It's not turkey, but it's close!

Peking Duck Thanksgiving dinner with Tyler at Asian Kitchen in Delhi... one of our all-time favorite Delhi feasts and splurges!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!

And happy thanksgiving wishes to everyone! You know Hyderabad is coming out as an expat city when you start seeing signs of turkeys for sale.

I'm just a bit wary of how they've been brought over. A scene from my commute to work last week:

(yes, those are nearly fifty chickens strapped behind a guy's motorcycle, and YES, they are all still alive!)

A Burst in the Water Tank...

...and two sisters help each other wade through the ensuing muddy lane, each lifting their skirts with the utmost of care.

I don't think the photo quite does justice to how adorable and loving these girls were to one another!

A Lucky Day

In the Telugu calendar, this month is the most auspicious month of the entire year. And today is the most auspicious day within this most auspicious month.

So perhaps it should come as no surprise that I can barely go to sleep, since the firecrackers outside are so insanely loud.

Perhaps also not surprisingly, there were an incredible number of marriages today. The stars are aligned in such a way that this is the best time to be wed.

For my part, I spent the luckiest of days at a colleague's house-warming party (and yes, this day was chosen for its auspiciousness!) Garlands of marigolds adorned every doorway of the house, and many corners were adorned with beautiful displays of flowers and candles. A pooja (blessing) was performed in honor of their guru, and a giant feast awaited all the guests down below. In many ways, the house-warming was similar to such parties at home -- but also different in its own ways... no guest left empty-handed; we were all garnered with a bindu on arrival and given presents when we left.

And as I kept hearing today... a great day for new beginnings!

Delhi Inspiration

My ongoing love-hate relationship with India just got a major boost on the side of "love" by an unlikely spokesman: President Obama.

Perhaps it was due to all the articles I've been reading about the US mid-term elections. Or maybe the frustration at being constantly stopped by Secret Service and Mumbai police officers all weekend. Or the BBC constantly showing footage of the President and Michelle dancing with school children on Diwali, with a voiceover asking if his trip was more for show than as a Statesman.

Whatever the reason, I just wasn't that excited to watch Obama's speech tonight to the Lok Sabha, the Indian Parliament.

Wow, was I wrong. At first just on background as I worked, I quickly became hooked to his speech. What inspired me most was the interconnectedness that he emphasized -- not only between the US and India, but of the world at large. And while I often forget, it is of course this belief in an interconnected world that brought me to India in the first place.

Particularly powerful was the connection President Obama made between Gandhi and the ripples he created around the world, through his inspiration to be the change we seek. He talked about Martin Luther King Jr's visit to India, saying, "I am mindful that I might not be standing here today as President of the United States had it not been for Gandhi and the message he inspired around the world."

I was struck by how similar Obama's words were to Jacqueline's, when he spoke of the importance of moral imagination, and enabling all citizens to lead lives of dignity... "minds without fear, with one's head held up high."

Besides US-India connectedness, he spoke about sharing India's expertise with farmers in Africa, and what India can teach the world in addressing global challenges. Indeed, this is a sentiment I strongly resonate with, especially regarding global health.

When Obama told Indian citizens that: "We will be standing with you, shoulder to shoulder" because "We believe in the promise of India. We believe that the future is what you make of it," -- I too became re-inspired in the promise of India and the work we are doing here. I again became re-inspired to "see myself in another, despite differences."

Perhaps it all sounds hogey -- propaganda on partnership made more trite by reading words on a page, rather than viewing the speech live... And who knows how much this one visit will change and strengthen the US-India partnership around mutual prosperity, security, and strengthening democratic institutions around the world, as Obama spent the majority of his speech discussing.

But the hope that his speech has inspired -- to believe in the promise of India in this interconnected world -- has not fallen on deaf ears.

Top of the World (or at least Bombay)

Barely able to walk one block from our hotel without being harassed by police, we venture up north. I've been wanting to check out Aer for a while now, a somewhat-still new rooftop bar at the top of the Four Seasons Hotel. On the 34th floor, the 360 degree view of Bombay is incredible... although it also exemplifies the stark contrasts that is characteristic of Bombay: sipping champagne on top of a world-class restaurant...looking out into the slums below and high-rises under construction along the Arabian Sea.

And in the smallest of world coincidences, we ran into one of our friends from the Hyderabad good 'ole days, Paul, in the hotel lobby. Now living in New York, he talks about wanting to move back to India, while I long for New York... ah, the human inability to be happy just where one is.

The energy and pulse of the city seem to be embodied in the millions of lights below... and just as we're leaving, we're treated to a post-Diwali display of fireworks that would make any Indian proud.

House Arrest

It should be like the FDR Drive on July 4th or Times Square on New Years Eve. Each Diwali, millions coalesce at the Gateway of India to watch the fireworks, with the usual dozens or hundreds of fishing boats and larger ships in the harbor.

Last night: eerily empty, except for the pigeons and dogs who suddenly had the place to themselves.

The two block radius around the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel has been on lock-down since yesterday morning in preparation for President Obama's visit here today. Tyler and I found ourselves in the weirdest of situations -- basically reverse-prisoners... we could leave freely, but without the requisite police clearance badges, could not come back to our hotel.

As it turns out, there are worse things than being prisoners inside the Taj.

A bit shocked we could go inside at all, the entire evening we marveled at how eerily the hotel felt like we were transported to America, or specifically -- Washington, D.C., given all the men in khakis and polos, blackberries galore, thick American accents, and questions like, "Did you need to learn English to be a bartender here?"

We spent most of the night at Harbour Bar, which I've since learned opened its doors in 1933 and was Mumbai's first licensed bar. Freshly muddled green apple martinis and wasabe peas... definitely felt like we were someplace else, except the amazing view of the Gateway of India and (deserted) bay were beautiful reminders.

