Torpa - Day 1
Now I am home from my three-week adventure in India and am aware of how blessed and enriched I am by all the people and experiences. My last post was as we left Hyderabad for Torpa. We had a 6:15 a.m. flight to Delhi and then a noon flight to Ranchi. We had a nice morning pause in the Delhi airport which was very spacious and calm.
*A beautiful sculpture of the Surya Namaskar - the sun salutation.
The RSCJ and their driver, John, met us at the Ranchi airport. Torpa was a 90 minute drive or so, just past Khunti in Jharkhand Province. We stopped in Khunti to stock up on a few snacks, and were each offered a chai tea in a small bakery-tea shop, compliments of the accountant who works at the Torpa Rural Development Centre for Women. Upon arrival at the Centre in Torpa, we were shown to our rooms and then sat down to a hearty meal. We rested for the remainder of the afternoon and early evening before having supper with the community.
*The programs at Torpa Rural Development Society for Women accommodates both residential and local commuters.
*Entrance to our private accommodations.
*Garden.
*Hot water heating system.
*Well water supports at least 200 residents at the Centre - the RSCJ, staff, and students.
Torpa - Day 2
Learning through experience about the value of welcoming describes our second day in Torpa. The Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) and staff facilitate self-help groups (SHGs) for women in 35 villages in Jharkhand Province, which is Indigenous territory in India. We visited two villages and learnt from the women how they run their groups. In both communities we were welcomed ceremoniously with hand washing and anointing, singing, dancing, garlands draped around our necks, and refreshments. The women shared with us about how they run their SHGs, and asked us to tell them about ourselves. Although there is a lot of poverty and life is hard, it is obvious that values such as community and hospitality are practiced. It is interesting for us in a North America to learn that in India the law states that tribal land cannot be sold, as it belongs to the tribal peoples. A Belgium Jesuit was responsible for ensuring that this was entrenched into law.
In the evening, the students living at the hostel in the Centre in Torpa treated us to a presentation of the Munda tribe's cultural songs and dances. Again, we were each welcomed ceremoniously, this time we also received bindis or tilaks on our foreheads.
*In welcoming ceremonies like the ones we experienced a bindi or tilak is a sign of blessing, and garlands are signs of honour and respect.
*With two of the dancers.
* Dancing to the beat of the drum.
Torpa - Day 3 (last full day in Torpa)
At the Torpa Rural Development Centre for Women, the RSCJ and staff also run a nursery school (Balwadi).
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The children are gathering for their morning assembly and exercises, which are led by two Balwadi students - one beats on the drum and the other leads the exercises.
Programs are offered to local women who want to learn trades such as tailoring and chalk making.
*A class in tailoring with their instructor.
*Drying chalk outside in the heat.
*Chalk, packed and ready for sale.
*The Torpa Lac Processing Centre where the medium for lac bangles is produced. The leading producer of lac is Jharkhand, India. Lac is harvested from secretions of lac insects and processed to create a hard resin-like material that is moulded into bangles and decorated.
The RSCJ and staff also operate New Dawn School for local children. About 1200 students from grades 2-12 attend classes. Most children are indigenous from the Munda tribe.
* An Assembly at New Dawn School.
It is a custom of the religious congregations in and around Torpa to invite each other to celebrations on their respective feast days. While I was in Torpa, the Piarist Fathers were celebrating their feast and founder - St. Joseph Calascatnius. We attended the celebration, which included entertainment and a meal. The Piarist order of priests was a new one to me. I learned that their primary mission is to educate poor children by offering free education. They had a great spirit and I liked them right away.
*A Piarist priest shows us the nearby river.
Now I am home from my three-week adventure in India and am aware of how blessed and enriched I am by all the people and experiences. My last post was as we left Hyderabad for Torpa. We had a 6:15 a.m. flight to Delhi and then a noon flight to Ranchi. We had a nice morning pause in the Delhi airport which was very spacious and calm.
The RSCJ and their driver, John, met us at the Ranchi airport. Torpa was a 90 minute drive or so, just past Khunti in Jharkhand Province. We stopped in Khunti to stock up on a few snacks, and were each offered a chai tea in a small bakery-tea shop, compliments of the accountant who works at the Torpa Rural Development Centre for Women. Upon arrival at the Centre in Torpa, we were shown to our rooms and then sat down to a hearty meal. We rested for the remainder of the afternoon and early evening before having supper with the community.
Torpa - Day 2
Learning through experience about the value of welcoming describes our second day in Torpa. The Religious of the Sacred Heart (RSCJ) and staff facilitate self-help groups (SHGs) for women in 35 villages in Jharkhand Province, which is Indigenous territory in India. We visited two villages and learnt from the women how they run their groups. In both communities we were welcomed ceremoniously with hand washing and anointing, singing, dancing, garlands draped around our necks, and refreshments. The women shared with us about how they run their SHGs, and asked us to tell them about ourselves. Although there is a lot of poverty and life is hard, it is obvious that values such as community and hospitality are practiced. It is interesting for us in a North America to learn that in India the law states that tribal land cannot be sold, as it belongs to the tribal peoples. A Belgium Jesuit was responsible for ensuring that this was entrenched into law.
In the evening, the students living at the hostel in the Centre in Torpa treated us to a presentation of the Munda tribe's cultural songs and dances. Again, we were each welcomed ceremoniously, this time we also received bindis or tilaks on our foreheads.
Torpa - Day 3 (last full day in Torpa)
At the Torpa Rural Development Centre for Women, the RSCJ and staff also run a nursery school (Balwadi).
The children are gathering for their morning assembly and exercises, which are led by two Balwadi students - one beats on the drum and the other leads the exercises.
Programs are offered to local women who want to learn trades such as tailoring and chalk making.
The RSCJ and staff also operate New Dawn School for local children. About 1200 students from grades 2-12 attend classes. Most children are indigenous from the Munda tribe.
It is a custom of the religious congregations in and around Torpa to invite each other to celebrations on their respective feast days. While I was in Torpa, the Piarist Fathers were celebrating their feast and founder - St. Joseph Calascatnius. We attended the celebration, which included entertainment and a meal. The Piarist order of priests was a new one to me. I learned that their primary mission is to educate poor children by offering free education. They had a great spirit and I liked them right away.
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