Back to my linear progression; but, I'm now impatient to get on to some of the more exciting parts of my trip. As I write this, I am now on my 15th day in India, yet I've still left day 1 unfinished in my blog. My apologies. No more excuses. I've figured out how to even get past the fact that I have no cell coverage and no Internet access. I can blog offline! I'll tell you what. How about if I make it up to you? Why don't I rapidly push through the first few days of my trip, on to Agra (4 days in one blog entry)! I can't promise to keep this pace nightly, but it's a start.
Here goes:
Day 1 – Delhi – Part 2
So, I left off in my linear progression with day 1 in Delhi. I had no bags, had gotten happily lost in muddy, under-construction, rainy Delhi with only flip-flops, jeans and a black t-shirt. I had stopped for a bite to eat at Coffee Day, acquired tooth paste, deodorant and a kurta (an Indian shirt). With the help of a Tuk-tuk driver, I made it back to my hotel.
The short story from there is that I rested for a bit in my room, cleaned myself up a bit, looked at a map and then set back out on the street in my new kurta, jeans and flip flops in search of tennis shoes. This time, straight to Connaught Place in New Delhi (about 5 long blocks from my hotel, the Hans Plaza Hotel). I found a few name-brand stores (Adidas and Reebok), and ended up with two pairs of tennis shoes, and a jogging outfit. Yes, I was crazy enough to think that I would find a place in Delhi to go jogging (not to mention crazy enough to ignore the fact that my kurta was already soaked through with sweat from the humidity and heat). The extra pair of shoes was a "gift" to me for being a "good customer". I didn't understand this, but didn't know how to explain that I'd have no room for two extra pair of shoes once my bags arrived. Next, I went and found a place that had sweet pan and bought one (only 15 rupees or $0.35). Finally, I headed back to my hotel (this time remembering the way), and cleaned up once more. I settled in with my laptop, my unused skype skills and my camera to tinker and make some calls to the U.S. Dinner in the hotel seemed the safe bet, besides the fact that 6 total hours of walking out on the streets of Delhi had really taken it out of me. I was asleep by 9 PM.
Day 2 – Delhi
Next morning, I woke bright and early (around 5 AM) and decided to do some Skype work, blog work and breakfast. I spoke with my friend Ashish in the U.S. (via Skype) and he generously offered to arrange a driver for me for the day. He then helped me put together an itinerary for the day. Meanwhile, my bags had arrived and I was able to change clothes! The big disappointment however was that the lens on my Nikon D5000 camera had been smashed to bits by the airline.
My driver showed up around 10 AM, and we were off for a better planned and more advanced adventure. First stop: Palakar Bazaar. This is the real "underground market" of Delhi. I was told that this would be the most likely place for me to find anything in Delhi. So, if there would be a replacement lens for a Nikon D5000, I would find it there. My driver took me to Connaught Place, to the central ring and pointed to a hole in the ground marked Gate 6. It looked like the entrance to a subway, but less safe. So, armed with a wad full of rupees in my front pocket and a trash bag containing broken bits of camera, I marched into the abyss. Down below, it was almost completely dark, and there were moving shapes all around me. People were moving about in a tight corridor between pitch black stalls of wares with the occasional beam of light cast upon a pile of dvd's, purses or jeans. The lights didn't seem to be working, and people were making due with a few flashlights and improvised light sources. As it worked out, after asking a few electronics vendors about camera parts, I was directed to stall number 52, in level 2 of the underground. Stall number 52 was the digital photography stall. He had my exact replacement part, and I was able to purchase it for a little less than half of what I'd pay in the U.S. Fantastic! Back in business.
