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Coming Home

Some final thoughts as we are on the final leg of our journey.

Adventures are fun. But home is good, too. The Teenlet asserted earlier in this trip that he is the most Hobbit-like of the four of us. But I would say that I am very much like a Hobbit, for some of them went on adventures and returned home joyfully to their creature comforts. That is how I feel... glad I went, but done with adventures - until next time.

I said at the beginning of this blog that I expected to see beauty and tragedy interwoven so that they are almost indistinguishable.  That was true. We saw the depths of human poverty, but with a community that is always looking out for each other, and helping each other. We saw the most beautiful building in the world, built as a monument to despair and loss. We saw human dignity that was resilient to the hardest conditions, and the stagnancy that is caused by lack of hope. We saw the beauty of religious expression, and how religion can become the oppressor. We saw how a corrupt and completely hands off government leaves its people in chaos and poverty, but also how a government that drives too much turns its people into little more than slaves (thinking of some of the Mughal kings, there).

Woman, employed to sweep the palace.

Tent slum, along the railway in Gujurat

But I was also very surprised by India. I'm not really sure how to explain that, except to say that the pictures I've had in my mind my whole life were both right and wrong. There were times it was easy to forget that we were not in the United States, and times we felt very out of place. I did not like being the object of so many stares (especially from the men), and it was comforting to have my dad and brother right there with me. In southern Gujurat, I actually felt animosity towards me for being a western female. But I only felt threatened once (and that situation - the aggressive hawkers in Jaipur- was overwhelming for everyone in our party).

Note to self and anyone else foolish enough to try it: 57 hours of straight travel is a long time. Between the 14 hour train ride, 16 hours sitting in the Delhi airport, 15 hours from Delhi to Newark, 6 hours in the Newark airport, and 6 more hours from Newark to Seattle, we are done with all forms of transportation. The Teenlet proved himself, once again, to be a super traveler.

Things I Miss About Home

Mattresses that are more than 3 inches thick
Sleep
Toilet paper (and its correlary, not carrying tp in my purse)
Not wearing a million bags around my neck (security bag for passport & cash, purse, camera)
Soft towels and unstained sheets
Reliably hot showers
Clean clothing
Not worrying about illness from the water I drink or the food I eat
A cute handbag (travel one is very handy but UUUUUUUGGGGGLY!)
Queues, taking turns in an orderly fashion
Not being stared at
Street signs
Quiet, peace, time alone

But most of all... David (and my kitty).

Things I will miss about India:
The prices for foods and goods
Bargaining
The beautiful clothing on all the women - even those in poverty have some gorgeous clothes, maybe only one or two options, but they are so colorful!!

Clothing market, Jaipur

The food
The India head nod
Seeing elephants (camels, cows) walking in traffic

Elephant, walking in traffic, Ahmedabad

Hanging with three of my four favorite guys.

Outside Jama Masjid, Delhi

Walking around Ahmedabad

Today we spent the morning walking around the Riverfront Park, Ahmedabad.  The park is more of a dream than anything else, with a huge expanse of dirt where a slum was cleared out for development. The river was narrowed to build a river walk (completed) which is 6km long, with space above that will be sports complexes, gathering areas, and open spaces. Our guidebook suggested it would have paddle boats for rent, but that didn't look like reality yet.

Riverfront Park, Ahmedabad. 

My brother is meeting with someone, so the other three of us wandered around the park for anwhile before setting off to find the restaurant where we had agreed to meet John. We found it more easily than expected,  and they brought us thali plates practically before we had even sat down.

Thali plate - small portions of lots of different curries (all veg)

We have started to call the Teenlet, "Pig Pen," because he is so grimy (especially his sweatshirt), that I'm pretty sure he is emitting dirt every time he moves. He has showered here, but clearly not frequently enough, and his sweatshirt I haven't dared wash because it is his security blanket. My own clothes are feeling rather gross as well - I did do laundry,  but it took two days to dry so I haven't tried again, though the hotter and drier climate in Gujurat would probably dry it faster than it did in Jaipur (though we haven't been in the same place for two nights since Delhi, which makes it hard to allow it time enough to dry).

