Incredible India!!!

I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaack (insert creepy voice).  Thank you so much for all of your emails checking up on me.  I’m sorry for the long delay in updating my blog, but internet access has been very spotty since I touched down in India.  I have completed my first month of travel in India (2 weeks in the north and 2 weeks in the south) and it has been amazing!  I have so much to share with you so let’s just jump right in. 

I landed in Delhi on February 14th (Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Bday Wendy), dropped my things at my hotel and hit the streets to get a feel for the city.  I had heard that Delhi was pretty chaotic and hectic, but it’s hard to get a sense of just how crazy it is until you are actually there in the thick of things.  The streets are filled with the sounds of honking horns from cars, trucks, motorbikes, tuk tuks and pedal rickshaws as well as shouting from street vendors and shop keepers attempting to entice passersby to check out their wares.  In addition to people and vehicles in the streets, there are cows, goats, and dogs everywhere, necessitating careful concentration to successfully navigate the piles of poo and puddles of pee along the way.  After a few hours checking out the neighborhood, I returned to my hotel to meet up with my tour group consisting of of 12 fellow travelers from Canada, England, Australia and the US. 

The next morning we set out for a tour of Old Delhi and had the pleasure of traveling by subway at the height of rush hour traffic.  The DC Metro used to get crowded at rush hour, but I’ve never seen anything quite like this before.  When the doors opened, it was wall to wall people, but our guide instructed us to pile in anyway, reminding us that we were the 3rd stop in case some of us didn’t make it on the train.  Once the doors closed everyone did a little readjusting to get comfortable…some of us a bit more than others.  I noticed something pressing into my backside and I assumed that this would subside in a few seconds, but instead it began to…ahem…grow.  Fascinating.  I figured I could escape at the next stop when I had to get off to allow others to deboard the train, but as luck would have it the same guy smashed in right behind me again.  This time he decided it best to hold on to my right butt cheek.  I craned my head to give him a look that said “WTF” which he accepted and returned with his own look that said “that’s right, what are you going to do about it.”  Neat.  Thankfully he got off (pun intended) at the next stop. 

So let’s get the tour of Old Delhi started.  The streets are very narrow and filled with interesting sights all around. 

  

Our first destination in Old Delhi was Jama Masjid (Great Mosque), the largest mosque in India.  It’s courtyard can hold up to 25,000 worshippers. 

Bargaining is huge in India.  Here’s a picture of Lorne, a member of our group, deep in negotiations for a souvenir.  The seller was tough and walked away a few times, but Lorne played the game well and eventually the sale was made. 

Here’s a pic of our group on the steps of Jama Masjid.  Notice the white lines indicating where the worshippers can pray.   

Next we visited the Sikh holy sight of Gurdwara SisGanj where the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was beheaded in 1675 on the orders of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for refusing to accept Islam.  Before entering the sight we had to remove our shoes and wash our feet as well as cover our heads. 

Everyone was incredibly welcoming and friendly to us as we toured the sight.   

Here’s a tour of the kitchen where worshippers are able to eat for no charge as long as they participate in the preparation and/or clean up.  We were invited to help prepare some of the food.   

Again, smiles from everyone we met.  How lovely. 

Next it was time to visit the spice market, which required us to hop on a small bus, which like the subway, was totally packed.  Here’s a little taste of the traffic for you.  Our guide likened Indian driving to the grade school exercise, fill in the blank, meaning if there is even the slightest space available on the road, jam your vehicle into it. 

Despite the pandemonium on the streets, our driver is calm, cool and collected.  I guess he’s used to the mania. 

As we got off the bus I noticed Crazy coming our way shouting about God’s love at the top of his lungs.  It was clear that he had been drinking so we all turned our backs in an attempt to avoid direct contact, but of course he came up to me and started screaming his message to me over and over again.  Finally I turned around to smile at him and say thank you, which resulted in him placing his hand on my cheek and dragging it diagonally across my face, grazing my partially open mouth along the way.  Special.  I’m not sure WTF was going on with me in Delhi that day, but I seemed to attract some interesting characters.  On the positive side, it made for some pretty hysterical stories that I can now share with you. 

So, on the spice market, which was fantastic. 

Here are some more pics of the Delhi streets. 

People were very friendly, constantly waving to us and asking us to take their pictures. 

The rest of the afternoon was free so a few of us hopped in a tuk tuk and headed out to see some more sights in Delhi.  Here’s a picture of the India Gate, which is located in a beautiful park. 

Next we visited Humayun’s Tomb, which set the stage for future Mughal Architecture, including the Taj Mahal. 

Architecturally, India has definitely got it going on! 

