The world was still dark and (mostly) silent as our group left the Jaycee Palace Hotel in Agra and boarded electric carts for the Taj Mahal. Even at 0500, however, the pathways teemed with tourists, all walking past shuttered shops that sold souvenirs and food during the day. We were here to see the Taj Mahal in the first light of day. Lonely Planet India (Travel Guide, 2017) quotes poet Rabindranath Tagore as saying the Taj Mahal is “‘a teardrop
Read moreAt my request, Rathnakaran allowed us to attend another school assembly. These powerful events happen every day, including Saturday, because classes happen every day. Because the school is multi-lingual, two assemblies use Hindi, two Malayalam, and and two are in the English language. Rathnakaran pulled some wires and made Saturday’s event in English, although it was not scheduled that way. Students lead the assembly. Some set up. Another group plays drums (loudly). Other groups consist of the audio crew, a
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