Playback at the I Can School!

I Can...scream!

Welcome to school

Aeryk may have you believing his time is all rock shows and eating dosas, but this is not so!

Aeryk also eats school lunch.

We have yoga in the morning, chanting class, and on some of our days here in Mysore we can be found at the I Can School teaching Playback Theater to all ages.  Now, by "we...teaching" I mean, Aeryk teaching, and me carrying his bags, herding and playing with children, and doing my best to keep up with his whirlwind pace.  

In the huddle with the actors

We have led two weekend workshops for teachers, and spent one long (for me!) day at school teaching batches of various grades of enthusiastic school children...and we are back for more this week.   The youngest group includes around 26 5-year-olds.  They are full of energy, but also so well behaved that once they form a circle we have a hard time breaking its shape.  The five-year-olds aren't really sophisticated enough for real playback, but they have no problem roaring like lions, jumping, dancing, and expressing. The student groups topped out with 13 year olds, who were capable of more complex games, and actually listening to each other.

The I Can School is a non traditional school that has grown from one woman's dream for educating her own children to a gorgeous facility teaching over 130 young people and offering a very full spectrum of classes.... now, including playback!  

Exploring fluid sculptures....

Now they've got it!

Even the shyest actors shine.

Round II: Aeryk teaches "Pairs" with a musician.

 We have worked with over a dozen teachers, playing games, and teaching playback short forms.  Like most Indian people, they toss away inhibitions readily, and jump right in with lots of laughter and a few tears.  We've had fun, and I've learned a lot.  Playback is Aeryk's comfort zone, but it isn't mine, so these classes have stretched me more than a yoga class.  

Vivian 

Stay after school to play in the sandbox - It's Awesome!

Passing Thoughts

A festive pharmacy on every block

In general we feel well. The constant warmth is allowing our bodies to begin their overdue rest and repair. However, Sharath has an agenda of growth. Backbends have been deep without the usual time to prepare as back home. He is usually standing on our mats after the 3rd drop-back if not sooner. The final bends are quick. Really- one, two, three GRAB! Vivian is standing on her own (even with all the shala assistants as well), I am being taken up my shins until I relax. Every day, more is coming! I've decided that the Shala's led Intermediate class is the hardest ongoing yoga class in the World, with these few top yogis struggling and shining with effort you'd only see from Olympic-level athletes. Truly inspiring, and an honor to participate. I am thankful that it is only ONE day a week, though.

Word of the Month: Afforestation

Wild horses still roam Mysore

Bouganvillia flowers on the tree

3' tall coil ready for sale

We are halfway done with our trip, not ready to fully reflect and yet always challenged to live in the moment. We are walking, reading, chanting, doing crosswords and have a few projects spinning. I played Didgeridoo as part of a kirtan Sunday night along with voice/harmonium, flute, and tablas. A great experience that may lead to more. We have a Thanksgiving trip planned to Tiruvannamalai and the holy mountain Arunachala. Last trip we walked the 9 miles barefoot, this time we are not going during a festival. We are house-scouting for a friend who will rent in winter, and it's a free trip for us! It is helpful to experience such places not only a number of times, but through different perspectives.

aeryk

School's out when the gatekeeper says so.

Roadwork and Hooligans

Here's one of my favorite 'Rickshots.' There is redevelopment happening on the main road from Gokulam leading downtown just before the railway station.
In the rezoning process, they razed this intersection to make a smoother transition before the train bridge 30 feet later. You can see where the old road was. They paved around this island and left the power line intact.  As there is no signage, you just have to know that it's there and people drive in both directions on both sides. Murals have been recently painted along a quarter-mile stretch of wall supporting the pedestrian area and overpass/bridge reflecting scenes of Karnataka patriotism.

One of the longer single murals.

Remember, you're still driving...

Our new favorite place to have lunch is Authana. They advertize their scene as "hygenic and healthy' and it's true! I took Yarrow there years ago for an evening mix of Chinese-American and Indian and thought the place was rustic with potential, and they have spiffed-up the place since. Their raised outdoor area has wrap-around covering with an open space in the middle so you can enjoy a downpour. You are also surrounded by bamboo and other greens. for lunch the thali is excellent and the staff knows our routine and always supply us with what we need plus extras. Except last weekend. We showed up for their "Hoolige Brunch" which cost double our thalis, but reportedly had more stuff. It did, like ice cream. Nonetheless, we were treated to a banana-leaf and several first course entres. These were the thick khoot stew and several palya; fresh/raw veg medleys with coconut shreds and spices. Not seen in the pic is two more piles plus a dollop of lime-pickle. The fermented condiment is almost always added, and requires an acquired taste. On our first trip, I mistakenly ATE a lime chunk, then couldn't touch the stuff for five years. Seriously. Now I love it dabbed on a roti and eaten with the palya.

