Child’s Play

I remember studying China in middle school social studies class (circa 1993) and learning about a national policy there very different from any that exist in the United States. Maybe it was my proclivity for reading Dystopian science-fiction like 1984 and Brave New World, but China seemed like something from another planet, not just halfway around this one.

Chinese Propaganda for the One-Child Policy

What I didn’t realize at the time, however, was how recent this policy had been enacted. My 13 year old self must have assumed China had always had crazy laws on the books. Their One–Child Policy didn’t take effect until 1989, only a few short years before I had first heard about it. I didn’t know that much about it then, and living in China didn’t teach me that much more (so I’m sure my American readers don’t completely have a handle on it). So I took it upon myself to talk to people and research more into this weird method of government sanctioned population control.

Also known as the family planning policy, the law itself isn’t labeled quite correctly, as there are many exceptions to the rule. It goes back to Chairman Mao who believed that population growth empowered the country and thus the government encouraged families to have as many children as possible between the years of 1948 and 1970. Due to increased life expectancy and declining infant mortality, China’s population skyrocketed during this period – also known as the Cultural Revolution – and in the 70s, the State changed its tune, telling its citizens to stick to only one or two children (but without any official laws on the books).

“Millions of Hearts with One Mind” (and one child)…

Officially, the one-child policy (meant to curb the explosion of new births and economic strain on the nation’s resources) was supposed to last only one generation. It has been extended through the current generation and will probably continue into the future. However, the policy has many nuances that many outsiders don’t completely understand, though would-be Chinese parents seem to know them inside and out (Jen and I had many questions particularly regarding fertility treatments, contraception, and penalties for having additional children without government permission). Here are some of the bullet points:

• 36% are subject to the strictest interpretation of one-child.
• 53% are allowed to have a second child if the first was female (ultra-sounds to determine the gender of a fetus are illegal since during the 1990s, parents would abort females in favor of their one-child being male, this practice still continues today in rural areas and is very much illegal).
• If both parents were raised in one-child households, they are allowed to have two children.
• In rural areas, families are allowed to have two children.
• If their first child is born with a physical disability or mental illness, the parents are allowed to have a second child.
• If both parents have advanced degrees (Masters, Doctorate), they are allowed to have two children.
• Ethnic minorities are not subject to any birth limits (there are dozens of ethnicities within what westerners refer to as ‘Chinese’).

The Rise of Man-made, Chinese Twins…

If an urban located family of the Han ethnic group has more than one child without the permission of the government they are subject to a fine for every infraction. The fine – which is known as the social maintenance fee – amounts to $15,000 USD per child! Many of the wealthiest Chinese families can afford to do this, while others simply visit the fertility clinic and pay the doctors instead so that they may give birth to twins or triplets (there is no penalty for multiple births and the number of twins born per year doubled between 1990 and 2006).

Some Chinese citizens are getting creative with their outside the box thinking. Because the United States practices birthright citizenship, any child born on US soil is a US citizen. The small island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands is a US territory that has seen a huge upswing in the birthrate of Chinese nationals. The practice of moving to another country to give birth is called Birth Tourism, but you may be more familiar with the term, Anchor Babies (for decades pregnant Mexicans have been crossing the border to give their families a better life). The benefit with this plan is that the second (or third, or fourth) child born to Chinese parents while overseas will not be a citizen China. The government can’t really do much about that.

Unlike in America, birth control is readily available in every corner pharmacy at an extremely low cost to the individual, and abortions run rampant. A month supply of standard oral pills runs about $2.50 USD. And since the Chinese government isn’t quite like the Party in 1984, they don’t forbid or discourage acts of sexual congress. They understand people are going to have sex, but sex doesn’t need to result in unwanted pregnancies (25% of China’s 10 million annual abortions were performed on young, unmarried women).

Not-quite-so-little Emperor…

Getting back on topic, one of the results of the one-child policy is both a social and psychological issue known colloquially as ‘little emperors’. Essentially, parents who only have one chance to get it right, over-indulge their only child (I prefer to use the term spoil the crap out of, but hey, I’m trying to be PC here). The effects of the child’s (and the nation’s as a whole) social paradigm with an entire generation (or two at this point) who suffer from poor social communication and cooperation skills (and these are the kids we’re teaching).

