirely in Malayalam, but was otherwise very similar to church at home. There were a few striking differences. Unlike churchgoers at home, who file in and out of their pews in a very orderly fashion to get communion, churchgoers at the basilica wandered up to get communion whenever they felt moved to in a 15 minute window at the end of mass. I was told later that people will even push and shove for communion at the more crowded masses.

Santa Cruz Basilica, Photo courtesy of Mia. During mass, most of the saints had flashing Christmas lights strung around them

 The rest of the day was spent eating, shopping, and visiting the synagogue. We were sad to leave the palm trees of Kerala for the far less lush landscape of Hyderabad, but it is nice to be home out of the humidity!

-KD

Working Out in India - Aaron Limonthas ' 12

My stay in India has been interesting thus far. Probably one of my most interesting experiences revolves around “working out”. For those who travel, they might be familiar with certain culture differences in the gym. However, India takes “different” to a whole other level.

(I am simply speaking about working out on the University of Hyderabad campus. No where else.)

Let’s start with the gym time; the gym is ONLY open at these hours:

5:15 AM – 8:30 AM and it reopens at 4:30 PM to 7:15pm. (Monday-Friday)

So this leaves 8 hours during the day when the gym is not open. Countless hours during the day are wasted not working out because I have to wait until 4:30 PM. Once, I decided to try and work out before the official gym opening time. As I entered the empty gym, a gentleman (with whom I have shared multiple altercations, but I’ll discuss that later) tells me the gym is closed for “cleaning”. 8 hours of cleaning? One must be able to eat off the weight bench if it is that clean.

As a result, I have to rush to the gym after my class ends at 4. Oh and don’t forget class may end at 6:30 PM on occasions. I have attempted numerous times to wake up at 5 am or 6 am and even 7am so that I could work out in the morning but without an infuriated coach hovering over me, threatening to end my life if I do not wake up in the morning, my motivation to roll out of bed prior to 9:00 AM is (to say the least) non-existent.

The gym is approximately 2 KM away from my dorm, so about a 1 ½ mile, which I jog every day. I am not sure if the stares I receive are because I am running (which is not common at all are these parts) or because I’m fairly larger than everyone else. I am opting with the latter as men tend to touch my arms quite often as they ask me, “Do you take supplements?”

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To Pack or Not To Pack: What to Bring on the FSP

Here are some suggestions on what to bring on the FSP. These are all just suggestions based on my personal experiences, so don't take them for requirements! It really just depends on your own comfort levels. Just remember not to pack too much!

TO PACK:

• bathing suit - I didn't think I would need it, but we ended up going to Goa and I bought a bikini there. Since you're going to be partially naked anyways, bikinis were definitely fine to wear in Goa.
• twin bed sheets and/or blankets, towel - the Tagore dorm provides one flat sheet, one pillow case, one pillow, one fleece blanket, and one towel. Definitely bring an extra towel if you think you will need it.
  
• some packaged snacks that you love - while you're getting adjusted to India time and Indian foods, it's nice to have some granola bars or something similar to fall back on. After the first few weeks, you'll get adjusted and can go out to buy these things on your own. Just remember that you're not allowed to cook in the Tagore house! However, they do have hot/cold water dispensers if you're a ramen cup fan, like I am! lol
• over the counter medicines - cold/flu, allergy, advil, etc. you will most likely get sick at some point, so they're good to have for mild illnesses.
• unlocked, international cell phone if you have one - all you need to do is replace the sim card. But no worries if you don't have an international cell phone, because SIP arranges for you to purchase one when you arrive in Hyderbad. It was around $50.
• weekend bag/backpack - if you're planning on traveling on the free long weekends!
• fold-up laundry hamper or bag - not a crucial necessity but if you have a small one that folds up easily to fit in your suitcase, it will be handy. Sometimes the laundry machine is broken, so you might have to tote your laundry around to find one that works.
• modest workout clothes - if you're planning on working out at the gym on campus or running around campus. Long, nylon running pants and a t-shirt works.
• electrical converters and adapters - You'll probably need to buy an adapter for your laptop, and you'll need to buy a converter if you're planning on using smaller appliances like a blow dryer.
• shower shoes - just like on campus at Dartmouth - communal showers necessitate the flip-flops.

