A little Indian Culture ..Red Dot... Bindi

Bindis in India

We have been asked so many questions about the culture here in India. Seems every one wants to know about the "red dot". So----we thought we would start there.

It is actually called a “bindi” on a woman and a “tilak” on a man.  The area between the eyebrows (where the bindi is placed) is said to be the sixth chakra, the seat of "concealed wisdom".  According to followers of Hinduism, this chakra is the exit point for kundalini energy. The bindi is said to retain energy and strengthen concentration.  It is also said to protect against demons or bad luck.  The yoga dictionary defines it as “the third eye” spiritually.  Red represents honor, love and prosperity hence was worn traditionally by married men and women to symbolize this.  Men do not wear the tilak as often as they did traditionally.  They will wear the tilak on special occasions and while embarking on, or returning from a trip.  The younger generation of women do not always wear a red bindi as they did traditionally.  They will wear a color to coordinate with their clothing.  You can buy bindis in many colors and shapes in just about any market here in India.  Stick on bindis are very popular.  Traditionally it was only married women who wore bindis, but today, young women like to wear them as a fashion statement.


Married man with tilak in Mumbai





Married Woman at Hass outlet in Delhi

 Now, the red dot that looks like red dye (sindur) is placed on both women and men when they go to the Temple and receive a blessing. It is a red powder often made with tikka powder or vermillion.  You can also receive a blessing as a welcome to an Indian business.

Dave receiving blessing at Haas India





Chris receiving blessing at Pune HFO

 















Some Hindi women also have red dye (sindur) in the front part of their hair.  This is a sign of happiness. On the wedding day, the groom will wipe the sindur into the part of his brides hair with his little finger, seven times.  After that, the woman will continue to put it on each day if she choses.


Sindur in womans hair and bindi

Hindi women also receive a Mangalsutra necklace on their wedding day.  This is a necklace worn every day, similar to the wedding ring worn in the US.  It is gold, and very beautiful as you can see.

Jyoti at Haas Pune office

It is also a custom in India to bless your car for safety.  The car that we are using while here in India was blessed by David.  It is a very interesting ritual.  There is a flower garland put on the car. 



Garland being placed on our car

A coconut is broken and the coconut water is sprinkled on the car along with marking the car with a bindi.
Dave did a great job blessing our car. He was a bit nervous but enjoyed the experience.



Dave breaking the coconut




Dave sprinkling the coconut juice




Dave blessing the car with the bindi
















My only job was to hold the flowers and yes, you guessed it, I dropped them!!!  Well, half of them.  I didn't realize they were so heavy! 

Once the blessing was done we ate sweets called pedha.  They were delicious!  Then, Digumber, our driver while here in India, drove us home. Dave is teaching Digumber how we drive in the USA. In India they use the horn a lot while navigating the roads. In the USA this is considered rude and obnoxious so Dave is teaching him how to yell out the window "Get out of the way Dingleberry!".




Eating our sweets!












Our driver Digumber

















Motorcycles and Scooters are every where in India!  Families drive every where on them.  Some times families of 4 or 5.  Very dangerous to us as Americans but Indians don't seem to have a problem!  Deliveries are made on scooters and bikes as well!!!

Pizza delivery



Guys on way to work



Covered face because of polution





Supplies being delivered







Typical family ride on scooter

 

Well, of course Dave decided to take one for a ride at lunch one day!  No one was on the road (well, almost no one) but I still made him promise to never do it again!  Check it out!





Dave riding motorcycle

Remember the opening night of Tex Mex we were sooo excited about?  Well, as you can see, we were very happy going in!!!


Dave and Deb going into Tex Mex night









 




Friends from the UK at Tex Mex night



Well, the very next night Dave was really sick.  We think it was food poisoning from undercooked lamb at the Tex Mex feast!!! It was really bad!  Dave thought he was dying!  Fortunately, it passed over the week end and he was back at work Monday morning!  Kinda funny how he never gets sick on week days!!

We did go back again, once Dave forgot about how sick he was!  We couldn't resist the good old country music.  The performer even let Dave sing one night along with Chris from Canada and Dorina!!  They wouldn't let me sing! I guess they didn't want to drive off their customers!  : (  HA!  Once I'm famous they will be sorry!  HA!

Dave and Chris singing at Tex Mex night




Chris and Dorina singing at Tex Mex night

 
















Dave, Deb, Chris & Dorina with Tex Mex crew

 We will update on our Mumbai adventure soon!





Time in Pune

FATHERS DAY
Happy Belated Fathers Day to all you Dad's out there!
We spents Fathers Day in Pune this year.  That is the day that Dave gets to choose what ever he wants to do, all day!  Well, any one that knows Dave, knows it involved walking!  We took a shuttle to a mall and Dave got a Fathers Day cookie and a shirt that says" Karma...means you can't get away with any thing ". 


Dave enjoying his Fathers Day cookie



Deb and Dave (in his new shirt)

After about 30 minutes, Dave was ready to leave so------  off we went walking.   We were on a pretty busy road for the first part of our walk.  I don't think I have ever seen so many broken down trucks!  Dave went over to check out one of the broken down trucks and see if he could help but all they were interested in was having their picture taken.  So, the camera woman that I am, I took their picture.  They still were not happy!  Can you tell? 


Dave offering to help with the truck



Guys working on their truck

After about 45 minutes we came to a more populated area of town.  We found an open air barber shop.  Any one in need of a hair cut or shave? 

Open air barber shop



Any one for a haircut??  Shave??

