It is evident that by solving one problem, the government has created other, unforeseen issues as often happens. Hopefully, great minds will come together and solve these as well. Moving into the future, one of the most important hot-button issues will deal with global population and resource management. And the People’s Republic of China, as the world’s factory, will rise to front and center of this debate.

Until Next Time…

-Justin

A Diamond in the Rough

For a long time, I struggled with how to write this entry. That is the primary reason why it will be the fifth and final blog about our honeymoon in India and Nepal. Previously, my opinion was simple: I hated visiting India. However, upon further reflection, I realized that wasn’t entirely true. I didn’t hate it. The trip just wasn’t relaxing (in any way) or as enjoyable as other vacations I’d taken up to that point. The single adjective I’d use to describe the way I felt during my stay is overwhelming.

Sleeping on the Street, an All-too Common Sight in India

Going to India is quite an eye-opening experience, but it is stressful. It is one of the poorest countries and that poverty drives its citizens to do everything they can fathom to earn a living (albeit not always a very honest one), and even worse, forces them to sleep on sidewalks under tarps (you actually pass through their living rooms and kitchens as you walk).

It is one of the dirtiest countries and that filth keeps visitors on edge whether it be from the threat of contracting malaria or dengue fever from one of the thousands of mosquitoes or some food borne illness or parasite, obtained by drinking contaminated water (Some very dishonest people will actually reuse uncrushed water bottles, filling them up with tap water and resealing the lid to sell as ‘spring’ water).

Yes, People Actually Live this Way…

Additionally, tourists are prey to scammers and touts; unscrupulous men who drive motorized rickshaws or work in forgery ‘Tourist Information Centers’ and do their best to pry extra rupees from your wallet for their services and advice.

For example, you head to the train station to purchase a ticket to another city. While on the way, your driver explains that the station is closed due to some unknown festival or holiday and tickets cannot be bought there. However – lucky you – the driver knows a guy who can help and offers to take you there for a few extra measly rupees. You agree and find yourself on the other side of a desk from a well-dressed man who authorizes the purchase of deluxe tickets for you and your party. Sure, the tickets are a bit pricier, but he assures you they’re worth it; foreigners don’t want the third class, cramped conditions of a regular ticket.

He smiles as he takes your money off your hands. You smile as you leave, thank your driver and even tip him a bit extra. But the next morning, when you arrive at the train station to board, you learn the hard way that your tickets are indeed for third class and you’re crammed in with all the other Indians who cannot afford a deluxe ticket. The ‘Tourist Information Center’ pocketed the profits from their scam and only bought you standard tickets.

The guidebooks all warn about these scams, and the educated traveler knows prior to arrival, but knowing and experiencing are two different beasts. It still makes for one intense holiday. However, in spite of the poverty, filth, and scams, there are quite a few hidden gems to see if you choose to visit this vast nation. One such gem is the food. Don’t worry, this won’t be a food blog, but I’d be remiss if it wasn’t mentioned. Americans typically either love or hate Indian food. I fall into the former category and thanks to the inexpensive and wonderfully prepared dishes, Jen and I were able to sample a great variety of sauces and spices our palettes had never tried before. Truly delectable!

A View to a Tomb (Notice the ‘Slums’ in the Foreground)

India is famous for one very unique and exquisite Diamond in the Rough (as was put by the Cave of Wonders in Disney’s Aladdin) and that diamond doesn’t disappoint. Do not go to the Subcontinent and miss an opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal. The sheer beauty and magnificence of this building and the surrounding gardens and grounds exceeded every single one of my expectations and I found myself relaxed for the first (and only) time during the Indian leg of our honeymoon. In that regard, the Taj Mahal was more enjoyable than the Great Pyramids during our trip to Cairo, Egypt last year.

Located approximately three hours southeast of Delhi, the city of Agra is just outside the province of Rajasthan, and one point on the ‘Golden Triangle’ – India’s major draw for tourists. Rajasthan translates to ‘Land of Kings’ due to its long, turbulent history of cross-cultural conquering. The entire region, including the capital city of Delhi, is littered with temples, palaces, tombs, forts, and ancient bazaars – all of which sprang up during various centuries throughout the past five thousand years.

