INDIA - December 12-29, 2007
When I learned that my Dad had successfully secured a post in India, I knew that I must join him for a visit. Having grown up hearing stories of his time there in the sixties and knowing how India holds a special place in his heart, it was clear that he would be guide second to none.
(Besides, it was time to learn what the words we were used to hearing as kids – “chalo” and “nimbo pane” - came from!)
As the Fates would have it, it worked out better for me to fly out from Vienna than Budapest. After soaking in some of the atmosphere at the Vienna Christmas Market, it was time to trade Europe for Asia.
My flight arrived very late in Delhi, and from the mass of people at immigration, it was not the only one! After a somewhat stressful time getting pushed and nudged along, thankfully my passport was stamped and I found my way through the confusion of renovations to the exit. In the sea of brown faces at arrivals, there was Daddio, all smiles and arms outstretched for a great big hug. Meanwhile outside, our taxi with driver was waiting.
How did I know I was in India? The honking of the traffic and the scent of the night air were clues. But I really knew I had arrived when I saw a white bull standing under a tree in the parking lot!
We stayed three nights at the YWCA, on Parliament Street. Each night I slept in a different room, and had more or less success staying warm using the heater. I had not expected it to be so cold in Delhi (below 10 degrees Celsius). Dad joked that the Y was covered in a blanket because of the weather. (In fact, it was covered by scaffolding as major renovations were underway).
(Dec 12) Dad was off in the morning to a local hospital for a head-to-toe, executive physical, which gave me time to rest and recover from my travels. Thanks to the TV. provided in my room, I also made the first of my great discoveries about India - Bollywood! (I love that there's music and dance in the films and I've since become such a fan that I bought a few movies on disc and even watch in Hindi without English subtitles!)
For lunch, we walked to a restaurant at Connaught Place, a famous Delhi landmark, characterized by an inner and outer circle and British Victorian architecture. Getting there meant cautiously crossing the street amongst the vehicles colourful and various, waving off beggars and street vendors and not tripping on roots or holes in the sidewalk.
Our tummies pleasantly full, we found a putt putt (motorized rickshaw) driver willing to take us to Purana Qila, the old fort. The air was hazy and the smoke made me cough, but we had a nice drive and stroll, and I took my first pictures.
(Dec 13) followed with a city tour covering New and Old Delhi in a tour bus.
Setting off from the tourist office located near a bazaar (it was flower market day), we spent the morning visiting important monuments such as Jantar Mantar (astrological observatory dating from the 1700’s the structures reminded me of works by Salvador Dali); Birla Mandir (20th century Hindu Temple inaugurate by Gandhi); and Qutab Minar (the tallest brick minaret in the world) and surrounding buildings most of which were in ruins.
After a quick stop to view the goods on sale at the Indian Textile Corp, our next stop was the Bahai Lotus Temple with its nine entrances representing the nine main world religions before lunch back at the tourist office coffee house. There I made my next discovery - elaichi (cardamom) tea!
In the afternoon, we drove through the noisy, narrow streets of Old Delhi. I remember school children running alongside our bus and making faces; lots and lots of little shops opening onto the street! I also spied two toddlers making away with puppies from a litter with the mother dog trying to corral them back!
Continuing our tour, we visited Lal Qila (Red Fort) an impressive complex mostly developed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, which includes the royal and public pavilions. I was most impressed by the marble inlaid work which we later found again at Taj Mahal in Agra.
Our next stop was the Raj Ghat which is a simple memorial to Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhiji marking the site of his cremation. As I visited, walking in stockinged feet, music was playing and it was very moving.
Finally as the sun was beginning to lie low in the sky, we arrived at Humayun’s tomb, another most impressive example of Mughal architecture. Much as I was ready to become trigger-happy with my digital camera, Dad quietly let me know that it would pale in comparison to the Taj.
