Today was one of those rainy and overcast days much like you get in Portland that encourage lots of sleep and napping. I’ve been staying up too late – reading the end of my Barbara Kingsolver novel so that I will not have to carry it onwards from here. I did some yoga with Kulo’s mother Rajlakshmi, some on my own and rested. We decided to take an outing in the evening with the plan of visiting Kulo’s friend from high school first and not knowing where we might end up after that. This was the first time since the birth of their baby one month ago that Myth and the baby left the house (with the exception of a visit to the doctor). Their friends recently bought a condo and had been frustrated with the contractors and interior designers taking too long to complete the project. They decided to hold a Puja on Sunday afternoon. A puja is a ceremony to any number of Indian deities (depending on the circumstances) were offerings are made, a fire would be burned and priests come over to chant the sacred chants. They had already held one puja several months before but they grew frustrated with the continual bad luck so it was time for a puja to Ganesha, the god of obstacles. There was some special wood in the kitchen which they would use to build a fire in their dining room area and all sorts of flowers and sweets.
Back at home I visited with Myth while Kulo chanted beside us. I was interested in learning about newborn care in India- which sorts of tests are performed and how Health Care in India operates. Myth explained that it is a tricky ordeal and in some ways the system in India is much worse than that in the U.S. Since she and Kulo are employees at a software firm they have insurance but it is very limited to primary health care. No dental or vision benefits that they received when they worked in the U.S. They receive a monthly or annual stipend but have to pay out of pocket for the visit to the doctor, collect receipts and prescription records which they then submit for reimbursement. Myth said that lifelong benefits have finally been offered to government officials however if you are hospitalized you have to submit the paperwork for reimbursement to a superior before you have been discharged from the hospital. She said it results in lots of bribes since it operates in an illogical manner.
I tasted Kulo’s mother’s kir today – rice cooked in milk sugar with cardamom and other spices. It was magnificent.
Picture: Rajlaksmi (Kulo's mother)in the kitchen.
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