After Humayun’s Tomb we headed back to the hotel to meet up with our group for dinner.  I was supposed to meet up with Leah, one of my girls from Washington, DC who was in town for work, but my local guide who was born and raised in N. India strongly advised against a Western woman traveling alone at night.  Delhi is a lot to handle in broad daylight so I decided it was best to heed his warning and stay put in my hotel.  I was totally bummed to miss Ley Ley, but I knew that she would understand as soon as she set foot on the streets of Delhi.   

The next morning we set out for Jaipur and visited one of the Shiva Temples along the way.  It was pretty impressive. 

Here is a picture of the Water Palace in Jaipur, which we only saw from the outside.  Again, impressive.  

And across the street some camels were chilling. 

Upon our arrival in Jaipur, we were greeted with a blessing and a lovely flower necklace.   

We dropped our bags and hit the streets for a tour of Jaipur by foot.  This gentleman is squeezing the juice from sugar cane.  Yummy! 

I have no idea what this gentleman is making. 

For dinner we were treated to a wonderful performance by these musicians and some beautiful, young dancers.   

This young lady started with one basket and kept adding them one at a time.  You go, girl! 

Could they be any cuter? 

The girls invited a few of us on to the dance floor to bust a move. 

Outside the restaurant we heard a large commotion and were told that a Hindu wedding procession was under way.  Of course we had to run out to the street to take in the sights.  Unfortunately the pics didn’t turn out that well, but I still posted them so you could get a feel for the celebration.  The groom, who is frequently on a decorated horse or elephant, makes his way through the town to the bride’s residence with this formal procession, which includes a band, lots of lights and family and friends who are often dancing to the beat.  It looks like so much fun! 

The wedding day is chosen on an auspicious day and evidently this day was incredibly auspicious because we saw several wedding processions taking place this evening.  Here is a picture of the groom on an elephant.  Having just come from the Elephant Nature Park where I learned that elephants do not like loud noises and feel scared and confused by the commotion from busy streets, I felt sad for the elephant I witnessed in this procession.  I mean no disrespect to the families who use elephants in their celebrations, but this elephant made me sad.  I could see her nervous eyes darting around, trying to take in the surrounding stimuli.  In addition to the trumpets and drums from the band and the honking horns on the street, there was also a huge generator right behind her to keep the procession illuminated.  It was so loud that even I had to cover my ears and human ears are nowhere near as sensitive as elephant ears.  Again, I mean no disrespect, I’m just sharing my personal feelings.  

Aside from the elephant, I found the procession to be a wonderful celebration.  The families we met were bursting with joy and absolutely thrilled to share their love and enthusiasm with everyone they passed on the streets.   

Here is the groom. 

Our hotel was decorated for the wedding celebrations.  Here is the view from my window where I was able to see 2 different weddings, each with their own fireworks display.  How lucky to have been in Jaipur on this auspicious day for weddings. 

The next morning we visited the Amber Fort/Palace Complex.  It is absolutely stunning! 

The Queen used to sit up here and view her loyal subjects from the privacy of these windows.  Check out the level of detail on the palace walls.  It’s gorgeous! 

Elephant rides from the town up to the palace courtyard are a popular tourist attraction in Jaipur.  The line was two and a half hours when we arrived and we arrived when the doors opened.  Like Delhi, the roads in Jaipur are crazy and filled with cars, motorbikes, buses, tuk tuks that all seem to lay on their horns like one would lay on the accelerator to move forward.  It’s chaotic and loud and again made me sad for the elephants.  My experience at Elephant Nature Park was so powerful and has forever changed the way I view elephants used for tourism.  Of course I took a million pics of the elephants, which even though no financial transaction took place, probably perpetuates the cycle, but I just couldn’t help myself.  I’m kind of obsessed. 

Elephants aren’t the only animals at the Amber Fort. 

After the Amber Fort/Palace Complex we visited the City Palace.  I loved the guard uniforms. 

Like the Amber Palace, the level of detail in the City Palace is outstanding.  The colors are so vibrant.  It’s absolutely gorgeous! 

Manoj, our tour leader, had a special surprise for us and that was a visit to the Turban Museum.  This gentleman treated us to a lesson in turban wrapping. 

 

But wait, it’s not just about the turban.  It’s also about the beard. 

Check it out!  Awesome!!!

Here’s a pic of the ladies with the guard at our hotel.   

En route to our next destination we passed these nomads.  I’m telling you, everywhere I turn in India there is a unique photo opportunity.  It’s unlike any place I have ever been before and I’m really enjoying my time here.  It seems like there are two camps when it comes to India, lovers or haters.  I was hoping that I’d be a lover and while it definitely took me a few days to embrace the full on in your face mania that is India, the rawness and authenticity is unparalleled thus far in my travels and has definitely captured my interest and made me excited to see and experience more. 

Could these babies be cuter?  Seriously, I can’t take it.   

Here is a barber shaving a man on the side of the road.  I love it! 