NOT TO PACK:

• don't pack too much clothes - because you'll buy plenty of Indian-style clothes here
• shampoo/soap - you can definitely bring your own but they do sell these at the small convenience store on campus, as well as laundry detergent! They even sell American brand shampoo/soaps/lotions that we are used to. There is also a store that is similar to Wal-Mart in the mall that is about 15 minutes away from us. It's called Hyper City in InOrbit Mall, and it sells all these things plus more.
• too many books on India - you should definitely back a travel guide as well as the assigned reading books plus one or two that you want to read. But both Tagore International House and the SIP building have small libraries. The Dartmouth FSP is even adding its own section to the library in SIP. Professor Fluri bought a ton of great books on India that you can read. Also, you're allowed to check out books form the University Library.
• notebooks/pencils/other school supplies - the shopping complex on campus sells these items.

Just a working list! Will continue to add more!

- Amy '12

The Curse of the Delhi Belly: or being Sick in India

Sitting in my bed for the 3rd day in a row and dreadfully missing the beautiful caves of Ellora and Ajanta (and my beloved fellow FSPers) I thought I’d take the chance to blog a bit about being sick in India. Because let’s face it… no one is immune to the Delhi Belly. Before our departure, Dick’s house gave us an intense rundown on medical does and don’ts, a lot of which I found roll my eyes self obvious. Oh, poor innocent Meg. Following this “easy” advice has gotten harder and harder as the weeks go on. It gets annoying to carry a bottle of water into the bathroom every time you want to brush your teeth. You start craving salads. That fresh pineapple being cut by a street vendor in the old city looks too good to resist, or you forget to tell the waiter to hold the ice in your coke and you just decide to go with it. Regardless, you wind up spending two terrible nights camped on the Tagore bathroom floor with your blanket and a trashy romance novel, and another two days curled in bed feeling exhausted and trying to force down glass after glass of rehydration salts. But although this blog is partially an outlet for a “meg’s sick pity trip” (I really miss you guys!) what I really wanted to write about are the resources available. Being sick sucks, and when you’re sick it’s hard to figure out what to do, or who to go to, especially in a new environment. The campus health center is the obvious place to go, located right on campus with free treatment, but it’s nearly an hours walk from Tagore, definitely not an excursion I was capable of at the time. So enter my heroic roommate Mia, who suggested talking to Mr. Daas our house supervisor, who immediately called me a campus shuttle to take me directly to the health center. Once at the health center and accompanied by the wonderful Jyotsna, I checked in with a receptionist and waited for a doctor. After being bypassed by nearly three patients who came in after me, I learned quickly that waiting patiently was not going to cut it. With the help of my advocate Jyotsna, I really had to push my way into a doctor’s office. Once there, after a bit of trouble communicating (who knew “vomiting” could sound so much like “warm things”?) I was given a prescription for multiple medications, which were filled immediately at the prescription counter in the front. The whole trip was relatively easy, but did feel a bit unnerving as compared to my usual medical experiences. The doctor didn’t check me out, take my temperature, or ask more than a few cursory questions. My prescriptions were snipped off of a larger disposal of pills, and I was given no clear directions about what they were, or when/how I should take them, least of all potential side effects. Luckily, I’m into my second days of meds and feeling better, so all seems to have turned out well! Last but not least, I highly suggest the healing powers of Mulan and a skype call to your mom. They do wonders!

Goin' to Goa

Getting around India was a lot easier than I thought! A few of us took a 14-hour bus ride from Hyderabad to the beautiful beaches of Goa. Sleeper buses are another option (where there are bunk beds in the bus). There are also a lot of options in flying, as most major cities (and more minor cities) have airports.

It was such a relief to get a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. The area of Goa we stayed in was Anjuna, also known as "Hippie's Paradise." LOL Anjuna is very friendly toward ex-pats and tourists: lots of English-speakers, lovely guesthouses/hostels, and diverse restaurants. There also wasn't any expectation for tourists to dress conservatively, so I felt pretty comfortable wearing whatever I would wear at a beach back in the states. And lots of bikini's and speedo's on the beach! (But I think this might also depend on the beach you go to. We were at Anjuna beach, which is a very Western touristy beach area. A more Indian-tourist beach area might have been different.)

This was the guesthouse we stayed at. It's called Anjunapalms Guesthouse. It had a lot of great reviews on hostelworld. Though the rooms were pretty basic, we requested a room with a/c and a private bath. And the Goan family who owned the guesthouse were WONDERFUL. They gave us a lot of tips on what to do, where to eat, and they even arranged transportation for us. The guesthouse was only a 10-minute walk from the beach!