Khoot, palyas,and roti on a leaf. 'Hoolige' on the plate.

Then the rice, sambar and the rest arrived. By this time we had already eaten most of the first round and could not have waited to take a picture. They stopped by to top-off our piles, but we were getting full. Last we ate the namesake: "The Hoolige." This was a roti stuffed with jaggery then cooked. If you haven't tried jaggery, it's raw sugar product that tastes like a cross between brown sugar and honey. The magnificent treat was good in the way that you won't want another. We've stopped by for thalis several times since, but have not made it back for the Hooligan Special, as we now call it.

aeryk

Rickshot:  Roadside tiffin stand serving Hooligan's...

How to do a Show in India: A Rocker's Primer

I only had time for high-5's & a few pics before my train...

Let's say you want to attend a musical performance in a foreign land. Let's say the event in question is a large outdoor event bringing in over 55,000 attendees. Let's say for the sake of argument that this is a western heavy metal rock show. "Whoahhh... " you may be thinking. Then you picture yourself there at the stadium, maybe even right up WITH the band, screaming along to ALL the hits...

But how do you get there from here? 

First off, be cool. Know that this is your music and these are your people. Here are a few tips for having a great night and making it back safely.

Buy your tickets in advance even if you haven't bought your plane tickets yet.
Use a credit card. If the show gets cancelled for any reason you will have a paper trail to get a refund or attend a make-up gig.
Get train tickets in advance. They book up quick on weekends and holidays, and every day is a holiday somewhere in India. Get a couple different return tickets so you're flexible with the timing of the show's end. (always stay for the encore) Train tickets can be refunded, but you can generally 'write-off' the $5 loss emotionally while safely tucked in your sleeper bed at the end of your journey. Friends may offer to pay for a cab ride, but you'll need your rest and a 4-hour taxi is the opposite.
Wear black.
Pack sunglasses, a flashlight, jacket, water and snacks.
No bags. They won't let them in the arena.
Always travel with a Rock-Buddy you trust; someone who knows how to handle these types of shows and crowds. Pick one that reminds you of Hunter S.Thompson or his Attorney for best results.
Give yourself extra time to find your train car. It will be at the other end, always. You can trade seats once the train gets moving, especially if there are three different numbers posted on your seat, and others do it.
Sleep. It's the last you'll get for 13 hours.
Never take the first rickshaw at the train station. They will be overpriced and not know where you want to go. The correct driver in the bunch is the first one who mentions the event you are attending. Haggle then walk away. Their price will come down. Since they will not be on their meter (always broken at the train station) a fixed price guarantees they will want to drop you off ASAP. Make sure they get you close to the main entrance.
Here are your people. Put on your shades. If you have tattoos, wear them proudly as they will add to the mystique of the event. Dive into the sea of black rock shirts, 2/3 of which will have the headlining band featured. The others are actually more interesting; Pantera, Cradle of Filth, Jim Morrison, System of a Down, Pink Floyd, Jane's Addiction, Iron Maiden- to represent a few other bands these boys would be listening to on another night. The small population of females will always contrast this by NOT wearing concert shirts 2/3 of the time. Indian women especially tend to dress up for such an event.
Do not stand in line outside the stadium.
Go to the front gate. Tell them you are "International" and you will be let in quickly.
Once inside, do not stand in the will-call line. There will be 200 people here. Walk around until you find the International ticket counter. You will be next. Present your ID and Validation Papers to sign for your tickets. Good job! You will have hours before the show and main doors open. Leave the stadium.
Now that you have tickets and spare time, get your mindset for the show. Take a walk, enjoy the neighborhood. After the show it will be a blur. A rickshaw driver on the clock can always show you a nearby restaurant. Usually the second establishment around the corner is better and cheaper. If there is a bar nearby you can encourage your friend to have a beer on the sidewalk with the other rockers, adding to the mystique. After you've had your fill, get dropped off at the main gate and go right in. Once again inside you will encounter a large mass of fans that surges forward and becomes denser as time passes. Don't panic, they can sense your fear.
This next part is important: DO NOT RIOT.
Delhi had trouble with this one. Admittedly, there were extenuating circumstances. Security barriers were not able to be set in place in front of the stage, the show was delayed then cancelled, and the fans were the last to know after waiting for hours. I will say it again--  pre-pay with a credit card. Four promoters were jailed for their participation (or lack of) in the miscommunication and cover-up resulting in thousands of fans not getting a show or a refund if they paid cash. If you do riot, never trash the band's gear. They will have another show soon.
Do not trust the first thirty outbreaks of screams. The doors are not open, somebody just wants a great crowd photo. Same with the sound check. It will take an hour for the crowd to get through the first checkpoint. This will give everyone a chance to check out your tats and talk about the music from back home. They will think you too are in a band and that you know other bands. Let them know this is so. You have a mystique to keep up on. You will pass through many lines and go through many gates before anybody asks for your ticket. This will be countered by several pat-down searches along the way. Don't worry. If you're a pro you're either not carrying contraband or it's safely stowed. Someone else will always have something.
Drink coffee but don't eat.
Buy a concert shirt but don't wear it until tomorrow.
Pay the extra cash to get one with the band and the event on it.

