The Golden Triangle : Delhi 2

The next day started bright and early with a closer look at the government capitol. The wide streets were completely empty. Sprawling government buildings bespoke the bureaucracy for which this country is famous. The 'Delhi fog' hung low to the ground smudging the view of anything farther than a block away. The colonial part of the city is lovely- large trees shade wide-laned roads that intersect at roundabouts. It is very Eurpean, designed by Edward Luthian.

Our next stop was an exciting surprise. We did not have this destination on our itinerary, but Rama suggested we stop at Delhi's largest Sikh temple (one of the largest in the world). The campus is immense and filled with row after row of lacy white buildings. We were taken to a visitors office where we removed our shoes and socks and were given head coverings.

Rama took us into the temple. Patrons were engaged in pooja (worship/prayer). Live music was amplified as it swirled around golden pillars and ceilings.

Rama guided us around other parts of the complex. Men were gathered serving handfuls of sacred food -- which we tried, it was like unsweetened malt-o-meal -- , selling flowers to take into the temple to offer as part of pooja, and collecting donations.

Part of the Sikh religion includes feeding the hungry. Those who worship at this temple take this charge very seriously. They have a large hall where they serve meals to 500-600 people, three times a day, every day. Anyone is welcome to participate in the food preparation as long as hands are washed and heads are covered. We went into the crowded kitchen, still barefoot, and rolled chipathi until Rama said it was time to go.

Eden took a quick nap on the way to our next stop...

We visited a Kashmir rug showroom. We were shown the incredible process of making elaborate Persian style rugs. Each family in this small town in the mountains of Kashmir has its own patterns that have been written in a secret script and passed down through the generations. Large rugs take an entire family a full year to complete. We saw the tools of the trade and then were shown piles of rugs. We were told to stomp on them, stack furniture on them, or do whatever we could to scuff them. They are reportedly indestructible. A nicely made rug of this style is remarkable to behold - especially those made of silk. They have a luster like satin, so beautiful. These rugs, whether made from kashmir wool or silk, come with a steep price tag. Cori and I resisted the impulse to buy, but even now kinda wish we had bought one anyway. Especially after seeing the two that my parents bought on display in their home...

Next we stopped at the Qutab Complex. This is one of the old capitols of the 7 capitol city. Its orginal monument was begun in 1192 AD and the monuments and structures were added to with each new conqueror for 700 years - all the way into India's colonial period.

The interesting effect of clashing styles, materials, cultures, and eras is most visible on the Qutb Minar (the wider, more elaborate tower in the background above). The base of the tower was built in the early 1200's, made of red sandstone and covered in arabic calligraphy. Over the hundreds of years that followed subsequent towers were added, terminating with a simpler colonial style cap in the 1800's.

This photo was Rama's idea. He fearlessly cut the crowds out of the way, but in the time it took us to get positioned several people creeped back into frame.

We asked to stop by the famous Lotus Temple. It is a Bahá'í House of Worship, open to all visitors. I took this picture from the street. The line to get in was literally a mile long (not even kidding). We had other plans for the evening and so did not go in. The architecture was impressive, even from a distance.

The next stop was Humayun's Tomb. Humayun was a Mogul Emporer who died in the mid 1500s. This garden tomb, built by his son, was the first of its kind on the subcontinent. And if it seems to bear a striking resemblance to India's most famous garden tomb (Taj Mahal), it should be noted that Humayun's tomb was completed first by nearly 100 years. We climbed the steep stairs to wonder the mausoleum at the top. The amount of detail carved into these stone structures is staggering.

We stopped for a quick dinner somewhere along the way. And then our final stop in Delhi was the Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple. This is a very new temple complex completed in 2005.

Gaining entry to the complex was the most stressfilled crowd experience I have ever had in my life. Men and women are separated going into any tourist site. This is so they can be patted down and scanned by security in private. We were expecting this and quickly found our respective lines. I've learned to navigate these situations with my hands on my hips, elbows out, and children in front of me. This way I can have an eye on my children at all times, and I can more easily block those who will inevitably try to cut the line. Getting through this security line was a full out wrestling match. I actually yelled at a group of women who nearly knocked Eden over as they charged ahead of us in line. It was crazy stressful for a full twenty minutes. And once the throng had been squeezed through the security check then had spilled into the complex, the same women who had pushed us over trying to get ahead were standing in a circle doing absolutely nothing. What was the huge hurry? This country makes me so crazy sometimes...

Cameras and phones are not allowed inside the complex (and they check everywhere for these devices coming through security).  But I found a few photos online to snag for this little report. We loved seeing the detailed stone carvings inside and around the exterior of the temple buildings. The interior of the temple is dazzling. Intricate relief carvings are studded with gems and sparkling stones. Statues and columns are plated with 22K gold. Everything is carved from different shades of marble.