I will resist the urge to risk potentially boring my readers with a history lesson, but suffice it to say the Taj Mahal was completed in 1653 (almost 20 years after initial construction began) by Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved third wife (who died while giving birth to his 14^th child – perhaps he should have stopped at 13). Unfortunately, he didn’t stick around to enjoy it much as he was overthrown by his son, Aurangzeb, and imprisoned in the less-famous Agra Fort, located across the Yamuna River (where he was only able to view his masterpiece of white marble from a considerable distance). When Shah Jahan passed away (only 8 years later), Aurangzeb was kind enough to bury his father inside the Taj Mahal.

Jen Posing in her Saree before the Taj Mahal

Agra itself is a city in the loosest sense of the word, filled with dusty and winding streets, squatty and flat-roofed mud and brick huts, and people bathing, living, eating, and defecating alongside animals (all doing the same) and piles upon piles of garbage. Around and inside the Kinari Bazaar, busy shopkeepers shout in Hindi, wild monkeys steal your snacks right from your grasp, and pickpockets weave in and out of tightly packed crowds. It certainly makes you feel a bit like Indiana Jones – and all you wanted to do was buy your wife a souvenir saree!

And in this setting you’ll find the Taj Mahal, situated on the far edge between the city and the river. Its glorious marble dome and minarets rise up from the soot and grime like angels reaching up to the heavens themselves. Contrary to popular rumors, the Taj Mahal is not sinking, nor is it a Hindu temple, and Shah Jahan had no plans to build a black ‘mirror image’ Taj on the opposite side of the Yamuna. Rudyard Kipling called it the ‘embodiment of all things pure’, and it has also been described as a teardrop on the face of eternity.

These poetic statements of praise are not exaggerations. The Taj Mahal is an architectural work of art, as are the surrounding gardens. One might spend hours strolling around the grounds, meandering through the tree-lined walkways or perhaps snuggled on a bench with a loved one. Regardless of how visits are typically spent, few (if any) leave disappointed. Outside the gated walls, you can find impeccable views of the Taj Mahal from various rooftop cafes scattered around the Taj Ganj neighborhood. Or, if you’re brave enough, a look from the southern banks of the river, where for a small fee, a boat hand will row you out for a great photo-op, particularly at sunset.

The Sun Sets on Another Day in Agra

The world’s most beautiful building became a World Heritage Site in 1983 and for the past 30 years has become a major source of income for Agra (tourism), and it looks as pristine today as when it was first constructed. The photographs speak for themselves, but they do not do it justice. As I said earlier, you cannot miss the Taj Mahal on any trip to any part of the Subcontinent; it is India’s one and only Diamond in the Rough.

Until Next Time…

-Justin

Keeping the Faith

Perhaps the most interesting aspect about the Subcontinent is the religion; not just one, but a high prevalence of many different ones. In both Nepal and India, various faiths not only coexist peacefully, but bleed together, borrowing from each other’s beliefs and sharing festival celebrations and temples. No less than a half dozen very different religions were born in the region including: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, ISKCON, and many others. Additionally, one can find Islam and Christianity in the mix.

Buddhism – Some argue that Buddhism isn’t really a religion at all. That would depend on your personal definition of religion. Personally, I believe that it is – albeit one with a nontheistic (no god) belief structure. Buddists from India to Japan believe in Dharma, or ‘the right way to live’, a concept based upon the teaching of the historical ‘living’ Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Guatama (the awakened one) who was born of the Shakya caste in a town located in present-day Nepal.

Buddhist Monks Circumnavigating a Stupa; Note the Prayer Wheels (Nepal)

According to tradition, Siddhartha lived and taught in the eastern part of India between the 6^th and 4^th centuries BC (or BCE). In spite of the local origin of the historical Buddha, only 10% of Nepali people practice Buddhism (most of whom are Tibetan or Burmese refugees, spreading the practice not only to Nepal, but across the Western world as well). In Nepal’s hills and mountains, Hinduism has absorbed many Buddhist tenets as I mentioned above.

