a bit about yours truly

bijapuri · Aug 30th, 2003, 02:08

Am thinking it was rude to just start posting away here without an intro, but as an American, I suppose that is to be expected . . Here's my belated intro:

Born in the Appalachians of good Scots-Irish folk who meant well, and were well off, but I always wanted to git outa that holler!
Studied my way into an exchange program for college sophmores to spend a year in India. Couldn't find India on a map but went for it. So in 1970 at the age of 19 I landed in India with 81 other palefaces, and within 3 months had dropped out, moved into an opium den in Bangalore and proceeded to spend the next 3 years slumming it all over South Asia. Came back addicted and sucked up with Hep in 1973, and promptly moved to Santa Cruz, Ca. where I have been ever since.

I got clean and sober in 1985, and started going back to India every few years since then. I finally got a BA in 1992, in . . . Indian History, natch!

In 1993 I helped start a de-addiction clinic in Bangalore, which became the Freedom Foundation, and is a roaring success. Lately they have branched out to include HIV/AIDS work:

http://www.thefreedomfoundation.org/

I am married, have 3 sons all in their 20's, and work as an addictions counselor locally. I still spend all my time obsessing about India, and plan to retire there in a few short years. I much prefer the south of India as I hate smog, and developed an aversion to mountains and snow from my childhood. However, I have travelled a lot in the North, and my next trip will be to Madhya Pradesh and the Chandela forts.

When I find myself with a few spare moments free of the torment of India obsession, my interests are Hindustani,Celtic, Jazz and rock and classical (Russian mostly) music, The SFO Giants, espanol ( I work in a 70% Latino community), and things Middle Eastern, especially Turkey. Spiritually, I like to pile my plate with a spoonful from each entry at God's Buffett. Some vague combo of Sufi/Bakti/Shivaite curry with the 12 steps of AA for Naan, and Buddha for raita, and my Presbyterian upbringing as the banana leaf upon which it is all piled high. But, in the words of Hafiz-

Why just show you God's menu?
Hell, we're all starving-
Lets eat!

When I dont have the time and/or money for India I jump in the pickup and head out to the southwest or the Sierras. If I don't have the resources for that I jump on my Kawi Vulcan and moto the twisties of the Santa Cruz mountains. If I can't manage that I get on my schwinn cruiser bicycle and cause mayhem on the oceanfront streets of Santa Cruz.

India has been the single most important influence on my life, and I am extremely grateful for it. I am worried sick that some babu will spill his chai on the hot button and the entire place will go up in a mushroom cloud, but what to do?

Oh, I got the name "Bijapuri" because I almost died there of an overdose. I trace my road to recovery from that October day in 1984.
I wish all of you fellow India Hands contented tummies, correct meters and full flashcards on your next trip!

cyberhippie · Aug 30th, 2003, 03:10

Phew Bijapuri
I think you maybe the Keith Richards of this forum!! And may I say the years have'nt done too much damage!!!
That's a fair travelling pedigree you've got there!
I'm a bit of a physcophant for all this 60's 70's stuff, I would have loved to have been there,breaking ground, in a almost virgin India. Mind you thinking back to my first time back in '92' would I have coped???

Magic that you went back and helped sort a problem in the country you love!!
Keep up the good work and "the Chandela forts" Pm me I'm curious!!!!
Hang around you are what makes this site what it is

fat freddy's cat · Aug 30th, 2003, 03:45

wow -you're some man!
Glad you've triumphed over adversity and come out the other side smilin

wonderwomanusa · Aug 30th, 2003, 06:48

I was out there in those years and there were a lot of addicts around; it has been sad, over the years, to hear of deaths in the family of travellers...but the grapevine still works.

And who knows, we may have had breakfast together at one of those hangouts back in the old days.

It sure feels good to be going back...

