To assure peace with mighty Akbar,The maharaja in Palace AmberDecided that he oughtaBetroth him his daughter.So "Jodaa" married Akbar.Would it cause a rough patchThat their faiths were a mismatch?For Akbar it was no whim,For crucial it was to himThat a son she should hatch.As they married, Akbar was elated.Then patiently he waited and waited.He displayed a big smileAs he waited a long whileTill their marriage was consummated.There was naught, I must say,That she gained by delay.Had she been a bit smarter,She'd have been a prompt starterAnd cozied up right away.Couldn't she have pretendedWhen so much depended?Shouldn't she have cooperatedWhile instead her husband waitedFor a period so extended?I guess it wasn't easyFor a Hindu to love a Ghazi.We shouldn't be surprisedThat when he gazed into her eyesShe felt a little queasy.After quite some time the empress,Naked and with tenderness,Came on to the emperorAnd, just then, likewise he to her,And it led to success.For the truth did not escape herThat otherwise he might rape her.So they loved hot and heavyTill with child she was heavyAnd that caused them to taper.If the film's suggestion be true,"Jodaa" ever remained Hindu.Of his three wives, she was the oneWho gave Akbar a son.'Twas the best thing she could for him do.Things for them had clicked.Don't know if they were strict.Akbar had a helpful Hindu honAnd now as well his son --The future king and addict.Their joy was extremeNow that true was their dream.'Twas truly earth-shaking.Seven years it had taken.And they named him Salim.Akbar, who was nice at court,In war was a different sort.Especially early in his reign,From cruelty he did not refrainBut practiced it like a sport.And "Jodaa," perhaps she changed.Much help for Islam she arrangedWhen she could along her path.I wonder if her faithFor Islam she exchanged."Jodaa" became a power in the court.To good projects she gave support.No longer Hindu (should we assume?),She built herself a tomb,According to report.
On January 20, 1562 the third Mughal emperor, Akbar, married a Rajput Indian princess. They were both the same age, 19 years. She was Hindu. He was Muslim. She was the eldest daughter of the maharajah in the Amber Fort Palace near the present city of Jaipur. The maharajah's territory bodered the emperor's. The marriage was intended to cement peaceful relations and create an alliance between the two realms. (The emperor was famous for diplomacy, and the maharajah was a good diplomat as well. And marriage was a diplomatic device.) It's reasonable to assume that the religion difference may have been seen by some as a potential problem.
In the evening in our hotel near Jaipur we watched the 3.5-hour film "Jodaa Akbar." We also learned about a little about "Jodaa" from our guides, particularly when we toured the fort-palace Fatehpur Sikri near Agra (her home after she was married).
About the film, I remarked to our trip leader-guide, Som Bose, that it must be a little history and a whole lot of fill in. He agreed. I didn't realize then the extent of it.
I composed several verses based on what I had learned. Then I read some Wikepedia articles on the subject. I wrote additional verses to reflect some of the things I learned from the articles. Here are some points that interest me:
1. Jodaa wasn't her name at all (nor Jodhaa, nor Jodha, nor Jodha Bai, nor Jodhabai) although there is a popular perception that she was known as Jodha Bai. She was never known as such during her lifetime. Her maiden name was Rajkumari Hira Kunwari Sahiba (or just Hira Kumwari), alias Harkha Bai. Her married title was Mariam-uz-Zamani Begum Sahiba, often shortened to Mariam-uz-Zamani, and meaning "Mary of the age."
The name Jodha Bai erroneously first came into use for her in historical writings of the 18th and 19th centuries. A particular book is mentioned as first using the name Jodha for her. According to the Wikipedia article, Jodha Bai or rather Jodh Bai was actually the name of Jahangir's Rajput wife Princess Manmati of Johhpur, whose real name was Jata Gosain. (This Jodh Bai was a daughter-in-law of "Jodaa.")
"Jodaa" was indeed the mother of Nuruddin Salim Jahangir (1569-1627), who became Akbar's successor, the fourth Mughal emperor (ruled 1605 - 1627).
Akbar is a title meaning "Great." Akbar's full name was Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar.
2. A major theme of the movie is that "Jodaa" insisted on remaining Hindu (not converting to or being force or coerced to convert to Islam), and that she was permitted to remain Hindu, and that she did remain Hindu. According to the movie,"Jodaa" (who in reality probably had no say in the matter) was willing to marry Akbar but only if she could remain Hindu.
It is reasonable that she was permitted to remain Hindu because Akbar has the reputation of being exceptionally liberal about religion and tolerant of Hinduism. Actually, Akbar was liberal toward Hindus some of the time and cruel to them at other times.
Apparently "Jodaa" was allowed to practice Hinuism freely. But did she eventually change her faith of her own accord? Here are four items in a Wikipedia article that suggest that she may have changed her faith:
(a) "Maryam Zamani died in 1622. .... Her tomb, built in 1611, is on the Delhi-Agra National Highway, near Fatehpur Sikri. She was buried according to Islamic custom and was not cremated according to the Hindu religion."
(b) "... the mosque of Mariyam Zamani Begum was constructed in Lahore, Pakistan, in her honour."
(c) "Maryam Zamani owned and oversaw the ships that carried pilgrims to and from the Islamic holy city Mecca."
(d) "Maryam Zamai used her wealth and influence to build ... mosques around the country." It doesn't say she supported the building of Hindu temples.
3. Another major theme of the movie is that it was Jodaa's father, the maharajah in the Amber Fort Palace, who came up with the idea and advanced the idea of her marrying the Mughal emperor, Akbar. (He was Kacchwaha Rajput, Raja Bharmal, Raja of Amber, the older name of the state of Jaipur.) There is an item in the Wikipedia article that hints it might have been otherwise, i.e., that maybe Akbar came up with the idea and applied pressure, or that maybe it was the maharajah's idea, but he and others of his family didn't feel good about it, maybe felt it was something distasteful that circumstances required.
"Still there is an ambiguity over her rajput origin. Rajputs are said to have swapped their daughter with a low caste maid as the final revenge just before the royal marriage. Though there is no historical evidence, such stories are common among Rajputs mostly suggesting redemption of her honor."
Well, Akbar wasn't always the fairy-tale nice guy depicted in the movie. (Maybe he was in court.) Terrible things happened to the citizens of little kingdoms who defied and fought him and lost, and they were sure to lose. See Items 8 and 10.
4. The movie doesn't make anything explicit about other wives. Since other wives are not mentioned in the movie, one could conclude from it that "Jodaa" was Akbar's only wife at the time, i.e., his first wife. At Fatehpur Sikri we learned that Akbar had three wives. From a Wikipedia article I learned that "Jodaa" was indeed Akbar's third wife.
