E-mail Kathryn sent Tuesday, October 16, 2001, from Chennai, India

Hello again!

I returned from the Dalit Village overnight trip this afternoon, and it was all I could do to wait this long to email you all about it. I have never done something so fantastic in my entire life!!!! We drove an hour and a half to the Dalit Delta Center, which is a center for women of the dalit villages to come and get a better education, but only a few of them can come, so only the most healthy are allowed. We were introduced to the students and they had a cultural presentation prepared for us where they did traditional dances, theatre and songs, all relating to Dalit Liberation. After the introduction we had a quick spicy lunch and headed off in safari like vans for the villages. Since our group was rather large, we were split in half, and each went to different villages for a visit. The village I went to was called Sampur, and it was nestled out in the middle of nowhere amongst lush trees. When we arrived we were immediately thronged by little kids who were very curious as to who we were and what the heck a lot of weirdly colored kids dressed in stupid clothes could ever be looking for in their village. They soon learned we were just looking for friends. Many of us had brought stickers and we proceeded to give them out to all the children. After about 10 minutes I was looking down at a sea of faces plastered with animals, flowers, sports logos, stars and smiley faces. They were a sight to see!!! Even some older women of the village came over and giggled as we put stickers on their cheeks or forheads. After the initial curious gawking that took place on either side, we were wisked into a ceremony that they did whenever new visitors came to their village. We were led by a group of men playing drums, and every time we passed one of their huts, a woman would come out with a pot of safron water with a small burning candle floating in it, she would wave the pot in front of us, put some of the safron water on our heads, and then poor it onto the ground in front of us with the candle still aflame. We were then allowed to walk across it, and that was to keep evil spirits out of the village and have for a peaceful and joyous visit to the village. After the parade around the village, where we all took in our atmosphere with wide eyes and open mouths, we were sat down on one side, and the village people (the dalits, not the rock stars) sat down facing us, and we made a sort of circle. In the middle of the circle, they began to dance for us and sing, and in return, we lamely attempted to give them as good of a show. Sadly, there were about a dozen or so of us who were brave enough to stand up and do such 'classics' as the hokey pokey, 'row row row your boat' in a round, you are my sunshine and we played those hand slappy games that most of you who were girls played when you were little. Although it was semi-pathetic, they clapped whole heartedly anyway and made us feel like huge stars. We then were grabbed by different people and hurried away to look at their hut, their families huts, their friends huts...pretty much as many of their homes as we could see in the time alotted. What struck me the most was the humility of all the homes, but most importantly the exquisite love that went into each and every one. At the most, their was a single light bulb in the grass covered huts, and that was a luxury. But the smiles we were given and the urging to take pictures, sit down and share, showed me how much these people really do have. The family they have made in their village, where everyone is a member, has made for such a successful community. And although they are the poorest of the poor here in India, you would not know it by looking at their faces.

We returned to our sharing circle and danced together and sang together until the very last second when our guide said we had to get back for our evening at the delta center. As we left, girls I had met took me, hand in hand, to our vans, and I shook as many of the kids hands as I could and exchanged kisses of goodbye with the new family I had made. I wish I could go back and stay for awhile, but I am grateful that I was able to glimpse, if only for an afternoon, the possibility that lies within the people of India, the possibility for equality and growth. All the fears I had about being in India and the dangers that may be here as well as the intense poverty, were all washed away during that one visit. When I think of India I will not remember the trash covered alleys, the smells, the horrible traffic or the dirt; I will remember Rishi, the little girl I danced with in the circle and the family of women who took me into their home and made me feel like a sister. I will remember India for the Sambur Village and the joyful faces. So, any of you who go to India in the future, please look at the people, look in their eyes and you will see what I saw in the last 2 days.