Our bus drove again through the streets back to the part of the city that puts the “New” in - New Delhi and, after a wee rest, we headed out to Connaught place again to a restaurant called the Banana Leaf where Southern Indian cuisine was on the menu. Dad told how when he lived in Sri Lanka he’d eat off a banana leaf which would then be swished off and then pushed through an opening in the wall of the restaurant, on the other side of which was a cow! Talk about yer recycling!
At this restaurant, was Discovery #3 halua, Indian sweet desserts!
Having travelled to Kathmandu some years ago, I couldn’t help but compare the two national capitals. Delhi surprised me being so very busy and noisy. It was such a mix of modern urban landscape and oriental bazaar. It was dirty with dust and trash everywhere, stray dogs and the occasional monkey, people sitting on sidewalks selling peanuts with a little open fire?. People were walking the streets hawking sleeping bags and handkerchiefs. Sharing the streets with the rickshaws and trucks were cars of all makes including luxury ones. Then of course there was the occasional cow. The Indian capital struck me more political and commercial than spiritual and more modern than the living museum that is Kathmandu.
*The Triangular Tour December 14-15-16*
/December 14/
After a lazy breakfast at the Y in the company of two French ladies, one of whom was on her way to attend some public lectures of the Dalai Lama, we met Ravi our driver to start out on the way to Jaipur.
There was a lot of haze and smog along the National Highway with poor visibility that reminded me of the fog of my native Newfoundland .
Having exited the city and passed through some new housing developments for the new middle-class, we gradually entered an area of fields and farmland and escaped the haze and air pollution of Delhi. I must say the roads we traveled were in excellent condition and that despite constant deviations due to construction to widen them. One wonders just how much traffic is expected along these roads in the coming years.
What did we see of the Indian countryside? Mustard, wheat, occasionally fields of rice. A camel, camels, and more camels! We passed though villages with their “strip malls” as Dad called them. Traffic. Cows. People. Sometimes a horse-drawn cart. Market stalls with fruits and vegetables. Such were the sights as we drove along.
After a stop for lunch (by which time the sun had come out so that we ate outside in a pleasant garden), we hit the road again. The terrain started to change becoming semi-arid and hilly. We had arrived in Rajasthan!
We first visited the Amber Palace, a remarkable fort with accompanying buildings that once was a royal capital before the founding of Jaipur. It is a very romantic setting in the rocky hills with a beautiful view and fascinating collection of buildings, of interest both for their beauty and their various functions.
I would love to return one day to see the new gardens which are currently being restored They grace the courtyard of rose-water scented fountains where the Maharaja and his Maharani would sit on a swing together during the monsoon rains.
After succumbing to the persistent (and ultimately successful) selling techniques of a young boy selling souvenir books, taking some photos of monkeys and descending from the hillside, we stopped alongside a very picturesque lake with a pavilion (once again under-renovation) and then visited a local government run (and perhaps therefore somewhat expensive) cooperative. The typical tourist goods: quilts, saris, dresses, men’s clothing and other textiles along with jewelry, figurines, prints and so on! were available and were certainly put on show. The man who greeted us and who presented various items to us certainly knew the sales scripts and I walked out having made my first purchases of gifts. (Later of course I learned I could have bought similar items for a much lower price, though I acknowledge, not of the same quality).
We arrived in Jaipur itself at twilight and so could not fully appreciate the so-called “pink city”? Passing the Hawa Mahal (palace of winds, a façade of terraced windows and screens behind which royal women would observe processions without being observed themselves), we made our way to our small hotel, the Jai Miswa, which I highly recommend.
/December 15/
Day 2 of the Triangular Tour began at the City Palace after breakfast at the hotel.
We visited an observatory very similar to the one in Delhi and took our time to examine the structures more carefully. Entering the palace proper, we viewed an exhibit of clothing and a workshop which reminded me of the Montreal flea market! It was very pleasant to stroll and chat with Dad within the palace complex and to take pictures without feeling pressed for time But time was of the essence so we left Jaipur, leaving much to be discovered, and hit the road en route to Agra via Bharatpur.
