Archives: Blog Posts

Friday, February 14, 2025 Two breakfasts It’s Valentines Day, which I heard is starting to catch on in India, but I didn’t see any outward signs.  Confident I had figured out the breakfast system I went down to the restaurant and said, “breakfast?” to which the waiter replied, “okay.”  These intricate negotiations proved successful and I soon had a tray of rice, curries, yogurt, and various baked breads set in front of me.  As I was finishing up, I got a text from Roy David, inviting me to his place … Read more

Thursday, February 13, 2025 A new language zone No one ever told me what the BGT stands for in my hotel’s name, and I didn’t think to ask, so feel free to assign whatever words fit best.  Google suggested Britain’s Got Talent, but I have my doubts about that.  No big plans are on the schedule for today accept to rest and kick this cold.  I’m finding that major hotels also double as restaurants and this place was no exception.  This being my first time to order my own food, … Read more

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 Nagarhole National Park The road from this forest led directly into the Nagarhole National Park, which is also a tiger reserve.  There was a watch tower and small forest department office at the gate.   This is the setting of yet more conflict, because before it was a national park, the Adivasi lived here as well.  According to conventional wisdom, though both the words “conventional” and “wisdom” are highly debatable here, the business of saving tigers requires the eviction of native peoples, despite the fact that those … Read more

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 On the road with Roy and Wajid This morning, I was picked up at 9:00 AM, Indian Standard Time, by Roy David and his trusty driver Wajid to make our journey to Roy’s home in the neighboring state of Karnataka.  Roy David and his wife Shammi are both graduates of ARI.  In 1981, they started a non-profit organization called CORD – Coorg Organization for Rural Development, through which they fearlessly tackle deeply ingrained, systemic social injustices.  Their website is quite good and though I may be … Read more

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Biowin Biowin is one of the projects of WSSS, a company created to process and market the products of the thousands of organic farmers they work with.  It is very much like Vanamoolika, only on a grander scale.  Being a social enterprise, the farmers are ensured their fair share.  More than that, they are valued and respected as partners in a system.  (Not the usual treatment for farmers in this part of the world.)  Any profits yielded by Biowin are cycled back to the community in … Read more

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 Fr. Babu It’s another beautiful day and the first unexpected order of business was to meet Fr. Babu.  He had somehow caught wind of the fact that someone from ARI was in town and came all the way from Ooty to meet me.  Ooty.  Yet another one of those fun names to say.   The Oo part is like “Oops” with a “tee” at the end.  Apparently, it is a popular tourist area.   Fr. Babu is a Catholic priest who practices and teaches herbal medicines, following in … Read more

Monday, February 10, 2025 Busy Siby Though Siby is no longer employed at Vanamoolika, he continues to support them, providing training on various organic farming topics whenever asked.   Presently, he is helping a new co-operative that formed four years ago get organic certification.  On his own twelve acres you can find him farming as well, raising black pepper, coconut, nutmeg, cloves, rice, coffee, and vegetables.  He grows areca nut, too, the culprit in making red tongues and lips across South and Southeast Asia.  Also, known as betel nut, a lot … Read more

Monday, February 10, 2025 Spice country Not wanting to repeat my last night-bus panic, Thomas Mathew took me early for the bus to my next destination – Mananthavady.  We were a full hour early, in fact, for a bus that ended up being a full hour and a half late.  This is referred to as Indian Standard Time, but 90 minutes was overdoing it; 20 to 30 minutes is within the range of the acceptable, I was told.  There were no beds this time, but super reclining seats called “semi … Read more

Sunday, February 9, 2025 The snake boat When Thomas Mathew started telling me about Snake Boats, I couldn’t quite fathom what he was talking about.  Then he took me to see one. Sleek, black, serenely ominous; its stern jutting high into the sky, there really is no better name for it.  Each of the fifty villages around the Aranmula Temple has its own Snake Boat, built, cared for, and decorated in their own style.  That means fifty boats, you know.  Once a year they push these crafts into the river … Read more

Sunday, February 9, 2025 Backyard supermarket After breakfast Thomas Mathew took me around his farm, which you can reach by simply walking around his house.  It consists almost completely of trees that bear fruits and spices and reminded me of the food forest I had seen at another ARI graduate’s place in Indonesia, though he had never heard the term “food forest” before.  His preference for trees, which do not require daily maintenance, is because of his busy schedule and frequent traveling. Be warned, I am about to give the … Read more