Why I spent an hour with studying Indian job offers on a local newspaper

Reading newspapers abroad is always an interesting activity to get insights on how local people think and act. National and international events, news, comments should be presented  in a similar way all over the world – as it happened and that’s it – , but by doing so it becomes a hundred thousand different realities….

Meeting the Children’s club at the end of the world

The children of Mokhmalla in the Gharwal live in one of the most isolated parts of the world. Due to bad roads, missing vehicles and money they live in the upper parts of a Himalayan mountain. They live at the end of a valley, there where the high Himalaya mountains start growing into heaven.  It…

Visiting Sanyasi – Religion but also Social work

   According to Hindu Mythology in everyone’s life there should be four parts of life, called also the four Ashrams: Vidyarthi, Grihastha, Vanprastha, and Sanyasa. Vidyarthi ashram, the first comprises the first 25 years. From 25 to the age of 50 people should get married and have a family. At 50 then the renunciation phase starts…

Back from India – issues with ‘development’

Coming back to my home town in Germany after seven weeks in India was not really characterized by a “big shock”. Although many friends have asked exactly that question during the last days: “Isn’t it a big difference and somehow strange to come back to a completely different, developed and modern world?” It is cold,…

The beauty of old tribal women 

The beauty of old tribal women – and their role as change agents Isn’t it amazing? In many big cities, with the ongoing globalization and higher education, huge changes of family structures are taking place – also in India. Young families need to go for work in other areas and personal independence gets higher rated…

7 weeks in India – From woman to woman, part 3

Teatime Here, in India, the faces and colors are fascinating, maybe because of the diversity, maybe because of the cultural differences or just because behind every face, there is another life. Have you ever thought if it? How many different, unique lives are there? So, taking photos of people, of their expressions and movements is…

7weeks in India – Momos in Ooty

I see them and can hardly resist: momos, veg balls in garlic sauce, boiled in water. One my preferred foods in India. I spend the weekend in Ooty, a hill town in the Nilgiri mountains at 2.240m. Talking with the momo lady The lady is preparing momos at a cooking stand when I pass by….

7weeks in India – Tribal culture and an unknown artist

At noon we arrive in a small tribal village in the mountain region, close to the border of Kerala. The view from this place down on the hills is beautiful. Less than 20 families live here, a hundred people. Under a tree, in the middle of the road (there is just this only one) they…