Let me take some time to introduce you to an amazing man. M. R. Satyanarayana or "Sati" is the District Governor of Rotary District 3160 covering the areas we visited on this trip. His District covers two States in the southern Peninsula of India and, according to him, is "non-emergent ancient cultures". This is exactly what we experienced with customs and practices and modes of dress that for many of us were "other worldly" and literally took us to a different time and place. Sati oversees 67 Clubs and 1800 Rotarians covering an area almost twice the size of Massachussetts. And he tries to visit all of the Clubs in his district during his tenure as Governor even though many are not easily accessible by road and some take train rides lasting half a day or more to reach. He is one of the most congenial and approachable persons in his position it has ever been my privilege to meet.
On January 31, while my team was out shopping and experiencing as much of the commercial aspects of Hyderabad (not in Sati's District) as possible before our plane left India, Sati and I sat in a remote corner of a huge shopping mall and visited about the trip, India, the US, Rotary, needs of peoples in both countries and countries around the world who have been touched by Rotary. We talked about our families and hobbies and interests. He would describe himself as a humble simple man who only wants to see what is best for his clubs and people and country and frankly, that is exactly what he looks like to me. Genuine and caring. He also talked about how impressed he was with Dave Clifton, the District Governor in 7950, my District (and I had to agree with him on that one!).
Here is a glimpse of part of the meal we shared our last after
noon before leaving India. Most of our meals while in India consisted of 2-5 different kinds of rice with chutney, curries, Dall and other sauces and seasonings to go with them. Occasionally we had vegetables such as okra or carrots or green beans that were boiled in milk and seasoned gently with curry leaves or tumeric. On occasion, where we were not in a group entirely of vegetarians (the norm) we would have some sort of dish containing chicken but generally we would not have known it was chicken due to the flavoring as it was so unlike anything we eat in the US. Each meal ended with Curd or Curd Rice. Curd is basically homemade unflavored unpasturized yogurt and it is marvelous for settling the stomach, aiding in digestion and getting the hot burn out of your mouth and throat from some of the Indian seasonings. I came to strongly rely on and love curd and asked to have it as a side to most meals rather than waiting for the end of a meal as was customary.
noon before leaving India. Most of our meals while in India consisted of 2-5 different kinds of rice with chutney, curries, Dall and other sauces and seasonings to go with them. Occasionally we had vegetables such as okra or carrots or green beans that were boiled in milk and seasoned gently with curry leaves or tumeric. On occasion, where we were not in a group entirely of vegetarians (the norm) we would have some sort of dish containing chicken but generally we would not have known it was chicken due to the flavoring as it was so unlike anything we eat in the US. Each meal ended with Curd or Curd Rice. Curd is basically homemade unflavored unpasturized yogurt and it is marvelous for settling the stomach, aiding in digestion and getting the hot burn out of your mouth and throat from some of the Indian seasonings. I came to strongly rely on and love curd and asked to have it as a side to most meals rather than waiting for the end of a meal as was customary. "Sweets" are a big part of most of the meals we consumed. Generally eaten at the beginning of a meal and not at the end as are our desserts. And when I say sweet, I mean SWEET! I was never able to develop a taste for the intensity of them. I could handle the spicy far more easily. Several kinds of breads, flaky, flavorful, fried and flat were always on the t
able. One would tear off a piece of each type of bread and wrap it around rice to facilitate eating. Here you see Regina trying to wrap herself around one of these pieces of bread rather than wrapping it around one of the many sauces provided to go with it. This is less than a millimeter thick and is a hollow wrap and not solid as it may appear.
able. One would tear off a piece of each type of bread and wrap it around rice to facilitate eating. Here you see Regina trying to wrap herself around one of these pieces of bread rather than wrapping it around one of the many sauces provided to go with it. This is less than a millimeter thick and is a hollow wrap and not solid as it may appear.Despite the fact that you see utensils in the picture above, they are solely for serving the food. All food in the regions we visited is eaten with the fingers of the right hand. Sauces are mixed into the appropriate rice dishes and then the food is picked up with fingers and placed in the mouth. As a result, there is almost always a washing sink near each dining area where hands can be cleaned before and after eating. In some reataurants, we were provided with a dish of hot water with pieces of fresh lemon in it for the sake of hand cleansing at the close of a meal.
We have been home now for 5 days and I can say my body is still on India time. I want to be asleep by 2 or 3 in the afternoon and I wake, essentially for the day, by 2am. I am hoping that changes in the near future. Since I have been home, I have received phone calls from Senan and Srinivas and emails from them as well as from Surendra, Bharath, Vommina, Shabbir, Bhaskar, Ramu, Suresh, Satish, and many others. We truly feel as if we have been birthed into a whole new family and have all had an irreplacable life experience that we will never forget. It was not what we expected or even close to it but the people we met made it truly unforgettable and did their best to make it a wonderful time in our lives. For that we are are grateful.
