Purpose

My purpose in going to India was to fix teeth, but I soon discovered I was half as effective as the nationals. My treatment was limited by my inability to understand the patients and I was not trained to make dentures from scratch.

I missed all the instruments we have in the west which make dentistry easier. The equipment was temperamental and the mains electricity supply was constantly cutting out. Luckily, the generators kicked in almost immediately; but there were always torches ready.

The strength of the suction, light and drill fluctuated depending on whether we were running off the generator or mains supply. My role became one of encouragement and support, but I learnt a lot from the dedication and sacrifices made by the dentists.

Rural Mission

They have given up a well-paid job and opportunities to further their dental career, to work in these rural mission hospitals. They were often separated from a husband or wife and children.
The weather changed dramatically from September to December. I missed the mon-soon rains, but the trains were still cancelled due to floods and I was amazed to see people fishing in the paddy fields.

When I got to Raxaul, it was very hot and, after every extraction, I had to stand in front of a fan. I averaged six cold showers a day. Towards the end of my time, it was freezing and I had to work wrapped up in a shawl; and only washed my hair if absolutely necessary. Heated houses and water were luxuries I enjoyed when back home.

I loved travelling about India. I became familiar with 24-hour train journeys. I chained my luggage up and looked forward to my picnic of curry and chapatti. The bus rides were more hair-raising. The blaring Bolly-wood films drowned out some of the beeping horns and screech-ing of brakes. Traffic jams and punctures were common.

Patience is a virtue I never had enough of, even though I tried to learn the waiting game. I always carried a book everywhere with me; but the queues at the bank, post office and immigration office still managed to get me frustrated, especially if I was in a rush. And it was even more annoying when the mission was unsuccessful.

The computers and phones had a tendency to cut me off at the most crucial moment. "Ahhh!!" The Indian response is "Tension is bad for your health".

Cooking Lessons

It took me a while to get used to the chai (sweet tea) and mithai (sweets), but I never got bored of the spicy savouries. I had lots of cooking lessons and buying the ingredients was the first challenge.

I had to pick a chicken and then try to persuade the man I did want it killed and chopped even if my back was turned. Cooking in humidity is not pleasant: I felt as though I was melting into a pool of sweat. And there were so many courses, so the Indian women spend hours preparing food. I'm back to cheating with curry paste now I'm home.

Every place I visited left a different impression. Delhi was the rundown metropolis in various stages of urban expansion and decay. It still had the feel of a capital city with its forts.

Expensive

Raxaul had the extraordinary bazaar, which sold everything from chickens, fruit and vegetables to electrical goods and clothing. Oil tankers were parked in the middle of the road and all the other traffic had to squeeze past them: expensive jeeps, buffalo carts, cycle rickshaws, pedal bikes, motorbikes, elephants, camels and donkeys.

Rajasthan had its deserted palaces and mighty fortresses of the Maharajas. Varanasi had its religious aura. It is on the Ganges River and one of the holiest cities in India. Wandering along the ghats (steps leading down to the river) at sunrise, I could watch a big orange ball rise over people batheing, washing their clothes and worshipping.

The day-to-day irritants are becoming distant recollections: the heat, dust, erratic phones, power cuts, absence of toilet paper, chaos and hours of waiting. India opened my mind to a different culture and attitude towards life. In the middle of poverty, injustice and suffering, a sacrificial and caring love is found.

Beginning of article

Crosslinks magazine November 2002 index