Some might like to understand how complex the culture clash is -when you move across regions. India has diverse culture groups so within India itself one can learn a lot however, when moving across the globe the differences and similarities can be startling. All the more reason to see the world - by working or studying abroad.
Today I went for my first real sea swim --200 yards into the ocean/bay -- which was just about 6 feet under. The slope was very gradual as I had seen yesterday when the tide was out (tonight is full moon so highest tide) so I got the courage to do it.
Most beach-goers hardly swim -just pitter-patter near the shore flying frisbies -and plonk down for sun-bathing /tanning. Indians need no tanning. Saw some Indians -as well male and female -in swim suits. Water is very good and
clean.
The univ students (of
www.ubc.ca ) seem to go for swim suits - as one regular beachgoer I overheard complaining today : Oh! today it seems most the students have come... All the beaches/natural parks in Western Canada (as I checked on their website by google search) and Northern Europe have clothing optional -so one has to grin and bear it if you want to see nature here . I saw the seals again today. So today I swam in the same Green bermuda shorts in which I used to run in Vidya-dhar Nagar.
Umesh
PS: Just saw two drunk students fighting in the pizza parlor in the
www.ubc.ca student union bldg at 10pm where I was having a slice. One was brownskinned -backed by whiteskinned ones-the other was white skinned backed bya brown skinned. Chairs flew and fists flew. They
rushed from the other end to the corner wher I was eating but thankfully the campus police arrived but noone saw anything. Oh! it was just this guy tripping over a few chairs. Indian style?
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Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2006 05:59:47 +0100 (BST)
From: umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: mc mahant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
CC:
[email protected]Subject: Re: [Assam] Canada's extremes: Seal fights, clothing optional
beaches; celibate Bahai youth
Mukul-da,
why should I not go to a beach next to where I am staying and try to go somewhere far away just becos the local populace find it wise to take of their clothes :-)
Do Hindus etc stop roaming around Maha Kumbha just becos a few Naga (Nanga) Sadhus are camping there without clothes? Most I can do is not follow their example.
Umesh
mc mahant <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
<I would like to view the scenary once again and see the natural elements of Canadian landscape which perhaps inspired Canada based Deepa Mehta to make sexually charged , extremely controversial (in India) films like Fire, Earth and Water. >
Umesh , you are tending to go off course.
Think of how you will blend your Canadian, Ba'hai,Human experience in your Autobiography...
Are you keeping your diary meticulously.
Beauty-Scenery-you will find everywhere.
mm
umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Hi,
Yesterday was a holiday in Canada so I wanted to explore the sea front down from the Univ (
www.ubc.ca ) where I am staying and saw the huts of the Native Americans who live on islands in the Pacific Ocean close to here.
http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/ubcreports/2004/04sep02/forestry.html Then saw a flight of steps leading down to the ocean front but was curious about two things : One that seal pups are around and that clothing is optional (illegal in USA) .
Down below most were dressed somewhat but few were in baby-suits mainly guys strutting their stuff. This is a very gay-firendly city I'm told -so
seemed like gays .
Thus, Initially after sitting for a few minutes I turned to go back up the steps but seeing the breath-taking view I of the sea I returned to walk about two hours.
Damn these chaps - the nature is from others as well. I might be the only South Asian around (I saw lots of them in the Univ swimming pool later) but I am not going to let them cheat me out of the nature.
On the map I got down at trail 4 on top left and walked on roacks and sea to the breakwater opp. trail six -and about 200 yards on the breakwater rocks out in the sea -with slippers in my hand clambering over rocks -all alone - where I saw the seals with fish in their mouth fighting with each other
(like dogs snatching bread from each other or like kites snatching pakoras in the sky) in the sea -just a few feet from me . Ofcourse, after seeing a few nude females as well (there were children as well) those in bikinis and swim-suits seemed like nuns. Nonetheless it was less dramatic than one sees in pics etc -no illegal activities I mean :-)
I did see quite a few East Asians here. Mostly giggling clothed girls avoiding looking at the naked white guys deliberately facing them.
I stood out like a sore thumb or like James Bond - in full formals -Raymond ("the complete man") tailored full sleeved white striped shirt , wrinkle resistant cotton gray tailored pants-all from India. Actually these were my last unsoiled clothes since my T-shirts and Jeans had been put in the paid washing machines yesterday. I was wading in the sea -since there were only cliffs in most places and barefoot over
rocks going out into the sea -like a jetty of sorts.
Anyhow an Indian esp a Hindu/Jains can draw solace in the ancient traiditons of India where Naked Sadhus and Naked dieties -both male and female are revered. So a natural place does not necessariliy have to be the haunt of baser people aping the bulls and cows in Indian streets - only in their body language etc no action. Anyhow it is a challenge one has top face -like going to worship the divine in a Khajuraho temple with its erotic imagery on the outside (I have never been to Khajuraho). However, I would like to view the scenary once again and see the natural elements of Canadian landscape which perhaps inspired Canada based Deepa Mehta to make sexually charged , extremely controversial (in India) films like Fire, Earth and Water.
I did visit a city based beach/sea front last week with my Harvard classmate , her mother, her husband, their child - where
people seemed more civilized. It is a like an Indian city with no flyovers, no metro-trams-subways --only cosy rolling roads around the mountain backed sea bay --like Udaipur -the City of Lakes in India.
It might surprise many that Bahai followers including my classmate and her husband, and their parents have to take a vow of chastity (till marriage) and abstinence from alchohol and smoking. They met while studying at Vancouver Island's Bahia school
Any comments?
Umesh
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Naga Sadhus in Kumbha Mela 2001 -in cold winter
(I was there.)
Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740 USA
Current temp. address: 5649 Yalta Place , Vancouver, Canada
1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]
Canada # (607) 221-9433
Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740 USA
Current temp. address: 5649 Yalta Place , Vancouver, Canada
1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]
Canada # (607) 221-9433
Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005
weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