Samsara · Aug 30th, 2003, 10:38

What an interesting life - I don't know what overdose you almost died of, bijapuri, but there is a lot of heroin addiction in Australia. I think they should just decriminalise the heroin as so much of the crime here is connected to heroin (I've been mugged three times in Sydney, two were clearly spelled out as for money needed for heroin) - I personally don't have any feelings one way or the other on heroin since I've never tried it (luckily) but it's all over the place in Australia. House break-ins, mafia and gang violence, a lot of that revolves around drug money. I wish drugs would just be decriminalised. People take heroin anyway (even well-known politicians relatives in Australia, one premier and one prime minister have been open about their relatives...artists, I have known a few too...talented people from "good families") so I think it's healthier to get it out in the open and not be judgmental about it and provide as many alternatives as possible (we have naltrexone here now, don't know if it works but it's not government subsidised, methadone is government subsidised). I really have an interest in this issue (heroin) just because I personally have come across this so much and am still coming across it...I'm still thinking about it all (don't work in the area of social work or heroin addiction but it keeps coming into my life, was just talking to a lady in a shop the other day and her son came in, he is a heroin addict). I had one very close friend at university who was on heroin. He held down a job, had a first class university degree, was from an "upper class" family (prestigious private schools and residential uni colleges - the very best of the best)...I've known so many people on heroin and still coming into contact with it (which is amazing and which makes me think Australia must have a huge number of heroin users...). I really need to educate myself about the whole issue but I don't think criminalising it is viable at all, I've made my stand on that point and also I refuse to be judgmental about it - but it is such a huge problem here so I would like to find out about all the different programs in place in Australia for heroin users (including the situation in prisons as it's there too). I'll have a look at your site, sounds great. It's great you're doing something. I'm really really very interested, as though I didn't ever go looking for heroin, it keeps hitting me in the face (know of one girl from a sub-continental background here who is in prison, from a very privileged family..., it seemed to be a heroin related crime...I didn't know her personally just vaguely but what a shock...but this is how pervasive it is here...I can list so many people I've known personally...I think I'd like to do something - I want to know what goes on in prisons, how much help there is).

concoran · Oct 10th, 2003, 11:45

India is not a democracy, it's an anarchy. Everybody gets what
he / she wants. Thats what I like about my country.
I want just about everything decriminalized. If you want to go and
smoke some Hashish, go do it, don't bother others or the government.
But if you do it, you would be doing at your risk.
Inspite of being an anarchy, less than 1% Indians are into Hashish
or stuff like that. That's what I like about the upbringing I had.
It's not the govt that decides what you want to do with your life,
but it's you who do it.
Way to go !!

Karl, I like your username. I was born and raised very near
Bijapur. I like Bhaji, Bhel, poli, jolada rotti, Idli, samosa, chutney.
I am sure you do too. I also like to take an afternoon nap in our
farm

beach · Feb 24th, 2005, 14:21

Wow! I read the whole story like a thriller!!

Btw I’m addicted to masala dosa!! Is there any escape route??

phantom · Feb 24th, 2005, 17:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by beach

Wow! I read the whole story like a thriller!!

Btw I’m addicted to masala dosa!! Is there any escape route??

Yeah, try PAPER masala dosa

I am not advising chhole bhature coz I don't know whether you will get them at everyplace or not and they are very spicy too

capt_mahajan · Jul 27th, 2007, 12:04

Bijapuri, I know its more than two years, and I just read it... but it is still an amazing post.

Thank you.

Sadanand Kamath · Jul 27th, 2007, 12:13

Thanks to cap mahajan's post today, I got a chance to read this thread. It is really 'yours truly'.

Sadanand

aadil · Jul 27th, 2007, 13:20

Great to see this out here and just thinking why so many people still come out here to get doped? Especially the Israeli youngsters who are just out from the three years in the army and many other foreigners who think this is a good place to get drugs easily and pretty cheap too. Good to hear that you are giving back life to the ones who don't understand the value of life and get stuck in the endless pit of drugs and dope. Keep up the good work.

Cheers,
Aadil.

Familyonthemove · Jul 27th, 2007, 16:55

Excellent post bijapuri .... thanks.

I thought I'd lived a bit 'till I read your post - well done for surviving

And it's brought out all the 'closet hippies'

Only one problem .... a Vulcan

Don't they sell Harley's around your way?

SitaParityaga · Jul 27th, 2007, 23:23

Ha!

Never read your story before either, BJ....glad to see the thread brought up by Capt.

What a long strange trip it has been, and thank Gods, we are still here, alive, on yet another trip.

S

capt_mahajan · Jul 28th, 2007, 00:28

Since a couple of folk have thanked me for bringing up this thread, it is only fair to point out that the credit, if any, should go to steven_ber, who pointed it out to me.