Many of you have perhaps heard of the Dalai Lama. The current (14^th) is Tenzin Gyatso who’s been in the position since 1950 (the longest running in history) at the ripe age of 15. During the 1959 Tibetan uprising, he fled to India and denounced the People’s Republic of China. He also established the nongovernmental Central Tibetan Administration and advocated tirelessly for Tibetans living both in and outside of the Tibet Autonomous Region. It is worth mentioning that this head Buddhist monk won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for the struggle of the liberation of Tibet and the efforts for a peaceful resolution.

Jainism – Jainism prescribes a path of non-violence toward all living beings. Believers can obtain liberation through self-control of the five major vows: pacifism, honesty, chastity, non-stealing, and non-attachment. It is one of the oldest religions in the world (and currently the smallest of the major world religions), generally tracing their history through 24 propagators of the faith (known as tirthankaras), ending with Mahavira (a contemporary to the historical Buddha).

Jain Temple in Kolkata, India

The faiths shares many similarities to Buddhism and use much of the same terminology (for instance, followers of both religions must be strict vegetarians as taking any life is forbidden). The major difference is that while Buddhism has been spread to other Asian countries, Jainism has been largely confined to India, although smaller immigrant communities exist in the US, Canada, the UK, and Kenya. The major symbol of Jainism (adopted and corrupted by the Nazis in the 1930s) is the swastika.

Likewise, Jainism has built its history around the Hindu epics and traditions (including karma and reincarnation), creating a faith that bridges gaps between the other two. This has aided the Jains in assimilating with the surrounding Hindu society in India, due to fear of persecution. Their clergy (for lack of a better word) has even allowed this integration and participation in Hindu customs and rituals, providing the said customs don’t infringe upon the basic principles of Jainism.

Sikhism – Sikhism is monotheistic and India’s fourth-largest religion (fifth-largest in the world). It has existed for over 500 years (in this writer’s opinion, the Sikhs are also the friendliest and most generous of India’s population). It is the duty of all Sikhs to engage in personal as well as communal meditation and study of their holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, the central teaching of which is the concept of oneness with (a non-gender specific) God (known as the ‘Constant’, a very different idea than in any other religion). The faith considers spiritual and secular life intertwined and unable to be separated. They believe all religious traditions are equally valid and capable of enlightening their followers.

Sikh Musicians Aiding Meditation at the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi, India

Like Jainism, Sikhism adheres to the self-control over the Five Thieves – Ego, Anger, Greed, Attachment, and Lust. A Sikh can be identified by the unique style in which they fold their turbans. Their place of worship is called the Gurdwara; people of all faiths are welcome and free food is served in the Langar, or kitchen (they also contain libraries, nurseries, and classrooms). We were fortunate to have visited one during our stay in Delhi, and were so impressed that I could compose an entire entry just on the Sikh people and their beliefs.

When I think about their faith and how they practice it, I feel that all other world faiths have been aspiring to Sikhism for thousands of years. They believe in Sewa – service to community and to God – and Simran – remembrance of God. A few prohibitions exist in their faith; for example, Sikhs cannot cut their hair (the only silly one), consume alcohol, care about material wealth, sacrifice any creatures, have extra-marital affairs, live as monks, hermits, or recluses, and engage in ‘worthless talk’ (bragging, lying, slander, and even back-stabbing).

Hinduism – The dominant form of religion on the Subcontinent, with over 80% of the population identifying themselves with it, is Hinduism (about 1 billion followers). Unlike their Western counterparts, Hindus believe in many, many, many gods (over 11,000 to be precise, although most are simply alternate forms of the half-dozen major ones). It is one of the oldest religions, and while its believers subscribe to karma and dharma, most points of view are intellectual and philosophical rather than a set of rigid rules and regulations set in stone (take that Moses!).

Lakshmi Narayan Hindu Temple in Delhi, India

The term Hindu developed out of geographic origins as the Persian word for the people who lived in the northwestern part of the Subcontinent, across the Indus River. By the 13^th century, Hindustan emerged as a popular word for the nation of India, meaning the ‘land of Hindus’. Hinduism has been spread all over the world by proponents of the faith, including Swami Vivekananda in the late 19^th century, who brought Vedanta and Yoga to Europe and America. He believed that the divine exists in all beings; even non-Indians (who traditionally believe people are either born Hindu or something else) have the ability to reach Nirvana.

