Opening of the 1st CSPA project at Sylviander House: Exhibition STORY OF A NATION & Tibetan Medical Camp

It is going to 10 am on Wednesday 11th February 2015 … 

Last check of the poster for this event beside the gate is taken by Alexander … 

… everything looks fine. 

Kallianpur has arranged books and information materials on the small table beside the entrance … 

The many people had come waiting under the cashew nut trees, now slowly enter the museum … 

At first I welcome the visitors talking shortly about our project CSPA and the Wellbeing program, which took place with Tibetan Medical Camps in Ernakulam for 3 years … 

… also I mention our engagement for a wellbeing life, which proves to be difficult to realize in these modern times, a challenge to becoming aware by reconnecting with our souls for being in contact with ourself and with our surroundings for a healthier and more peaceful life … 

As next, Tenzin Tsundue, the tibetan freedom activist and poet, speeks about the tibetans‘ nonviolant activity and the change that will happen with the time as seen in history before … 

Sethu Das moderates the procedure with his charming humor according to his script, which was carefully discussed among us the day before. 

20 people who supported friendsoftibet for so many years or personalities from nearby showing high interest and support are invited to light a tibetan butter lamp.

But who will light the 1st lamp? 

Of course Dr.Dorjee Rapten! 

After him Tenzin Tsundue … 

… then Sethus‘s father, the well known cartoonist Yesudas, and all others … 

… finally Alexander and me are lighting a lamp too

 – for me it is the first tibetan butter lamp I‘ve ever lightened! 

Subsequently those guests are honoured with a tibetan shawl … 

On the picture to be seen Father Nelson, who visited Sylviander House several times for seeing Alexander‘s exhibition at our Art Museum and having cordial conversations with us about life in Kerala … 

Nearly unnoticed an incident happens, 2 shawls were not yet cut apart, which is noticed by Kallianpur early enough. So I run to my nearby stitching room to solve the problem within seconds thanks to my biggest scissor. 

Finally Dr.Dorjee Rapten gives an introduction in to tibetan medicine and treatment, highlighting the importance of understanding the reason of our illness. 

After these speeches and ceremonies it is Alexander‘s turn to invite everybody for tibetan health tea and tiffins, prepared by our brother in law Varghese, who runs a small tea stall nearby – he will provide the afternoon‘s tea and snacks for the coming 3 days camp. 

While the 20 butter lamps are silently glimmering in the lonesome museum … 

… everybody enjoys the refreshments outside in the garden with conversations … 

It is a pleasure to watch the unformal turbulence of people meeting and talking …

By and by Sethu as the director of the scedule gets a bit nervous about the punctual beginning of the Tibetan Medical Camp … 

… patients are waiting now to consult the tibetan doctors … 

(Photos by Sylvie Bantle, Eswar Anandan and Prayag Mukundan)

For more informations: www.friendsoftibet.org

Preparation for the 1st CSPA project at Sylviander House: A 3-days Tibetan Medical Camp

Until late night before opening on wednesday February 11 we were busy with preparations of the exhibition STORY OF A NATION, of the rooms for the tibetan guests to stay and the two doctors to consult, of the space for the medicines distribution, of hanging new prayer flags over the entrance … 

… of installing a board beside the gate … 

… and so many arrangements, which had to be done – Kallianpur, Sethu, Eswar, Alexander and me. 

Next early morning, Alexander and Eswar got up at 4.40 am to pick up the tibetan Doctor‘s with team from Bangalore at the railway station Alappuzha with their suitcases full of medicines. 

And work wasn‘t finished. 

After a breakfast, prepared from Lilama, Sonam and Yeshi prepared the tibetan butter lamps. 

Dr.Dorjee Rapten decorated himself the entrance door … 

Look at his muscles!

Then the team arranged the medicines on the big table in the entrance room … 

Short time later Eldtho arrived with the tibetan poet and freedom fighter Tenzin Tsundue. 

Slowly the first visitors came and were waiting on the chairs we‘ve put under the two cashew nut trees in front of Sylviander House, chatting and reading the information about the Wellbeing programme … 

… Sethu Das never rests coordinating the preparations for the function.

Oh, what I see! A cashew mango like a magic sign is hanging above Sethu‘s head, one of his favorite fruits! 

Eswar Anandan and Eldtho Matthew, both longtime friendsoftibet campaigner, solve last unclarities.

More and more people came … 

Among the guests were some priests from the area being interested in this project … 

… and Victoria, a student from Canada, arrived – she speaks Malayalam and is volunteering last several Tibetan Medical Camps … 

… also Sethu‘s mother and father came, the well known cartoonist Yesudas from Kochi … 

Last instructions about the procedure had to be discussed… 

… so many interested people from near and far had come … 

Kallianpur always active distributing the informations he prepared about the project … 

Very soon we will start, at 10 am … 

And while we got ready for the opening, Lilama already was busy in the kitchen with preparing lunch for 18 people … 

(Photos by Sylvie Bantle and Prayag Mukundan)

Coming soon: Wellbeing Traditional Tibetan Medical Camp at Sylviander House

From February 11 to 13, 2015 for the 1st time the Wellbeing Traditional Tibetan Medical Camp will take place at Sylviander House together with the exhibition STORY OF A NATION 

Inauguration 10 am, February 11, 2015 with eminent filmmaker Shri Adoor Gopalakrishnan

We are glad to host this wonderful wellbeing project and being part of in the future every 2 months. 

Welcome everybody! Please register for consultation with the doctor: www.friendsoftibet.org/welbeing/ 

culinary joy: Kerala vegetable at Sylviander House

Even I had come to India and Kerala first time by land in 1977 and then traveled regularly since then to India and Kerala, I only got to know recently an old traditional vegetable of Kerala. 

The malayalam name for it is very difficult for me to pronounce and remember, but the translation is easy, means: Pluck me every day!

A neighbor brought us a handfull of his harvest in his garden and I was surprised seeing it the first time this small fruit around 6 cm long. I just fried it with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper – I love it! 

So I took some seeds and started planting it in my Sylviander House garden. 

We had to build a structure for that creeper plant, which needs every day water. 

The flowers are beautiful but only open short time before sunset, next morning they closed again, then you can watch the small fruits growing … 

Meanwhile many plants are growing and every day I can harvest some …

culinary joy: cake time at Sylviander House

Because of the warm climate and some lack of ingredients I have to be creative! 

Something cool we like to eat, refreshing … 

One day I had the idea to make a cake with fruit jelly. 

Papaya we can harvest all the year in our Sylviander House garden which will be the basis for many recipes. 

In the mixer I made a puree of papaya, then cook it with some fine cut pieces of pinapple, passionfruit and Aga-Aga, a jelly powder, apply it on the baken shortpastry and put it in the fridge. 

Oh, what a wonderful afternoon, a last sip of italian Grappa remained for my pleasure with espresso on the verandah … 

Of course, Moojoo our little cat girl is curious for everything and she loves fresh bread or cake, taking the chance whenever my eyes are somewhere else!

If there are no ‘nadan‘ eggs and no butter in the fridge … 

… I make just a jelly which is delicious too …

… and it is so fascinating to see the afternoon light shining through the fruits which look like juwels …