I went to the Internet about the question of how many wives Akbar eventually had. It seems that he eventually had seven principal wives, whereas Islam allowed only four wives, and that he eventually had a total of some 300 wives, and a total harem or over 4,000 women (mostly concubines and slaves)!
I was curious what other children besides Salim were fathered by Akbar. I didn't learn any specifics, but I presume with 300 wives or even seven wives, there must have eventually been a bunch.
I also took an interest in learning some details about his first and second wives. "Akbar's first queen was the childless Ruqaiyya Begum." She was his cousin, and he married her when he was 15. I couldn't learn when she was born or when she died. Akbar's "second wife was Salima Sultan, the widow of his most trusted general, Bairam Khan." Bairam Khan was also Akbar's regent and guardian. I couldn't learn much about Salima Sultan except that she died in 1613. Since Bairam Khan's death was in 1561, her marriage to Akbar had to have occurred right after Bairam's death and only a short time before Akbar's marriage to "Jodaa" in January, 1562. How old Salima Sultan was in 1561 I can only guess, and I guess she was 25 or 30. Salima Sultan at least had one daughter with Bairam because she is mentioned as a mother-in-law of Jahangir.
5. The movie ends early in the marriage -- before the birth of her son. There was no mention one way or the other in the movie about the eventual standing of "Jodaa." She lived from 1542 to 1622. Akbar lived from 1542 to 1605 and ruled from 1556 to 1605. I learned from a Wikipedia article that "Jodaa" became an exceptionally powerful person in the Mughal court.
"She is said to have been politically involved in the court until Nur Jahan became empress."
"Like few other women at the Moghul court, Maryam-uz-Zamani could issue official documents (singularly called farman), which was usually the exclusive privilege of the emperor. Maryam Zamai used her wealth and influence to build gardens, wells, and mosques around the country."
6. Mention of Nur Jahan in my Wikipedia article on "Jodaa" led me to look up a Wikepedia article on Nur Jahan. And that's a heck of a story. Nur Jahan (1577-1645) was the 20th and favorite wife of Jahangir. (So she was a daughter-in-law of "Jodaa.") She married fourth emperor Jahangir in 1611 and became the most famous empress of the Mughal Empire. The name Nur Jahan was given to her by Jahangir and is composed of parts of his name. "She remains historically significant for the sheer amount of imperial authority she wielded - the true 'power behind the throne,' as Jahangir was battling serious addictions to alcohol and opium throughout his reign - and is known as one of the most powerful women who ruled India with an iron fist."
7. It seems strange to me that Akbar was illiterate, could barely sign his name. The court certainly would have had the resources to provide him an education as a youth. Could it be that an unsuccessful attempt had been made to educate him? His grandfather, Babur, was literate. His father, Humayan, died from a fall on the steps in his library. His guardian, Bairam Khan, was a noted poet who wrote in three languages. Although Akbar was illiterate, he had libraries of books on various subjects, and he had people read them to him. And he had his "nine jewels," learned men who discussed various topics with him.
8. Akbar is depicted in the film as the exact opposite of what he was in terms of treatment of captured "infidels."
I have an article from the Internet titled The Real Akbar, The (Not) So Great. "Akbar ... ordered slaughter of all the captives from Hemu's army after the second battle of Panipat and had a victory tower built with their heads." Hemu's elderly father was slain when he refused to convert to Islam.
"Similarly, Akbar later on ordered a massacre of 30,000 plus unarmed captive Hindu peasants after the fall of Chitod on February 24, 1568."
"It is indeed true that Akbar drifted from orthodox Islamic practices and became more tolerant of other religions. However, more often Akbar used and twisted religious principles to his own advantage."
"... his rule was better compared ONLY to the other Mughal and Turko-Afgani rules."
See Item 10.
9. Akbar attempted without success to found a religion "in which he vaguely tried to combine practices of Islam and Hinduism."
10. A critical event in the movie is based on historical fact, but related details were changed. This is from an Internet article: "In this second battle of Panipat, the Mughals were saved by a lucky accident after a hard fight which looked more than likely to go against them. An arrow hit Hemu in the eye and although it did not kill him it had pierced the cerebral cavity enough to make him unconscious. In any battle of this period the death of the leader meant an end of the fight, and the sight of Hemu slumped in the howdah of his famous elephant Hawai was enough to make his army turn tail. Shah Quli Khan captured the Hawai elephant with its prize occupant, and took it directly to Akbar. Hemu was brought unconscious before Akbar and Bairam. Bairam pleaded Akbar to perform the holy duty of slaying the infidel and earn the Islamic holy title of 'Ghazi.' Among much self-congratulation Akbar then severed the head of unconscious Hemu with his saber." Apparently the title of Ghazi was a badge of honor and right of passage. "Akbar like all Mughal rulers had the holy Muslim title of Ghazi (slayer of kaffer - infidel)."
In the movie this arrow shot was not an "accident." Rather, an archer was sent into battle with the mission to shoot Hemu in the eye and succeeded in doing so. Taking nothing away from the skill of medieval archers, I think this is far-fetched. His eyes were his only features not protected by Hemu's helmet and other armor.
In the movie Akbar (age 14) declined to slay Hemu. So Bairam slayed Hemu on the spot.
According to the movie, in a scene in a later battle, Akbar permanently dismissed Bairam because he was too cruel and sent him on a hajj to Mecca. (Bairam was about to slay another defeated infidel.)
This does have a connection with actual history in that Bairam Khan was dismissed as Akbar's regent and guardian in 1560 upon Akbar's coming of age (18), and he did leave on a hajj to Mecca. But there is no historical indication of the two men differing on treatment of captured infidels. Bairam Khan was killed by an assassin in 1561. His year of birth is not given.
According to the historical articles, Bairam was Akbar's "most trusted general" as well as his regent and guardian, and Akbar married Bairam's widow, Salima Sultan. (She was Akbar's second wife.)
11. The movie shows Akbar abolishing a tax on Hindus making religious pilgrimages. This turns out to be true to actual history. "... Akbar did abolish two obnoxious taxes on Hindus namely the pilgrimage tax in 1563 CE and Jizya (A tax stipulated in the Koran to be paid by Zimmis or unbelievers) in 1564 CE, ..."
12. Our trip leader, Som, mentioned the phenomenon of Jauhar, the self-immolation of women in cases of defeat in wartime. I found a mention of that where women jumped into a roaring fire rather than face the cruelty of Akbar upon the fall of Chitod: "That night flames leapt to the sky as thousands of Rajput women performed Jauhar ... They preferred jumping into a roaring fire, to being captured by Mughal Akbar. Later events do lend credit to their astute judgement."