We started going through a pretty run down area and thank goodness, it started to RAIN!!  We flagged down a rickshaw before we were completely soaked and went home.  Yes, I did call our place home!!  We then took a car to go look for a nursery.  We wanted a plant for our balcony.  We were going to walk, but it was raining and we weren't sure about getting the plant home.  We did find a jasmine with white flowers that smells wonderful.  

Nursery cart next to food cart

3 nursery cart wokers!

All in all, I think Dave had a nice Fathers Day! 
  

Dave relaxing on balcony on Fathers Day


 FOOD in INDIA

PIZZA HUT!!!  Yes we found a Pizza Hut and it was pretty good.  ( and clean, at least what we could see! )  We weren't to sure about what to have on our pizza so we got spicy vegetables.  Very spicy vegetables!  : )  It is now one of our favorite places to eat!


Veggie pizza




Pizza Hut box with hot delivery promise



Kentucky Fried Chicken!!  We found one of those as well.  Dave liked it a bit more than me!  But at least it is one more place to eat other than our hotel!  The cost is a bit more reasonable as well!!!



KFC bag to go!

Gloria Jeans!!!!  We don't drink coffee, but they have great fruit icees and muffins.  There aren't many places in India that you can have ice in your drinks but Gloria Jeans is safe!  The icees are not as good 7/11 but I think Dave enjoyed it!  What do you think??  : )

Dave enjoying fruit icee

Our hotel is having Tex Mex night for the next 10 nights!  Should be very interesting!!!

I was talking to the chef and he wants to go as authentic as possible but does not want to upset the Indians!!  His words, not mine!!  : )  So, he is going to make Indian Tex Mex!!!  I'll keep you all posted!


Billboard advertising Mexican food!



Dave hoping it is not in this building!



Return to India

We arrived back in India on June 14th.  We left the US on June 13th!.  Believe it or not, the trip back didn't seem so bad.  Hmmm...  I hope we aren't getting use to it!  : )  The hard part was leaving family! 

We spent a few days in Colorado Springs, CO with Tami, Greg and Gabi.  Had lots of fun visiting Cave of the Winds (Fathers Day gift for Dave), and Flying W Ranch.  Gabi helped Abuelo install a dog door for Swoofy (Gabi's dog).  Mostly, it was great to wake up to Gabi each morning and play!  Gabi is so creative.  She always had a new adventure planned for us when we woke up.  Leaving was very hard.  Gabi wanted to leave with us and go to India!  Her Mommy said NO.  



Tami, Gabi and Greg at Cave of the Winds

 


 








Abuelo, Grammie, Gabi, Greg and Tami Flying W hike

 











Gabi helping Abuelo install dog door




Abuelo, Grammie and Gabi in caves


















Swoofy under attack!!














We then flew to Greensboro, NC.  We rented out our house so we had to tie up a few loose ends and gather all of our plants.  We filled our car to the brim and drove them to Florida.  Linda and John are plant sitting and car sitting!  : )  What we could not fit in the car, we left with the Brothers next door to plant sit.  Thank you Lin, John and Brothers!


A few of the plants we loaded in car for Florida





Our house, rented for a year














Next, we flew to Greensboro, again, and drove to Topsail Beach to spend time with David, Natalie and Finley. (and Natalie's parents, Noni and sister)  It was our annual beach trip.  It was very relaxing!! It was great to hang out for a few days with no where to go!  Playing with Finley on the beach was great.  He is getting so big, and smart! He loved having Grammie and Abuelo play bocci with him.  Found lots of shark teeth. Took one from a shark for Gabi!  : )  Fin didn't want me to let him go when it was time to leave.  We were very sad to leave!



Grammie, DavidII, Finley and Abuelo in front of fudge store




Finley playing bocci





Grammie getting sharks tooth for Gabi

 


Dorrance family  posing on porch



Finley teaching Abuelo about tools!!

So--  I spent a few hours crying after leaving both grand children.  Thank goodness for Skype!!  Once a week, or more, we will be spending time via Skype!

Alas, our first few days in India have been in Delhi.  We are trying to get use to the time change, that is not so easy this time.  Especially since dinner has been at 9pm each nite.  I forgot that Indian's like to eat late!  We are back to eating dal and rice!  : )  Last nite we ate with Ashish, Terrence and Mr. Malik from Amtec.  We spent so much time talking and eating "snacks" that when we got up, I thought we were leaving!  We were actually heading for the buffet!  Dinner was over about 11:30.  Poor  Dave still had work to do and then we got up by 5AM.  Hopefully, our bodies time clock will adjust soon! 

Amajit has been picking Dave up each morning.  Lets hope the car has been fixed!   I am not really wanting to drive in India again!  Amajit is so funny, he still can't find our hotel on his first attempt! 

Amajit and Dave driving to the office

Below are a few pictures of sites on our way to the Delhi HFO office!



Delivery guy!




Rickshaw ride to work




Construction site



















Breakfast cart!!

 
















Once at the office, Dave got busy with meetings.  The meetings were held in the basement area because the building is still under construction.  The only place that stays cool, mostly with fans, is the basement/conference area.


Dave meeting with Engineers in Delhi



Conference room being cooled down





Office area under construction

 


Rakeesh in construction area

 





















There was one little problem while we were there in the Delhi office---  a waterfall of water going down the steps into the basement.  It is monsoon season and some one left the door open to the roof. Water flooded in and came through a hole in the ceiling and on down the stairs!!  A little scary, since there were quite a few exposed wires!!!



Waterfall down stairs!!



Stairs being flooded near electrical wires!

Workers back to work after waterfall!!

 Alas---  all is well and we are in Pune getting settled and we also celebrated Fathers Day with a long walk, until monsoon rains hit !  I will update soon!