I’m going to Maharashtra! – India is a big country – (Yuka)

Hello. I’m Yuka.

 

 

Do you enjoy our post?

If you have any comment, please tell us!

 

 

I’m in Kolkata Now.

In the evening, I’m going to Maharashtra state by sleeper train.

Surprisingly, it takes 17 hours to go there! It’s pretty far!

 

 

After participating in a wedding ceremony, I will go to Aurangabad, which is the city in the same district (Maharashtra).

And it takes 8 and a half hours by train! I can’t believe it!

I will go there for sightseeing.

 

 

After that, I will go to Mumbai, too.

It takes 6 and a half hours to get there.

 

 

The total time from Bishnupur to Mumbai by train will be about 36 hours!

I think it will take more time than scheduled because the train which travels long distance tend to be delayed in India.

 

 

I think you may understand how large the land of India is.

 

 

 

The land area of India is 3,287,263 km².

This is the seventh largest in the world.

 

 

That of Japan is 377,915 km².

So, India is 8.7 times the size of Japan.

 

 

The largest state in India is Rajasthan and it has 342,000 km² land area.

The size  is almost same as  that of Japan! It’ huge!

 

 

Maharashtra, where I’m going to go, is the third largest state in India.

It’s  long from side to side.

 

 

So, to cross the state, you have to travel a very long distance.

That’s why it takes so long time!

 

 

I will go to Mumbai by train.

However, I will use an airplane to return to Kolkata.

It takes only 3 hours!

 

 

 

This is my first time to take a sleeper train, participate in a wedding ceremony and visit a state other than West Bengal.

And I will go to the Leprosy museum in Mumbai.

 

 

I’m looking forward to having a new experience there!

 

 

 

 

 

Why is Kolkata so famous?  The history and buildings of Kolkata. (Yagi)

Hello.I’m Sakura.

I’m in Kolkata today.

To participate in a wedding ceremony in Maharashtra district from May 6th.

Tomorrow I will take a train for about 17 hours.

I’m so excited brcause this is my first time to take sleeper train.

 

 

Today I would like to tell you about the history of Kolkata.

I will also mention about    buildings for sightseeing.

 

 

The population of Kolkata in 2011 was 4,497,000.

The urban population is the third largest in India following Delhi and Mumbai.

 

※ The urban population:  Population of urban area including major cities and suburban cities near major urban area.

 

 

So why has Kolkata so developed?

 

It is closely related to the United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom East India company.

 

 

In 1690, The British East India company built a trading house in the current Kolkata.

 

In 1696, Britain gained the control of the land of Kolkata.

→ At this time, William Fortress is built. (Named after King William III)

 

In 1756, The Mughal Empire occupied the fortress.

 

In 1757, East India company  recaptured Kolkata.

 

At that time, Britain and France were fighting for the territory of India.

The United Kingdom seized the territory of France one after another.

 

At that time the Bengal region was an area , where many products were sought by Britain.

 

As a result, in the middle of 1700, 75% of all UK East India companies were in the Bengal region.

 

Especially,Kolkata, which has a trading house, used to be the center place of the trade area.

 

In the first place, Britain aimed to  trade spices. However, with the acquisition of taxation rights, etc., it has also taken on the role of the administrative body of India.

 

 

British Prime Minister Frederick North has enacted Indian regulatory law in 1773.

Then, the newly established Governor General of Bengal was able to operate all lands of East India company.

So Kolkata has become the political center of the whole of British India as well as the Bengal region.

 

 

In other words, the current development of Kolkata is due to the development by the East India company from the late 1600s.

 

 

 

There are many buildings that you can feel the British rule of that time in Kolkata!

These are some typical ones.

 

1 Victoria Memorial Hall / Park

 

I think It’s the most famous building in Kolkata.

The Victoria Memorial Hall was built in 1921 using Taj Mahal as a model.

And It named after Queen Victoria, who also served as the emperor of India at that time.

The hall currently displays documents, weapons, and pictures which used in india during the British rule.

 

I visited there around three times lol.

Depending on the period, there are special exhibitions.

For example, about the Howrah Bridge and the history of the city formation of Kolkata.

 

The entry fee is 500 rupees for foreigners (Nearly  $7) . (including parks)

 

 

Actually, the park surrounding the memorial hall is also wonderful!

The admission fee only for the park is about 20 rupees (Nearly $0.3).

 

 

 

 

2 St Paul’s Cathedral

 

It is very close to the Victoria Memorial Hall.

It is an Indian-Gothic style architecture and is said to be the oldest church in India.

 

Recently, a coffin of a designer of this cathedral was found in it.

It was widely featured in Indian newspapers!

 

Depending on the time, you can also listen to the piano, so please check it out when you visit there!

 

The admission fee is free. note that taking photos is prohibited in it!