13. The movie shows Akbar dismissing an Islamic scholar because of a long-standing disagreement between them. I think the issue was that there was a practicing Hindu at court who was not converting to Islam. In real life, over quite a different issue, Akbar, a Sunni, "dismissed the Khazi, the highest religious officer from his court, a Sunni, and replaced him with a Shiite who did agree with him!" The issue was that Akbar had more wives than the four allowed by Islam. Akbar "used 'Mutta' principle to justify his 300 wives. As per Shia interpretation, 'Mutta' constituted a legal Muslim marriage. ... a Muslim can have a 'Mutta' marriage with a free woman of OTHER religion. A 'Mutta' marriage involves no ceremny, but is a private pact between a man and a woman for, officially, ' a limited period of time (as short as one night)' agreed between them."
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Regarding my third verse, for those who've not seen the film, although "Jodaa" was willing to marry Akbar (since she could remain Hindu), it took her a very long time to develop affection for him. I guess that's "Hollywood," India-style. I suppose in reality, "Jodaa" might well have had a fear hang-up, not just a lack-of-affection hang up.
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The Mughals were cruel foreigners. Yet it seems to me that, for the most part, the Indian people have chosen to "adopt" the Mughals as their own, take pride in them, emphasize whatever good they can find in them, and overlook their cruelty.
Admittedly, the Mughals would have become "Indianized" to an extent because of their marriages with Indian princesses and because they hung around so long. Yet I believe their lives at court were isolated from the Indian people, and they kept their foreign culture pretty much intact.
Here is a final quote: "Why don't the Indian school texts give these details of Akbar and what else are they hiding?"
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
BABUR
In India, great is this man's fame.
Conquest was his game.
Babur, we're told, means tiger.
As Babur he was as much a tiger
As by his full real name.
Steeped in Persian culture,
A warrior Babur was by nature.
He was born in an Uzbeck valley,
And forth from there he sallied T
o vast lands wherein he'd wander.
Babur knew both good luck and bad.
An army and illnesses he almost always had.
The Mughal Empire he founded
When a much larger army he pounded,
This wandering Turkish lad.
A literate man was he
Who loved good poetry.
Babur wrote in his memoirs
The tales of his wars.
Call it autobiography.
Babur came from ruling families,
Ghengis Khan and Timur on his tree.
His lieutenant and son
And successor was Humayun.
He was quick to adopt new weaponry.
Babur knew how to recruit.
Soldiers he found to suit.
Of the crop they were the cream.
He inspired them with his dream.
And a strategist he was to boot.
But how'd he finance his army
Before glory came to he,
This man of prodigious strength
Though a Muslim who loved to drink?
That's what puzzles me.
And, not that now it matters,
I wonder, for that matter,
How nine wives Babur supported
And if, after they were courted,
They grew somewhat fatter.
Emperor Babur lived a lifestyle lavish.
He used his share of hashish.
He loved the gardens of Kabul
And was finally entombed in Kabul
According to his wish.
[I read a Wikepedia article on Babur (Zahir ud-Din Muhammad bin 'Omar Sheykh).]
Conquest was his game.
Babur, we're told, means tiger.
As Babur he was as much a tiger
As by his full real name.
Steeped in Persian culture,
A warrior Babur was by nature.
He was born in an Uzbeck valley,
And forth from there he sallied T
o vast lands wherein he'd wander.
Babur knew both good luck and bad.
An army and illnesses he almost always had.
The Mughal Empire he founded
When a much larger army he pounded,
This wandering Turkish lad.
A literate man was he
Who loved good poetry.
Babur wrote in his memoirs
The tales of his wars.
Call it autobiography.
Babur came from ruling families,
Ghengis Khan and Timur on his tree.
His lieutenant and son
And successor was Humayun.
He was quick to adopt new weaponry.
Babur knew how to recruit.
Soldiers he found to suit.
Of the crop they were the cream.
He inspired them with his dream.
And a strategist he was to boot.
But how'd he finance his army
Before glory came to he,
This man of prodigious strength
Though a Muslim who loved to drink?
That's what puzzles me.
And, not that now it matters,
I wonder, for that matter,
How nine wives Babur supported
And if, after they were courted,
They grew somewhat fatter.
Emperor Babur lived a lifestyle lavish.
He used his share of hashish.
He loved the gardens of Kabul
And was finally entombed in Kabul
According to his wish.
[I read a Wikepedia article on Babur (Zahir ud-Din Muhammad bin 'Omar Sheykh).]
SAWAI
This maharajah of Jaipur
Made his kingdom purr.
There's been no monarch finer
As a city designer,
Mathematician and astronomer.
Perhaps you may have heard
The title on him conferred.
It was a pretty tall order
Living up to one and a quarter,
But passions in Sawai stirred.
He designed the city of Jaipur,
With wide streets, you can be sure.
Sawai didn't fool around
But relocated into town.
His new palace there he preferred.
Sawai built the Jantar Martar.
For this he had no mentor.
Perhaps his crowning glory,
This astronomy observatory
Aids astrology summer and winter.
Sawai was a lady's man.
Understand it not I can,
But ten were the wives he had.
Was this a maharajah fad?
They helped him grow his clan.
He visited each wife in her chamber
In the Palace Amber.
He came through a secret passage
And delivered a loving message
Once into bed they clambered.
The wife of whom he was most fond -- oh,
She had the nicest condo.
Keeping it was an art.
A small mistake on her part
Could her status undue.
His system worked out fine.
And never was undermined.
Guarded by Sawai's eunuch,
Who always wore a tunic,
Were his wives and concubines.
Maharajah "Sawai Jai Singh II, remarkable Monarch of Jaipur, was a mathematician, an astronomer, and a town planner par excellence." He founded and designed the layout of the city of Jaipur with its wide streets, built a new palace there, and in 1727 moved to it from the nearby Amber Fort Palace.
He built the Jantar Mantar obervatory in Jaipur in 1728. This observatory does not contain a telescope. It contains very accurate "instruments" including sundials, useful under clear skies. These stationary instruments are more or less house-size. Because of the importance of astrology, it was very important to know precisely the timing of certain astronomical events.
Maharajah Jai Singh II was given the title "Sawai," meaning one and a quarter, by the Mughal emperor, who said he was worth one and a quarter of any other maharajah.
Concerning a small detail, it is by way of poetic license and not faulty memory that I have attributed certain features of the new palace in Jaipur to the old Amber (or Amer) Fort Palace. These are (1) the secret passageways from the maharajah's apartment to the apartments of his wives, and (2) the nicer apartment for the favorite wife as compared to the apartments for the other nine wives. Perhaps similar features also applied to the Amber Fort Palace, but I don't know that.
Made his kingdom purr.
There's been no monarch finer
As a city designer,
Mathematician and astronomer.
Perhaps you may have heard
The title on him conferred.
It was a pretty tall order
Living up to one and a quarter,
But passions in Sawai stirred.
