The Henry Institute Symposium

A few of us were privileged to travel with Dr. Iyer to Grand Rapids, Michigan this past week and present on Gujarat at the biennial Henry Institute’s Symposium on Religion and Public Life at Calvin College. For an 8:45 a.m. presentation the room was occupied by students from the Asian Politics course offered by the host institution. It is encouraging to see people engage with the topic and ask questions regarding both the current state of Gujarat and what the future holds, particularly should the Chief Minister go to Delhi. There was a gentleman who expressed interest in advocacy regarding the situation in Gujarat, and the professor of the class met with us personally to thank us for bringing an international element to the Symposium where the focus is typically on Christianity and American politics.

We returned with a great deal of gratitude that we live in the state of California, and that we are sharing the story of Gujarat with even more people. It is perhaps overly optimistic, which I am not necessarily prone to, but I believe we will begin to see more and more people engaging in informed discussion about Gujarat, Narendra Modi, and the exclusion of minority populations from the participation in mainstream Gujarati society. Follow the Center for Conflict Studies on Twitter and Facebook for future events concerning this topic. Peace.IMG_2783

A Journey Through Gandhi’s Land

It’s been a bit more than a couple of months since we’ve returned. We have been trying to share the stories we heard in Gujarat. The Center for Conflict Studies here at MIIS published a coffee table book, “Gandhi’s Gujarat: Vibrant Diversity” which features the group’s photographs and text written by the course director, Pushpa Iyer. We launched the book at a presentation of our trip to the MIIS and Monterey community this past Thursday.

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With the semester coming to an end and some of us graduating it seems like the J-term course is concluding, but the importance of paying attention to and talking about Gujarat hasn’t waned yet. There is still a conference presentation where we will talk about what we witnessed on the ground in Grand Rapids later this month, and we hope that the book sales will go to people beyond our circles of family and friends. I hope that we begin to hear a “din that can no longer be ignored,” to quote our professor, and that more people will begin to take notice and talk about the true vibrancy of Gujarat.

Eating our way through Gandhi’s land

IMG_2753I won’t spend a lot of time describing Gujarati cuisine. There are some very descriptive blog posts dealing with the sweet and spicy flavors that characterize the Gujarati’s approach to the culinary arts. I am only writing this post in order to stress the role that food played on this journey from fast food in Ahmedabad to five star restaurants with incredible views to the late night meals in a kitchen of a tribal village in south Gujarat.

We ate well in Gujarat. Very well. In fact, it could be argued that the occasional stomach conditions that interrupted the eating pattern was probably a good thing in that it forced us to take a break. I believe I ate a packet of Parle-G biscuits anyway that particular day. I have never felt so full for so long in all my life. I would sit down thinking that I would just eat something light, and half an hour later I would be stuffed to the gills again trying to figure out of one more bite of something would push me over the edge or not.

There are a lot of options for food in Gujarat, and in Ahmedabad it seemed like we tried them all. I had Hong Kong style noodles, marinara sauce on penne pasta, these little pizzas that I dream about sometimes, hot sweet and sour soup, South Indian dosas and Idli Sambar, pani puri, once almost two serving bowls of pav bhaji, many plates of Gujarati thali, khaman with chilies on top, chocolate glazed donuts, Cadbury 5 Star bars (thank you, Dr. Iyer), and many cups of Nescafe.IMG_3151

Outside of Ahmedabad there were some significant food experiences as well. In a tribal village near Bhiloda we ate what we were told was a “weed that grew among the wheat.” It was mixed with cheese and had a green color and it was served with this cornbread that we witnessed being made. My mouth waters thinking about it even though my stomach is currently full. Near Zankhvav in the South we ate twice one day in different tribal villages. The food was fantastic and I stuffed my face at both meals, but it was that second meal with the most amazing rice that I felt like I would have to wear an elastic waist band for the rest of the trip.

Food makes up a significant portion of the memories that I carry away from this trip, and if ever a foodie wants to know where to vacation… I have a suggestion.

