This morning my senses are overloaded. Have you heard the cliched saying Westerners seem to come out with about India, used in movies and print? - 'it is an assault on the senses – all of them, nearly all of the time.' It's so true!
Pradeep collected us with our student guide, Uma, this morning. Pradeep is an endearing chap who chuckles at the traffic he skilfully navigates through. Uma is cheery and level headed.
Our first visit is to India Gate which is mainly blocked off but Pradeep perseveres until he finds a traffic calming barrier which hasn't made its way totally across the road. Crowds are assembling built up of police, soldiers, journalists, people and a new addition today, hundreds of revving motor bikes, there are daily protests following the gang rape of a student doctor last week. The people want the culprits dead, Uma says and the people will continue to make their voices heard.
The atmosphere isn't threatening to us in the slightest, it's Sunday and a free day for many to march for justice. However Uma says this is the right time to be there, later in the day the crowds and police will become more antagonistic.
The mist is like thick soup, the locals have hats, gloves, scarves and jumpers on. It is 23 December and everyone tells us it will be the coldest day of the year. Fair enough, it's a long sleeve day. Uma points to India Gate and my eyes are staring ahead seeing nothing, and then suddenly I catch the edge of the framework of the red brick up and up. Looming out the thick fog the arch is huge, at 42 metres it is over twice the height of Marble Arch. Amazing.
Uma gets a call to say we can't go past the Presidential Palace because of the impending marches. Shame - Tom wanted us to to look at it having shared his knowledge of Lord Halifax and Ghandhi.
Next stop Dehli Metro where we give Uma the fright of her career! She jumps into an open carriage and the doors close, John and I aren't quite quick enough. Apparently she signalled that she'd come back, intrepid explorers (!) John and I missed the instruction and took the next train. Anyway after a couple of rides back and for between the stops we set out again together along to Chowri Bazaar.
We travel by cycle rickshaw, on foot and auto rickshaw. Pradeep's calmness in traffic has prepared us well for this experience - there's no point flinching, it does all in fact work, there is space and a code only they know. The short yellow traffic light boxes look similar to our speed cameras at home, John said if they were there would be at least ten number plates on each picture!
Besides my nose tells me I have other priorities - the richness of smells, vats of clarified hot butter, small fires burning, hot plastic, urine and other stuff makes me occasionally feel nauseous. I'm busily looking up and down, seeing everything but also watching out for random potholes, electric cables and other trip hazards.
Uma takes us to three temples, Jain where we ring the bell to let the gods know we are entering the house and are adopted by a man who gives us rice and signals at us to offer it to the gods. We try to look very righteous and enthusiastic that we are seeing the same enlightenment he is. A subdued frenzy builds and some of the gods are lifted out and washed with much smiling, adoration, gentle clapping and then they are carefully dried and put back.
Our man taps John and waves his finger at me - I think maybe he doesn't think John made a good wife choice or perhaps he is just looking more devout!
At the Hindu temple Uma comes in with us, this is her place. She introduces us to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva along with many others. Uma touches the shrine of one of the female deities as a mark of respect. It is Sunday, today we worship the sun, Ravi (we should all try a bit harder, the locals are correct, it's positively chilly).
The final temple is Sikh, as in all the others we take off our shoes and socks, but prior to entering we walk through a warm foot bath and cover our head with a scarf. The Sikh temple is full of music and more worshippers. It's a day off for most, but Uma says these temples are always busy. The Sikh temple feeds 20,000 people each day in a huge hall, Uma took us to the kitchen where daily volunteers arrive to make flatbread, lentil soup and a pudding (clarified butter, sugar and flour). Uma joins the volunteers every year on her birthday.
Pradeep drives us back to Thikana, Uma takes her leave, I'm going for a sleep - it's 1pm and I am exhausted!
Pradeep collected us with our student guide, Uma, this morning. Pradeep is an endearing chap who chuckles at the traffic he skilfully navigates through. Uma is cheery and level headed.
 |
| Arriving for the demo |
The mist is like thick soup, the locals have hats, gloves, scarves and jumpers on. It is 23 December and everyone tells us it will be the coldest day of the year. Fair enough, it's a long sleeve day. Uma points to India Gate and my eyes are staring ahead seeing nothing, and then suddenly I catch the edge of the framework of the red brick up and up. Looming out the thick fog the arch is huge, at 42 metres it is over twice the height of Marble Arch. Amazing.
 |
| India Gate through the haze |
Uma gets a call to say we can't go past the Presidential Palace because of the impending marches. Shame - Tom wanted us to to look at it having shared his knowledge of Lord Halifax and Ghandhi.
Next stop Dehli Metro where we give Uma the fright of her career! She jumps into an open carriage and the doors close, John and I aren't quite quick enough. Apparently she signalled that she'd come back, intrepid explorers (!) John and I missed the instruction and took the next train. Anyway after a couple of rides back and for between the stops we set out again together along to Chowri Bazaar.
We travel by cycle rickshaw, on foot and auto rickshaw. Pradeep's calmness in traffic has prepared us well for this experience - there's no point flinching, it does all in fact work, there is space and a code only they know. The short yellow traffic light boxes look similar to our speed cameras at home, John said if they were there would be at least ten number plates on each picture!
Uma takes us to three temples, Jain where we ring the bell to let the gods know we are entering the house and are adopted by a man who gives us rice and signals at us to offer it to the gods. We try to look very righteous and enthusiastic that we are seeing the same enlightenment he is. A subdued frenzy builds and some of the gods are lifted out and washed with much smiling, adoration, gentle clapping and then they are carefully dried and put back.
Our man taps John and waves his finger at me - I think maybe he doesn't think John made a good wife choice or perhaps he is just looking more devout!
 |
| Catch those electrics! |
The final temple is Sikh, as in all the others we take off our shoes and socks, but prior to entering we walk through a warm foot bath and cover our head with a scarf. The Sikh temple is full of music and more worshippers. It's a day off for most, but Uma says these temples are always busy. The Sikh temple feeds 20,000 people each day in a huge hall, Uma took us to the kitchen where daily volunteers arrive to make flatbread, lentil soup and a pudding (clarified butter, sugar and flour). Uma joins the volunteers every year on her birthday.
Pradeep drives us back to Thikana, Uma takes her leave, I'm going for a sleep - it's 1pm and I am exhausted!
 | ||
| Lunch in Haldirams with Uma |
Great travelogue! The overhead electric wire are even more daunting than in Hanoi, and that is saying a lot.
ReplyDeleteWe are all loving your 'travel diary'...........can't wait for the next installment. Keep writing............Mum xxxxx
ReplyDelete