What We've Been Up To Recently

Last week we had Wednesday off for Gandhi Jayanti day so we decided to go to a nearby waterfall to hike and relax in the water.We had to cross a rickety free swinging wooden bridge with lots of broken boards and the sides missing in many places! Another adventure in India! The water was so refreshing and since we went early we had the area to ourselves for awhile. We had fun slipping and sliding in the water and trying to maneuver in current!

Enjoying the waterfall

For a field visit this past week we went to KCT- a nearby school- to interact with the students. It turned out that our students were seated in the front as a panel and were asked questions about culture and college in America!

Our group at KCT 

We have also had a gathering with our peer mentors where we ate good food and introduced them to the game of Mafia, gone shopping at a nearby  market, and seen beautiful sunsets from our apartment roof! On Sunday some of us attended a festival at church where we got to try many new foods including momo's, whole fish, byriyani, custard, and jello cups!

Jello cups at church???

Sunday afternoon we went to a Sikh Gurdwara to observe their service and learn about their customs and beliefs. We enjoyed a delicious meal with them afterward and experienced their generous hospitality.

The group at a Sikh gurdwara

This weekend we are headed up to Ooty- a beautiful hill station surrounded by tea plantations. We will be visiting various NGOs, touring a tea plantation, and GOING ON A TIGER SAFARI! Catch our update next week when we return!

A Visit to the Sikh Temple

On Sunday, our group headed to the Sikh temple to observe a sunday service and share langar, or lunch, with our new Sikh friends. Here are some photos from our trip.

The Sikh population here in Coimbatore is fairly small. We were welcomed on Sunday by the president of the gurudwara, who also provided us with some general information on the Sikh faith. There are around 25 million Sikhs worldwide, and 75% of Sikhs live in and around Punjab, a state in North India.

 Headcoverings are required for men and women alike. Sikh men wear large turbans  (pictured below) to cover their hair, which they don't cut and wear in a topknot. Here is Program Assistant Jonathan Pinckney and Director Kirk McClelland sporting their borrowed headscarves, available to those who come to the gurudwara without a turban. 

 This is our friend Simran. She's the gurudwara president's daughter. She was kind to show us around the temple and explain to us a little but more about the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, and answer our questions.

Students wearing their dupattas (the scarves which come with their Indian dress) on their heads to enter the temple.

 Observing the service. the man in the middle-right of the picture is reading scriptures from the holy book. the covered heads in the foreground belong to Amanda, Erin and Renee.

 Reading from the Guru Granth.

 Sharing the langar, or communal meal, after the service with our newfound Sikh friends.

Becky, Melissa, Erin, Renee, Kali, Natasha, Brooklyn, Calla, Sarah

Mariah and Amanda

posing outside the gurudwara.

 the president of the gurudwara

Some of the biggest things we learned: the Sikh faith is monotheistic, peaceful and simple- free from idols and superstitions. Sikhs don't discriminate on the basis of caste, creed or even faith. Anyone is free to join them for temple and lunch.

Thank you, Coimbatore Sikh community, for allowing us to share your space with you this Sunday!