India!

I’ve arrived and all is well and so far, it’s been a good time! Sorry it’s taken so long to get a blog up, but I’ve pretty much just been dependent on Internet cafes and it wasn’t until now that I could get some wi-fi (so I can put up pics!) and a bit of time!

Warning! This is a long one! So, I’ve divided it into chapters!! That said, still don’t be afraid to skip my long complaints about how much I suck at navigating Agra, or this boring part at the beginning where I talk about my “feelings”.

Chapter 1: Coming to India

Let me just put you up to speed a bit on where I am, both physically and mentally.

Mentally first: So, when I first thought about going to India, I thought it would be the regular run-of-the-mill touristy trip. I’d hit up all the top sightseeing spots one after another – bam, bam, bam (not unlike Italy 2011 with Jess). But since then, lots have changed. I’ve had an incredible experience – an experience of a lifetime – in Bangladesh. I’ve learned so much and seen so much and experienced so much. And to be honest, that’s made me a little tired. Not physically tired, but more emotionally and mentally (see last blog post). So now that I’m in India, I have a new plan. I’m going to take the next three weeks to relax. Sure, I’m going to see the sights (see below for the Taj Mahal!!!!!) and I’m going to travel around, but I’m going to go at a slower pace. No, I might not see quite as much as I could, but frankly I don’t care. I think I’m actually more excited for it now that I’m expecting that it’s going to be more meditative than rushed.

I’m going to try to pick really spiritual places to visit. I want to use the religious ‘infrastructure’ that’s here not just as something to gawk at and take pictures of, but as something to help me contemplate my last few months and meditate a bit and ponder the world and the greater forces in it.

And so that’s how India has been so far.

Chapter 2: Jonathan

I landed in Delhi at about 11am on Thursday (and have only good things to say about Indira Gandhi International Airport. WOW. It’s clean, it’s beautiful, it’s helpful. It may very well be the nicest airport I’ve ever been in!) and took a cab to my hostel. It’s a fairly decent place. It’s in the diplomatic district, so the streets are lined with trees, and everything’s quiet. The hostel’s plain but clean, and has AC. THANK GOODNESS, because it’s brutally, BRUTALLY hot here. Unfortunately, it’s a good jog away from the metro and there are few landmarks around, and so I’ve gotten lost both times I walked to the station…

After getting my room, dropping off my stuff, etc, I headed out into Delhi. I took the metro, which is super nice (though heavily crowded) and can connect you pretty good to across the entire city. And in Old Delhi I met up with my friend Jonathan P from Canada. This guy’s the coolest. He’s one of the people who were so instrumental in getting me set up in Bangladesh. He’s going to be studying at the University of New Delhi starting next week, so he just got in too. He’s super busy, but has still found time for me. After we met, we got some delicious ice cream (litchi flavour!!!) and talked about Bangladesh life. It was so good for me. I needed that.

Then we headed to Jama Masjid: India’s largest mosque. It can fit a whopping 25 000 people, and regularly does just that. It’s from the 16^th century, so it’s not at all new, but it’s still a fully functioning mosque and is still in incredible condition. We burned our feet on the hot red ground (no shoes allowed), but made it into some shade where we could sit. It’s such an incredible building, and has a ton of detail. There are also lots of Muslims around, even when it’s not prayer time. We got quite a few stares (though NOTHING like Bangladesh, I’ll tell you), and got approached by some people, especially kids, who blurt out “How are you?” before getting too embarrassed to make eye contact. Lucky for us, Jonathan is really quite good in Hindi. So he could talk with those around us and translate for me (interestingly though, Hindi has a fair number of similarities to Bangla, so I can pick out words and SOMETIMES even understand the theme of someone’s sentence. It’s like when I hear Spanish and compare it to French). We stayed for quite a long time, just chatting and peacefully enjoying our surroundings, until we got kicked out because prayer was about to begin.

Trying to get the enormity of the Jama Masjid in one picture. Beautiful architecture. 