A souvenir you can wear to the next concert.

Hey, Richard Marx and Backstreet Boys: screw up a festival and you won't get on the next T-shirt!

Find a good spot early. If you're on the edge of the crowd and you find something to stand on, keep it.You and your Rock Buddy can take turns guarding the real estate. If security staff are using a nearby wall as a restroom, so can you. If police officers are taking tables just like yours from a stack nearby you can help yourself to more when they leave. Creating a row of tables to stand on normalizes the situation, especially if the family you share the tables with know the promoters and security staff. Be helpful to your new family, they can make or break a good experience.
Announcers will remind you of what happened at the cancelled show and ask you to not lose your cool. Don't lose your cool.
You've probably never heard of the opening act before and never will again. They will be too loud and their songs too long. The first ten seconds will sound nothing like the rest of the song because they are artists who refuse to fall into a category. Those ten seconds will be the best part.
You will be swept up in the hysteria when The Band starts playing. It is now OK to lose your cool a bit, just don't fall off your table. Plain sight is sometimes the best place to hide illicit activities, but keep it discreet and always wait until the show starts.
It is good to know all the songs and all the lyrics. It is not good to scream them, unless the Band specifically asks you to. (most bands have one song they need your personal help with)
Headbanging is OK.
So is stomping, fist-pounding, waving and showing the 'devil-hand' which actually wards OFF the evil eye. Jumping is fine, but no mosh pits in India. Their cops all have well worn sticks.
Stay for the encore, maybe the second. There will be no third encore.
If your spot is near the VIP zone you can use their quick exit behind the curtain and beat 50,000 fans to the streets. Walk a couple of blocks from the stadium to hail a rickshaw. Relax knowing you already have sold-out train tickets for home. Buy water and snacks at the train station. You can use your bottle as a pillow in your sleeper.
The waiting rickshaws will try to rip you off. Let them a little- you're tired and you have extra change for the ride home.
Shower and have coffee.
Rush to the Shala and get on your mat.
Do yoga.

Lights, sound, stage, instruments... everything but the band ready to roll.

aeryk

Diwali, and Why Haven't I Written Lately?

Flower wallahs tending coils

Jasmine surrounds Om and Ganesh

Sand and flower Rangoli

Diwali celebrates Rama's triumph over the evil Demon Ravana. Thus, in Man's dark time the God's brought forth fire to illuminate in reality and symbol this communal gift to be shared. Many faiths, peoples, and religions have an element of this and enact it with the lighting of a candle. India is similar in this respect, but differs in not stopping there. Candles are placed at the front door to keep out spirits and so that you can find your way home once the shelling starts. This is important because this is a five-day event, and the fireworks start on day one. India doesn't have a 4th of July per se, nor do they live it up on New Years as Americans do. But for Diwali, even the youngest of the young and the smallest of the small get to light the brightest, loudest, cherry cherry-est bombs of them all. This starts promptly at 6pm and lets up around midnight. We still get up at 2am. All the stone houses echo the glee and delight of the season.

Bedroom view of the winds

As I write, I expect the power to go out. It has been great actually, only failing for a few minutes at a time only a few times in three weeks. But the monsoon is still upon us- light as it is as far as monsoons go- but rain shadows our every move. It's hard to be homesick in that way, although it is warmer. Our laundry capabilities have diminished, our long walks have turned to quick scampers, but we've become good at predicting when the storm will hit. It's been hard to feel creative or even to talk about nothing. I've been playing a lot of rock music stored on the laptop in the afternoons, and the Seattle sound of Soundgarden seems to sooth the soaked parts of my psyche. I've even broken out Mozart's Requiem on one particular grey day. Two movie soundtracks, Donnie Darko and The Sorcerer (Tangerine Dream) offer a reminder of my mellow-spooky Butohsoul and are in heavy rotation compared to the peppy Slumdog Millionaire played halfway through only once. All this because my MP3 died. Or rather it's in "recovery" and until it gets a re-boot from the disc at home, it's having withdrawl and can't go on.That's where all my Tool is, and most of my chanting tracks. Fate. I was here when Slumdog came out, and now I'm here when a real "Slumdog Millionaire" actually wins One-M for the first time on the show. I need to slow down and keep it all in  perspective, and try to stay in the middle. And remember to talk about it once in a while.

"Don't screw me Jagdesh, 20 kilos of Marigolds..."

Aeryk