Tag: uttarakhand
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Lone Survivor
Every year the Japanese students come, it is always essential that we find them accommodation close to the building site. Usually when an area is affected by a natural disaster, options can be limited. This year, there was only one option. Last summer as you left Chandrapuri you would only have to drive a few kilometers further down the road before you would find a thriving tourist village boasting no less than 20 hotels stretched along the banks of the Mandakini River with stunning views of the majestic Himalayas. One lone hotel sadly was left off from the prime real…
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Preparing the path where there is no road….
After major flash flooding devastated many of the himalayan valleys in Uttarakhand, Amma pledged to rebuild 500 homes in the area. The first phase of that work is going on in and around the village of Chandrapuri in the district of Rudraprayag, on the way up to Kedarnath. A week from now 73 Japanese university students will spend their semester break helping construct houses and to rebuild the lives of people who were struck by this tragedy last summer. Since volunteers have been teaming up with Embracing the World and coming to India to help build homes for those in need.…
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The Japanese students are coming
The word Japan was heard in all the shops of Chandrapuri after our banner went up this morning over the main highway. 76 Japanese students from International Volunteer University Students Association will arrive next week to help with construction. IVUSA groups have helped with Amma’s housing projects annually for more than 15 years so we know the skill and enthusiasm they will bring with them. All of our efforts are now focused on preparing the various work sites to take full advantage of their energy. Considering I have not seen another foreign face in this valley in over 6 weeks,…
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Climbing up
As the full moon approaches, the air is crisp and clear. We had frost last night, then a bright, sunny day. I decided to climb the steep trail behind our building sites for a new view of the mountains. In the valley picture, our village of Batwadi rims the green fields in the foreground. All of the grey area along the river was once fertile farmland and houses. There was a bridge connecting the village area to the right. It seems no matter how high you climb, there are villages, schools, and temples. Immediately after the flood, it was only…
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The floor plan
Shanti Devi moved into a tent to be near her house when we first started to build. She has helped at every step, carrying water, rocks, timbers, and brick. Today she even tried her hand at filling in the cracks with mortar. Finally, she can see what her new home will be like. This is a very spacious home. On the right of this picture is the entrance door leading to a large sitting room. In the left foreground is the kitchen, and behind it, a bedroom. We require a toilet for every house, but the owner has the option…
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Brick Seva
For weeks now, we have been laying foundations and pouring the cement columns for house after house. It is critical work as the columns we build, firmly anchored and with extra reinforcement, will make an “Amma House” one of the safest in the valley. Today we started brickwork and it put everyone in a great mood to see our first house take shape. Our local workers have much experience laying brick and are fast and efficient. We all chipped in for “brick seva”, including Shanti Devi and her son, the family who will receive this first house. – Scotti
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Learning and Teaching
I have tried to point out some of the positive aspects of village life here. We can learn from these people, but there is also much that we can teach. Yesterday I watch ten older ladies learning to write for the first time. Their faces were beaming with joy at the opportunity to learn something new at this stage of life. Amrita educational outreach program is called AmritaRITE (Rural India Tablet Education). It begins with the well established Anganwadi (morning kinder-garden). We support the teachers with tablet based programs to improve reading, writing, math, and general knowledge. With the help…
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The house across the river
I see this building every day. It is directly across from our place of stay. It is always busy with people working around it. This morning at dawn, I noticed the light in the lower right window and finally realized people are still living there. Last night, Umesh asked how much I paid for the my cozy down sleeping bag. $130 US. How do you reconcile those two worlds? – Scotti
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A simpler life
Everywhere you go, you see them. Women carrying heavy loads on their backs. Mostly it is huge bundles of grass or tree limbs for their cows, but I have also seen a full gas cylinder weighing 70 pounds in a basket. This scene is repeated around the world in most agricultural communities. The striking thing here is how happy the village women appear. They often work in groups of 3 or 4, talking and laughing the whole time. They will stop with a full load on their back to talk with a passing friend. Younger women work alongside their elders…