For dinner, we had the most incredible sushi that literally melted in our mouths, accompanied by sweet potato spicy wedges with a lemon-suffle side... easily the most delicious meal in a long, long time.

Walking back felt a bit like post-apocalypse, with all the streets strangely devoid of all people in what should be one of the busiest places in Mumbai. Some pictures inside the lock-down:

Happy Diwali!!!

Bombay could not be more festive. Last night, "Diwali's Eve", the city shone with millions of celebratory lights. Diwali, the "festival of lights," represents the victory of good over evil, light over darkness.

What I was surprised to learn about was the various faiths and traditions that all center around Diwali. For Hindus, the story is about the god, Krishna, overcoming the demon, Narakasura; and Rama overthrowing Ravana. In the north, the emphasis is on celebrating the safe return of Rama to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana and his army. In Bengal, it is time to adulate Goddess Kali, and around India, it is an occasion to welcome Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, into one's house. For Sikhs, Diwali is the day of return of their sixth Guru Hargovind Ji from captivity. For Jains, Diwali is the day of Lord Mahavira's nirvana. (thank you, Times of India!)

More spiritually, Diwali represents a time to light not only external diyas (oil lamps), but also a time to look inwardly and re-examine ways to dispel darkness and light the lamp within.

So Happy Diwali everyone!

Presidential Preparations

Bombay is getting a face-lift. Just about everything that can be painted (road medians, buildings, trees!) are; man-hole covers are locked down; and security is deployed in droves around the city. All in preparation for Obama's visit here tomorrow. It's not just India getting ready...we saw parts of the Presidential motorcade cruising down Marine Drive, including "The Beast" -- Obama's massive bullet-proof cadillac limousine.

LifeSpring and President Obama

And in amazing news, Anant (our CEO) will be meeting President Obama this Saturday!!! I joked in an earlier blog post that maybe Obama could visit LifeSpring at some point, and this is definitely a close second!

We got the invitation last Friday and all experienced the same process of shock, disbelief, and excitement. It will be a meeting of eight CEOs, who will be speaking with Obama around topics such as "the role of US and Indian entrepreneurs in re-shaping both our societies" and "enabling joint efforts to achieve inclusive growth." Held in Mumbai at the Trident Hotel, Obama definitely seems to be making a statement on counter-terrorism (especially given that he will be staying at the Taj Palace).

It's an incredible honor that for a company just three years old, our CEO will be meeting with the President. Already can't wait for the debrief!

Stranded

The gods of transit have not been on my side today. First I get to the airport; 5:30am, plenty of time to check in for my 6:30am flight. I casually hand my online confirmation to the SpiceJet counter and am rocked out of my semi-slumber by: "I'm sorry madam, but the plane doors are already closed. The flight is leaving in 10 minutes." What?! I always feel semi-prepared to hear that a flight has been delayed, but leaving early?! -- and by fifty minutes?!?!

Escalating the issue to a manager gets me nowhere, despite having my confirmation clearly stating that the flight is set to leave at 6:30am. I am told that they have changed their schedule, and since I have booked with an online travel agency and not directly with the carrier, they can't help me. The most they offer to do is put me on the next flight (um, THANKS), which doesn't leave for another six hours.

I am set to meet Tyler in Bombay, en route to Alibag, where we plan to spend our long Diwali weekend. Reluctantly, I buy tickets on a different carrier and am just grateful that they don't hike up prices here for last-minute travel, like they do in the States.

Fast-forward two hours, and now Tyler and I are happily in Bombay, in front of the Gateway of India. It's a beautiful, grandiose structure, just opposite of the Taj Palace. We inquire about ferry times to Alibag, and are told somewhat mockingly, "No ferries today. Your President is coming." I look around and there are already hundreds of local police guarding the Gateway. I look out at the waterfront and think of how surreal it will be to have the water patrolled by US Navy in a couple of days.

Wondering what we should do now, Tyler and I call our hotel in Alibag and ask about ferries leaving from other ports in Bombay. None. Fantastic. We can take a car, but part of the fun was the journey getting there.

So here we are, stranded in Bombay. Tough life, I know ;) Lucikly, our go-to hotel had rooms available...which actually should be quite interesting considering we're literally across the street from the Taj, where Obama will be staying.

Always an adventure in India!

Grace, Young and Old

Taken last week, in rural Gujarat.

A Little Night Music

A Concert at a Palace

Last night, Tyler and I went with some friends to a Sufi concert at Chowmahalla Palace -- a Hyderabadi landmark which I embarrassingly had never been to after being here nearly three years.

The concert was a performance of Abida Parveen, a Pakistani who was touring Hyderabad for the first time; and Muzaffar Ali, who was the poet behind the pieces. Chowmahalla was all dressed up for the affair; the palace shone with different color lights to blend with the music.

Sufism can be characterized as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. Sufism sprang up largely against the worldliness which was seen to infect Islam when its leaders became powerful and wealthy rulers (which, in a way, makes the choice of venue ironic, although beautiful).

In Sufism, music is seen as a tool for the believer to get closer to God, by dissolving the physical realm into the spiritual one. It's considered a form of meditation and a connection to God and divine energy. Sufi music is seen as a way to reach one's soul and awaken its consciousness.

It was a beautiful night of music, and completely different from traditional classical western music, with a set beat and time signature. Accompanying the singer were four instrumentalists: two percussionists, one accordion-like instrument, and a stringed instrument to complete the quartet.

It's too bad nights like this don't happen too often in Hyderabad... but on the flip-side, it definitely makes you appreciate when it does!