Syncretism

Church near Zankhvav

Church near Zankhvav

On the ground in Gujarat I was intrigued by the syncretic architecture of the temple/mosque structure at Siddhpur, and was fascinated by the use of traditional tribal symbols inside Christian houses of worship (see above photo). The mixture of Hindu and Islamic traditions in one place seems rather beautiful in the midst of discordant communal relations that have characterized Gujarat. Of course, one must realize that the syncretic architecture is also a result of a conqueror who is most likely perceived at that time to be enforcing their own culture. Yet, here it is, two seemingly contradictory approaches coexisting in a sacred space.

A surface look at the syncretic practices of the Jesuit missions in the tribal areas reveals the complexity of this concept. Christianity, in the case of Gujarat, came riding in on colonialism, and probably found a foothold through less than savory tactics. However, today there are Jesuit missions advocating for a tribal identity that stands separate from any of the “new” religions that have been introduced to traditional tribal sacred practices. We saw the “Om” symbol on a Christian cross and where a traditional steeple sits on top of a church we saw a tribal structure used to honor ancestors. We also heard about the tribal identity being appropriated by the Hindu nationalist groups, and saw some houses with Hindu symbols painted on the exterior while crucifixes adorned the interior. It could be argued that we are witnessing a traditional tribal group identity struggling for survival.

I wonder if in a few hundred years the Hindu symbols, the Christians symbols, and the traditional tribal symbols will be looked at as something that represents harmony? Is it eventually something beautiful when world views that seem incompatible find a way to coexist?

Putting the Pieces of the Puzzle Together

I left Gujarat about 9 weeks ago and have reflected back to the time I spent there, the people I spoke with and the experiences that fill my memory.  The academic and field experience I gained from the 2 weeks in different parts of Gujarat, mixed with the opportunities to see the inside of slums and the rare cases of meeting celebrities and hard to reach people, made me realize I was given an amazing chance to see what it is to work for in the conflict.

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Our J-Term group prepped by watching documentaries, reading articles on the background and by discussing important issues and questions regarding the communal violence of 2002. We also each had a focus on what our research would comprise and came up with interview questions around these topics, in order to be concise and precise in the interviews with informants.  I felt pretty secure with my preparation and topic ideas before going to Gujarat and I felt confident that I understood the conflict correctly.

Looking back, I am more confused than when I entered Gujarat.  Gaining firsthand accounts of what actually happened versus what others told us, and then compared to what we read in preparation made my head spin and forced me to dig deeper.  Taking into account different informants’ perceptions and keeping it in mind when writing about my specific topic was extremely challenging for me.  In fact, it is probably the reason I ended up changing my topic so many times.  I began to see so many different sides to things and it began to make my research more and more convoluted.

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After one debrief, we had established that the situation in Gujarat, 2002 communal violence and the present situation left unhealed and vulnerable, was a huge puzzle and the pieces need to not only be put together, but first needed to be found.  In all of the research we had done, in all of the people we spoke to and of all the resources we utilized, there still seemed to be parts of the puzzle missing.  Stories did not match up, some people were inaccessible, and there will always some stones that are too heavy to be unturned and left to be buried.

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I think it will take a series of experiences and different trips in order to put the pieces of this particular puzzle together.  Although I believe we gathered a lot of relevant information and I believe we made a great deal of connections to certain issues and societal problems, we are not even close to being done with this puzzle.  And in a situation as complex as the communal violence of 2002 and the issues that currently exist in Gujarat, it is severely detrimental make assumptions and be conclusive.  It would be trying to write off an issue as x and y without really understanding the complexities behind it.

Making an issue what you want it to be is not solving anything. It is doing more harm than good.  So, all we can do is continue to seek out the various issues and understand how they relate to one another.  And then relate them to the overall structural violence and state-sponsored issues.  When all of these issues are understood in relation to one another, the pieces of the puzzle should fit. And hopefully, a multilateral and multidisciplinary approach to a solution can follow.

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Raise Your Voice

The communal violence of 2002 came with huge human rights violations and implications for healing the civil society of Gujarat.  However, even apart from the violence that occurred in 2002, human rights abuses exist in all levels of society and within different vulnerable groups.

To begin with the 2002 violence, the Muslims were killed in a sort of genocide fashion and there were multiple human rights violations are being extremely discriminated against.  Moreover, Muslims in Gujarat, to this day, live in fear and wonder when another 2002 violence will occur.  Their basic needs are not being met, in terms of access to education, health care and other government services.  And in turn, they are forced to live near sewage (or in it) and have no sense of dignity.  These abuses go unrecognized daily and, although efforts are being made by NGOs and other humanitarian-based individuals/groups, much still needs to be done.