Some Hindu practitioners refer to it as ‘the eternal law’, which is beyond human origins. Like the number of gods and goddesses, Hinduism features a plethora of holy texts and scriptures. You may have heard of some of these including the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita. This is another religion with so much information, I could write an entire article about it (if you want to learn more, I encourage all my readers to click the various links I have embedded in the text).

Manakamana Temple (Nepal)

Most Hindus practice vegetarianism, although those who do eat meat, steer clear of cows. One such sect in Bali and Nepal, the Shaktas, practice animal sacrifice to the dismay of the majority of modern Hindus. Shaktism focuses on the worship of the divine mother as the absolute godhead. Cults of goddess worship have existed in this region for tens of thousands of years. Some forms of the goddess are gentle while others are fierce, and the Shaktas actually try and call forth cosmic forces using ‘real’ magic.

(SPOILER ALERT! Graphic Photograhy Ahead! For those of you with weak stomachs [or children], you may want to stop reading here.)

One such place of worship is the Manakamana Temple in Nepal, located atop a high mountain peak (above even the clouds), and dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Bhagwati – an incarnation of Parvati. The temple’s name roughly translates to mean ‘your heart’s desire’. Visitors come from all over Nepal and India to have the goddess grant their wishes (most of whom are newlyweds seeking a male offspring). The trek itself was a daunting feat, particularly before the advent of the cable car that takes worshipers and tourists to the top within minutes (for a small fee).

A Volunteer Sweeps up a River of Blood Between Ritual Sacrifices

What sets this temple apart from every single other we visited during our trip was this: the stones in the pavement surrounding the building ran red with the blood of the animals sacrificed to ensure successful granting of people’s wishes. The scene was both fascinating and disgusting. Goats and roosters (all offerings must be male only) could be found along the streets awaiting purchase (if people brought their own, they were made to buy a one-way ticket up the cable car for their animal). Jen and I watched in awestruck horror as two water buffalo were ritually sacrificed in the customary style (decapitated with a single machete blow across the back of the neck – a practice called Jhatka). The spots of blood on my shoes will never come out.

A Post-Jhatka Water Buffalo (We Didn’t Name Him)…

Of course, watching wasn’t enough for Jen. She needed to participate. And so we bought our own goat and led the innocent creature to its slaughter. Bhairav is the the Hindu God of Destruction, and thus a very appropriate name for our goat (yes, we named him). Baaah-rav, lol. So we took our goat to the temple, had him blessed, and then escorted him around back to a big, fat man with fur and congealing blood stuck to his bare feet. Before we realized what was happening (the quickness of the moment astounded both of us), Bhairav was headless, red blood flowed like a river out of his neck wound and his little legs twitched with the residual energy still remaining in his central nervous system.

A Row of Goat Carcasses Waiting to be Gutted During the Cleaning Process

The obese executioner hoisted the carcass by the legs, and with outstretched arms, dropped it into the plastic bag Jen was holding (I refused to take part in this ritual, Jen led the goat to the temple, and carried the body away afterward). Following Bhairav’s needless death, we brought the corpse down a flight of stairs and into the worst smelling room I’ve ever been in; a handful of women crouched in filth, cleaning goats, roosters, and buffalo bodies (they removed the fur, tied the gizzards together, and boiled the skin), while a couple men blow-torched a pile of heads on a large, flat grill.

An hour later, we picked up what was left of our pet goat and paid about 3 bucks for a butcher to carve it up for our convenience. With a bag full of mutton, we bid a fond farewell to Manakamana Temple and descended the mountain in our cable car for the 3 hour drive back to Kathmandu.

Yep, One can Actually Sacrifice a Coconut (We Shared that as well)…

And just so you don’t think we’re completely and utterly heartless, the goat meat was eaten and not wasted. We gifted it to the hotel staff who prepared a lovely meal for us to partake of together (we also shared the coconut that I sacrificed – and Jen’s the vegetarian!).

Thinking back on the experience still turns my stomach: an innocent, baby animal was decapitated on our behalf for a sacrifice to a goddess we don’t believe in. I may have to just give up eating meat altogether.

Goodbye Forever, Bhairav!

 

Until Next Time…

-Justin

Animated Jhatka (In Progress)