From journal of 8/14/2017:
Arose early today to make our way to the Mallik Ghat Flower Market along the Hooghly River in Kolkata. There was no bus or tram to take us there that early, even though we were given instructions that there would be. We finally would negotiate a couple of taxis on off we went. We were glad to have gotten down there by 6:00 AM (maybe a little before) to capture the true busyness of the market. I paused in awe to take in all the hard work of the farmers who must have to rise very early to separate, bundle, tie, and string all of the beautiful flowers. From the bridge we were able to take in the full breadth of the work.
Much work yields bountiful beauty. I could say that about the produce grown on the outskirts and the energy spent on getting it to the city for sale. I compare and contrast this to America and the mass production of produce and the loss of 'real work' that goes into this with advanced technology. We pay a heavy price for organically grown fruits and vegetables in the United States; flowers, too. Americans typically cannot afford to make such purchases so resort to refined calories that still take much resources from the earth to produce.
In Kolkata, farmers, rickshaw workers, construction workers (including women) rise early and end their days late. Calorie expenditure is greater than intake and thus these peoples' weight falls below what might constitute a healthy weight range. Americans? Consumers and hardly expenditures (of energy). We are 'storing up' for ourselves in many ways, including our body mass.
I continue to learn from Kolkata. I must share each jewel I collect from Kolkata. Here is just one valuable lesson.