Saying goodbye at the train station, Ahmedabad

The end of the day finds the Teenlet and I on our own, on the Swarna J Raj Express train to New Delhi, having left Dad and John at the station in Ahmedabad. We are in 3AC this time, which is almost as nice as AC Chairs class, except with long benches which will turn into sleeping beds later. They aren't very comfortable,  but we get food and looks like we also get blankets and pillows at sleeping time. My fellow travelers have been helpful, though not very talkative (which is fine with me). I am traveling with an elderly gentleman who is reading a little book by his guru, a young woman who is playing a game on her phone, a man who hasn't looked away from his computer,  and another gentleman who keeps getting phone calls. Across the aisle is a family of 3, who have a baby who is just learning to stand. I do not envy those parents on this 13.5 hour journey. My own child has taken up his place on the top bunk and is happily eating all of the snacks we brought for the journey. He is looking forward to eating again - I think he has subsisted on naan and rice this whole trip.

Funny note: the Teenlet managed to surprise one of our seatmates. He came down from his loft (upper bunk) to eat dinner and was sitting there explaining to me exactly what it would take to derail the train, and why heavier trains take longer to brake (simple physics topics, basically). The guy sitting on the other side of him started staring at him with eyes wide... and soon after (when Teenlet had gone back up to his bunk), he asked me how old he is, surprised that he knew so much and could talk in those terms.

Another aside: homeschooling is not legal in India (according to the people I spoke with about it) and seems like a foreign concept. I was asked several times how it works, how can I teach him, etc. 

Back to Ahmedabad

On this trip, we have traveled almost every class in the railroad system. To see  the differences is striking. In the inappropriately named "chair" class, we sat tightly crammed on hard, vinyl benches. Sleeper class had similar bench seats, but with upper berths for sleeping, and slightly more privacy with walls that were floor to ceiling. Our compartment was not full, so the four of us took over the whole thing. It was not comfortable sleeping, and we had to have our own pillows and blankets, and bring our own food. We ate a late lunch that day, and took naan and some candy bars to tide us over.

On our way to Vapi yesterday, we were in First Class. It was a small, doored compartment with a single bench seat and an upper berth. It was equally as uncomfortable,  and as the day grew warmer, the compartment grew hotter, even with the window open. We still had hawkers going up and down the aisle, selling food and beverages. 

A/C Chair compartment on the train -
it's like being in an airplane, but with legroom!

Today, as we return to Ahmedabad, we are in A/C Chairs. Wow, what a difference!  This is like being on  an airline, but with more legroom. We were served a hot breakfast, a snack, and a hot lunch with ice cream for dessert. We each received a liter of bottled water (even the Indians don't drink the tap water). The chairs are padded, and actual chairs, not benches (no encroachment by your neighbor!). You can plug in your electronic devices. And it is air conditioned. Tomorrow we will travel by 3AC,  meaning,  an air conditioned sleeper car with 3 berths high (total of 6 in a compartment, with no door). We have no idea if food will be served, but I guess that's what makes this an adventure! 

We are back in Ahmedabad and in our last hotel for this trip (at least the two of us).

Gujurati Express

So wow. I think today I will start my story from the end.

We began this journey with the desire to travel the roads my great-grandfather did as a missionary for the Church of the Brethren, from 1906 to 1925. We have his old diary, some letters, my grandfather's recollections of his years in India, and a book on the 51 years the Church of the Brethren had a mission here. Though we came with hopes, the most we felt we could truly hope for was to see approximate locations of their bungalow and  mission area.

We got off the train, and it was immediately apparent that this is not a tourist area. We stand out here. A lot. Our driver picked us up, and we started to ty to explain for what it was we were looking. He drove us through Valsad,  looking at the older areas of town, which have mostly been razed and rebuilt in the 100+ years since E.H. and Emma Eby were here. Dad has a picture of he bungalow in which they lived, but this is like finding a needle in a haystack. We searched around a bit, and then saw some of the local sights. We were just about to leave Valsad, when my brother pointed out a Church of the Brethren church. 

Church of the Brethren, Valsad, Gujurat, India

Bungalows like the one my great-grandparents
and grandfather lived in.

We stopped to take pictures. Dad noticed some bungalows that were next to the church, so we went to look at those. They were all about the right era, the right style, and matched each other - looking much like a compound for missionaries. While we were taking more pictures, our driver came over and said the church was being opened for us. We went in, accompanied by the pastor and several others who were involved in the church operations. It was founded in 1908 by Wilber Stover, who was the founder of the Church of the Brethren mission in India. It is very likely that my great-grandfather was in that building at some point, perhaps for a few years as one of the church's missionaries.  The men at the church did not recognize their names, but they recognized that they had been part of this church.

