Luxury, poverty, and life in between

The rest of our weekend in Pondicherry provided an interesting exposure to another part of Tamil Nadu district and life in India in general. Here are some observations, but keep in mind- these are just my thoughts- others may have different opinions.
Pondicherry is known for its history of French colonization, still evident by from its street names (Rue de St. Louis, for example) to the grandiose European-style architecture. Pondicherry is host to tourists from a wide variety of places- we encountered people from various places in India and surrounding countries, France, Germany, the U.K., and a few other Americans. Despite the outside influence, Pondicherry still appears to maintain cultural strength, demonstrated by the dress code (women wearing saris and salwar kamees), food, and lifestyle. It was conflicting to encounter extreme poverty mingled with ritzy tourist hotels and restaurants- the contrast was stark and disheartening. While walking down a side-street, we encountered a woman and her two small children washing their clothes and dishes in a filthy water drainage area- the water was literally brown and green- and this is how many people have to survive in India. Along the way to Pondicherry we witnessed people swimming and doing laundry in the same standing water that served as a garbage dump. It is mind boggling to think about how these conditions came about and how they might be improved.
As a sharp contrast, our group celebrated Shawn's birthday last night at a fancy rooftop restaurant near the beach. We had met a few other Americans earlier in the day who joined us for dinner- one was living in Chennai, working for a Leprosy clinic; another was doing her anthropology dissertation in a small village, working with children with disabilities, and the other was volunteering at the same organization for children with disabilities. It was interesting to gain some other perspectives about life in India as a foreigner and particularly working in such unique settings. The girl from Chennai shared her stories from the clinic, as well as her trip to a factory where clothing is made for Wal Mart- she was horrified at the working conditions, with women and young girls having to work long hours with minimal pay and only one short and regimented break. I couldn't help but think about the ultimate impact that we, as Americans, have on so many people just by participating in small routine procedures, like buying a shirt from Wal Mart. Not that I haven't thought of this before, but here it seems more real, actually seeing the people who ultimately bear the brunt of our consumerism.
Besides thoughts of leprosy and exploited workers, our dinner was pleasant and a nice way to end our last evening of vacation. The trip back to Thanjavur was intriguing- we took a back-roads route through several small villages, some bearing communist flags and numerous political signs, as well as tiny rural villages with numerous billboards for fancy jewelry shops. We passed fields of cows and goats, rice paddies, and some beautiful water-scapes complete with swimmers and a crocodile sunning itself. It was comforting to see the Big Temple as we arrived back in Thanjavur, to rest and process a rejuvenating and yet conflicting weekend.