We spent two hours at the Keoladeo Ghana national park riding a rickshaw through the park accompanied by a guide on his bicycle. There was little water in the park due to poor monsoon rains, which made for a disappointment since Keoladeo Ghana is famous as a sanctuary for migratory water birds. Underground water was being pumped but was too saline to support the flocks which, we were told, had settled some 40-50 km from the sanctuary at a reservoir.
However we were rewarded by sightings of some of our feathered friends though in small numbers (notably -black-necked storks, Indian cranes, a heron and several Indian rollers) and were lucky to see many animals (sambar deer, spotted deer, nilgai a.k.a. blue antelope and a jackal).
As the sun was already setting as we head out again, we did not have time to visit the deserted city of Fathepur Sikri. I had been told it was not to be missed, and was glad for at least a view at a distance in the hazy sunset.
We arrived at a three-star hotel which made me feel somewhat lost. Were we still in India ? The place had a revolving restaurant! Supposedly there was a view of the Taj from my room, but it was hidden by the darkness by night and the haze by morning. But then, what did that since the following day, we were going to see the famous sight up close?
/December 16/
After a quick breakfast (in the no longer revolving restaurant), Ravi drove us as far as cars were allowed and then we went by rickshaw and shanks mare, arriving at the West Gate that leads to the Taj Mahal. At the ticket booth there was some frustration: the Indian rate was 20 rupees and for us foreigners it was 750 rupees! Also, the security was somewhat surreal. But it was all worth it once we entered.
It was a cool morning with great blue sky and tbe Taj Mahal was a beautiful sight. Dad suggested we walk in the parks first before walking to the famous main building. I am very glad we did that as it made me realize that the Taj is more about the white marble mausoleum, the famous temple of love. It is about the gardens and the other buildings, about the Yamuna River flowing behind, about imagining the Maharaja strolling contemplatively and quietly mourning his Maharaji within this sanctuary.
After a lovely visit and plenty of photos taken, we went on to Agra Fort where it took numerous attempts to purchase acceptable tickets. (Dad numerous times entered monuments at the Indian rate, showing his residence permit and impressing with his Hindi. However the Indian soldier who was controlling tickets had other ideas!) The architecture of the fort was very beautiful and there was a lovely, romantic view of the Taj Mahal from the river side of the Fort.
Leaving the crowded and somewhat dilapidated city of Agra, we made a stop at Sikandrabad, the tomb of Mughal Emperor Akbar. This was one of my favorite places we visited. The gates were particularily interested for the enormous flower inlays and symbols representing different religions. There were also deer and antelope in the park (!) though at safe distance from us. Our journey on the road back to Delhi brought us to a restaurant where they certainly pulled out all the stops for the tourists. Besides the usual restaurant and gift shop, we were greeted by a child dressed like Krishna and playing a stringed instrument (very annoying!) and received garlands of flowers. There were even snake charmers parked (!) outside the main entrance of what was in fact, a modern, hotel / villa / housing (?) complex.
Inside the restaurant, we were the only guests and we sat ourselves down to share a vegetarian lunch. Dad chatted with the waiters who were not a little fascinated that he speaks Hindi. There were the usual questions about where we are from, what we do, where we were going. Then the head waiter, Captain Raj Pal, had the grand idea of having Dad sign the guest book. Soon all of the waiters, some half dozen of them, encircled our table, cheerfully participating in the ceremony. The Captain dictated verses of praise for the service, and then it came to me to write the same in the guest book! in Hungarian! What a great moment that was! It makes me wonder if some of the greatest souls aren’t those who wait tables.
The drive through Delhi to Ghaziabad was tedious what with us getting stuck in rush hour Delhi traffic. Not much rushing to be done when everything's at a stand-still! Finally, after getting somewhat lost we were met by car in the dark by Vipin, Naipaul’s nephew, who escorted us to their home where we were received like - family!
For me, this was a turning point in my visit to India. Until then, I had visited monuments. Now I was able to discover India through meeting people and making friends.
(To be continued)