Rear view of the church

Inside the Church of the Brethren, Valsad.

Then as we were preparing to leave, someone mentioned Wilber Stover's bungalow, which is still standing, across the street. We went over and saw his bungalow,  the great banyan tree he planted in the yard, and the ancient baptistry that could have been where my grandfather and his two brothers were baptized.

Baptistry, likely where my grandfather
and his brothers were baptized

Banyan Tree in the yard of Wilber Stover's bungalow.

My dad is elated. None of us expected to be able to find anything, and we were prepared to walk away having seen only the area. And we now have some new friends in India. 

As for this southern part of Gujurat, we have seen so much poverty today it breaks your heart. Mile upon mile of slum cities line the railway and pepper themselves through the towns. They are interspersed with a landscape of cultivation - fields of castor beans, sugar cane, cotton, corn, and banana trees spread out before us as the miles flew by. Rivers and streams flow toward the sea, carrying human detritus with them.

In Gujurat, we are noticing that there is a lot less English spoken and written than in the other places we've been. At lunch, the waiter had to call over the one English-speaker to help take our order.

Our driver took us to a beach on the Arabian Sea. It had fine black sand and the biggest difference I've ever seen between high and low tides. There were camels and horses on the beach, ready to give rides.

We also visited two Hindu temples, one for Swaminaranya and one for Sai Baba, who our driver said is his guru.

We ended our day at McDonald's, the first we've seen in India. It was good to get the Teenlet some food he would eat that was not spicy, though about half the menu was spicy.

Tomorrow we go back to Ahmedabad for one final night in India. This has been an amazing trip, but I am anxious to get home.

Ahmedabad

Today we arrived very early in Ahmedabad,  but we were able to check into our hotel and get a couple more hours of sleep. The bed is still like sleeping on a board (as all the beds in India have been), but at least we were able to rest a bit. Then we went out to explore the city.

Ahmedabad is the 7th largest city in India, and the first place we've been where we saw sidewalks! It was so nice to walk along the busy street and not feel like a tuk-tuk or bus is going to run into you. The State of Gujurat has significantly less tourism than any of the other places we've been, and it is quite clear - we haven't seen a single hawker, and the markets are set up for locals.

The first place we visited was Bhagra Fort. It is a 14th century defensive structure that has fallen in serous disrepair.  They are trying to fix it up, but it is not high priority.  We explored a bit,  and then decided it was time for lunch. We caught a tuk-tuk, found a restaurant and ate a meal for the first time since yesterday's late lunch. The palak paneer was a bit spicy for the Teenlet, so he didn't eat much.

Bhagra Fort and street market, Ahmedabad

Priority for today was to visit the Satyagraha Ashram - where Gandhi based his passive resistance movement,  lived as equals with untouchables, and focused his teaching on craftsmanship and local labor.  It has a wonderful museum of Gandhi's philosophy,  life, and the purpose of the ashram.

Gandhi's home at the Satyagraha Ashram

This afternoon,  we decided to lay low a bit, so I am catching up on downloading pictures from my camera, while the Teenlet reads and I suspect the other two are napping. I think only my brother slept much on the train, and we are all tired.

Tonight we went out to a special dinner at a Gujurati restaurant to celebrate my birthday a little early. It was amazing food and a wonderful atmosphere. Thanks Dad and John! 

Birthday dinner at the Green House Restaurant. Yum! 

Tomorrow we head down south to Vapi and the southern part of Gujurat,  to visit sites of personal heritage importance. Then we return to Ahmedabad for a few hours before Teenlet and I hop back on the overnight train back to Delhi and then fly home. Not sure how much access I will have to WiFi, but I will post what I write when I can - probably from an airport somewhere. 

Udaipur

This morning, as I woke to the call of the Muslim cantor,  I was reflecting on the differences between the Muslim and Hindu worship music. Yesterday's Hindu chanting was complex, varied in voice and beat. It was accompanied by a three or four drums, all beating a rhythm while voices loudly chanted in a cacophony of sound. This is accompanied by swaying and dancing. The Muslim cantor sings  single notes in progressions that amplify their pureness, as if he is calling you to holiness.

