India

Well we have just left India and I have a lot to talk about! Most of my experiences there were so amazing it is hard to describe them and put them in words. The contrast and diversity of the country was so apparent.
On the first day we arrived the ship was cleared at about 10:45am. We rushed to have our passports stamped by Indian officials and receive our landing cards. Because our flight to Delhi was leaving at 12:40 we had to rush to get off the ship in the first bunch. We ended up having to pretend we were part of the trip organized by Semester at Sea because they always give them priority in disembarking the ship. I met with some other people going on my independent trip to take auto-rickshaws to the airport. These are three wheeled tiny cars essentially, which go about as fast as a 50cc scooter. The drivers are so skilled, but it is very scary riding in one because at every moment it looks like you are going to hit another car! My friend Mason and I were the first rickshaw to leave the port. We agreed on paying 100rps (about $2.50) to get to the airport, a trip which should have taken about 40 minutes. Instead our driver took us on a half hour detour in the wrong direction. When we arrived deep in the heart of Chennai he told us to switch into another rickshaw. The drivers of the rickshaws are very manipulative and also find reasons to stop, take the long route or to increase the price during the ride. We finally arrived at the airport at 12:30, only ten minutes before our IndiGo flight was scheduled to leave. We went into the terminal where we were told that we were in the international terminal and not the domestic terminal. We sprinted to the domestic terminal which was about 200m away only to find that the check in counter was closed. We begged them to let us in so that we could stay with the rest of our group. They checked us in quickly and ran with us to security. Despite warnings they barely checked our bags, and I continued to the pan with a full water bottle in my bag. We were the last people to get on the plane and the rest of our group was very relieved.
The IndiGo flight was very much like any in the West with a few noticeable differences. The first being that the stewards and stewardesses were very friendly but also very demanding. When it was time for food or to land, they woke everyone one up to ask if they wanted something to eat. This was a surprise to me because if you are sleeping normally, they just pass you by! The second and maybe the biggest difference was that no matter how short the flight was they always served a full meal. This usually meant rice or naan, with two different curry dishes accompanied by a bottle of water and a desert. The service was also very good, they came around to pick up the trays about ten minutes after they had finished distributing them. This was convenient for those of us who were trying to get some sleep on the flights.
After the short flight to Delhi we were greeted by our tour guides and given fresh floral necklaces. We boarded a large bus and headed out for a tour of Delhi. Although we visited many places and it is impossible to name them all, some of the major sites that we visited were India Gate, the memorial to all the soldiers that died in the wars. We also visited the presidential palace and national parliament. These were huge buildings that were surrounded by well manicured gardens. We drove past all of the embassies. One thing that was very cool for me was to see many people just relaxing or sleeping in the public gardens. At the monuments where we were able to get off the bus, many people were begging and trying to sell us souvenirs, chips, henna, and ice cream. Little did we know that this was just a taste of what the rest of the trip was going to be like. After the afternoon bus tour we checked into our ‘rustic’ hotel, the Ashoka International Hotel. The rooms were very basic, with a bed, couch, TV and air conditioner. At first glance the room looked normal but on further investigation, the air conditioner did not work and the bed was quite uncomfortable. The bathroom thankfully had a western toilet and shower. In the shower was a large bucket. No one was quite shore what the bucket was to be used for but it only got in the way. Picture me in a limbo-esque position trying to get my head under the showerhead while standing behind the bucket. We were suggested not to drink the tap water so we brushed our teeth with bottled water. After dumping our stuff and quickly refreshing ourselves we headed out again for dinner. We went to a lovely restaurant in Delhi. Being unsure of whether women were allowed to drink beer, all the girls ordered water. Only after the waiters questioned why we didn’t want to try Kingfisher. We were relieved and all tried the beer, which they serve at the House of India, and liked it very much. They began by brining naan with a variety of sauces. We were all starving so were eating as if we hadn’t eaten in days. As we kept eating, the food kept coming. Chicken, curries, vegetable dishes and more kept coming until we were all stuffed and had to waddle out of the restaurant. After dinner we headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep before our early departure the next morning.
At 4:45am the phone rang for our wakeup call. I took a freezing cold shower because we couldn’t figure out how to work the faucets. As I limboed over the bucket in the freezing cold water at 4:45am, I thought, what the hell am I doing here? At 5:30 we met in the hotel ‘lobby’ to board the bus to go to the train station. When we arrived, we found that many people were sleeping on the floor. The same happened on the streets where many people sleep directly on the pavement and others sleep under makeshift tents on cots or foam matresses. Even at 5:30 in the morning, many people were awake and cooking over open fires on the sidewalks. The train station was the home for many people and even at the crack of dawn, was bustling like I would have thought it would at noon. The train station was fairly dirty with many people and children begging once again. We boarded the train at 6:15 for a two and a half hour ride to Agra. When on the train, we got good views of the countryside we were passing through. We were once again served a full meal on board. After arriving in Agra and battling the beggars at the train station there, we once again boarded a bus headed for the Taj Mahal. When we arrived we boarded a battery operated bus that transported us close to the entrance and we paid our $20 entrance fee and were given a bottle of water and a pair of shoe covers. Our group split into two and we started walking towards the gate of the Taj. The gate is self was so big and elaborate that it could have been a monument alone. As you walked through the gate, the Taj came into view. Before arriving at the Taj, I wasn’t that excited to see it. I figured it would be a large beautiful building and not much more. Well was I ever wrong. When our tour guide told us the history behind the building of the Taj I now saw it as the most extravagant expression of love. When his wife died during childbirth the king promised her two wishes; that he would never marry again and that he would honour her memory with a memorial. It took 22 years to be completed and is completely symmetrical, right down to the water features and gardens that surround it. The only thing that isn’t symmetrical is the tombs inside, as it was originally built for only one. When the husband died, he was also buried there, although not in the center, making it unsymmetrical. The husband’s wish was not granted to have a black duplicate of the Taj built after his death. Every detail and tiny stone in the structure is especially placed, with the floral designs made of semi-precious stones from Africa, Saudi Arabia and Asia. Each one is hand sculpted and embedded into the marble. After spending about an hour marveling at the structure and taking lots of pictures, we headed back to the bus. From here we went to a silk carpet making factory. We learned how each row of silk is aligned to form the pattern on the carpet. Each small carpet can take a month to make! After learning about the process, guess what came next. Yes, the salesmen emerged and began trying to sell the carpets. Surprisingly to me, although they were very beautiful, many people bought carpets of all sizes. Some were large and needed to be shipped back to the states. Upstairs there was a silk scarf shop. This was of more interest to me and I bought a few beautiful scarves for next to nothing. We then reboarded the bus headed to a five star hotel for a buffet lunch which was delicious.
After lunch we again hopped on the bus for some more sightseeing. We visited the Agra Fort which is made of red sandstone and is huge. It served as the home of the president and also the place where he was later imprisoned by his son after being overthrown. The grounds also housed the public forum, local market and a temple. Again, much of the detailing was semi-precious stone imbedded in white marble, as well as gold, which has since been removed.
After leaving the fort we were all very tired and opted not to drive for an hour to see another fort. Instead we visited the marble art showroom, where the ancestors of the people who detailed the Taj now produce marble crafts. They showed us how they shape and embed the semi-precious stone into the marble, just as is done in the walls of the Taj. We then browsed the gift shop but everything was too expensive for us to buy anything. Because our train did not leave until 8pm we had some time to kill. Someone suggested to the tour guide that we visit a local market. Well we were in for a surprise. The bus dropped us off at a real local bazaar. There were cows roaming the streets and vendors selling fruits and meats on the street. There were some stores selling local clothing and saris. Although it was a good way to experience the culture, it was not what we had in mind. When we reboarded the bus, we explained to the driver that we wanted to visit somewhere to pick up souvenirs. He then took us to the India Art Bazaar. This store had everything you could possible want to buy, from scarves and saris, to pillow cases, jewelry, woodwork and art. Although it was quite expensive, a few people bought saris but most just picked up some t-shirts.
Our next stop was a local store where we could buy authentic tea. Not being interested in tea, I headed next door to a small store and picked up the same t-shirts that everyone else had purchased at the last stop for half the price. I was quite proud of myself, Nana would have been proud. I picked up some Pringles (which I am discovering are a universal food staple, as they have been available in every country so far) for dinner and headed back to the bus. Our last stop before heading back to the train station was to return to the hotel where we had lunch. Some people browsed the stores there for postcards and magnets while others used the internet. It was a good place to kill time before heading to the train station.
After an exhausting train ride, we finally arrived back in Delhi and were transferred to the hotel where we crashed, to be ready for another early morning the next day!
On day 3 we were headed to Varanasi (pronounced Waranashi by the locals). We woke up early for our flight at 8:30am. After a quick ‘full American breakfast’ of friend eggs and toast, we were headed back to the Delhi airport. After another short flight to Varanasi, where we of course, were served a full meal, we landed in Varanasi. I half expected the air to smell like smoke and decomposing bodies when we landed but this was not the case. After exiting the airport, we boarded a huge bright orange bus to travel to hotel India. When we arrived it was clear that this was a step up from our last lodging. Before exploring the rooms we settled down for yet another buffet lunch at the restaurant in the hotel. It was much smaller than the 5 star hotel we ate at in Agra. By this point the food was becoming quite tedious. Don’t get me wrong I like India food but when you eat it all the time it somewhat loses its appeal. The typical meal consisted of several curries, rice, naan and a vegetable dish. Although all meals were included in our trip, drinks were not. That meant we had to be slightly ghetto and fill our glasses from the water bottles in our backpacks.
After a quick lunch we split up into pairs and were given our room keys. On first glance our room was great. There were two single beds, a sitting area, a TV and a fully functional bathroom (with hot water but no mirror). We were told that we had the afternoon to ourselves and that we had to be back at 4:30. I decided to lie down for a few minutes to read. I threw myself onto the bed only to find out it was as hard as concrete. That ended my reading before it started so I headed downstairs to meet the group to walk around the town. Some people wanted to go to internet cafes and bank machines so myself and two others decided to head to the ‘mall’. We were pointed in the direction where there seemed to be a lot of people coming back. We kept walking amid stares and annoyance from rickshaw drivers and finally arrived at the ‘mall’. It was a small street market which was absolutely packed with locals in saris and lunghis. Needless to say we were very out of place. It seemed like some sort of festival as lots of people were just sitting around when presumably they should have been at work. We wandered for a few minutes through the stalls but most were selling fruits and vegetables and street food which we were specifically told not to eat. I felt very uncomfortable because people were continuously staring and gawking at us so we decided to turn around and head back towards the hotel. As we walked away from the market we were hassled by many rickshaw drivers but one in particular followed us all the way back to the hotel. You think it would have been better for him to wait for some people who would actually want to get in and then pay him, instead of pedaling alongside us when we repeatedly said no.
When we returned to the hotel we decided to visit the small gift shop located on the property. The owner and his wife were very friendly and called us their ‘babies’. We sat on a couch in a room that was about 6 feet square filled with pillow cases, saris, tunics and pashmenas. He showed us pictures of his family and the guestbook of past visitors. Because he was so friendly we felt obliged to buy something but after hearing the prices, which were much cheaper than anywhere else we had visited, I picked up two pashmenas for a total of five dollars. I then headed upstairs to our room and read my book on the couch. I have never done so much reading! I have read three books since being on the ship, as well as doing a bit of my reading for class.
At 4:30 we boarded the big orange bus to head toward the Ganges, or the Ganga as it is called in the local language. Because the prime minister was to be visiting the next evening, the streets were packed with people and vehicles and security was high. When we encountered this congestion the bus pulled into a parking lot and we all boarded the rickshaws. These were the manual ones that must be pedaled. I felt sorry for our driver who looked to be about 70 and skinnier than me. Not only did he have to pull our weight but also the weight of the inefficient bike. Every time we stopped in traffic we thought he was going to have a heart attack when he had to start from a dead stop again. The traffic was so bad at one point that the group of 12 rickshaws had to turn around and go down a different side street. The streets we went down were only wide enough for two rickshaws to pass. The open shop fronts filled the air with spicy aromas and entrepreneurs watched as we passed by. Children waved and screamed from windows high above the street and loved it when we blew kisses to them. When we finally got stuck in too much traffic to pass by, we dismounted and walked the rest of the way to the river. The closer we got to the site of the aarti (ceremony for releasing the ashes into the river) the more people were trying to sell us postcards, henna sets and jewelry. We stood for about half an hour to absorb the atmosphere. It is hard to put into words the feeling of the city but it really was fascinating. At 6:30 every night hundreds of people come to the steps of the river and there is a musical ceremony. Many people also watch from rowboats on the river. We boarded a row boat and headed out to see the smaller of the two crematoria. I was shocked to learn that the bodies are covered in cloth and then placed in the fire. It is in the open air, on the edge of the river. The relatives then collect the ashes for the ceremony.
For those who don’t know Varanasi and the Ganges are seen as very holy places in the Hindu religion. Many people bathe in the river to cleanse their souls and to be cremated there means that you are going to rest in peace and join with the Gods. People come from all over India to die in Varanasi, and there are special old houses where the people can stay until they die. Everyone is cremated with the exception of five groups of people. Pregnant women, children under 5, holy people and people who die from leprosy or another disease that I can’t remember, are not cremated. Their bodies are lashed to large boulders and sunk in the middle of the river. Because cows are so sacred, when they die, they are simply put into the river and float until they sink. It was quite scary thinking of what was in the water that our boat was floating on. After seeing the crematorium we rowed back to the site of the aarti to listen to the chanting and music. It is a very moving and emotional experience. People buy and release small floating candles into the river so it is a very beautiful sight at night.
After getting virtually eaten alive by mosquitoes the size of large birds we headed back to the shore and walked slowly back to our rickshaws, contemplating all that we had just witnessed. I have never seen so many people with physical deformities before. It seemed as though every 3rd person was missing a limb or two and begging in the hope that you would take pity on them and give them something. It was hard to say no and walk past them, especially for the children. We rode the rickshaws back to the big orange bus and then were transported back to the hotel. Guess what we had for dinner? Yep, you’re right, a buffet of curry, naan, rice and vegetables. I didn’t eat much this time besides naan and sauce. It was about 8:30 by this time and I went back to my room and did some reading. We had another early morning on Saturday so I decided to hit the hay around 11. A bunch of people from our group went across the street to a local wedding. Had I known people were going, I would have loved to do that. We have been told that weddings are one of the best ways to get information about a culture. We have also been told that if we see any weddings in Malaysia, that we should crash them!
On our last morning we woke up at 4:30 to meet at the bus at 5:15. I had a wonderful hot shower, and didn’t have to limbo over a bucket this time. When we met on the bus, a lot of people were missing. Some of us went and knocked on doors and made calls to rooms and more people showed up. By 5:45 we were in danger of missing the sunrise on the river and left without 4 people. We drove to the river and once again boarded a row boat, only without the bugs this time. As the sun rose, we paddled towards the larger of the two crematoria. They work around the clock and people just bring the bodies of their family members to be cremated soon after they have died. Because it was overcast, we didn’t actually ever see the sun rise but it was beautiful to see the people bathing in the river and worshiping their ancestors by lifting water out of the river and then letting it fall back in. Many people were washing clothes on the shores of the river too. I find it quite odd and rather repulsive that people swim, bathe, wash clothes and even drink the water that has been polluted by so many dead bodies. I guess the power of spirituality is so strong that none of that matters.
After returning to the hotel to pick up our luggage and have a quick breakfast we headed off to the place where Buddha gave his first sermon. We first visited a historic temple in Sarnath before heading to the site of the sermon. A large stone monument covered with gold had been built on the site and there were many Buddhists praying on the grass in front of it. Surrounding the site were many small brick monuments whose name escapes me and the site of a temple where Buddha used to meditate. Not being a history buff myself, I was somewhat bored during this part of the tour but was able to appreciate the historical importance of these sites.
After leaving the gardens, we went to a silk factory. Some members of the group had been the day before but it was really interesting to see how silk products are made, thread by thread. Once again there was plenty to buy, but I held back the urge. Some people bought ties, wall hangings and even bead spreads. I am saving my money to get clothes in Vietnam! After a short bus ride we stopped at a local hotel for, you guessed it, another buffet lunch. This one was not as good as the eight thousand we had already had and as soon as we finished we wandered into the town for our last taste of Varanasi. Some of the guys in our group spent 50 cents to have a blade shave, complete with head, back and face massage from the roadside vendors. Many of us watched as it looked as if they were being beaten by the barber, when in fact, they were only being massaged.
After lunch we headed for the airport, which was very busy because of the arrival of the prime-minister. We survived several power outages before boarding our flight to Delhi. Here we had a two hour lay-over before flying back to Chennai. When we arrived in Chennai it was almost midnight and raining. I hopped into a rickshaw with two girls who were on another trip. After bartering with the driver and forcing him to take us the most direct route back to the ship, we arrived safely, although exhausted! I dumped my bag and washed my feet, which were very dirty from the “dusty country” before crawling into bed.
The next morning I woke up at 8:30am in order to make plans with friends for the day. In the end I decided to head off to Spencer’s Plaza with 5 friends. We left the ship and walked along the long dusty road to find a rickshaw. About half way there two of the girls realized that they had forgotten their landing cards so had to go back. The other 4 of us got rickshaws and bartered with the drivers to get a good price. Originally they tried to tell us that Spencer’s Plaza was closed so that they could charge us a higher price to take us further. Eventually we told them to just go there and if it was closed when we got there, we could go somewhere else from there. Well surprise, when we got their it was open. We headed into the indoor market with 4 floors. There were millions of little stores selling souvenirs, pashminas, saris, cameras, ipods and anything else you could ever need (except postcards and magnets). We met up with the other girls at Subway for a quick sandwich before splitting up into two groups. The three of us browsed some stores near the food court but then decided to return to a store we had been to earlier with good prices and good quality silk products. I picked up some pashminas, wallets and a purse and paid for the items. As I was paying an interesting situation played out.
As I looked out of the store front, I saw the other worker ripping down pashminas and throwing them into the store. I naively asked if they were closing, which is when the second shopkeeper ran out too and pulled down the metal gate. When we tried to run out of the store, they would not let us leave. They turned off the lights and told us to get down and be quiet. I know this sounds like a kidnapping but scary, as it was at the time, looking back we were told to do these things for our own safety. After one shop keeper looked out into the hallway and saw it was clear he told us to run as fast as we could to the nearest exit. Still not knowing what was going on, we did as we were told, leaving our purchases in the store. When we got to the exit, many people were gathered and there were many rumors about what had happened. Fire, gunshots, fights, anything you could think of. After a few minutes the shopkeeper came out to tell us what was going on. He told us that there had been a fight on the fourth floor between two groups. Because we were on the bottom floor, they had thought the worst and had done everything they could to protect us. He told us that we had left our stuff in the store and would be able to come back in shortly to get it. It was surprising that he was so honest, given the precedent in India. After a few minutes everything was safe enough to return to the store and finish paying and then to receive our purchases. Although the stores all re-opened, we did not feel comfortable and decided to head to another outdoor market. We were only here for a short time but had a chance to go to the grocery store to pick up some staples (Pringles) and to also browse the stalls. Most were selling children’s toys, shoes and bindis (the dots to go on women’s foreheads). After finally finding an Indian flag, we headed back to the ship in a rickshaw.
At 3pm, 5 of us headed to the Missionaries of Charity orphanage, the brainchild of mother Theresa. I was not prepared at all for what I was about to see when we arrived. 90% of the children had severe physical and mental disabilities. The ones that could come outside were mostly in wheelchairs and the ones that couldn’t come outside were confined to cots are laid immobile on plastic mats. Many were unable to move at all so we sat on the floor massaging them and smiling and talking to them. It was very hard to see this and many of us broke down. To think that every day they must depend on somewhere else to move them, feed them, change their clothes and bathe them made me very appreciative. We spoke with Helen, a European worker at the orphanage. She told us a little bit about the organization and her role within it. At around 5pm the children were having dinner so we helped to feed some of them and play with the others who were not being fed. At 5:30pm visitor hours ended and we had to leave. It was hard to say goodbye to the children and we wondered what they did when there weren’t strangers to come and play with them. It was a really sobering way to end my experience in India, and a fitting way nonetheless. My visit to the orphanage effectively served to sum up my whole Indian experience; I loved the experience, but I did not love India, although I am very glad and grateful that I was able to experience it.