He designed the city of Jaipur,
With wide streets, you can be sure.
Sawai didn't fool around
But relocated into town.
His new palace there he preferred.
Sawai built the Jantar Martar.
For this he had no mentor.
Perhaps his crowning glory,
This astronomy observatory
Aids astrology summer and winter.
Sawai was a lady's man.
Understand it not I can,
But ten were the wives he had.
Was this a maharajah fad?
They helped him grow his clan.
He visited each wife in her chamber
In the Palace Amber.
He came through a secret passage
And delivered a loving message
Once into bed they clambered.
The wife of whom he was most fond -- oh,
She had the nicest condo.
Keeping it was an art.
A small mistake on her part
Could her status undue.
His system worked out fine.
And never was undermined.
Guarded by Sawai's eunuch,
Who always wore a tunic,
Were his wives and concubines.
Maharajah "Sawai Jai Singh II, remarkable Monarch of Jaipur, was a mathematician, an astronomer, and a town planner par excellence." He founded and designed the layout of the city of Jaipur with its wide streets, built a new palace there, and in 1727 moved to it from the nearby Amber Fort Palace.
He built the Jantar Mantar obervatory in Jaipur in 1728. This observatory does not contain a telescope. It contains very accurate "instruments" including sundials, useful under clear skies. These stationary instruments are more or less house-size. Because of the importance of astrology, it was very important to know precisely the timing of certain astronomical events.
Maharajah Jai Singh II was given the title "Sawai," meaning one and a quarter, by the Mughal emperor, who said he was worth one and a quarter of any other maharajah.
Concerning a small detail, it is by way of poetic license and not faulty memory that I have attributed certain features of the new palace in Jaipur to the old Amber (or Amer) Fort Palace. These are (1) the secret passageways from the maharajah's apartment to the apartments of his wives, and (2) the nicer apartment for the favorite wife as compared to the apartments for the other nine wives. Perhaps similar features also applied to the Amber Fort Palace, but I don't know that.
INDIA'S ELECTIONS
India will now be able
To have a government stable.
The elections are over.
To do much, moreover,
The commies won't be able.
After a month-long, five-phase process to elect the members of the lower house of India's parliament, results were counted (most of them anyway) and released yesterday, May 16. This is from an Internet article:
India's ruling party wins resounding victory
"NEW DELHI – The ruling Congress party swept to a resounding victory Saturday in India's mammoth national elections, defying expectations as it brushed aside the Hindu nationalist opposition and a legion of ambitious smaller parties."
"The strong showing by the party, which is dominated by the powerful Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, laid to rest fears of an unstable, shaky coalition heading the South Asian giant at a time when many of it neighbors are plagued by instability, civil war and rising extremism."
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared victory, telling reporters that voters had given the Congress party-led coalition a 'massive mandate.'"
This is from Ramana Rajgopaul, an Indian whom I don't know at all who is an acquaintance of Cynthia Springer, a member of our travel group:
"Our election process is over, and contrary to many opinions, it is now possible to have a stable and progressive government for the next five years. The greatest result has been the substantial reduction in the number of seats that the communists have won. They cannot now act as spoilers. With a stable government, we can now look forward to handling the Pakistan and Taliban problem with more optimism."
To have a government stable.
The elections are over.
To do much, moreover,
The commies won't be able.
After a month-long, five-phase process to elect the members of the lower house of India's parliament, results were counted (most of them anyway) and released yesterday, May 16. This is from an Internet article:
India's ruling party wins resounding victory
"NEW DELHI – The ruling Congress party swept to a resounding victory Saturday in India's mammoth national elections, defying expectations as it brushed aside the Hindu nationalist opposition and a legion of ambitious smaller parties."
"The strong showing by the party, which is dominated by the powerful Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, laid to rest fears of an unstable, shaky coalition heading the South Asian giant at a time when many of it neighbors are plagued by instability, civil war and rising extremism."
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared victory, telling reporters that voters had given the Congress party-led coalition a 'massive mandate.'"
This is from Ramana Rajgopaul, an Indian whom I don't know at all who is an acquaintance of Cynthia Springer, a member of our travel group:
"Our election process is over, and contrary to many opinions, it is now possible to have a stable and progressive government for the next five years. The greatest result has been the substantial reduction in the number of seats that the communists have won. They cannot now act as spoilers. With a stable government, we can now look forward to handling the Pakistan and Taliban problem with more optimism."
Monday, April 20, 2009
POST-TRIP COMMENTS
INDIA
Going to India is like going to a different planet. Many other places one visits are really a lot like the USA. But India is totally different.
Everyone who likes to travel, and has the time, the means, and good health should visit India at least once.
There are some challenges to visiting India. But visiting India is worth it. You have to very carefully protect your passport and valuables. You have to drink and wash teeth with only bottled water, and you have to watch what you eat. Even then, it's likely that you will have a bout or two with 24-hour diarrhea. You have to be careful to not get run over and to not stumble on the obstacles and holes in the walkways nor step in a cow pie. You have to endure the heat when not in a hotel or bus. You can expect crowded conditions on the streets. You have to put up with the beggars and the extremely aggressive hawkers when you are on the streets or entering or leaving your bus; it's generally not a problem when you're actually touring a monument or temple. We were told to ignore them and that “no” just means “maybe” to them. In Varanasi we encountered women beggars trying to capitalize on their infant children they were carrying out in the hot sun. Som says begging is often a chosen profession and beggars can often “earn” more than laborers.
India is diverse. You have to be careful about generalizations because, in many cases, opposite things are true depending on location and other factors.
India is a land of contrasts. One is the contrast between the rich and the poor.
India is a land of many religions. (Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, a few Buddhists, a few Christians.) The majority religion nationwide (about 70%) is Hinduism. We were told that people of different religions get along well together – until stirred up by the politicians.
I've always know that Hinduism is polytheistic and Hindus are idol worshipers. But I learned that Hindus believe in the oneness of their gods. They believe there is one universal soul or cosmic force and that all people and living beings are part of it. And their ultimate goal is to reunite with it (which seems to me a contradiction if they are already part of it). They consider that their individual gods are various manifestations of this universal soul. Hinduism is so old – thousands of years -- that no one can say when it started, and there is no known founder. And there is no hierarchy or central authority. The priesthood is passed down father-to-son as the profession of the Brahmin caste, and priests are paid by the donations of worshippers. A family has a family priest.
Astrology is very important to Hindus. Important things are done at auspicious times.
Karma is very important. You build karma by doing good deeds – including giving to beggars and feeding the cows in the streets. Your karma determines your next life.
India is hot. And this was northern India. It's a dry heat. Fortunately we had air conditioning in the hotels, in the buses, and in the nice shops we visited.
