Home to Mom
I am returning to America tomorrow, though I have been back here in India less than six weeks. My mother, age 85, is failing rapidly and my sister Lucy, who looks after her, thinks these may be her final days. I pray that I make it home in time to see her once more. Although […]
Concentration2
I love watching children work at the things they set their minds to. This little girl knows the cap has to go back on the pen and she is determined to get it there. She’s got green ink on her fingers and her arm, but look at the calm persistence on her face! She brings […]
Nicola Tansley Visits Latika Vihar
Nicola Tansley! It’s a name that has fascinated me for years. She is an Educational Psychologist and has been working with Tibetan kids with special needs for eight years. She is based in Dharamsala where she serves as a consultant to the Tibetan Government in exile, but she makes regular visits to Dehradun to train […]
Convincing the Public!
I enjoyed watching this reluctant citizen, and her even more reluctant daughter, being approached, cajoled, educated and finally won over by a determined youg activist:
G D Agrawal: An Old Man and A River
Friday the 13th is the day G D Agrawal chose to begin his historic fast-unto-death in protest of the government’s plan to build four dams on the River Ganga between the Gangotri Glacier and the Himalyan town of Uttarkashi. Local demonstrations of support were held around the country, including this one organized here in Dehradun […]
Core Group: Out and About!
It’s always good to get a new perspective. We took the Core Group on the road this week when we went to visit Preeti Kirbat at the home of her new project, Astitva. Preeti has been associated with us in a variety of ways (not least being that she is married to Dr Sebastian) – […]
When I was a child . . .
Moy Moy has been pretty patient with us. For years now, we have been treating her like a baby, and she hasn’t objected too strongly. Her corner of the room is full of toys and storybooks and we dress her in “frocks” and put bows in her hair. Why did it take us so long […]
Ducks for Change
I sent this photo to a bunch of people who help us with the creation of the Karuna Vihar calendar every year. These are the hard-core calendar fans, the ones who wait eagerly for its arrival each year and who read each word it contains carefully and critically. I treasure their involvement and delight in […]
The Mysteries of Childhood
These two little waifs in the foreground have fascinated me for well over a year, which is when I took this photo. There is something ancient in their expressions (particularly the one in blue), something deep and unfathomable which is in contrast with the view we like to hold of childhood and its innocence and […]
Summertime at Latika Vihar
It’s been a slow time on the blog! Sorry about that. The combined pleasures of having Cathleen at home, shorter hours in the office and a general summer relaxation have me at the desk less (and when I am here I am more likely to be playing Scrabble online with my demon sister, Lucy – […]