Our hotel here in Udaipur is in a wonderful setting, with a back garden, fenced in back by the palace wall. It is lined with blooming trees, and the birds cheerfully chirp in the morning sunshine. Water is pouring gently from the palace wall like a fountain (it does not look like sewage, so I'm going with the thought that it is gray water from the palace). The monkeys gallop along the top of the wall, chasing each other. Idyllic. Breakfast on the rooftop was lovely in the sunshine. 

In contrast to Jaipur, Udaipur has a few highlights, but its real charm is in its luscious environment. It is surrounded by hills, and a man-made lake (made in the 15th century). We visited the City Palace, which is impressive in its size, since it is the largest palace in India. It has hiused the Maharana of this region since the 16th century. This is the only Maharana left in India, a designation reserved for a Prince who has always been independent. The Maharajas (in Rajasthan, at least) we're controlled by the Mughals. Even when the British were here, the Maharana defied British rule.

Udaipur City Palace

We also took a ride on a cable car to the top of another mountain, which had some very pretty views of the city.

Here in Udaipur,  we have used, for the first time, the tuk-tuk - the auto rickshaw. They are definitely convenient. These guys must know the dimensions of their vehicles to the last millimeter, as must any driver in India. We did walk down the streets for quite a while - there are not the same type of hawkers here that we've seen elsewhere at the tourist sites, but certainly there are plenty of vendors. Walking here is harrying, since there are no sidewalks and the vehicle traffic is going fast and without any sense of system. But it was quite interesting to wander the streets, looking at the amazing industry of the people of India.

This night we will spend in a sleeper class train, on the 13-hour trip to Ahmedabad. We are fortunate that at least for the beginning portion of our journey, there are just the four of us in our compartment.  My dad and brother are already asleep, and I can feel the lull of the swaying train. The Teenlet is running through books like water - he has already read The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings trilogy,  three other books on our flights over here, the War of the Worlds, and is now reading the Faeryland series.

Sleeper Class overnight train to Ahmedabad. 

Speaking of the Teenlet, what an amazing traveler he is. There isn't a whole lot here that he is interested in, but he has enjoyed the forts and has been working on some defensive designs of his own. He has loved having naan every day, and has been a good sport trying out the various Indian dishes we've had (the rest of us are in heaven eating this much Indian food!). And he has been very patient with the rest of us as we wander through mosques and temples. Uncle John is a great guide to explain a lot to him, to engage him in the experience. I am sure he will look back on this and be happy for the experience, but for now, he says he is the most Hobbit-like of all of us - he is missing the comforts of home.

Jaipur

If you want a full experience of India, Jaipur is the place to go. We were there for only a few hours, but left it regretfully, wishing we could see more. It is India's Republic Day (26 Jan), so we saw many preparations for  the celebration.  One very interesting one is that they close the bars - the whole place is dry for national holidays.

After a traditional Indian breakfast (we didn't lose power!), we went to the Amber Fort.  The highlight there was riding an elephant up the steep ramp and into the fort.  The Teenlet gripped me tightly the whole time, but I think he enjoyed having done it once he was back on solid ground. The hawkers at the fort were unbelievably persistent - my brother said the worst he's ever seen. One even followed us down the street on his motorbike as we were being driven away, trying to sell my brother pictures of he and dad on the elephant.

Elephants ready to take us up the hill to the Fort Gate!

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The Amber Fort was fascinating,  with lots of little passages and some cool technology. We picked up two young women from Brazil, who were traveling together throughout southeast Asia, and wanted some protection in a larger group. Their names were Juliana and Rafaela. We got to see a snake charmer and his very angry cobra. He was so cavalier about handling the snake, it surprised us. We also watched/listened to Hindi worship in the temple there, as people prayed, genuflected, and went forward for a blessing from the guru. 

Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Since our train to Udaipur was to leave at 2pm, we drove through the Pink City and through the gates of the Pink Palace, but we did not get to explore. That area is definitely more set up for tourists than most places we've been in India - you could wander the street without being run over by a car, bus, or rickshaw, and with a more designated shopping area than what we've seen.

Today is our first experience on India's famous trains. I am so glad we had Kamaal, our driver for the past four days, there to guide us. We are on a "short" trip - only 7.5 hours - so we are sitting in the chair seats with the other passengers who did not want to pay for first class or an air conditioned car. It is packed and rather uncomfortable, but this is India, with beggars going up and down the aisles, entertainers who want tips, and food vendors.

