Merry Christmas!

Vrindavan

I was in and around Vrindavan (in the state of Uttar Pradesh) during the week of Thanksgiving, visiting schools and kitchens for work, but also finding some time to take in the sights. On this day, I had a few hours in the afternoon free to shoot these photos and see a bit of this town, a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from all over the world.

Baran

In remote areas, such as Baran, where large centralized kitchens are not feasible, my host organization employs (and empowers!) local women to prepare meals for the schools. I hope these photos give you a sense of the scenery, schools and daily life in Rajasthani villages.

Jaipur party

Here are a few photos of a fun, beautiful fundraising event for Akshaya Patra in Jaipur. It featured diverse cuisines from all over India -- yum!

Jaipur

About a week before Thanksgiving, I traveled to the north of India for work. Luckily, I found myself in Jaipur (in the state of Rajasthan -- see map on right) on a Sunday, when the schools and kitchens are closed, so I got to play tourist for a day. Jaipur is a popular tourist destination, known as the "Pink City" because all the buildings in the old part of the city are, indeed, painted pink. The north of India looks and feels quite different from the South, which I hope you can get a sense of from these photos of Jaipur. It's hard to describe, but it feels a bit more like the Wild West!

Mysore Dasara

Just a couple of weeks after my first trip to Mysore, I returned to watch the Jamboo Savari parade, the highlight of a over a week of of Dasara festivities, which draws tourists from all over the world. While the parade wound through the city, we splurged for tickets on the Mysore Palace grounds, which afforded us a wonderful view! The parade went on for hours, with ceremonies, music, dancing, floats, and as you can see here, gorgeous elephants. These photos don't do them justice, but I hope you enjoy them!