WOMAN PLANS, INDIA LAUGHS
Sharath is indeed taking off May-July and won't be teaching at the AYRI in Mysore. Word is that the shala will close in August while Guruji, et al again go on tour.
Unfortunately Certain Bloggers were planning to go to Mysore June-August and had even obtained work OK and enough miles for an award ticket and are now quite flummoxed indeed.
Fortunately there are still plans to see them in NYC at the end of the month. At least there's that.
Photo of Guruji and Sharath at the old shala by Satya Cacananda @2002
Heavens, what a terrible turn of events!
ReplyDeleteWhat will we all do?
Will the world stop spinning on it's axis?
Singh Gives Bush Grief Over Taj Mahal Snub
ReplyDeleteBy DEB RIECHMANN
Associated Press Writer
NEW DELHI
Add India's prime minister to the list of people giving President Bush a hard time for not visiting the country's famed Taj Mahal.
As the leaders toasted each other and their nation's ties Thursday before lunch alongside several hundred guests, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh briefly paused and addressed Bush's wife, Laura.
"I am truly sorry the president is not taking you to Taj Mahal this time," Singh said. "I hope he will be more chivalrous next time you are here."
The president said Singh was not alone in his disappointment. "I've been hearing about it from Laura ever since I told her that we weren't going," Bush said.
The majestic 17th-century white marble mausoleum is a monument of love, built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
But it's in Agra, 130 miles east of New Delhi, a distance that apparently was deemed too far for the president, even to demonstrate his affection for the first lady.
In an interview with Indian reporters before the trip, Bush blamed the decision on his scheduler and said he'd have to come back to India to make up for it.
"Look, if I were the scheduler, perhaps I'd be doing things differently," he said. "But you want me doing one thing. I'll be the president, we've got the scheduler being the scheduler. I'm going to miss a lot of the really interesting parts of your great country."
___
Besides nuclear diplomacy, Bush also succeeded at mango diplomacy.
The sweet, juicy staple of Indian chutneys and dessert tables was a feature of the joint agreement between the two countries. Bush said the United States would reopen its market to Indian mangoes, banned 17 years ago over concerns about pesticide use.
"The United States is looking forward to eating Indian mangoes," Bush said as both leaders stood side-by-side before the media in a garden at Hyderabad House.
Now, Indian farmers will instead irradiate the fruit to kill any pests, making them fit for consumption in the eyes of U.S. agricultural officials. The fruit should again be available in U.S. markets in about 18 months.
Bush followed through on his promise perhaps sooner than he thought. On the lunch menu were fresh mangoes, served with creme brulee.
___
To honor India's independence leader, M.K. Gandhi, Bush and his wife, Laura, followed Indian tradition to the letter by kicking off their shoes.
Bush, in black socks, and Mrs. Bush in white slippers, laid a wreath at a memorial to Gandhi and bowed their heads for a moment of silence. They then walked around the slab of black marble, marking the spot where Gandhi was cremated in 1948, for the customary tossing of flower petals.
But it's doubtful that what happened next is in any of the protocol books.
An Indian photographer apparently didn't get the coveted shot of Bush throwing colorful petals on the memorial, and so called for a redo. With a somewhat quizzical look, Bush complied, and then threw even more petals to make sure photographers had snapped what they needed.
___
Bush worried about reaching a nuclear deal. The Secret Service was worried about keeping him safe. Demonstrators worried about everything from globalization to gay rights.
But for tens of thousands of local teenagers, Bush's visit meant only one worry: test stress.
India is an exceedingly education-conscious country, and students and parents _ particularly in the growing middle class _ are known to tie themselves into emotional knots over major exams.
So for days, Indian officials and newspapers have warned that New Delhi would be a commuter's nightmare during Bush's stay, and that students should plan ahead to make sure they weren't late for the national Board exams.
The rigorous three-hour tests are held over a series days in various subjects for high school students in grade 10 and 12. On Thursday, 10th-grade students faced their social science exams.
Newspapers printed maps showing alternate routes. Some even listed phone numbers for counselors who could soothe particularly angst- ridden test takers.
"We were worried," said 15-year-old Kadi Panmei. "In fact, we took another route today to escape the jam and I reached the center on time."
In the end, there was far less traffic disruption than expected.
I was so upset I about not going to mysore, but then I realized I can go to the gay games
ReplyDelete15-22 July 2006!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yippie kayaaa
A U.S. federal blanket waiver has been approved allowing non-U.S. citizens living with HIV/AIDS to travel to the United States to participate in or attend the Gay Games 2006. The Federation of Gay Games, and Chicago Games, Inc., announced today that the waiver comes with federal approval of Designated Event Status for Gay Games VII set for 15-22 July 2006.
"Many people with HIV/AIDS and other life-affecting health issues have competed and set Masters-division records at past Gay Games, and we are happy that all participants from outside the United States once again will be able to travel freely to attend the Gay Games this summer," said Kathleen Webster, co-president of the international Federation of Gay Games.