Greetings!
If I was looking for a spiritual moment, or some situation that was meaningful in some way during this trip then today for me was it (so far).
I'll leave the pics to talk about the day. I'll use the space to talk about another small but significant event. So grab a coffee, tea, beer or glass of wine and share.
Preface
a) If you don't already know, when I go for a walk (usually with Julian and friends) and pass a church, we usually go in and I take it as a boyish challenge to unlock the church organ and play it (currently a 75% success rate!).
b) What you probably also should know is that I have emailed 6 schools in Calcutta and Darjeeling, trying to arrange official school visits to no avail. I have called in successfully, on the spur of the moment, to two schools in Jaisalmer and Varanasi....
c) Also, if you don't already know, religion / philosophy, kids, school and education, people, history and music are all important to me (but you knew that already...).
So this afternoon, on visiting St John's Church, the oldest church in Kolkata and the one picked to hold the mausoleum of Job Charnock ( the founder of Calcutta - born in London!), I was looking around the church and could see no mausoleum, so I asked an attendant who called a lad over to take me into the graveyard and show me the mausoleum.
We chatted - he was 16, studying English at school and had exams next week. It then transpired that his school is next door to my hotel (!) and so he gave me the name and number of the principal, so I can call her and arrange a personalised visit on my last day in India!
He showed me Job Charnock's mausoleum as well as the memorial to the people who died in the Black Hole of Calcutta, and then left.
I went to the church for a quiet moment, laughing to myself that I had randomly met a kid who goes to the school next door to my hotel and have a school visit sorted as a result, when a voice behind me says "Did someone explain to you about the picture and the organ?" It was him again!
The picture is of the last supper, by the way, and caused a scandal in it's time. The artist painting local personalities as the disciples, unfortunately depicting the local auctioneer as Judas Iscariot who then subsequently sued the artist for defamation of character.
So I responded that as regards the picture, yes - the organ, no.
"Would you like to play the organ?"
Of course! He goes and asks for the key to the organ, but no-go, and offers me the piano instead.
Hmm. He then explains that the only reason they said no was because they'd like some money.
"50 rupees (75p) OK?", giving him the note. He tries and succeeds.
The organ is ceremoniously opened up and I have a thoroughly enjoyable play for 15 minutes, thanked them all, and tipped the lad.
As I was leaving, out of the blue came a chap from central London who came up and thanked me for the enjoyable music in the church. It ends up that there's a business trip from the Wellcome Foundation in central London to Calcutta and they happened to be in the church at the time.
I know it's not much, but it's the coming together of it all - in the oldest church in Calcutta, in a completely unexpected way that was so special.
Hoping all is well with you.
Love and happiness.
xx
If I was looking for a spiritual moment, or some situation that was meaningful in some way during this trip then today for me was it (so far).
I'll leave the pics to talk about the day. I'll use the space to talk about another small but significant event. So grab a coffee, tea, beer or glass of wine and share.
Preface
a) If you don't already know, when I go for a walk (usually with Julian and friends) and pass a church, we usually go in and I take it as a boyish challenge to unlock the church organ and play it (currently a 75% success rate!).
b) What you probably also should know is that I have emailed 6 schools in Calcutta and Darjeeling, trying to arrange official school visits to no avail. I have called in successfully, on the spur of the moment, to two schools in Jaisalmer and Varanasi....
c) Also, if you don't already know, religion / philosophy, kids, school and education, people, history and music are all important to me (but you knew that already...).
So this afternoon, on visiting St John's Church, the oldest church in Kolkata and the one picked to hold the mausoleum of Job Charnock ( the founder of Calcutta - born in London!), I was looking around the church and could see no mausoleum, so I asked an attendant who called a lad over to take me into the graveyard and show me the mausoleum.
We chatted - he was 16, studying English at school and had exams next week. It then transpired that his school is next door to my hotel (!) and so he gave me the name and number of the principal, so I can call her and arrange a personalised visit on my last day in India!
He showed me Job Charnock's mausoleum as well as the memorial to the people who died in the Black Hole of Calcutta, and then left.
I went to the church for a quiet moment, laughing to myself that I had randomly met a kid who goes to the school next door to my hotel and have a school visit sorted as a result, when a voice behind me says "Did someone explain to you about the picture and the organ?" It was him again!
The picture is of the last supper, by the way, and caused a scandal in it's time. The artist painting local personalities as the disciples, unfortunately depicting the local auctioneer as Judas Iscariot who then subsequently sued the artist for defamation of character.
So I responded that as regards the picture, yes - the organ, no.
"Would you like to play the organ?"
Of course! He goes and asks for the key to the organ, but no-go, and offers me the piano instead.
Hmm. He then explains that the only reason they said no was because they'd like some money.
"50 rupees (75p) OK?", giving him the note. He tries and succeeds.
The organ is ceremoniously opened up and I have a thoroughly enjoyable play for 15 minutes, thanked them all, and tipped the lad.
As I was leaving, out of the blue came a chap from central London who came up and thanked me for the enjoyable music in the church. It ends up that there's a business trip from the Wellcome Foundation in central London to Calcutta and they happened to be in the church at the time.
I know it's not much, but it's the coming together of it all - in the oldest church in Calcutta, in a completely unexpected way that was so special.
Hoping all is well with you.
Love and happiness.
xx
The old Flower Market
Third largest suspension bridge in the world - the Howrah Bridge
Biggest rip-off in the world - The world's largest banyan tree, having had it's trunk removed in 1929.
If you can explain how a tree can be a tree without it's trunk - please let me know.
The oldest church in Kolkata - St. John's
So loving following you. Have virtually no sight due to increasing central cataract but reserve my reading for your blog. Thank you SO much. Much love S x
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