We went for dinner at a restaurant recommended both by Lonely Planet, and a friend of Jonathan’s. The tandoori chicken was quite good, but the kebabs! Oh, the kebabs! To die for. So delicious. Our meal was perhaps a little meat-heavy but oh so good. A nice way to be introduced to Indian cuisine.

The next day, I headed for the train station to buy some tickets. I definitely took my time there, so it took up quite a bit of my day (but I got some VERY MUCH NEEDED details sorted out; I can now relax at least for the next couple train rides). But when I was done there, I headed across the city to meet Jonathan again. This time, we hit up the Baha’i House of Worship, aka the Lotus Temple. It was AMAZING! It’s an architectural wonder (and made by an Iranian-Canadian too!) and inspiring just to see from a distance. Then when we actually got closer, it was even better! We got a briefing from staff about the Baha’i faith and the purpose of the temple: It’s a multi-faith prayer and meditation centre. So not just those of the Baha’i faith but literally EVERYONE is welcome. The inside is grand (no photographs allowed, sorry), with the amazingly high roof, beautiful marble seats and floors, and excellent acoustics. We took a seat and just meditated and meditated. There’s no limit for how long you can stay, so we took advantage of that a bit. This whole time, the whole room is completely silent. Then bird calls (real birds flying around the roof) ring out. They are such sweet, natural sounds, and they echo through the building. Then there was what I presume is the equivalent of a sermon. A rotation of 4 people (two men, two women) got up to the front and spoke or sang. Again the acoustics created shiver-causing echoes of pure beauty. Especially the singing. It was so gorgeous. This “sermon” was short too – it didn’t drag on. Just the right length of time.

Jonathan and I, with the Lotus Temple behind us.

When we finally left the actual building, we just stayed outside and chatted more – this time largely about religion and the Baha’i faith and that sort of thing. The perfect venue for it. And I really encourage you to take a moment to Google or Wikipedia search the Baha’i faith (because let’s be honest, if you're one of my regular readers, you don’t know much about it, do you?). It’s really quite interesting and moderate, and even pragmatic.

Just some comments on my first impressions of India: I’m so glad I went to Bangladesh first! India’s easier, in a lot of ways. And I feel truly acclimatized to some of the commonalities. When I get ripped off on a rickshaw ride, or basically run over trying to get on a subway, I can just laugh. I can understand the culture, if only just a bit, and take it in stride. There’s no point being angry, or complaining, or letting it get you down. You just move on!

India, or I guess specifically Delhi, also seems to be a real mix of Bangladesh and North America. Some neighbourhoods, like my hostel’s, could almost be Canadian. And some places I’ve seen are more like Mirpur. It’s such a variance!

Chapter 3: In Which I Show a Lot of Incompetence But Also See the Taj

Next, I was off to Agra, home of the famous Taj Mahal. All in all, I’d say my trip to Agra was a bit of a Fail, but at least I saw the highlights. I wanted to also go to the nearby village of Fatehpur Sikri, but my train was delayed (in retrospect, maybe I wouldn’t have had enough time anyway. I don’t know). By a lot. I listened to the announcements for other trains to Agra leaving from other platforms… If I had in fact tried to take a later train, I would have arrived earlier… And I couldn’t go anywhere, because I didn’t want to miss my train, plus I had all my luggage.

The train ride itself, my first in India, also took longer than it should have, so that added to my delay. I was in “sleeper” class, which is a second-class-level seating area. At night, you get a bunk, but during the day you share a bench. The other passengers who were already on the train (probably for lots and lots of hours) didn’t seem too pleased to see me, and even seemed to be questioning my reservation a bit with the ticket inspector (it was in Hindi, I’m only guessing). But actually, they turned out to be really nice (I’m still really bad at reading people in the subcontinent – it’s the same in Bangladesh; I think people dislike me automatically, but after a while I find they’re really interested in helping you out to the max). There were far more people in our cluster of seats than the allotted spaces, so it was pretty cramped (it’s not exactly spacious in the first place). But what was really interesting was the diversity around me. On my right were two devout Muslims, I think in training to become imams or something. One was white, too, and had difficulty in Hindi. But he also didn’t speak English, so I have no idea where he was from originally (he spoke Urdu to his Indian friend. Since many Muslims believe Urdu to be the holy language, that doesn’t help). On my left were two Punjabi Sikhs, who were actually also soldiers in the Indian army. And across from me was an average Hindu family. So neat for my first rail experience!