Water is scarce. It is often hand-carried in jars from old-fashioned hand pumps. In Jaipur we were told the water table is receding rapidly, and wells are failing.
India is dry. They get monsoon rains, but apparently very little rain at other times.
Most of what we saw of India was mostly flat.
Fuel is generally “basic.” Firewood is scarce. In the country, dried cow (or water buffalo) dung is routinely used for fuel for cooking. A mixture of grain is used as fuel to fire pottery or to make bricks.
Cell phones are plentiful in India. India has more of them than does the US.
Driving in India, be it a rickshaw or a tourist bus or a motorcycle, be it in the city or in the country, is a miracle to behold.
We were told that there is no resentment among the poor toward the rich. Hindus believe their condition was “meant to be” and was determined by their behavior in their past life/lives.
Caste remains important in the psyche of Indians even though the constitution declares that all people are equal. Politicians seek to capitalize on people's loyalty to their caste. Couples patronizing a sperm bank demand to know the caste of the donor. There are four main castes and at least hundreds of sub-castes. A trade or profession is passed down father-to-son through the generations in a sub-caste.
Most marriages are arranged by the two families. The system apparently works quite well in most cases. However, when it works poorly, I think there is little the wife can do. Couples (who usually have not known each other) get acquainted during the many parties and rituals in their multi-day wedding (and in another way). Advertisements for prospective brides and for prospective grooms are place in newspapers.
A woman's life is different if she is a widow. Widows usually don't remarry. It would be extremely difficult for a widow in a village to remarry.
The dowry is important and has become, in many cases, a demand instead of a gift.
A family in India is an extended family who all live in the same building, the sons staying and the daughters joining the family they marry into. Grandparents on the bottom floor, children and grandchildren on second and third floors.
A marriage joins not only a couple but their families and, in Hindusim, is not just for life but for several lives to come. It seems a contradiction to me that conflicts over the dowry are sometimes a source of strife between the joined families and sometimes leads to murder or suicide of the wife.
It seems to me that India's biggest problem is overpopulation. John Sollid says India has had a population growth rate of 6% for many years. Som says the politicians will not touch the issue of birth control. Too sensitive. You can't get reelected that way.
Indians are socially conservative. There is no public display of affection, not even hand holding. Women's legs are always covered and not with transparent stockings (usually with ankle-length dresses, sometimes with thick, opaque stockings). Men's legs are always covered too, for that matter.
There are virtually no fences in the countryside. You can look across flat farmland as far as you can see, and you don't see a fence. In the region where camels abound, herds of female camels and their young are driven across the countryside, and the landowners apparently don't mind. Sometimes you see a group of 20 or 30 goats, always with a herdsman.
Animals do not graze in pastures. Cows and bulls wander in the streets. (They have owners and are said to come home at night to be fed, but we saw them in the streets late at night too. They're a source of milk, and feeding them is a source of karma for the people.) Kolkata, by law, is different -- no cows and no draft animals in the streets and strict controls on dogs. I think that is to avoid having droppings in the streets. Water buffalo (never used as draft animals but used for milk) are tied up in the farmyard.
Security is heavy. It may not be high-tech. (Policemen carry old bolt action rifles.) Policemen and guards sometimes seem to be almost ubiquitous. There are almost always two or more of them together. There are lots of walls and gates in the cities. Hotel complexes, monuments, temples, schools, universities are always walled and gated and often guarded. John Stewart says the walls are to keep people from camping in the yards. Security was very high in Agra. (Hotel guards looked in the trunks of all vehicles. Entering the hotel was like airport security.)
People revere Mahatma Ghandi as the father of their country. His philosophy was nonviolence. But there is violence in India. The newspapers contain stories of murders – not unlike in the USA.
Security was extremely high for the elections (many policemen at every poling station and motor traffic halted in the city) and with good reason. Nineteen people were killed in connection with the elections. There is a group of violent maoists call Naxals (named for a place name) who seek to disrupt elections in certain regions and are responsible for most of this. But voters generally were not deterred by the possibility of violence.
Cricket appears to be the most popular sport in India.
India has a rich history. India has many wonderful historical sites to visit and many interesting temples. In many cases, the grounds of these places are very large, very green, well landscaped with shrubs, and lovely.
Neighborhood parks exist in the cities, though they tend to be dry.
The hotels in which we stayed were all very nice. Wi-fi was generally offered. In two cases wi-fi was free. Sometimes, and especially in one case, the elevators are wholly inadequate – too small, too few, unpredictable.
The large air-conditioned coaches (buses) we experienced were all very nice, and the drivers were excellent -- in fact amazing the way they dealt with the crowded, sometimes difficult and chaotic driving conditions.
We were each asked what was our highlight. To me there were many highlights and it's impossible to single out one of them and I said so. But I also said a highlight for me was to ride the rickshaws – both in old Delhi and in Varanasi – and see the scenes along the streets and the chaotic, diverse, super-heavy traffic on the streets.
Indian English is different from American or British or Austarlian English. It's hard for me to understand. I don't think any amount of practice can change an Indian's way of speaking English. Invariably, different syllables of words are emphasized than we are used to.
Whereas American businesses tend to operate with a bare minimum of employees, this is not the case in India. It is required by law that buses above a certain size have a driver's helper as well as a driver.
There are some middle class families in India who have risen to that status through education and diligence. We met one of them.
There are families of great inherited wealth in India whose ancestors were royalty or semi-royalty. They are very proud, dignified people. They are more traditional than the middle class. We met one of them.
Men who would be Maharajas, had the pre-independcnce system continued, invariably enjoy great respect, even admiration from the people. If they choose to enter polities, they can get elected and reelected as members of parliament without affiliating with a party. Villagers come to them to mediate/arbitrate/settle their disputes.
Politics are multi-party, and people tend to be poorly versed in the issues. So they tend to vote for a name – like Ghandi. Politicians tend to prefer name-calling and smaller issues to the important issues. Consequently many people, especially young people, are turned off and don't vote.
In the newspapers I constantly saw differences, which I didn't always understand, between Indian democracy and American democracy, and other interesting differences. The Election Commission is very important. The law against hate speech is very important. I read of an instance where our principal against double jeopardy was violated. A politician was jailed for hate speech, then with the blessing of the Supreme Court and with a promise of good behavior, given a furlough to campaign. Shop owners were accused of encroachment on the width of their street. And on and on.
The residential real estate in some areas in Delhi is among the most expensive in the world.
Our guide Som was super-nice. Our step-on guides and our drivers were nice. Hotel personnel were nice. Both the middle class family and the wealthy family were gracious. The poor villagers and their children we encountered on the camel ride from the OAT camp were very friendly. Store clerks, although good salesmen, were at the same time gracious.