I found my way out of the maze of concentric circles in the pitch black underground, with no stab wounds and no apparent attempt at unauthorized reduction of my supply of rupees. Back in the car, we stopped to buy two more sweet pan for me, and then head out to my first tourist stop. One of the largest examples of a Hindu temple in India…
Okay, this is a mouthful. The first main stop was Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi. And, it was fantastic! If ever you make a trip to Delhi, put this ahead of your visit to the India Gate, the Raj Ghat, Qutub Minar, and the rest. Go here first, then fit the rest in as you like. Unfortunately, I can only describe it to you. No pictures allowed. That's a whole other story. I was able to pay for a photo to be professionally taken of me in front of the temple, but I'll need to scan it when I get home to post it. What is it? I'm sure I'll botch the details, as I didn't get a pamphlet with the historical facts. I'm just going on memory from 14 days ago. It's something of a reproduction of another famous Hindu temple in India, and it has been expanded upon with a much grander scale. It felt more like Hindu Disneyland in a way (hopefully that doesn't sound offensive to any Hindus). Once inside, you can roam the grounds freely, view the 15 meter tall statue of Krishna, walk around or through the main temple, study the many elephant fables that are part of Hindu teaching, browse the gift shop and book store, or enjoy some Indian treats. There's an optional set of paid exhibits which are stunningly presented. The best of which I'm told is the boat ride that takes the riders through a history of India. I spent 4 hours here and didn't even notice. It was very tranquil, with so much to see and learn about the Hindu religion. I went through an animatronic history of this sect's main prophet. Of course, I failed to check on English translation headphones, so I struggled through it in Hindi; I got the gist of it because I had read much of the progression within the temple itself.
So, I must briefly tell the story of the "no photography" issue at Swaminarayan Skshardham. You see, they were very clear that no cell phones and no cameras would be allowed anywhere on the grounds. They had a security check point that was very thorough, with x-ray belts, x-ray door jams, and smartly dressed men with beeping wand thingies. Well, I didn't want to be without my cell phone as I felt stranded in India without it. So, I tucked it on the inside of my jeans waistline behind where my belt buckle would be. The beepy wand wavy thing did beep when it came across this spot, and my pulse quickened a bit. But the guard ignored it and let me pass through. What a rouge I am. Well, at first I had no intention of using it for anything but emergency purposes. But, once I rounded the next bend and saw the temple in the distance, across beautiful gardens and structures, I decided to lurk back a bit and sneak a picture or two. Over the next 30 minutes, as I approached the main temple, going through building after building and feature after feature of stunning beauty, I kept discreetly watching for security cameras, and attempting to snap a few shots off. There were security guards everywhere. I felt quite nervous, and decided to put the phone away for good. Twenty minutes later, a security guard approached me and asked me to turn out my front right pocket. They had obviously caught me on a security camera. He walked me all the way back across the grounds to security (my march of shame), and turned me and my fate over to his superior. I came clean with what I had done, apologized and erased the pictures while he observed. He took my phone and my information and released me back onto the grounds, after requiring me to point out how I got through their security. It took me about 30 minutes to get over what a schmuck I was. Here was this serene, beautiful, free exhibit of religion and history, and I let my rebellious nature get the best of me. Well, I moved on and enjoyed the rest of my time there. They were very kind to me, and I was able to retrieve my phone as I was exiting. The security officer at the main gate even smiled and waved at me as I was leaving. I'm sure neither of us will soon forget it.
Next stop, Rajghat. The rain was getting heavy again and the streets of Delhi were getting flooded. It took us about 45 minutes to get back across town to visit Rajghat. It is essentially a memorial park and burial grounds. Most notably, Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi are buried there. At Mahatma Gandhi's grave there's an eternal flame burning. Here are a few pictures from my visit:
After Rajghat, I went back to my hotel, made some Skype calls and set off again to eat dinner at Hildiram's. See my earlier post "Sweet Pan Anyone?" where I mention Hildiram's and water balls. I have a few food pictures to share from that meal (see below). Also, here are a couple videos I took in Hildiram's.
Eating water balls at Haldiram's in Delhi, India
Eating at Haldiram's in Delhi, India
And so ended my second day in Delhi.
Day 3 – New Delhi – Joining my group
Around noon, I met up with our tour leader (nicknamed Baru) and 15 fellow travelers with whom I'd be spending every waking hour for the next 8 days. I'd never done a tour like this before, so this was to be an interesting experience.