Finally arriving in Agra, I was exhausted and it was a little late to visit anything. So I just found a room (first try!) and walked around the nearby neighbourhood. I got some delicious Indian food – malai kofta: basically potato in a delicious vegetable curry sauce and then called it a night.

I had planned to get up early to see the Taj in the early morning light, but unfortunately I didn’t feel so well in the morning and took things a bit slow. Lucky, all cleared up by 10ish and I headed out again, set to see the sites. My hotel was mere steps from the Western Gate of the Taj, but my Lonely Planet told me that the South Gate has much shorter lines and a more impressive entrance. Since it was only about 300m away according to local signage, I thought I might as well go there. Then I got utterly lost, developed a blister already (how?!?! Same shoes as all of Bangladesh, and I had days with MORE walking!), and ended up at the EAST gate. “Ok, fine”, I thought, “I’ll just go in this gate”. But no, it’s not that simple! To get a ticket to the East Gate, you have to walk a kilometre further to the east. “Oh well,” thought I, “what’s 1km?” Of course, the kilometre turned out to be uphill and the sun was shining down with killer intensity. I think it was somewhere around here that I first developed my heat rash.

Finally I got a ticket. Now tired of walking, I overpaid a rickshaw-wallah to coast back down the hill with me in the back. I went towards the gate. “Finally, I’ll get in!”

NOPE. I had my laptop in my backpack, and that’s a no-no for the Taj. They told me I would have to go ALL the way back up to the top of the hill and deposit my bag in the lockers there. GAH!

Then I had a clever thought: “Why don’t I backtrack to the South Gate (I’ll ask for directions) and just deposit my bag there? Then I’ll avoid the hill!” So I did that, and managed to find the South Gate alright (though it was very poorly marked. Luckily there was an Asian couple a few metres ahead who were getting lead there). I deposited my bag. I headed to security and presented my ticket… WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN STAMPED AT THE EAST GATE!!! The guy didn’t want to let me in. He thought I was trying to reuse someone else’s ticket (it didn’t help that I had unceremoniously crumpled it into my pocket in anger). But I explained and begged and another security guard seemed to like me and he told me to just go in. FINALLY!

After all that, the Taj Mahal was worth it. It is truly, truly a beautiful building. My pictures aren’t all that great (kinda an overcast day), but I think that even the best you can find online don’t do it justice. Its immensity, its design, and its story are all beautiful. Shah Jahan, its creator, must have really loved his wife…

The Taj Mahal. What a sight! Pictures don't do it justice.

Something I really appreciate about the Taj (and many other sites I’ve seen in India) is it’s not quite as directed as sights in Europe or North America. I mean, you have a lot more freedom for the path you choose. Inside the Taj itself, you had to follow the directed route, but otherwise you’re basically free to just wander whichever which way, at your own pace. The mosque and“jawab” (just built for symmetry with the mosque) are also beautiful in their own rights. If they were at a different location, people would probably also flock to see them (though you can’t go inside them).

Another note of complaint from me: I was wearing my sunglasses and had left my regular glasses in my checked bag. This was fine outside, but made it really difficult to properly appreciate the intricate patterns of precious stones in the already-dark inside… ugh. Fail.

There’s not much more point in describing the Taj: the whole thing’s gorgeous from every angle. Come visit me and see all my pics when I get home. Or better yet, plan a trip yourself. So let’s skip ahead until I leave the Taj grounds.

