Some images from the protests

Mr. Hazare is eating again, and there is debate in Parliament about corruption, but my expectations are pretty low. However, it was quite something to see so many people energized, here are some images from around town.

Lots of signs and billboards.
Impromptu marches of students.
Walking, two-wheelers.
Around many cities, students took to their bikes to drive around town to inform folks about the movement.
I didn't see any of the human chains that appeared in some parts of Bangalore, nor did I go to Freedom Park, where folks here were gathering, and which had its own group of folks fasting. Brilliant images used -- truly sacred -- Gandhi and the Indian flag.
Tee-shirts worn in support.

Anti-corruption protests throughout india

Hello to all, sorry for the long absence ... a bout of bronchitis and travel both contributed, along with lots of turbulence all around. The world economy continues in a mess, silly US political debate and economic policies ensure a double dip recession, European tension threatens the existence of the Euro, and I'm convinced that some weird anti=matter cloud has enveloped Bangalore and caused irrationality to rule (even more than usual). For example, Yeddy says that he is joining the Anna anti-corruption fight. Huh? One of the most corrupt chief ministers saying he is going to the join the swelling anti-corruption movement.

Anyway, for those of you not in India, you need some background. And this is perhaps an amazing positive thing -- India this weekend is a country with protests and marches all over the country supporting an old man (Anna Hazare) on a hunger strike, fighting corruption. He is effectively invoking Gandhi in image and style, and I think these are the largest protests nationwide since Independence. NDTV, a leading Indian television channel, I think provides some of the best coverage, at least images. TimesNow provides more too.

Today is 6th day of his hunger strike, and the government is boxed in but doesn't want to give in. While many can correctly note that most of the protesters are middle or upper middle class in an attempt to downplay the scale or importance of the protests, that doesn't mean that it isn't relevant. However, within the Indian political discourse, this is like the kiss of death. The poor are courted for their votes -- since there are SO many of the time -- while the rich have access to influence policy, but the middle class -- which is growing rapidly as a result of booming growth, but generally criticized for apathy, and now lashing out in anger -- generally have been ignored. Indian representative democracy seems to forget people in between elections.

A Sunday in North Bangalore

A lovely, breezy Sunday here in North Bangalore. A nice day to take a walk and see the latest is in the struggle to connect roads and walking paths. What do we see: Lots of construction, bad roads, construction blocking the walk to the village, and water tankers. Here is a walk down the street, such as it is:

Big fancy house to the right, detail below. Also note the realty sign on the left, with detail provide below the big house.

This isn't to advertise, just to let folks know that this is the development that is blocking the link to the main road to the village and layout behind it.

Continuing the walk down the street, we can see the tea stall at the left amidst the construction.The informal sector like this provides needed services to all levels of the population, in this case security guards, drivers, and construction workers.

Next, we see the construction moving along on the right side, while the raw materials for the construction (and some of the construction workers) are on "street" on the left.

Then we encounter the problem. New construction for those seven luxury homes blocking the path to the village. So these woman who had been walking to go to the village encounter a wall and security guards.
The guards from other areas come out too as an argument ensues.

To the left, the big hole that precedes construction of those luxury homes.

Then the women give up and have to go around the long way.
On the road they pass by multiple water tanker trucks.

The water tanker filling up the tank.
Another one coming.

And street dogs, of course, omnipresent along with the water tankers.

A side street in the making. Yet another big fancy house at the end, with the workers' huts in front.

Back to the main road, with its mini-lakes showing how much it rained earlier.

Inside the gates, our lives are easy. Passionfruit is starting to emerge from the vines ....
And the kids play cricket ....
With the recycling woman with her bags of recyclables working hard.

Monsoon rain and its effects

Huge puddles on the road.
They seem like lakes sometimes, more than puddles.
The monsoon rains are lovely to watch, provide needed water and coolness.
And an opportunity for kids to play.

Thread Ceremony - Upanayanam - the pregame show

A relative had his thread ceremony, and we attended day 1, more focused on the parents than on the boy. What is a thread ceremony? If you are Christian, think confirmation; Jewish, bar mitzvah. According to the invitation: This is one of the most important events in a boy's life. Of the 4 stages of life, Upanayanam is when he completes his 1st stage and enter his 2nd stage of life. He is given a thread (actually three) that denote thought, word and deed. We didn't actually attend the ceremony itself, but the elaborate full day celebration the day before. As with all such Indian celebrations, there are fabulous silk saris, overwhelming good, and lots of food.

Oh, and a bunch of priests sitting around a fire that fills the function hall with smoke. The fire is the witness to all things important in Hinduism. No one seems to worry about the smoke.

The kids, most in their silk finery, and including the boy who will get his thread, find a way to have fun no matter what is happening with all the priests.
We are in Bangalore which still produces large quantities of fresh flowers, so there are flowers everywhere, at the entrance above, and decorating the stage below.
The crowd mainly doesn't pay attention, just like at weddings.
The mother has a long sari with the gold belt.
Multiple scenes on the stage.

Multiple meals are served. All vegetarian of course.

As in weddings, banana leaves are used as the plates, and men come around with big buckets of food, waiting below.

More Singapore: Around Orchard Road

I expected not to like Singapore, but coming from India, it was a welcome island of order. I expected the order, and well behaved crowds, and cleanliness, but I was surprised at how green it was, and it was a little less extreme in terms of rules than I expected. These photos are around Orchard Road, which was a pleasure to walk on (or below).

We stayed close to Orchard Road, a major shopping area both above ground and below. At one end, lots of greenery. Actually, there was lots of greenery all around.
Wide sidewalks, lots of signage, and of course, the surveillance camera.
Plenty of garbage and recycling bins all around.
Bus stops with great information and space to protect riders from the elements.
There was a Formula One related event while we were there, so there were barriers for crowd control set up, along with lots of extra lights.
The ERP sign provides information on the congestion pricing model used in the central of the city to reduce traffic by charging private vehicles a fee.

Great signage, everywhere, even on the construction work.

Sculpture of all sorts ... traditional and modern.

Wide sidewalks with greenery and lots of street furniture.

Colorful entrance to the shopping malls underground as well as the the metro.




Well mannered and run taxi lines.
Quintessential Singapore -- tall building, a heritage area, and the don't enter sign.
Lovely, and I'm sure out of this world expensive.
Mosaics, swinging wooden doors ... one could imagine this doorway in many parts of the world.

Expensive parking everywhere too.
Buildings (again, mainly malls) with huge screens advertising movies on them.
This area was off Orchard too.

A mixture of heritage and newer buildings.

Modern, modern.