We grabbed a quick bite for lunch and jumped on our air conditioned tour bus to go see some more sights in Delhi. First, we drove around the government district in New Delhi, catching a view of the building where India's Parliament meets (Lok Sabha) and stopping at India Gate for a walk around. Then, we visited Humayun's tomb and finished the sightseeing with Qutb Minar. We ended the day with a group dinner down the road from our hotel at a local favorite: Hotel Saravana Bhavan. The day was jam packed with sights and driving all over Delhi.
Lok Sabha – India's Parliament
India Gate – a local park in New Delhi where parades are held and where tourists flock. There's also an area to rent boats and play in the water. See if you can spot the sponsor of the boats in the water…
I don't know if you can see it at this small resolution, but Vodaphone has put their name on the canopies for all of the boats. We see this over and over throughout India. Companies put their name on everything, even in the smallest two-farm village you'll find some wall or door that's been branded for a snack, candy, soft drink or phone company.
As an aside, for a couple days in Delhi I was craving some kind of physical work out. I kept thinking of going for a run, and India Gate's park seemed the only nearby place where I'd feel comfortable doing so (without tripping on rubble or getting run over). However, one thought held me back. Nobody seems to go for a run here. If I were seen running, would someone think I'd done something wrong and start chasing me? I didn't want to find out.
Humayun's Tomb – Our first set of ruins on the Moghul Highlights tour.
Here's what the sign says about Humayun's Tomb:
Humayun's Tomb – 1565-72 AD
Hamida Banu Begum, his grieving widow, built Emperor Humayun's mausoleum. Precursor to the Taj Mahal, it stands on a platform of 12000m2 and reaches a height of 47m. The earliest example of Persian influence in Indian architecture, the tomb has within it over 100 graves, earning it the name 'Dormitory of the Mughals'. Built of rubble masonry, the structure is the first to use red sandstone and white marble in such great quantities. The small canopies on the terrace were originally covered in glazed blue tiles, and the brass finial over the white marble dome is itself 6m high.
There were several buildings in the park for the tomb. The first had a burial area and a mosque right next to it. Then, there was a long walk through a garden and several gates that led to the main large garden containing the mausoleum (which looks a bit like a red and scaled down version of the Taj Mahal). Something else I noticed was that there always seem to be large birds (perhaps eagles or hawks) swooping around above the domes of these Moghul buildings. Reminds me of the video game Assassin's Creed.
Qtub Minar – The great minaret of Delhi.
Next, we visited Qtub Minar. Unfortunately, due to user-error, I deleted about 50 photos from my camera that happened to be of Qtub Minar. I do have a few pictures to share though. I also don't remember a whole lot from this visit, other than that there was a special pole in the back plaza that was made from seven metals that was supposed to grant you one wish if you just wrap your arms around it and make the wish. Unfortunately for me, they had it roped off such that I couldn't take advantage of this boon.
Oh, and a picture dialog of Delhi would not be complete without a random shot of a guy on the street. Please take my tone as it is intended - somber. In visiting India, I have seen amazing works of architecture, faith, science, civics, and spirituality. However, one cannot lose sight of the reality on the streets everywhere in India. The poor are very poor, by American standards. I've never seen such sights of common poverty in America. We do have poverty; just not constantly in your face, and as extreme as it is in India. While it seems an accepted norm here, I'm sure that if you were to ask this man if he's okay with his economic condition and his living situation, he'd have a few things to say.
