Train to Thanjavur (and tenure)
Last week I went on my first trip to a couple of new archives in south India, in Chennai and Thanjavur to be precise, for my new research project. (More about both these places later, when I visit again). A friend who knows them well and had to do some work there too, came along, and I met some other friends and family too. Somehow, when punctuated by train travel, gin and tonics, old school meet-ups and incredible coffee, work becomes quite tolerable, no? Look at us, so busy with work, hotly discussing intricate details of micro-history, palm-leaf manuscripts and power relations in the countryside (no, really, we got a lot of work done):
I have always been a bit of an Indian Railways fanatic, and I will do a proper railways post later in the year, after I take a few more trips and better pictures. But after a very long time, I did something I used to love about train travel when I was in college – sitting in the open door of the speeding train with your face in the wind, watching the country go by. Our parents would be furious when we did this, and I don’t know if it’s my advanced age, or the increased speed of the trains nowadays, that this seemed a bit more dangerous now than back then. But swaying with the rhythm of the train and hearing the tracks bark at you as you is unbeatable. Back in the day with the steam engines, you could catch a piece of flying coal occasionally in your eye if you leaned out. Now it’s the acrid smell of diesel that you have to battle, but at the crack of dawn that day, the fresh river breeze easily subdued it. Being in an unreserved women’s compartment, with all the sociality that it entails, was even better.
The views of the sunrise, and the changing light, over the Kaveri river delta and its paddy fields were stunning as the train sped towards Thanjavur:
Speaking of coffee, there is very little in the world that provides as much joy and satisfaction as a good south Indian tumbler, hot and frothing.
I’m sharing it all with you, with some good news – I just heard, with official papers and all, that I now have tenure at my department. Big whoop of joy and all that, people!! This year has been hard in many ways, but this news brings me a lot of relief and excitement for the future. I do have to dust the seat of my pants and get cracking in the archives, but hey, I’m going to have some coffee and lie back and enjoy a break for just a little while longer. It’s great to be with my family to celebrate, but my first thought was to wonder what big knitting gift to get myself – I’m thinking a new umbrella swift, or better still, some semi-solid fingering Koigu for a sweater. I can’t do any of it until I return to Berkeley anyway and in the meantime I did get sloshed, but any suggestions?
Yay! Congratulations! Definitely take some time to savor the news. You’ve earned it.
Congratulations on the great news! You deserve a break.
Huge congratulations to you. What a happy post.
Fantastic news!! Well done. Phaatiye enjoy kor!
Congratulations! Such a momentous event!
Congrats! That’s great!!
Woohoo! That’s great in many ways!
You could always start spinning… sounds like there are all sorts of treats one could get oneself if you go that way.
Or… qiviut.
I’m also a bit jealous. I love archives and archive work. Sigh. Next year.
As a doctoral student reader of your blog, I wanted to emerge from the woodwork to send you a VERY, VERY HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS on getting tenure. That’s no small achievement!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Wow, that’s wonderful news! Looks like you’re enjoying a wonderful place, too.
Big big big congratulations on tenure. Will be drinking big toast to you. Archival work looks like a lot of fun! and so does the train. Wishing you a peaceful resting and sunny energy for the research to come. A swift sounds really good….
What fantastic news, Congratulations! You deserve something extravagant and decadent to celebrate. I’d say a cubic meter of koigu should fit the bill.
OMG, congratulations! Such good news.
Great train pictures. I’m just crrrraaaavvving for some foamy-frothy filter coffee.
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations! I’m so happy for you.
Lovely photos too!
Awesome photos and CONGRATS!!!!!You deserve it!
oh, CONGRATS! that’s wonderful news.
and these are great photos, too!
Congratulations! I’m glad you’re with your family to celebrate!
[em]Thank you, thank you, thank you, folks! As you well know, my knitting (and blog) has played a large role in keeping me sane through my real life, and it’s great to be able to share this with everyone.[/em]
Yay!! Congratulations!! I’m doing a little jig here.
Btw, I am loving all these kurtas and salwars — crisp and summery.
oh my goodness, congratulations!!!! that’s absolutely FANTASTIC! And how wonderful that you get to know when you’re in India — the rest of your stay will be one happy glow
).
- Vasudha
Congratulations! And love the photos.
Congratulations!!!!!
Did I say I love your blog? And your interests intersect with mine as well. Just came across your blog from sepoy’s website (I think) a little while ago. You are making me jealous – I was in India (as I mentioned earlier) went to Bangalore, Chennai – have wanted to go to Thanjavur for ever – didn’t do it…
Anyway, thanks for goading me into action, I hope!!!
Amaaazing stuff.
Congratulations!!
That’s what I get for not reading through to the end…
Congrats on making tenure, what an achievement! Maybe some cashmere is in order?
I love the train photos–it’s like a whole different world.
Congratulations!! Great pictures and riveting writeup, as always.
I love that teal and white salwar combo – always wanted one but never found one that I liked. Accha, are big wide salwars more common these days? I am caught in a time warp when it comes to Indian clothes.
Hey Sthan, welcome to the blog – Sepoy’s friends are always welcome here! And thanks – I hope you keep visiting!
Lobstah, ha ha, it is indeed quite a different world at times; even a planet. Thank you!
ET: thanks! I think wider salwars might be in fashion now, but it’s difficult to tell, since I only ever shop at Fabindia! This salwar I did buy at a local shop, and it was the one plain one I could get without oodles of lace or sequins or the other crap junta sports on their clothes nowadays. One of my friends calls our outfits above “Lefty Chic”, and I suppose she’s right; it’s not widely in fashion!
Congrats on making tenure! What fantastic news that must have been… and here I thought you were still a grad student. Did I get that from your blog somewhere at some point?
Congratulations– I’m guessing you are still in India. When you get back to the Bay area we should celebrate with the a-s crowd, eh?