E-mails from India- Part 1

This weekend brought the first emails from our two classmates who are visiting India. Our friends have included pictures that they took while travelling through this amazing country! Below is the first e-mail from our Grade 3 traveller.

February 12, 2011

MUMBAI, INDIA

Hello Classmates!

I am having a great time in India.  Here are some photos from Mumbai.  Mumbai is busy: it is filled with beggars, cab drivers, millionaires, and deities.  The religion here is mainly Hindu, although there are Buddists, Jains, Catholics, Muslims, and Sikhs as well.  

 

The black deities that you see in my picture are from the Jain temple.  The Jains wear things over their mouths to prevent breathing on the gods and goddesses.  The Jains also sweep ants out of the way to prevent stepping on them.

The temple you see is on Mount Mary.  It has a statue of Mary that was found more than 300 years ago.  This statue is called the Pearled Mother and there is a legend that it was found floating in the sea by a fisherman.  It is next door to my Aunt and Uncle's place.  Some people believe that she grants wishes.  We lit candles and I made a wish.

My Aunt and Uncle have a statue of Ganesh, the god of good luck.  Legends say that his head was chopped off and replaced with an elephant's head.  This is a picture of me meditating in front of Ganesh.

Hope you are having a good time up there.

Namaste,

C.