Cows on the beach! What a life!

What was unique about the beach in Goa from other beaches I've been to are the ladies who carried baskets of fruit on their head. They sold you fresh fruit and cut it up for you, so it's ready to eat. There's nothing like eating fresh mangoes and pineapple while sunbathing next to the Arabian Sea!

- Amy '12

Pets!

Buffalo, monkeys and other wild animals can be spotted roaming our campus in Hyderabad; but dogs dominate the wild-animal scene throughout India. Most are scraggly looking pups who have likely never had a home, but a recent visit to Kolkata introduced me to a few canines who are living the luxurious life of a house-dog.

The emergence of a pet market is a sign of the new middle class in India. This group has money to spend not only on the appetites of their family members, but on their animals as well, and boy does it show! I'm no stranger to chubby pets, but these dogs surpassed most that I have ever seen in the states!
-RS

Art Summit In New Delhi

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/01/31/arts/design/20110131-summit.html

I thought this art summit in New Delhi was an interesting news-making affair. The event was geared not only for contemporary Indian art presentation but also as a massive sales event (amounting in more than $2 million of transactions). I thought this was indicative of a growing middle and upper class with dispensable income as well as education to appreciate the arts. The New York Times caries stories about India frequently, but is is more uncommon to see ones about art instead of travel and politics. - EH

Informal Blog on Food and Drinks

I thought I’d blog about food this time.

A lot of the food here is saucy, full of curry and spicy. At every meal at the Tagore International House they serve:
naan bread which I like to eat with

red/black/yellow dahl (dal). It’s made with lentil beans and the color depends on the type of curry you use. I love using the naan to swipe up the dahl and eat it together.

They also serve white rice or maybe fried rice.(The best rice I had here was a tomato rice in Jaiper). They also offer us tea/coffee/water/fanta or an Indian version of Coke called Thumbs Up! with every meal. We were warned NOT to drink any water unless it’s bottled and sealed, otherwise we would get really sick. We aren’t even supposed to brush our teeth with sink water (which I didn’t know until a week after we got here. I was using sink water to rinse my mouth but stopped when I found out this advice. I never felt sick though). We can’t even have ice in our pops!

 I’m usually a VERY picky eater when it comes to ingredients in my food, but here I’m forcing myself to try new things, not ask too many questions about the ingredients, and (if it’s good) to JUST EAT IT. The Int’l Students have special cooked meals served in our dorm where we can actually eat raw veggies/fruit without worrying about contaminated water! Otherwise, there are a few student hang outs where all the Indian students eat which are very small, roadside canteen-type “kitchens” where you pay 3 rupee for a chai and 5 rupee for a samosa (which I tried for the first time. DELICIOUS, see below). The canteen-type businesses are really just a stove/oven/frier under a tarp or in a wooden enclosure with plastic chairs to sit so we have to make sure everything we eat OUTSIDE the Tagore House is fully-cooked.


To get an idea of how cheap the food can be, 45 rupee = roughly $1 US! However, India serves their tea in tiny thimble-sized cups you commonly use to put ketchup in. They are tiny servings because Indians drink lots of tea throughout the day so they don’t want to overdose on tea. I also really love Frooti’s Mango Juice Boxes! Mmmm
                 (baby chai)

Another interesting thing I’ve noticed about India is the different flavors of chips they serve! The Lay’s chips aren’t flat and thin like in the States, but they’re all wavy. So far I’ve tried Lay’s “Spanish Tomato Tango” which reminded me of ketchup and I didn’t like them very much but they are very popular here. I also tried Lay’s “American-Style Cream & Onion” which tasted just like home, nomnom. Today I bought Lay’s “Caribbean Hot & Sweet Chilli” and Cheeto’s Whoosh “Fundoo Cheez” so I hope they taste good. I like that the food comes in different flavors unique to India’s taste/people.

The other night I had a traditional dessert which is a specialty to Hyderabad called Khubani Ka Meetha (see below). It had apricots in a VERY sweet, sugary sauce with ice cream. It was good but not my fave. All Indian desserts are way more sugary than American desserts and are usually covered in a sugar sauce. The cakes are also more dry and crumbly, not as moist as Western desserts.