Kamaal works for a touring company that is licensed by the government.  He makes 4000 rupees a month, plus tips and commissions. To put that in perspective,  that is about $63, or just over $800 a year. There is definitely a sense of community in the tourism industry - the drivers take you to places that have promised them a commission (3 to 5 percent of sales). To us, that may seem manipulative, but it is part of the culture of poverty to help each other up, so we didn't mind.

Here in Udaipur, it is much quieter. We got in to the train station  late, hopped in an auto rickshaw,  and made it to our hotel with hardly hearing a car horn. Our hotel is in a lovely location, too - up a steep, cobbled alleyway the is bordered by shops and gardens. The hotel itself is adequate (the Teenlet is not impressed with the non-flushing toilet in our room, and less so with the hole in the floor that Uncle John and Grandpa have), but when we went up to the rooftop restaurant, we were in awe to see the City Palace looming just above us, the castle wall our nearest neighbor. It is nice to be away from commotion for a little bit.

City Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
from our hotel's rooftop restaurant

Agra, day 2

There are many places in the world that get hyped up as beautiful and great places to visit, but when you go, you realize they don't live up to the hype. The Taj Mahal is not one of them. It is one of the few buildings I have ever seen that is truly more glorious than I ever imagined. It is a white cloud that floats just above the horizon, until you get close to it and see the amazing detailed inlay that covers it from base to dome. Each design is made from precious and semi precious stones,  ground to exacting design and inlaid in marble with perfection. They say it glows in the moonlight (sadly, it was very foggy while we were there, so we didn't get to see the lighting effects of the building).

Taj Mahal, early morning, Agra

Our guide told us the story of why Shah Jahan built such an extravagant memorial for his beloved Mumtaz. While she was still alive, she realized that he loved her so much, that if she died before him, he would soon follow. So she asked him for two promises. First, that he would always take care of their 6 children, and second, that he would make something to show the world how much he loved her. He granted her promises,  and when she died he mourned without food for more than 10 days. Then he was reminded of his promises,  and set to work. The Taj Mahal took 22 years to build, and cost 20 million rupees (500 years ago that was a whole lotta money).

Here are two quotes that my brother shared about the Taj Mahal:

Tagore: "It is the teardrop of eternity."
Kipling: "It is the white cloud through which all dreams pass."

We got to see the process of creating the marble inlay that is still done in Agra by the descendents of the crafters of the Taj. Amazingly detailed and beautiful.

Marble inlay work, as done on the Taj Mahal.

Our itinerary has changed a bit, so we headed over to Jaipur this afternoon. Jaipur has the famous pink palace.

As I write this, we are traveling to Jaipur. It is 4:30 in the afternoon, and I have just realized that I have not had coffee today. Oops. I guess that happens when the electricity in the neighborhood goes out right after you get up. Our hotel was so close to the Taj, we walked to the south gate and then the west gate in 5 minutes. 

The scenery so far in Rajasthan is beautiful.  It is quite flat in this part, but covered in mustard fields, with trees of various types standing like sentries every so often.  The mustard is harvested to make mustard oil for cooking, and the locals use it for health benefits also.

Rajasthan countryside, mustard fields

Yesterday,  Dad asked if the poverty here is similar to Bolivia.  It is quite similar,  though the scale is vastly different.  The main difference I see is in the attitude of the people. Bolivians are quite proud, and we were instructed there not to give people money or handouts, as it would insult their pride. Here, it seems that scavenging is a way of life for all creatures. Even the cows on the streets dig through the garbage to find something to eat. We can't walk anywhere without someone asking for food or money. We watched a monkey steal from a visitor at the Taj. Twice. This difference is probably due to two things: the Hindu belief in karma, and the caste system,  which is very much still alive in India. Both of those things instill a sense of being where you belong, wihout any way of moving forward. Hope is a powerful force for change.

We made it to Jaipur. We first went to the Monkey Temple, which is tucked away up in the mountains. True to its name, it is full of monkeys. A vedantic monastery for the worship of the monkey god, Hanuman, this temple is very old. We were shown around by a monkey expert, who gave us peanuts and showed us how to feed the monkeys. We were surrounded! He said there are about 3000 monkeys who live in the hills nearby, introduced us to the chief monkey, and told us stories about the gods depicted in the frieze paintings all over the monastery. Really fantastic.

Us at Monkey Temple, outside Jaipur

 

Feeding peanuts to the monkeys

Tonight our hotel is closer to what we are used to, maybe even with heat, but definitely with towels, hot water, and T.P.! I took a nice hot shower and washed our clothes. Here's hoping we don't lose power tomorrow morning.