I took lunch at a little café – it was empty, which is normally a warning sign for Indian restaurants, but it had a glowing review in Lonely Planet. And the food – or, especially, the lassi – was worth it. But then I dined-and-dashed. Sort of. By accident.

So I finished my lunch all relaxed and casual. I was hot, my lassi was cold, and there was no rush of people looking to take my seat. The man who served me food took away my dishes, but then disappeared somewhere while I read my Lonely Planet, and so when I finished, I didn’t even think about money. I just walked out, la la la. I hailed a rickshaw and heckled a price and headed out. AND THEN REMEMBERED I DIDN’T PAY! Luckily, we hadn’t gone too far. I ran back up to the café, but actually had to wait for someone to show up, because it was deserted as much of staff as of customers. Finally a woman appeared and thought I wanted food. It took me a while to get her to understand that I was trying to PAY! Fail again.

Then I went to Agra Fort. It was another beautiful building, and I think I enjoyed it just as much as the Taj Mahal. I got an audio tour, but again, you’re allowed to wander very freely inside the walls, so I took advantage of that quite a bit too. I found some corners that were basically deserted and it was just me enjoying the beautiful, 16^th century palace. Some of it is rundown a bit over time, but other parts are very well maintained. And with the help of my audio guide, I got a really neat vision of what life must have been like for those ultra-wealthy Mughal emperors. It’s like the Versailles of the East.

Crumbling Mughal glory: Agra Fort

Having taken my time in the Fort, I just had time for a light dinner before catching my train back to Delhi. It was also a little late (not quite so much, thankfully), and also took longer than it should have. I was also in second-class seating (even less – much less – space than the sleeper class) so it was a little tight. Luckily, I had some conversation companions. I was squished beside a hilarious French couple, who also told me they were EXTRA delighted to have someone to speak to in French since they’ve only had their own broken English to rely on the past few weeks of their trip. And across from me were some young Americans, about my age, who were in India on a Mission Trip. So I didn’t get bored, even though I arrived in Delhi at midnight.

As a final FAIL to tie off my Agra trip, my taxi driver was a really jerk-head. He told me my price was fixed from the station to my hostel, and so I agreed, even though it seemed a little high (also, I was tired, and didn’t care, and was at a new station, so didn’t really know distances). But then as we drove into the city, he told me he didn’t know where my hostel was, even though he said he knew back at the train station. He had to stop for directions several times, but then upon finding out where it was told me the price would increase by 300 rupees (a considerable sum, in India) because it was farther than he thought. I was angry, and told him no, but then he just said he would stop where we were, then, and leave me there. It was the middle of nowhere and there were basically no cars around. Certainly no other taxis. Remember, it’s after midnight. So I had no choice to accept. Finally we arrived, but when I paid him (a truly exorbitant price) he tried to take even more for “his tip”. I LOST IT. I demanded the “tip” back and asked for his registration. The hostel security guard came out to see what was going on, and the man hastily retreated to his taxi. The security guard pieced together what happened, and was totally on my side. He also yelled at the taxi driver, but he drove away. Then the security guard told me I should have called the cops on him. I know that’s true, but unfortunately didn’t get his registration. I was too exhausted.

Chapter 4: Fantasy Rock Garden

The next morning, bright and early, I headed back to the train station, this time headed for the city of Chandigarh. I was in nicer seating for this ride; about equivalent to VIA, but with meals included and served (even for a relatively short journey). It was very nice. The only weird thing was that when I arrived at the station 3 different people tried to tell me my train was cancelled. They pretended to be station staff, but I guess they were scammers. Thing is, I can’t really think of what their motivation for saying that would be… if I believed them, I would just go exchange my ticket at the ticket office, and find out I had been lied to. I’d be out a bunch of money, but I don’t know how they’d get it… Anyway, I ALMOST believed them because I couldn’t see why they’d lie. I’m just really glad I didn’t and that I checked the platform myself! Comment if you think you know the scam please!

