Collage

Manjula and I spent yesterday morning at the Kalakshetra, a center for traditional arts and dance. It's poor form to take photos of the students and their gurus, but it was a lovely sight: Young drummers, singers, dancers, violinists and tanbura players. All students must wear the simple, but beautiful saris and other garments that are dyed, woven and hand-painted at Kalakshetra. 

We also visited the Theosophical Society, the center of a movement founded in 1875 dedicated to the "Universal Brotherhood of Humanity."   

    

A loom for weaving saris.

   
           Hand-painted designs.                             Natural dyes.

My guide and friend, Manjula Krishnan. 

                               
Brewing natural ingredients for a brilliant vermilion dye.


  Name this tree: Then tell me!
                       

       Steph among  the banyan trees.

                                                         

  Manjula introduced me to Miss Sundari, an 84-year-old friend of hers who  grew up in the society, still lives on its grounds, leads the daily

   puja, - or prayers - for members, and by her account was one of Chennai's first women  to get around town on a "scooty."   

Manjula speaking with Miss Sundari in her home. 

                                              

Miss Sundari's shrine in a corner of her kitchen. 

                                                                 Next post: School!

Until then, here's a photo of the school parking lot: