Travels and Musings

Monday, March 12: Old Delhi

Today we toured Old Delhi. Our first stop was at the memorial created where Gandhi was cremated. We arrived at the beautiful park on a peaceful morning and had just enough time to soak in the atmosphere when we were shooed out by guards because of the arrival of a VIP. Our guide noted that the stone slab bore a wreath with the French national colors and had been put there by a French dignitary.

Note the swastika motif on the bottom of the fence. Before the Nazis turned it into a symbol of hate, it was considered a symbol of good luck for centuries. I've seen it all over India, including a Sikh gurudwara (temple) with a swastika on one side of the door and a six-pointed star on the other.

I asked where Gandhi’s ashes had been ultimately deposited; they had been divided with some going to friends, some into the Ganges, and some deposited in 6 of the major cities of the world. I was touched- it was the same way I was honoring Ron. (So far they’ve been deposited in the lake behind our house, in the Missouri River near Hermann, in the Panama Canal, off the coast of Costa Rica, and in two places in Iceland.)

We then visited the Jama Masjid mosque, where the women donned baggy abayas (cloaks) but didn’t have to cover our hair. While we were not permitted in the areas meant for worshipers, there was plenty to see with the beautiful architecture and the people-watching.

I know I'm wicked, but this made me laugh.

Typical electrical wiring. We were told in Jaipur that more of the electrical infrastructure was being boxed and locked up and that "line loss" (power lost due to people tapping into it illegally) was down significantly.

Typical traffic. Crossing the street is not for the faint-hearted.

Our guide had arranged a visit to the house of a Muslim family. It was extremely interesting; the house was over 200 years old and occupied by extended family members. The group included a father, his daughter, her boyfriend and her brother. The mother was in another part of the house. This was a VERY honest group and we talked about the encounter for days afterwards. The father spoke first and talked about the history of the family and the house, and introduced the rest. The boyfriend is Hindu. The daughter did most of the talking after that. She and her boyfriend work for a humanitarian organization that works with the poor and the homeless, one person at a time, teaching them mainstream hygiene habits, and teaching them to read and develop other skills that they need to become independent. The boyfriend, who started out in IT, is now a videographer who makes documentaries about the organization and its work. The daughter is working on advanced degree in social work, and her thesis will apply quantum physics to social work. When asked to explain, she noted that both Neils Bohr and Max Planck, who were eminent particle physicists, were both fascinated with the Hindu Vedas and that at the sub-atomic level we're all made out of the same stuff.

Life was not perfect; she'd received death threats from people who disapproved of her work and her relationship with a Hindu, and she was worried about the toll the stress took on her mother, who had heart problems. She and the boyfriend claimed not to have discussed marriage but she agreed that if they did, they might find a more accepting society if they emigrated to a country such as the US. She also noted that men in that country expected a prospective bride to be under 25, highly educated, have perfect teeth, and weigh under 55 kg (about 120 lbs.).

We left with a new respect for parents who try hard to balance raising children who think for themselves, and respecting their opinions when they disagree with their parents on issues.

Tuesday, March 13: From Delhi to Jaipur

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Today we visited a school supported by the Grand Circle Foundation, which was set up by Oversaes Adventure Travel, our tour company. Part of their profits go to the Foundation and individuals may also contribute.

The day opened with prayer (which started with "Ommmmm"). We were instant celebrities. The kids wanted us to take pictures so they could see them. On specifically requested, "Selfie". Selfies. The one said, "Autograph?" Suddenly I couldn't write my name on strips of paper fast enough. Mary Beth B gave the teachers a laminated world map- she observed that the classroom was practically empty except for a blackboard and chalk.

Our guide told us that a large percentage of the older girls were already "married"- typically this meant a promise was made between the two families and the marriage would be consummated when they were older. Still, our guide noted that this could become awkward, is in the case of one young girl he knew whose betrothed, died before the marriage was consummated. leaving her widowed at a very young age.

The only way to get water.

From there we went to the village of Village Kushal Pura. We got there by a vehicle called “jugaad” which is Hindi for “workaround” or “improvised”.

Our first assignment was to stop at the local stands and buy 100 rupees worth of food – our group got salad vegetables, another got vegetables to cook and another got fruit. We also had to learn the Indian names! We watched a group grinding alfalfa for the livestock. Another group was harvesting wheat.

Interestingly, when Mary Beth and I wanted to buy cauliflower and cabbage for the salad, the vendor said, “no salad”- apparently they don’t consider cauliflower and cabbage as foods to be eaten raw. We toured the village while the local people made our meal.

Part of the tour included a conversation with a couple of local leaders; our guide interpreted. One older woman seated on the ground, was surprised to hear that in the US we had no caste system. How did we know whom to marry? (We explained that frequently it was a function of similar economic and educational backgrounds.) She herself had been married since age 9. (Typically this is only a type of formal commitment but the actual marriage and consummation occur after puberty.) In addition to wrist bangles, which I learned were a sign that the woman was married, she wore heavy silver bands around her ankles, which would be removed only at her death.

Lunch was delicious- it was served in plates and bowls made from dried pressed leaves. In addition to cooking with what we’d supplied, they added a chutney ground by a woman while we watched, and a confection made from cane syrup.