I absolutely LOVE spicy food (at home I put hot sauce on everything) so the hotness hasn’t gotten old for me, but I am getting a little tired of curry! Yesterday we went to the InOrbit Mall which is very Westernized where I ordered a personal size PizzaHut pizza. A couple days before that, I ordered popcorn chicken from KFC (for about 50 rupee or $1 US) which was yummy and way more spicy than at home. It was very refreshing to have American food that didn’t involve curry! Tonight the Tagore Int’l House served us tomato soup (which was spicy unlike in the States and more water-y) with grilled cheese. My friend was in heaven having a more Westernized meal. For dessert after every dinner, the Tagore Int’l House kitchen serves us ice cream. Until recent years it was rare to find ice cream in India because there was a problem of transporting the ice cream before it melted. However, with modernization ice cream is more readily available (thank goodness)!

I could go on and on about the food differences between USA and India but this is long enough!
--SMG '12

Golconda Fort in Hyderabad

India is known for its incredible monuments like the Taj Mahal, but Hyderabad also has some beautiful architectural masterpieces. Like Golconda Fort, which was only about 20-30 minutes away from the University of Hyderbad! Before coming here, I never really thought of Hyderabad's historic past, but you can't miss it once you get here. Golconda Fort has been one of my favorite places that we have visited so far!

This is one of the exterior protective walls of the fort.

A picture of the golf course they're building inside the fort. I asked our tour guide what he thought of the golf course and he said that it was a good thing because more money was being funneled into preserving the green wetlands within the fort walls and providing better roads to access the site. I'm not a huge fan of golf and definitely did not like the idea of golfers putting around this beautiful landscape.

 After viewing the exterior walls of the fort, we went to the inner citadel of the fort, known as the Bala Hisar Complex, where we saw palaces, elephant corrals, and beautiful temples.

 This was a painting of the goddess Kali on one of the large rocks by the temples near the top of the Bala Hisar Complex.

There are two functioning temples at the top of the Bala Hisar complex, which requires climbing what seemed like thousands of steps to reach. We saw one devoted older man with a crutch who made the climb to worship Durga. It was incredible to see the faith in practice.

A painting of the goddess Kali.

Thanks to our tour guide's great timing, we made it to the top of the Bala Hisar complex for the beautiful sunset over Hyderabad.

 I snapped this picture of a woman wearing a white sari looking out at the city. In India, widows generally wear white, so I wonder if she was a widow.

A view of the Bala Hisar complex from above.

-Amy '12

Information on Travel Around Hyderabad

Let's fill this up as we learn about public transportation in the city.

Things we've learned so far:

To get to most places in the city (charminar, etc):
Cross the street from Main Gate to get to the bus stop. Catch bus 216 to Koti.

If you have a specific destination in mind, look up the spot on google maps and pan out or in until you see a bus station on the map. Each bus stop should have a name listed. Look up the name Here and find the bus from Koti to where you are going.

People on the street and at the bus stops very willing to help direct you. It's also nice that no matter where you are you can grab a rickshaw if you need.

Each bus ride costs between 10 and 15 Rs. when you get on the bus, the man with a messenger bag/satchel and tickets will come by your seat and collect your money. Women sit in the front, men tend to sit in the back, although the middle part is kind of up for anyone and it seems like women can sit in the back if they like. Men will sit in the front if they are traveling with women or small children.

It is also very normal at a busy bus stop to walk up to a bus and yell up to the passengers to ask where the bus is going.

Travel Resources

Trip Planning Sites:
Makemytrip.com : Like orbitz.com for Indian airlines, trains, busses and even hotels (though it seems to list only very high-end acommodations).

https://www.irctc.co.in/: The official website for online train reservations. You can make a personal account in order to search for up-to-date information (which is sometimes slightly different than what you may find on other sites) but then I believe you have to ask Mr. Das for help making the actual reservation.

Mr. Das. - He seems grumpy when we ask for help, but he's the one who gets stuff done.

Travel agent at Shop Com

Sites in and around Charimar

These images are from our group trip to Charimar on Sunday, January 16, 2011. 

Anveshi

 Entrance to Anveshi

 Looking for library book through the on-line catalog search.

 Partial view of Anveshi Library.

We visited Anveshi, a research center for Women's Studies  as a group on January 19, 2011.  We received an orientation meeting from senior fellow, Dr. R Srivastsan, Professor D. Vasanta, of the executive committee and a Professor of Linguistics at Osmania University, and MA Moid, a research fellow working on project entitled, The Political History of the Old City of Hyderabad.  This center will be a valuable asset to the India FSP this year and in the future.  Particularly student use of the Anveshi library and opportunities to meet with committee members and fellows for research projects related to the FSP courses.