January 19, 2023
Refreshing as Lime Soda
Today was a refreshing day, in both the activities we did and the free time we had. We began the day with a not-so-refreshing start at 5:30 am to visit Akshaya Patra and to see their kitchen facility in Bangalore, which produces 100,000 meals a day for children in government schools. Once arriving, we had to switch into special slippers, a.k.a flip flops, and wear masks and hairnets. Once we met with our guide, we were shown the large silos filled with government subsidies of staples, such as dal and rice, and the storerooms where all other food and spices are stored and cleaned. The next floor below consisted of the machines and hoses to wash all the raw rice and chop all the vegetables, both of which were transported down through chutes in the floor to the cooking floor. On this next floor, gigantic pots that could make 6,000 meals each cooked rice and curries, and a group of workers stood next to each one stirring the pots, releasing extra water, and adding different vegetables at different times according to the recipe of the day. Once these dishes were ready to be packaged, they were sent down in pipes through the floor to the ground floor to be placed in tin vessels and then hauled into the distribution trucks. This process was very interesting to witness first hand, but it was also a slight taste of home as it was probably the most industrial process we have seen in India yet, with strict organization and health requirements dictating many actions. After completing our tour, our guide from Akshaya Patra led us to the large modern temple complex being developed atop a nearby hill. Since visiting my first temple, I was curious what a modern example of temple designs and customs would look like, and I was able to satisfy my wonders with this visit. And yes, of course a modern temple complex ends in a gift shop.
Our classic Tempo traveler escorted our group back to the organization, which then fed us breakfast with some of the food they had prepared that day. It was delicious and cooked amazingly well, where the vegetables and potatoes were a perfect texture and the gravy was very yummy. With full bellies, we said goodbye and headed back to the hostel, where we were greeted with an awesome presentation about Kaylea’s life story and some precious free time. I took a lovely nap while others enjoyed a cup of coffee at a local cafe. After lunch, we had yet more free time until Dr. Pragati from the Institute of Public Health shared a lecture about healthcare systems in India and how those systems impact rural villages. We ended the day by completing a discussion activity designed by our own peer, Rachel, to analyze our experiences in India through different lenses of identity. To me, this was also a refreshing time, as we were able to stare down some elephants in the room and truly get to know how to better support one another.
Overall, today was a nice respite from other days that have had back-to-back activities and lasted into the late evening. While I’m grateful for days that are full of enticing and exciting experiences, taking it slow today was a reminder to really enjoy the activities each day presented and to recognize how lucky we are to have such a cultivated and organized schedule. Seeing a peek of the US through an industrial kitchen, being able to take some time for myself to re-energize, and engaging in in-depth conversations with my peers was as refreshing as a glass of lime soda on a hot summer day.