In the country, women as well as men work in the fields. In hotels some of the waiters and desk workers were women. Otherwise almost all workers we encountered were men – store clerks, hotel “maids,” drivers, guides, guards. Well, there were a few lady guards at airports.
We were told that in Delhi many wives go out to work. But in Agra, as in villages, this is not the case . Women there stay at home and take care of the household.
States in India apparently play a similar role as do states in the U.S. There are more than thirty of them, large and small. I don't remember the number. Delhi is not part of a state. It is the capital district, like our Washington, D.C. Kolkata, where we first visited, is the capital of West Bengal. We spent a fair amount of time in Uttar Pradash. We spent the most time in Rajahstan. The Rajputs are very proud of their heritage as warriors.
Indian cuisine is said to vary considerably from region to region. Indian foods tend to be spiced with curry. I don't like curry-spiced foods at all nor spicy foods in general. But not all of the food is spiced. I was able to stay well fed without eating spicy foods. This was especially true at breakfast.
Especially in the downtowns of old cities, the environment often appears old, run-down, shabby, dirty, and gritty.
A lot of work is done, on the farm and elsewhere, with hand tools. Draft animals are mainly used on the farm. In an extensive region in Rahjastan, the preferred draft animal is the camel, a native to India. There are no wild camels. We did see some nice tractors, but the average farmer does not own one.
Earth "ridges" about six inches high have been extensively formed manually in the flat, level fields to channel the flow of irrigation water. At least were we visited farms by the OAT camp, we were told irrigation is accomplished by pumping water from wells.
Woodlands are seldom or rarely seen, and very few trees are seen as you look out across the fields.
BHUTAN
Bhutan is a delightful little country to visit.
Bernie :-)
Going to India is like going to a different planet. Many other places one visits are really a lot like the USA. But India is totally different.
Everyone who likes to travel, and has the time, the means, and good health should visit India at least once.
There are some challenges to visiting India. But visiting India is worth it. You have to very carefully protect your passport and valuables. You have to drink and wash teeth with only bottled water, and you have to watch what you eat. Even then, it's likely that you will have a bout or two with 24-hour diarrhea. You have to be careful to not get run over and to not stumble on the obstacles and holes in the walkways nor step in a cow pie. You have to endure the heat when not in a hotel or bus. You can expect crowded conditions on the streets. You have to put up with the beggars and the extremely aggressive hawkers when you are on the streets or entering or leaving your bus; it's generally not a problem when you're actually touring a monument or temple. We were told to ignore them and that “no” just means “maybe” to them. In Varanasi we encountered women beggars trying to capitalize on their infant children they were carrying out in the hot sun. Som says begging is often a chosen profession and beggars can often “earn” more than laborers.
India is diverse. You have to be careful about generalizations because, in many cases, opposite things are true depending on location and other factors.
India is a land of contrasts. One is the contrast between the rich and the poor.
India is a land of many religions. (Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, a few Buddhists, a few Christians.) The majority religion nationwide (about 70%) is Hinduism. We were told that people of different religions get along well together – until stirred up by the politicians.
I've always know that Hinduism is polytheistic and Hindus are idol worshipers. But I learned that Hindus believe in the oneness of their gods. They believe there is one universal soul or cosmic force and that all people and living beings are part of it. And their ultimate goal is to reunite with it (which seems to me a contradiction if they are already part of it). They consider that their individual gods are various manifestations of this universal soul. Hinduism is so old – thousands of years -- that no one can say when it started, and there is no known founder. And there is no hierarchy or central authority. The priesthood is passed down father-to-son as the profession of the Brahmin caste, and priests are paid by the donations of worshippers. A family has a family priest.
Astrology is very important to Hindus. Important things are done at auspicious times.
Karma is very important. You build karma by doing good deeds – including giving to beggars and feeding the cows in the streets. Your karma determines your next life.
India is hot. And this was northern India. It's a dry heat. Fortunately we had air conditioning in the hotels, in the buses, and in the nice shops we visited.
Water is scarce. It is often hand-carried in jars from old-fashioned hand pumps. In Jaipur we were told the water table is receding rapidly, and wells are failing.
India is dry. They get monsoon rains, but apparently very little rain at other times.
Most of what we saw of India was mostly flat.
Fuel is generally “basic.” Firewood is scarce. In the country, dried cow (or water buffalo) dung is routinely used for fuel for cooking. A mixture of grain is used as fuel to fire pottery or to make bricks.
Cell phones are plentiful in India. India has more of them than does the US.
Driving in India, be it a rickshaw or a tourist bus or a motorcycle, be it in the city or in the country, is a miracle to behold.
We were told that there is no resentment among the poor toward the rich. Hindus believe their condition was “meant to be” and was determined by their behavior in their past life/lives.
Caste remains important in the psyche of Indians even though the constitution declares that all people are equal. Politicians seek to capitalize on people's loyalty to their caste. Couples patronizing a sperm bank demand to know the caste of the donor. There are four main castes and at least hundreds of sub-castes. A trade or profession is passed down father-to-son through the generations in a sub-caste.
Most marriages are arranged by the two families. The system apparently works quite well in most cases. However, when it works poorly, I think there is little the wife can do. Couples (who usually have not known each other) get acquainted during the many parties and rituals in their multi-day wedding (and in another way). Advertisements for prospective brides and for prospective grooms are place in newspapers.
A woman's life is different if she is a widow. Widows usually don't remarry. It would be extremely difficult for a widow in a village to remarry.
The dowry is important and has become, in many cases, a demand instead of a gift.
A family in India is an extended family who all live in the same building, the sons staying and the daughters joining the family they marry into. Grandparents on the bottom floor, children and grandchildren on second and third floors.
A marriage joins not only a couple but their families and, in Hindusim, is not just for life but for several lives to come. It seems a contradiction to me that conflicts over the dowry are sometimes a source of strife between the joined families and sometimes leads to murder or suicide of the wife.
It seems to me that India's biggest problem is overpopulation. John Sollid says India has had a population growth rate of 6% for many years. Som says the politicians will not touch the issue of birth control. Too sensitive. You can't get reelected that way.
Indians are socially conservative. There is no public display of affection, not even hand holding. Women's legs are always covered and not with transparent stockings (usually with ankle-length dresses, sometimes with thick, opaque stockings). Men's legs are always covered too, for that matter.
There are virtually no fences in the countryside. You can look across flat farmland as far as you can see, and you don't see a fence. In the region where camels abound, herds of female camels and their young are driven across the countryside, and the landowners apparently don't mind. Sometimes you see a group of 20 or 30 goats, always with a herdsman.
Animals do not graze in pastures. Cows and bulls wander in the streets. (They have owners and are said to come home at night to be fed, but we saw them in the streets late at night too. They're a source of milk, and feeding them is a source of karma for the people.) Kolkata, by law, is different -- no cows and no draft animals in the streets and strict controls on dogs. I think that is to avoid having droppings in the streets. Water buffalo (never used as draft animals but used for milk) are tied up in the farmyard.