Agra

Day three started early, as we were set to meet our driver at 7am to travel the 200 km to Agra. As we were getting ready, the power went out - it seemed like it was a regional outage, since soon afterward the generators started going. It took our hotel about 40 minutes to get their generator going, but soon we had power again. But that meant breakfast at our rooftop restaurant was  unlikely. Fortunately,  we all had packed snacks, so we munched away on granola bars and dried fruit.

200 meters is a long way when you are in crazy traffic. And before you ask, yes it was almost the whole way. There were so many slums all along the side of the road, with cows, monkeys, donkeys, pigs, and more cows hanging out along with all the people, and a lot of mud.

Our first stop in Agra was at Sikander, the Mughal Emperor, Akbar's, tomb. It was beautiful, but was not as impressive as some of the other tombs we have seen. The detail was Persian (from where the Mughals came) and Hindu, with words from the Quran. Akbar was known to be egalitarian in his religious endeavors. 

Sikander, Agra

After a very late lunch, we went to Agra Fort. It was quite impressive, with fantastic technology for both defenses and keeping rooms cool in the hot summers. There was an amazing view of the Taj Mahal, especially from Shah Jahan's personal quarters. I suspect his wife loved her view over the river valley from her morning rooms, which led to the choice of location for her memorial.

Agra Fort, Inner Gate

Tonight we are at another hotel which is right in a busy market area. This is a fun atmosphere,  but it is noisy! We went to dinner at the rooftop restaurant, and while we were there, the nearest mosque put out their call to prayer over the loudspeaker. My brother poked his head out to see where the mosque is, and said, "yep, its right next door." So it should be easy to get up tomorrow morning. Maybe too early.

Rooftop restaurant for our hotel in Agra. We did not eat snakes.
Evidently, there is an amazing view of the Taj from here, but sadly it was too foggy for us to see.

Day 2 in Delhi

Yesterday it rained all day, and was a bit chilly. You know that type of cold that seeps into your bones. This morning started out that way, overcast though not raining, but wet-cold. I was already cold, having slept uneasily with only a light blanket. I took a very fast shower - our hotel has no hot water.  We ate breakfast at our rooftop restaurant, accompanied by a mama cat and her two kittens. We were out the door, waiting for our driver by 8am.

Kitties, begging for breakfast at the
rooftop restaurant at our hotel. 

Today we spent exploring New Delhi. This is the area where the government of India presides, so we drove by a lot of police, diplomatic cars, embassies,  the presidential palace and the home of the prime minister. 

Our first stop today was at a Hindu temple, dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi, called Shri Lakshmi Narain Temple.  It was amazing. We were not allowed to take cameras inside, but we took some neat pictures from the outside. The whole complex included many shrines, quotes from Hindu scriptures, and statuary. The colors were astounding, especially contrasted to the white marble floor.

Shri Lakshmi Narain Temple, Delhi (with my dad)

Then we went to the Nehru Museum, which was housed in the Nehru family home. They were setting up for a very large party on the property, with red and yellow, which is a very popular color combination.  The exhibits were abiut Nehru's growing up years, and the quest for independence.  Nehru is considered to be the uncle of India - he worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi,  was the first president of India, and his daughter and grandson were also presidents.

Next we went to Qatab Minar, which  is the tallest tower in India, at the site of a very old mosque set on the site of an even older Hindu shrine. It was fascinating to see the mix of religions. There are ruins upon ruins, carved out of sandstone and marble. We wandered around for a long time, admiring the intricate detail in the carving, the massive tower, and the grand size of what was claimed to be the largest mosque in India. 

Qatab Minar, Delhi

To contrast, we then went to a Bahai temple, called the Lotus Temple. It is built in the shape of a great, white lotus flower. The inside looks very much like a geodesic dome. It was a beautiful testament to prayer, and we sat on the marbled benches to take it in. It was all white, inside and out. Tragically, there is a slum that overlooks the spacious green gardens and temple, which wrenched my heart to see that contrast and think what it must be like to live there and look out on what you cannot have.

Lotus Temple (Bahai Faith), Delhi

Our last stop was Humayun's tomb. It inspired the design of the Taj Mahal. It was getting dark and difficult to see inside the tomb, but they say there are 100 Moghul emperors buried there. Needless to say, it was large and beautiful.