 

 

 

I recommend take a taxi if you visit Victoria Memorial Hall and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

 

 

That’s all I want to tell you about the history of Kolkata and famous buildings!

There are many other places in Kolkata where you can feel some religions and cultures, such as Hindu temples, mosques and large shopping malls.

 

 

When you travel in kolkata, enjoy to visit various places in Kolkata!

 

What is the Chakdola Leprosy Colony?　(Yuka)

Hello. I’m Yuka.

 

 

Today I will introduce one leprosy colony where our organization started working most recently.

 

 

It is “Chakdola Leprosy Colony.”

We have been conducting work camps there from March 2018.

 

 

It is in Bardhaman district of West Bengal.

It takes 4 hours to go there from Kolkata by train and bus.

 

 

It is a very small colony.

We can overlook the whole village from the room where we stay during the work camp.

About 45 people (16 families) live there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are many brick factories around the village and many village men work there.

 

 

The village is very peaceful and comfortable place because the population is small and the people are calm.

I feel like time goes by so slowly while I’m there.

 

 

This is the senior leader of the colony, Shamaln Ray.

 

 

 

And this is the young leader, Pappu Coal.

 

 

 

 

There is another person who I’d like to introduce to you.

He is Jisu Marandi.

 

 

He is a very kind man and always thinking about the village and the villagers.

 

He dropped out of the school and now he is working at a factory near the village so that his mother and his grandparents would not go begging.

 

He always helps villagers and us as well as his family.

 

I really like him!

 

 

As I explained, Chakdola Colony is a very nice village.

However, the colony and the people have many serious problems.

 

 

Most of the houses in the village have some troubles like leaking of rain and broken wall.

Some women and elderly people live by begging and their earning is very small.

Those who work at brick factory can not get a stable income because some season there is few things to do there.

Adults in the village are not educated well and only children can read or write.

Moreover, discrimination from neighbors and colleagues at work still exists in daily life.

 

 

They said to me “we are happy just because you are here.”

I was touched by the word.

I want to be close to them and go ahead together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact, the first work (infrastructure building) was conducted in this March there!

 

 

 

Japanese members have already returned to Japan, but work is still in progress now.

 

 

The work that is going on now is a construction of a new house for one family.

They used to live in the house that was the worst situation in the village.

There was a big crack on the wall and they have to live in it with fear that their house might fall down.

 

 

 

If this work is completed, they can live in a new house without such a fear.

 

 

This time, our work is for only one house and one family.

However, we are planning to repair all houses one by one in the future.

 

 

I hope the day that the colony’s problems are totally solved will come.

And I will work hard to achieve that!

 

 

 

In fact, I haven’t visited Chakdola colony since I had come to India in this March yet.

I will go there in the middle of May. I can’t wait to go there and see the villagers!

 

 

 

 

Street Foods in India.(Yagi)

Hello. I’m Sakura!

 

Today,I want to  introduce Street Foods in india!

 

 

①Alu-chop

 

As Yuka  stated before ,

It’s fried spicy potato and beans.

It tastes like a curry.

You can buy it  everywhere in india.

I eat it everyday  is sold in a shop near our office because there is an old man who always be smail. I love him!!

Some people may feel it’s too spicy. So please be careful when you eat it!

 

 

 

 

②Chai

 

India is famous for  Chai!

Chai is a milk tea with spices and sugar.

You can buy it everywhere including in a train.

It is so fun to compare some types of Chai  when you travel by train!

 

 

 

③dim-toast

 

“Dim” means  “egg” in Bengali.

It’a a toast with eggs grilled with thinly sliced ​​onion.

It tastes spicy but it’s not like curry!

 

 

 

④Huchika

It is a globular, deep-in-the-hollow deep-fried dough with a spicy sauce.

It’s in the shape of a cup, so you’ll scout the sauce and eat it.

As same as alu-chops,some people may feel it’s too spicy

Some of my Japanese friends said, “It’s nice!” but some friends said “too hot” and “I don’t like it”. So I think you either love or hate it. It depends on your taste preferences.

 

 

 

⑤Cho-men

 

This is  chinese food,”炒麺”.

It is a little bit spicy but it’s not like curry.

 

 

 

⑥Ruchi

 

It’s not Ruti!!

Ruti is grilled but Ruchi is fried!

It’s popular  to eat it with  curry.

It only tastes salt and the dough. (Maybe it’s flour..)

Therefore thetaste is so simple.

 

 

 

That’s all I want to introduce to you today but it’s just a part of Street Foods in india.

There are a lot of Street Foods in India.

For example,chicken-rolls, pakoras, chiken-thicka, a juice of sugar cane and so on.

So I’ll introduce more Street Foods after I take those pictures!

 

 

When you travel in India, why don’t you feel a taste of India with some Street Foods?