Security is heavy. It may not be high-tech. (Policemen carry old bolt action rifles.) Policemen and guards sometimes seem to be almost ubiquitous. There are almost always two or more of them together. There are lots of walls and gates in the cities. Hotel complexes, monuments, temples, schools, universities are always walled and gated and often guarded. John Stewart says the walls are to keep people from camping in the yards. Security was very high in Agra. (Hotel guards looked in the trunks of all vehicles. Entering the hotel was like airport security.)
People revere Mahatma Ghandi as the father of their country. His philosophy was nonviolence. But there is violence in India. The newspapers contain stories of murders – not unlike in the USA.
Security was extremely high for the elections (many policemen at every poling station and motor traffic halted in the city) and with good reason. Nineteen people were killed in connection with the elections. There is a group of violent maoists call Naxals (named for a place name) who seek to disrupt elections in certain regions and are responsible for most of this. But voters generally were not deterred by the possibility of violence.
Cricket appears to be the most popular sport in India.
India has a rich history. India has many wonderful historical sites to visit and many interesting temples. In many cases, the grounds of these places are very large, very green, well landscaped with shrubs, and lovely.
Neighborhood parks exist in the cities, though they tend to be dry.
The hotels in which we stayed were all very nice. Wi-fi was generally offered. In two cases wi-fi was free. Sometimes, and especially in one case, the elevators are wholly inadequate – too small, too few, unpredictable.
The large air-conditioned coaches (buses) we experienced were all very nice, and the drivers were excellent -- in fact amazing the way they dealt with the crowded, sometimes difficult and chaotic driving conditions.
We were each asked what was our highlight. To me there were many highlights and it's impossible to single out one of them and I said so. But I also said a highlight for me was to ride the rickshaws – both in old Delhi and in Varanasi – and see the scenes along the streets and the chaotic, diverse, super-heavy traffic on the streets.
Indian English is different from American or British or Austarlian English. It's hard for me to understand. I don't think any amount of practice can change an Indian's way of speaking English. Invariably, different syllables of words are emphasized than we are used to.
Whereas American businesses tend to operate with a bare minimum of employees, this is not the case in India. It is required by law that buses above a certain size have a driver's helper as well as a driver.
There are some middle class families in India who have risen to that status through education and diligence. We met one of them.
There are families of great inherited wealth in India whose ancestors were royalty or semi-royalty. They are very proud, dignified people. They are more traditional than the middle class. We met one of them.
Men who would be Maharajas, had the pre-independcnce system continued, invariably enjoy great respect, even admiration from the people. If they choose to enter polities, they can get elected and reelected as members of parliament without affiliating with a party. Villagers come to them to mediate/arbitrate/settle their disputes.
Politics are multi-party, and people tend to be poorly versed in the issues. So they tend to vote for a name – like Ghandi. Politicians tend to prefer name-calling and smaller issues to the important issues. Consequently many people, especially young people, are turned off and don't vote.
In the newspapers I constantly saw differences, which I didn't always understand, between Indian democracy and American democracy, and other interesting differences. The Election Commission is very important. The law against hate speech is very important. I read of an instance where our principal against double jeopardy was violated. A politician was jailed for hate speech, then with the blessing of the Supreme Court and with a promise of good behavior, given a furlough to campaign. Shop owners were accused of encroachment on the width of their street. And on and on.
The residential real estate in some areas in Delhi is among the most expensive in the world.
Our guide Som was super-nice. Our step-on guides and our drivers were nice. Hotel personnel were nice. Both the middle class family and the wealthy family were gracious. The poor villagers and their children we encountered on the camel ride from the OAT camp were very friendly. Store clerks, although good salesmen, were at the same time gracious.
In the country, women as well as men work in the fields. In hotels some of the waiters and desk workers were women. Otherwise almost all workers we encountered were men – store clerks, hotel “maids,” drivers, guides, guards. Well, there were a few lady guards at airports.
We were told that in Delhi many wives go out to work. But in Agra, as in villages, this is not the case . Women there stay at home and take care of the household.
States in India apparently play a similar role as do states in the U.S. There are more than thirty of them, large and small. I don't remember the number. Delhi is not part of a state. It is the capital district, like our Washington, D.C. Kolkata, where we first visited, is the capital of West Bengal. We spent a fair amount of time in Uttar Pradash. We spent the most time in Rajahstan. The Rajputs are very proud of their heritage as warriors.
Indian cuisine is said to vary considerably from region to region. Indian foods tend to be spiced with curry. I don't like curry-spiced foods at all nor spicy foods in general. But not all of the food is spiced. I was able to stay well fed without eating spicy foods. This was especially true at breakfast.
Especially in the downtowns of old cities, the environment often appears old, run-down, shabby, dirty, and gritty.
A lot of work is done, on the farm and elsewhere, with hand tools. Draft animals are mainly used on the farm. In an extensive region in Rahjastan, the preferred draft animal is the camel, a native to India. There are no wild camels. We did see some nice tractors, but the average farmer does not own one.
Earth "ridges" about six inches high have been extensively formed manually in the flat, level fields to channel the flow of irrigation water. At least were we visited farms by the OAT camp, we were told irrigation is accomplished by pumping water from wells.
Woodlands are seldom or rarely seen, and very few trees are seen as you look out across the fields.
BHUTAN
Bhutan is a delightful little country to visit.
Bernie :-)
Sunday, April 19, 2009
DAY 28, APRIL 18, HOMEWARD
FLYING HOME
A great trip we've had.
To be going home we're glad.
Goodbye to Sikhs and Jains.
Long time spent in planes.
Wanting home food so bad.
FROM JFK AIRPORT
A clue we were without
As to how to get about
On the trains of New York City.
The Schardts on us took pity,
And they helped us out.
We boarded our British Airlines flight in Delhi about 2:30 AM. The flight was about eight hours, and the time change was 4-1/2 hours. The wide-body plane was full. We were comfortable. Helen slept a couple hours. I slept the whole time. They fed us a big breakfast. We arrived at Heathrow Airport in London just after daybreak.
The timing was good in that once we arrived at our departure gate we had to wait only half an hour to board our British Airlines flight to JFK Airport in New York. The flight to New York was about seven hours with a five-hour time change. I did some reading and a lot of snoozing and was comfortable. This wide-body plane was also full. They kept us well fed.
We weren't sure whether Hans would meet us at the airport when we arrived at about 11 AM. He did not. Helen reached him on his cell phone. Apparently he is driving back with Leo and Shelley from a week-long Easter stay in Cincinnatti. He said he would meet us tonight. Of course, it's not necessary for him to meet us.