Humayin's Tomb, Delhi

We dropped the Teenlet at the hotel and went down the bazaar that is right outside our doorstep. We found some macaroni and cheese to take back to the Teenlet,  and a few souvenir items. Now, it is nearing bedtime and I am glad to say that is almost a decent bedtime for someone in India, meaning not 7:30 like it was last night.

Some reflections from today:

There is a fascinating camaraderie between the cab drivers, probably everywhere in the world, but quite obvious here. While we are visiting sites, our driver plays cards, chats, and eats with the other drivers. It is fun to see him jump up when he sees us coming, while the rest of the cabbies melt away. 

I would venture to say there is no "rush hour" in Delhi. Imagine the worst rush hour traffic you've ever been in, and add absolute chaos to it, children dodging traffic, and the occasional procession of people dressed up like Hindu gods, along with camels and elephants - and that's what Delhi traffic is like all the time. And honking horns. You must not forget the honking horns.

Having gone to houses of worship for four different religions today, I found it remarkable how much each has in common with the others. Reading passages from the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita on the walls of the Hindu temple, I recognized ideas that are central to the three great monotheisms (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Sure, the religions themselves have some stark theological differences as well, but it was good to see the similarities. 

Tomorrow morning early, we leave Delhi and head to Agra.

Arrival

We have arrived in Delhi!

Our flights were about as uneventful as you hope these things to be. Our hotel had sent a driver to pick us up, so once we got through immigration and customs, we made our way out of the airport in a little white car. I had heard of the driving habits in India, so I wasn't surprised to hear the chorus of honks and beeps that accompanied our travel. I was surprised to see lanes painted in orderly fashion on the road, but soon realized that they mean nothing to the drivers. Despite the seeming chaos, though, there is some order, but I am glad I will not have to drive here. Being a pedestrian will be challenging enough.

We drove by an Indian wedding last night. We could hear the drum-heavy music, and see the crowd of people dancing. It reminded me very much of the Indian wedding I went to with my grandparents and parents when I was about 9. I remember thinking then that human traditions have more in common than they are different - basically, a party is a party. It was fun to see that last night. I had forgotten about that wedding.

Our driver was from Nepal. He told us several times that India is crowded and noisy for him. Kathmandu, he said, is "very small" with only about 2 million people. Compared to Delhi's 13.5 million, I suppose that feels tiny. I wonder what Seattle would feel like to him.

Our hotel is descriptively on a street called Main Bazar, in New Delhi. This is descriptive because , though at most a 1-1/2 lane street, it is quite busy with cars, pedestrians, bikes, trolleys, and stalls of wares. Considering it was 10pm when we arrived last night, we have not yet explored, but we  won't need to go far for breakfast.  But I am glad for earplugs. And I was grateful for the driving skill of our driver. Especially since my seat belt didn't work.

The remainder of our party arrives this morning. While we are waiting, we went to the hotel's rooftop restaurant for some breakfast. It was our first daytime visual of our location. I must admit the restaurant is a romantic scene, with chairs and tables strewn about, planters in various stages of winter deshabille. Awnings cover a good portion of the area on this overcast day. The Teenlet ordered chocolate pancakes, which were more like crepes.  I ordered toast and milk coffee. While we waited for our food, we looked around the neighborhood from our rooftop vantage point. From what I can make out, we are in a middle class neighborhood that would, in the US, be closer to a slum. But here the concrete buildings are reinforced with rebar, as we can tell from a partially completed structure nearby, there are shops lining the street below us, and the children are heading to school, some in uniforms (I guess those attend the St Thomas' School that we passed on our way here),  and others wearing everyday clothing that is in good repair, with heavily-loaded backpacks on their backs. Auto-rickshaw drivers are washing their vehicles, and fruit vendors wheel huge carts of papayas and other fruits down the street. I'm only guessing they were papayas - they were larger than any papaya I've ever seen before, and more round. But there was one sliced open, and it looked just like papaya meat and seeds inside.

I told Teenlet, as we were sitting at breakfast, that we would see such highs and lows on this trip, since India is known for its beauty and poverty both. He was troubled by the neighborhood, even more so when I said it is not a slum. He was seeing the garbage on the streets, the tightly packed buildings, graffiti,  and sense of abandonment that you frequently see in these types of urban areas, even in the US. Think Detroit in the years that followed the downfall of the US auto industry. 

