[Marisa] Blog 5

I apologize for not posting in so long. My last few days in India have been nothing short of memorable! Unfortunately, my internet access during this time was next to nonexistent, given the Indian power outages and my visit to the remote Leh.

After arriving in Delhi and visiting the Taj, I traveled to the northeastern part of the city to visit the doctor whom I had met with in Chennai at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences. I was given a tour of the facilities, allowing me to explore different facets of my project on the role of the family in mental health care. Specifically, I was able to observe and hear about mother and child unit of the Institute. This unit was created in order to allow the children of mentally unstable mothers to remain with the mothers, by providing full care for the mother. Each child and each mother are given a personal nurse assistant. I found this interesting as the Western facilities that I am most familiar with typically do not allow for a child to remain with a mother showing any signs of illness. I do not know which was is better and my personal opinion is that each case is distinct, however seeing this mother and child facility of the Institute gave me a new outlook on mental health care and goals for treatment.

For my last week in the country, I traveled to the Himalayan mountains, namely Leh, Ladakh, which is situated in the northern part of India. From the moment I stepped out of the plane (literally, this is not just an expression!), I was surrounded with panoramic vistas that are typically only seen as postcard images. While in Leh, I was graced with the opportunity to attend a teaching on Tibetan Buddhism by the Dalai Lama, visit the Leh palace, and travel to Pangong Lake. In the process of traveling the region, I became acquainted with Ladakhi culture.

To my surprise, this Ladakhi culture was extremely distinct from Delhi and Chennai. For example, the Ladkhi diet almost primarily consisted of organic and homegrown foods, as there are no large grocery stores or food markets in the area. The food was delightful!

During my final days in India, I pondered about all the different places I visited. I was able to see multiple cultures within India: southern culture in Chennai, northern culture in Delhi, Sufi culture within Delhi, and Ladakhi culture in the Himalayas. Though all in the same country, each area had its own personality and I am grateful for being able to see them all and for my time in India!