Chandigarh is a really interesting city that would especially appeal to Brother Nick and probably Evelyn too, because it’s all about urban-planning. The modernist planner Le Corbusier planned it, and it’s ultra-structured. It’s divided into numerous sectors, named by number (example, my hotel was in Sector 22-B), of roughly the same size. There are a lot of straight roads, but also a lot of trees and parks and green space. Whether or not you like the style, I think you have to appreciate the vision and its successful implementation. Chandigarh is also infinitely cleaner and quieter than Delhi, or other Indian cities I’ve heard of (though it has its moments too).

I only had ¾ of a day to see Chandigarh, so sightseeing was limited, especially since I also had to buy some more train tickets (= long lines). My first sightseeing destination was Nek Chand’s Fantasy Rock Garden. And yes, the place is as strange as the name. Here’s how the story goes (Cameron’s Adapted Version. Not responsible for historical inaccuracies, but I think I’ve got it down):

After Partition in 1947 (in which India and Pakistan came into being, separate from Britain and, importantly, each other. See Wikipedia: ), a lot of Muslims and Hindus crossed the borders to be “with their people”. One such person was Nek Chand, coming from Pakistan to India. India was also like, “Let’s build a cool new city where all these Muslim villagers used to live!!” So they tore down all these villages and got Le Corbusier (see Wikipeide: ) to design their new masterpiece city. Nek Chand was a civil servant in the area, and noticed the amount of garbage and debris from the demolished villages. He didn’t like it, so he started hording it off in some obscure corner of government land. Here, he began to make statues. And walls. And all manner of things, using this garbage. Smashed tile, old barrels, bags, everything. And he began to make a little rock garden of garbage-statues. 15 years later, it wasn’t really small anymore. Some other government employees came across it and were like “WTF Nek?!?! What is all this?!?!” It was on government land, and should have been demolished. But everyone agreed that it was actually all pretty cool. So they gave Nek a full time job and a bunch of employees to make his Fantasy Rock Garden into a real tourist attraction. And so it is. It’s a maze of waterfalls and (sometimes creepy) rock-people peering at you from strange places. Sometimes there are just a few here and there, other times there are entire armies of them. All in all, actually pretty cool! And a neat way to reuse garbage!





A minature army of recylced-garbage people.

After the Rock Garden, I retreated to the Rose Garden, which is a huge park with almost a hundred varieties of roses. It wasn’t prime rose season, the grass isn’t cut nearly as meticulously as it would be in North America, but it was a nice place to just relax and think.

Then I started getting approached by people, many of whom wanted me to buy homeopathic medicine (???) or who had other random bits of advice for me, and I decided my time in the park was finished for the evening.


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Now that I’ve tried to write this out, I have to stop before I’ve actually “caught up”. This post actually only puts us at the morning of the 24^th of July, but it’s just become too long, and I don’t have time to finish and post pics!

I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to post again, but I really hope I do. I have so many more stories to share! But I hope this at least gives a taste of what I’ve been up to.

Just for your curiosity (I’m assuming that if you’ve read this far, you’re kinda interested in what I’m doing), if you’re following along with a map/google searches of places I’ve been, my next destinations after Chandigarh were Shimla (favourite place so far!) and Amritsar, where I met my friend Priya. Then I came back to Delhi where I am now, and where I met up with Jonathan for a day again. Tomorrow morning, I’m off to Haridwar, then I’ll head to Varanasi with Jonathan next weekend. That’s the extent of my plans at this point!

So that’s that. I REALLY hope I can post at least one more time to catch you up on even just a few more of my crazy, hilarious, exciting, frustrating, mind-boggling and emotional experiences.

-C

Is that a statue to the Monkey-God Hanuman at the top of a small mountain in the Himalayas near a Temple where I had an incredible experience that I can't wait to tell you about? Why yes, yes it. Near Shimla. If I blog again, I'll tell the story. If not, make sure you ask me about it when I get home!