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Another sector that has faced many criticisms and complicates human rights issues is the caste system within Gujarat and parts of India.  Although on the surface the caste system is illegal, within Gujarati society it is still accepted and practiced.  And because the caste system is still adhered to, the low-caste members still face discrimination in society and in the workplace and still face the brunt of the discrimination when it come to opportunities.  This is considered human rights abuses because these members still live in want.  They are not given the same rights and privileges as high-caste members, and as a result, they are looked down upon, stigmatized by society and live without dignity.

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Then, there is the gay community within Gujarat.  Although the gay community in Gujarat, and India as a whole, face a lot of discrimination and violence from society, according to one of our informants they face more violence from within families.  Being gay, in Indian society is not accepted and is looked down upon; in most cases, men are often forced to hide their sexuality and pretend that they are straight in order to avoid being stigmatized by the rest society.  In fact, our informant told us that 80% of gay men are married to women in India.  This is also considered to be a human rights issue because the gay community is is left in want and fear the violence that has been committed against them in the past.

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With all these human rights violations that are being committed in Gujarat, concurrently, it is imperative for humanitarian groups and individuals to raise their voice. The people that are facing these human rights violations daily and have no outlet or capacity to voice their concerns are lost.  They need those in positions of power or those that are willing to fight and have at least more privilege, to raise awareness on their behalf.

We met individuals who did just this.  Malaika, a professional dancer and part of upper-class society, a woman with power and prestige, showed her concern for these human rights abuses.  She used her power in the best way possible and faced the repercussions of standing up and making her voice known.  She faces daily harassment and her life is more complicated now, more than ever, but she is still fighting for the bigger cause.  She is fighting for humanity.

We also met a member of the gay community and member of Laksha in Gujarat, who changed the perception of gays in India.  He was also part of a royal family in Rajput and was scared to come out.  But he did it for the greater good.  He did what most could not do, due to their status or their futures.  He took the initiative and is continuing to fight for gay rights.  He is aiming to change these human rights abuses within Gujarat, and the greater India.

And last, but certainly not least, we have NGOs like Prashant and other groups, that constantly fight this battle.  Their voice is their strength and the strength of those that do not have a voice; but their voice also weakens the institutions that are in place to perpetuate that cycle of discrimination and human rights abuses.  Although this is the point, these humanitarian groups are suffering from harassment and complications in all aspects of their lives; their safety and security are in danger.  Whether they stand up for these vulnerable groups in the form of naming and shaming at conferences or on radio shows, they are using whatever power they have in order to raise awareness of these violations.  They are doing what we have been told to do over and over again. Raise your voice.

 

The British vs. Modi

When I first arrived to India, my research was to determine whether there was a link between the long-term effects of colonialism in Gujarat and the persistent, religious violence that continued to plague the country.  In my experience, the Indians I knew had conflicting feelings about British occupation in India.  There were the ones who blamed everything on the British, down to why they woke up late in the morning.  Obviously some of the connections and statements between colonialism and present violence are certainly accurate, blaming each and every aspect of negativity in one’s life on the British was far-fetched, in my opinion.

Then there were those individuals who believed that the British were actually good for India.  Many of the informants I spoke with truly felt that without the British, India would not have half of the developments they now hold and would probably be worse off, than they were now.  They felt that the British were good to Indians more than they were cruel and that they were just trying to develop India, not manipulate them.

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However, one of our informants said something very interesting.  When I asked her feelings about the British occupation and Gujarat’s current state by referring to culture.  She stated The British actually liked Indian culture; they embraced it and pushed Indians to adhere to their cultural norms, as usual. They saw us as one. It is Modi and his puppets who have ruined our culture.  

The idea that the British made Indian culture accepted and that Modi ruined it was an interesting one, at the very least.  This young woman, in my opinion, interpreted something I had not even considered.  She explicitly said that the British saw us as one in our culture and in our way of life.  That although India was comprised by many states, Indian culture and Gujarati culture, regardless of religious association, were extremely similar and descents of one another.  Although there were divisions, they were not highlighted nor were they intentionally used against one another to create conflict.