The good news is, India's economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Not only due to technology and manufacturing exports, but there's a relatively new phenomenon at work in the local economy of India. If you have a moment, read up on Micro Finance in India. There seem to be a growing number of groups of poor who for 1 rupee per day can not only create a savings account, but can also earn a return on their investment by investing seed money in local start-ups (e.g. a woman applying for a 5,000 rupee [or $115] loan to buy a sewing machine and start her own textile business). An amazing concept, and the man who created it and made it happen in India has won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
Hotel Saravana Bhavan – A nice end to the day
We wrapped up the day with a group meal in the evening. First of all, in India the word "restaurant" seems too long and complicated for regular use. They prefer the word "hotel". So, you have to confirm with someone if it's a hotel that you sleep in or a hotel where you eat, or both. This one is the kind in which you eat. It's a very popular restaurant, and there's a line out the door for 30-60 minutes in the evening. Our group of 16 waited about 20-30 minutes to get a table. Meanwhile, children and hawkers picked at our fringes trying to sell garlands of jasmine, necklaces, and other trinkets. The meal was reasonably priced (120 – 200 rupees or $2.79 - $4.65), and the quality was excellent. 100% vegetarian south Indian food. I had a Masala Dosa (a giant, super thin and crispy pancake smeared with masala, folded like an omelet, and served with chutneys and dahl).
Day 4 – Old Delhi & Driving to Agra
On the second day of our tour (fourth day for me), we took the sub-way in Delhi from our hotel to Chandni Chowk Bazaar. Now, this is no ordinary bazaar with rows of stalls selling food, shawls and shoes. It is more of a warren of buildings separated by a narrow alley that winds through different districts where vendors specialize in certain things. There was a section for paper and office goods, a produce section, savories and fried goods, jewelry, textiles, etc. A drive through the bazaar on bicycle rickshaw took about 15 minutes. I'll post the full length video of the rickshaw ride to demonstrate the experience. Pictures could not do justice to this part of the day.
Our rickshaw ride ended at the Jami Masjid mosque. This active mosque will swarm with over 10,000 faithful for religious services. We visited during tourist hours, paying for entry. The women had to put on loaner robes that would cover their liberal western attire. This mosque sits up on a hill, and has fantastic views of New Delhi, Old Delhi, and every horizon from the spires.
Oh yeah. Notice the birds? It's a theme I tell you.
We also had the ability to pay an extra 100 rupees for entry to climb up the 162 steps to the top of one of the spires. Of course, the women would have to be accompanied by a man if they wanted to climb the spire. I paid my 100 rupees, and was duped into having a local guide. At the moment I paid the 100 rupees, the attendant introduced me to a man that would show me the way to the spire entrance. He was very nice and very helpful. I thought he was part of the mosque and part of the 100 rupees. In the end, he put his hand out and asked for 200 rupees for his services. I didn't have a problem giving him $5.00 (200 rps), I just felt duped. A local came over to see what the trouble was, and he confirmed that this was a local guide and that 200 rupees was a fair price. Lesson learned. Almost nobody in India is helpful for free (strangers anyways). If you don't want to pay for something, just ignore those who are going out of their way to be helpful.
The spiral staircase within the minaret was very tight and very steep. The steps were a bit slick and uneven, so one had to concentrate to keep from slipping. It was also a little scary when someone wanted to pass going the other direction. I have a couple pictures of me, my guide and my fellow traveler Naeem in the minaret and at the top.
From the top, poking the camera lens through the grate of the minaret, I was able to get some breathtaking views of the city and the Red Fort.
Our tour group, rejoined with our shoes and women disrobed, joined on the front steps of the mosque for a group picture. It was comical watching our tour leader, Baru, juggle 12 cameras to make sure we each got the group shot on our own chip.
Once we finished with the mosque, we boarded our tour bus and took a 7 hour drive to Agra. (That's the home of the Taj Mahal.) There was a major traffic jam both because of the monsoon rains and because it was the eve of an Indian holiday where brothers and sisters reunite. Sisters tie a strand around their brothers' right wrist, and brothers give their sisters money. I know I'm dumbing this down, but that's the ritual of the holiday. It has historical significance where a prince came to the aid of his sister to defend the kingdom (or something like that). Anyway, everyone and their brother was on the road trying to get home to their sisters for the holiday. Normally, the trip to Agra from Delhi should have been around 4 hours.
Okay, now brace yourself. The next entry will be on Agra and the Taj Mahal. One of the most photographed man-made structures in the world.
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