The main event of our visit was the magic water show. This is a presentation that involves actors, music, lasers, pyrotechnics, dancing, more than a few Hindu gods, and thousands of gallons of water. These puny pictures hardly do justice to the spectacle. The presentation was in Hindi, but we were able to follow the story line, more or less. It was beautiful. As I sat watching, drums of the Indian music thumping in my chest, I almost forgot the horrifics involved at our entry. Almost.

The next morning, we packed our bags and loaded into the minibus. Next stop: Agra. I snapped this picture out our hotel window. Just a little 'Delhi fog' bidding us farewell. 

The Golden Triangle : Dehli

We spent the bulk of our holiday break touring some of the more famous sights in India. We set off for the great triad of northern cities/states known as The Golden Triangle: Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. We found a great travel agency that let us customize our journey and we felt very safe and comfortable over the course of our 6 day adventure. It was a quick cheap flight from Bangalore to Delhi. Our minibus and driver were there to greet us and took us to our hotel, Le Meridien. We got checked in and then loaded up for the first sights of our tour.

We drove through the colonial part of New Delhi and made our way into the old "Walled City." Delhi is also known as the city of 7 capitols. Over the years it has been conquered and rebuilt time after time. There are ancient walls that stand crumbling around the forts that were erected with each new conquerer. As we approached the walls of old Delhi, the sprawling roads of the colonial capital narrowed into crowded passages with not enough room for sidewalks or gutters.

Road signs are written in 4 languages: Hindi, English, Punjabi, and Urdu

A quick glance down the main parade route to the capital building

The remains of an ancient wall as we headed into old Delhi

We stopped briefly at the Red Fort, an imposing structure amid the ancient architecture found in this part of the city. Built in the 16th century by a mogul emperor, it now houses a few museums. We did not tour the interior of the fort complex, but stood at the elephant gate and learned of its history.

Just outside the fort, our guide led us through the crowds and got all nine of us boarded onto cycle rickshaws. We were pulled down a long stretch of road our driver called the street of temples. Block after block we passed a Jain temple, a Hindu temple, a Buddhist temple, a large Baptist church, a Sikh temple and a McDonalds ("American temple" quoth the rickshaw driver with a toothless smile). The drivers then squeezed us through the crush of vehicles and pedestrians into the labyrinth of Chandni Chowk. Translated, the name Chandni Chowk means 'fascinating market'. It is the largest market in all of Asia, and second largest in the world (the first largest being the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul). Our rickshaws wove through the wedding market, the silver market and the spice market areas. The streets were narrow and teaming with people and goods. The occasional car would fight its way through, and just like water, all other traffic would jam into corners and shops to make way.

Heading into the heart of Chandni Chowk. The shops on the street level are topped with layers of residential accomodations. The power lines hanging all over the place are as dangerous as they look.

Our rickshaw tour terminated at the steps of Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque. Unfortunately we arrived right at sunset and were not allowed to go inside as the Muslims were being called for prayer. Rama, our guide, informed us that there is not much to see inside the ancient structure. There is a pool of water (traditional) and large open areas for devotees to gather in prayer. We watched the sun set on the old city from the top of these steps.

A young boy posed with his infant sister for pictures and then asked for money, bringing his fingers to his mouth as a way of signing for food. Rama shooed him away, but we gave him and his sister a little something first.

The evening traffic gave us some time to chat about the day and enjoy the party atmosphere of the minibus. 

Christmas

December flew by in a snap, which was fine by us as the end of the month brought visitors. Mom, Dad, and Thea came across two continents and one ocean to spend the Christmas break with us. They arrived just before Christmas Eve. We had a few days at home for them to adjust to the time change (among other things- India is a punch to the face...)

Selvi's youngest child is a girl named Jennifer. She is Gracie's age. Selvi will often bring her to the house when there are holidays from school. We love having her around.

I took precisely two pictures on Christmas Eve which is a real shame. We added a couple of senior missionaries to our dinner table (pictured in the mirror's reflection...), and enjoyed a musical evening after our plates were cleaned. The dinner spread was partially catered out. We had our fill of foul play after the great guillotine incident at Thanksgiving.

The clubhouse was decked out with all manner of colored lights. We had our own halls pleasantly decked as well.

Christmas morning was simple and fun. Following the tradition of Cori's childhood, we lined the kiddos up youngest to oldest to come down the stairs. Gifts this year were simple. Cori and Dad headed out to play a round of golf with Elder G (who had joined us the night before) and the mission president. Mom, Thea, and I got to play with the kids, clean up the house, and make last checks over our luggage. The main event of our holiday began bright and early the next morning.

Helping Hands

The winter brings seasonal cyclones across India. The Eastern seaboard city of Chennai tends to get hit pretty hard. This time around there was extensive and destructive flooding. Thousands and thousands of families were displaced and there were very few resources to support basic life. Our stake president rallied a huge relief effort. By the end of one weekend, our stake members had bagged up enough rice, daal, and oil to fill the entire gym. Cori was traveling, but the kids and I spent a couple of hours at the church on the first work night pasting labels to hundreds of bags.