Now it’s time to take down the pace a notch and visit the rural village, Bhandarej.  We stopped by the Monkey Temple along the way.  The hike up to the temple is filled with cows, goats, pigs, and monkeys.  As always, it’s an interesting journey.   

Here is the view from the other side of the hill. 

When we arrived in Bhandarej we took a walking tour through the village and visited a local school. 

The children were thrilled to see us and could not wait to meet us face to face.  They were absolutely adorable and so much fun. 

Our tour through the village generated quite an interest from almost everyone in town.  We had throngs of kids and local villagers following us through the streets.  Unfortunately it became a bit of a mob scene with children hounding us for pens, chocolate and 10 rupees.  Years ago, well intentioned tourists brought gifts of pens and chocolates to share with local children and the word has definitely gotten out because now it seems like everywhere a Western tourist goes in India, he/she is automatically assumed to have some kind of a handout, especially pens and chocolate.  They are pretty persistent too, frequently following tourists around for several meters in hopes of getting a handout.  Manoj advised us that Indian tourism discourages handouts of any kind and is encouraging tourists who want to donate useful items like pens directly to schools so the message is that school is where you go if you want to get a pen and other rewards instead of begging gets results.  It’s crazy that some of the things that annoy tourists the most were actually created by tourists themselves.     

As I mentioned, everyone in town seemed interested in the tourists walking the village streets. 

Bhandarej is known for their sandals made from camel leather.  They can be custom made to fit your feet. 

Here is a picture of the wedding vehicle that carries around the new bride and groom.

We visited one of the homes in the village.  The woman featured here is one of the daughter-in-laws.  Custom dictates that she cover her face with her sari in the presence of senior males and females related by marriage as well as other strange men. 

Here is the bedroom. 

Here is the family living in this house.  They were lovely to share their home with us. 

After the village walk we worked up an appetite so it was time for dinner, which included entertainment. 

On our way out of town we stopped by a pottery village.  This guy was great and was able to whip up all kinds of designs in a matter of minutes. 

Here is the Harshat Mata Temple, which dates back to the 9th century and is know for its beautiful step wells. 

Next stop is Agra and you know what that means…..the Taj Mahal.  Our first stop in Agra was to Fatehpur Sikri, the now deserted former capital of the Mughals. 

And now it’s time for the Taj Mahal.  At Manoj’s urging, we left our hotel at 4:30 AM to ensure that we were the first ones in line to take in the Taj at sunrise.  What a great call too because when the doors opened, we had a few minutes to view the Taj with unobstructed views.  We were all wondering if the Taj could live up to the hype and it definitely does.  It’s absolutely stunning and a must see in my opinion. 

Here are a few quick tidbits about the Taj Mahal:

• it was constructed between 1631 and 1654 by a workforce of 22,000
• it was built by the Muslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz, who died during the childbirth of her 14th child
• Shah Jahan was in the process of building a replica of the Taj Mahal out of black marble for his own mausoleum when he was imprisoned by his son who feared that he would bankrupt the empire.  Legend has it that he was imprisoned in the Red Fort in a tower with a marble balcony and a stunning view of the Taj Mahal. 

 

Here is a picture of the Baby Taj, which was built before the Taj Mahal by the Emperor Shah Jahan’s mother for her parents.  It’s easy to see some of the inspiration he drew from the Baby Taj for the Taj Mahal. 

We happened to be visiting Agra during the annual Taj Mahotsav festival, which showcases the local heritage and culture of India through arts and crafts, dance performances, and other entertainment.  What perfect timing yet again. 

Now we are headed to the picturesque town of Orcha, which sits on the banks of the Betwa River.  I absolutely loved this town!  The slower pace and quiet streets were a welcome respite from the insanity of some of the larger towns. 

In our walk around the town we happened upon these priests who were cooking up a little snack.  I love it!  Where else am I going to see something like this? 

One of our fellow travelers, Lorne, was celebrating his 65th birthday.  Lorna, Lorne’s daughter, and Manoj planned a wonderful surprise for Lorne.  Happy Birthday, Lorne! 

If this face doesn’t say super psyched birthday boy, I don’t know what does. 

After our cake we headed out for some dinner at one of the local castles.  Check out the spikes on the castle door.  Spooky….

Here are some more sights in Orcha. 

After more sightseeing we returned to the hotel for a cooking demonstration.  Yippie!!!  You know I love cooking classes.  Bring it on! 

This little crisp puffs up when applied to heat.   

Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine is. 

Let me whet your appetite for my next blog update, which will include graphic pictures from the medieval Hindu temples in Khajuraho famous for their erotic sculptures depicting scenes from the Kama Sutra.  Oh yeah!  You won’t have to wait long for this update either, as I have some down time to chill with internet for the next week.  I’ll see you soon.