We would have tried to get on a shuttle bus to the Pennsylvania Hotel downtown. We don't know the train system at all. Fortunately Helmut and Karen Schardt took us under their wing. They were taking the train to their other home on Long Island. We went together on the very modern Sky Train to a station where we got on a train to downtown, and they went another direction. Two stops and we were at Penn Station, and we walked across the street to the hotel. We managed all this fairly well with all our luggage. We were able to get a room overnight on the 12th floor. Airplane snoozing hadn't done the job, so we promptly took a very long nap until after dark in our room.
Then we went across the street to Penn Station for late night pizza and flan.
Bernie :-)
A great trip we've had.
To be going home we're glad.
Goodbye to Sikhs and Jains.
Long time spent in planes.
Wanting home food so bad.
FROM JFK AIRPORT
A clue we were without
As to how to get about
On the trains of New York City.
The Schardts on us took pity,
And they helped us out.
We boarded our British Airlines flight in Delhi about 2:30 AM. The flight was about eight hours, and the time change was 4-1/2 hours. The wide-body plane was full. We were comfortable. Helen slept a couple hours. I slept the whole time. They fed us a big breakfast. We arrived at Heathrow Airport in London just after daybreak.
The timing was good in that once we arrived at our departure gate we had to wait only half an hour to board our British Airlines flight to JFK Airport in New York. The flight to New York was about seven hours with a five-hour time change. I did some reading and a lot of snoozing and was comfortable. This wide-body plane was also full. They kept us well fed.
We weren't sure whether Hans would meet us at the airport when we arrived at about 11 AM. He did not. Helen reached him on his cell phone. Apparently he is driving back with Leo and Shelley from a week-long Easter stay in Cincinnatti. He said he would meet us tonight. Of course, it's not necessary for him to meet us.
We would have tried to get on a shuttle bus to the Pennsylvania Hotel downtown. We don't know the train system at all. Fortunately Helmut and Karen Schardt took us under their wing. They were taking the train to their other home on Long Island. We went together on the very modern Sky Train to a station where we got on a train to downtown, and they went another direction. Two stops and we were at Penn Station, and we walked across the street to the hotel. We managed all this fairly well with all our luggage. We were able to get a room overnight on the 12th floor. Airplane snoozing hadn't done the job, so we promptly took a very long nap until after dark in our room.
Then we went across the street to Penn Station for late night pizza and flan.
Bernie :-)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
DAY 27, APRIL 17, VARANASI, LAST DAY
HOLY SWIMMERS
We conclude our India surface skimming
By watching holy swimming.
Can you imagine
Swimmers in the Ganges,
All with Karma brimming!
Would you believe, we set out at 5:15 AM for our major adventure of the day. That was to return to the Ganges River and check out what goes on and how it looks there early in the morning. We had no rickshaw ride, but on our return we walked quite a ways on the streets back to our bus. Starting from the same ghat in the same boat as last night, we went downstream (southeast) instead of upstream like last night. People were taking their dips or swims in the river. At one location cremations were in progress. There are only two locations for cremations, which are done 24 hours a day. We saw a couple of priests conducting a ritual, and we saw several young men emulating a priest as they're learning to be priests.
Then we visited the temple which is not a temple. It is the Mother India Temple, built in 1936. It features an impressive relief map of India and its neighbors, about 40 feet square and done in Makrana marble. It's made up of carved marble blocks about a foot square.
Then we returned to the hotel for breakfast followed by about three hours of free time before departing homeward.
Dick Opsahl led a half-mile walk to Nehru park. There were only five of us. It's a nice little green space with a playground, some nice trees, and a concrete sidewalk “track” around inside it which Dick used for jogging at 6 AM yesterday morning. I was disappointed in not finding a stature of Jawaharlal Nehru or even the name “Nehru Park” posted.
It turns out that we made the local newspaper. There is a single color photograph of some us from yesterday morning's walk in which we are examining the registration card held up by a voter. It's not an English language paper. Dick asked the waitress at breakfast to translate the caption. It says: “The foreigners are taking photos of the voter.”
We had free time till noon. In the afternoon we flew to Delhi. It was about a two-hour flight, and we arrived about 5 PM. We were served a real meal with, would you believe, metal silverware.
We were bused to a nice hotel near Delhi where we were given rooms and had the opportunity to buy dinner get a little rest. We got to meet Som's wife Manisha and his eigh-year-old son Siddhartha. They had driven about 1-1/2 hours from their home to meet Som. We all gathered in their hotel room and Som presented a slide show of a visit of his to Tibet. And we saw them no more. We left the hotel for the airport at 10:30 PM.
Bernie :-)
We conclude our India surface skimming
By watching holy swimming.
Can you imagine
Swimmers in the Ganges,
All with Karma brimming!
Would you believe, we set out at 5:15 AM for our major adventure of the day. That was to return to the Ganges River and check out what goes on and how it looks there early in the morning. We had no rickshaw ride, but on our return we walked quite a ways on the streets back to our bus. Starting from the same ghat in the same boat as last night, we went downstream (southeast) instead of upstream like last night. People were taking their dips or swims in the river. At one location cremations were in progress. There are only two locations for cremations, which are done 24 hours a day. We saw a couple of priests conducting a ritual, and we saw several young men emulating a priest as they're learning to be priests.
Then we visited the temple which is not a temple. It is the Mother India Temple, built in 1936. It features an impressive relief map of India and its neighbors, about 40 feet square and done in Makrana marble. It's made up of carved marble blocks about a foot square.
Then we returned to the hotel for breakfast followed by about three hours of free time before departing homeward.
Dick Opsahl led a half-mile walk to Nehru park. There were only five of us. It's a nice little green space with a playground, some nice trees, and a concrete sidewalk “track” around inside it which Dick used for jogging at 6 AM yesterday morning. I was disappointed in not finding a stature of Jawaharlal Nehru or even the name “Nehru Park” posted.
It turns out that we made the local newspaper. There is a single color photograph of some us from yesterday morning's walk in which we are examining the registration card held up by a voter. It's not an English language paper. Dick asked the waitress at breakfast to translate the caption. It says: “The foreigners are taking photos of the voter.”
We had free time till noon. In the afternoon we flew to Delhi. It was about a two-hour flight, and we arrived about 5 PM. We were served a real meal with, would you believe, metal silverware.
We were bused to a nice hotel near Delhi where we were given rooms and had the opportunity to buy dinner get a little rest. We got to meet Som's wife Manisha and his eigh-year-old son Siddhartha. They had driven about 1-1/2 hours from their home to meet Som. We all gathered in their hotel room and Som presented a slide show of a visit of his to Tibet. And we saw them no more. We left the hotel for the airport at 10:30 PM.
Bernie :-)
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