Dulari

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I have been reading 'Dulari' in the train in the last few days. It is written by Usha Marhe.

It is about six women who tried to look back at their past with Hindustan background. I am happy to find this book since I have been curious for some time about the Hindustani culture. Why?

When I was in Medan, Indonesia, I liked to visit Kampung Madras, an enclave of Indians. It is an interesting area to visit with a traditional market, restaurants, buildings, temples and the smell of Indian scents everywhere. And we won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award for Merit in 2003 for fixing the Tjong Yong Hian bridge in this area. The bridge for a Chinese Mayor in an Indian area, what a special mixture. And for several years with my friends in Sumatra Heritage Trust we have done a research about Kampung Madras; beautiful pictures about the people and their Indian culture.

And in 2005 I joined IFSAH (International Field School of Asian Heritage) by visiting India for two weeks. I met and talked to heritage movement activists in several cities in India. It left me with a deep impression. I admired them, I was inspired by them and I wanted to visit India again. See http://www.ifsah.net/ifsah3.html

And through Dulari, I got a little bit of idea about Indian workers in plantations in Suriname and Guyana, brought by the Dutch several centuries ago and printed their heritage to these days.

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