But ever since Modi came into the picture, Indian culture in Gujarat was unraveled, pulled apart and separated by types of thread and different colors.  The more expensive thread in one pile, the green thread in one and the orange thread in another, the older thread in the next pile, and so and so forth.

Such can be said about the society within Gujarat.  The Hindus are in one area, the Muslims make up another; the high-caste Hindus are here and the low-caste, OBCs and Dalits are there; the Gandhians are comprised in this place and the Modians make up that place. Everyone became divided within society, based on cultural practices, and, in a sense, subcultures formed once Modi was in power.

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Although this is not to say that British occupation did not negatively affect India in economic or other cultural terms, but in a sense because they viewed an Indian culture as one and as something to embrace as one they did not cause as much conflict, in some respects.  Although their methods of divide and conquer were harmful in the long run, they still perceived Indians to be alike and did not divide them among cultural aspects, the way Modi is.

The Field Researcher

Although each of us on the journey to Gujarat had their own unique reasons for participation, the core of mine lied in my quest to learn whether I had the capability to take on the role of an academic researcher, working on the field. It was a role I had never participated in and one I wanted to make sure I had the capacity to do before pursuing it in the future. To be honest, what better exposure than 15 hour days hopping from interview to interview. None of it even registered until I arrived back in the states, but it was so integral to my academic career without me even realizing it. Every day, whether in the formal or informal setting, we met numerous people in different key roles working on multiple levels on multiple issues. Each day involved learning a key and unique aspect of conducting interviews, conducting research, participating in a group setting and laying the foundation to your individual research

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The fruits of the skills I learned, some through mitosis it feels, weren’t realized by me personally until I was in New York City observing a UN Conference on Arms Trade Treaty Negotiations. I managed to utilize the skills I had learned in India to participate in interviews and discussions with a lot of different key stakeholders involved in the negotiations and the treaty. Without even realizing it, I was observing more than what was being said, but how it was being said and by whom. All of this ultimately culminated into an internship opportunity, which to be honest I doubt would have happened had it not been for the imperative skills I learned in India. The few short weeks spent there have turned out to have a huge positive impact on so many different parts of my academic, professional and personal life. So as we discuss the various definitions of development, I can’t help but think of the role India played on my personal development in such a short span.

Smiling Eyes

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In our short time in Gujarat, I managed to learn quite quickly that as intimidating as many settings may have been for me in my newfound role of “apprenticed field researcher”, I had no fears when it came to shoving my camera into the faces of anyone and everyone I met. As I reviewed the photos, I couldn’t help but feel at peace when going over the photos of young children – especially the young girls. Whether children of tribal families attending school in a Jesuit mission in the rural areas or young children of prominent members of Ahmedabad’s high political society, the young girls had something special in their faces. In their light, their eyes always seemed to smile. It was truly remarkable to photograph. The feeling of tranquility from looking over the pictures of these young girls never ceases to overcome me and I hope to always hold onto it.

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The Temples of West India

It took simply a week on the East Coast in the brutal, blistering cold of New York’s never-ending winter to realize that I had taken the January weather of West India for granted. It was in those warm, sunny days that we were fortunate enough to receive a cultural and historical tour of Gujarat. Religious tales and the stories behind the religious sites have always fascinated me, ever since I was a kid and my grandmother would tell me tales of Islamic Imams and prophets. Yet, as fascinating and intricate as the stories in West India happened to be, the powerful beauty of the religious sites we visited could not be captured through my photographic lens.

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With our cultural guides, we visited Jain and Hindu temples and Muslim mosques. Each column, each row, everything in every individual place we visited had its own unique story to tell. For me, it was astounding to think of all the work having gone into each square inch of the multiple ancient structures we saw. Many of these structures have remained in great conditions, considering their religious significance and the heated atmosphere these structures sometimes stir between communal groups. A temple in ruins for me was such a travesty, for if we take a second to think of the work gone into these temples and structures all before many of the contemporary tools available today. It highlights the incredibly powerful motivation behind those working to build these temples. For some, it may seem silly. To work so arduously on a structure to honor a presence one cannot see or touch. But for those with religious convictions, these structures represent more than just a home to honor the Gods. It feels like a visual representation of a faith worth their sweat, tears and blood.

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