I am grateful that our unfortunate hotel neighbor is resting again. I hope he did not eat at the restaurant upstairs. 

Dad and my brother got here, so we are all together. 

Highlights of today:

Lunch at Movida Cafe. Really yummy international food, but we of course ate Indian. I had tandoori chicken momos.

Jama Masjid mosque (holds 25,000 worshippers). We were there at the time of call to worship, and waited outside during prayers, then went back inside.

Jama Masjid, Old Delhi

Rajghat, monument at the location of Mahatma Gandhi funeral pyre. Also several former presidents of India.

We drove by the Red Fort, but it is closed in preparation for the celebration of India's Republic Day on Sunday.

Rajghat - memorial site of Mahatma Gandhi's funeral pyre

It rained today, so the streets were wet, as were all the locations we had to remove our shoes. Our feet are a little gross.

Reflection: I am so glad I don't have to drive here.

On Our Way

When I was a child, my grandparents traveled frequently. They would come home from trips to all sorts of places that I had only heard about in the news, if that. And they would bring presents for their grandchildren. Being the only girl grandchild, I received some very interesting presents - a tribal headdress from Bali, a burqa from Afghanistan.  And from India, I got stories.

I remember, as a child of 7 or 8, looking through the book just given to me by my grandparents. It was very colorful, and it had wonderful tales from Indian mythology. The tales were foreign, the pictures of Lakshmi and other goddesses strange. But it held a beauty and strength in femininity that invaded my soul. I learned from those women how to be powerful.

I attribute to that book a good deal of my interest in learning about religion. Though it clearly represented a set of beliefs that were vastly different than my own Christian belief, that book and the tales told to me by my grandparents about their time in India, were formative. 

So today the Teenlet and I embark on an adventure that is almost 40 years in the making. Wish us well. I already know two important things I've forgotten, but we are here at the beginning of our journey and will press on without.  I will keep you posted. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers for safe travel.

Itinerary

Have had some questions about where we are going, so I thought I'd post our current itinerary. This could change once we get there, but for now that is what we're working with. Extra special thanks to my brother, John, for working out the details.

Jan 20, 2014  - Teenlet and I leave Seattle and fly through Newark.
Jan 21 - Teenlet and I arrive in Delhi (Indira Ghandi International Airport). John and Dad arrive from Chicago.
We play in Delhi for a couple of days, letting ourselves acclimatize to the culture and time zone, 13.5 hours ahead of home. 
Jan 24 - Train to Agra (location of the Taj Mahal)
Jan 25 - Overnight train to Udaipur (the lake city) - reportedly one of the most beautiful locations in India. Also, some of the training done when my grandparents were in the Peace Corps was done in Udaipur.
Jan 26 - Arrive Udaipur, and play for a couple of days.
Jan 28 - Overnight train to Ahmedabad (home of Mahatma Ghandi's ashram and center of India's textile industry).
Jan 29 - Train to Vapi (north of Mumbai), rent a car and driver and drive around the area where my great-grandparents were missionaries, and my grandfather grew up.
Jan 30 - Train Vapi to Ahmedabad
Jan 31 - Teenlet and I overnight train to Delhi (John and Dad continue on, to Jaipur and Nainital)
Feb 1a - Play in Delhi a bit, then to the airport we go for 11:35pm departure.
Feb 1b - In the air
Feb 2 - Arrive home, hopefully in time to watch the Super Bowl.

Note: I get my birthday twice, because we will be moving back in time as we fly. I doubt there will be cake, though.

We will be moving a lot, but much of it is on overnight trains, so we're hoping that helps with the long train rides - for example, Ahmedabad to Delhi is 13 hours. I expect that is when I will be creating my blog posts, to upload them whenever I get to a WiFi connection.

Anyway, that's where we will be!

Guess who is going on an adventure!

I am definitely one of those people who needs some adventure every so often. Five years ago, the Teenlet and I traveled to Bolivia with a group from church, on a mission trip. And soon, he and I will meet up with my brother and my dad for a heritage tour of India.

Wait, heritage?  Yes! My great grandparents were missionaries in India at the turn of the 20th century,  when India was still under British rule. My grandfather was born there, and spent the first 16 years of his life there. After he retired, he and my grandmother joined the Peace Corps,  and went back.

If you would like to keep up with our travels, I will be posting pictures, stories, and reflections from our time during our trip - right here!  So, bookmark this page, follow it, and keep coming back!