Life on Full Blast
Trip Start
May 22, 2005
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82
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Trip End
Jan 22, 2006
Delhi,
India
Monday, November 21, 2005
The streets in India are like one giant bumper car ride-except this ride includes animals. Our introduction to traffic in India came with a harrowing ride to our hotel. The traffic in India is dominated by brightly painted trucks-everyone with a "Horn Please" sign on the back. Use of the horn doesn't really need to be encouraged since everyone drives with one hand on the horn at all times. Our adrenaline-inducing jaunt through the early morning traffic of Delhi brought us to our modest hotel for our first night in India.
School Children Visiting India Gate
We soon found out that being in India is like experiencing life on full blast. Humanity is on display in all its glory and depravity. The streets are full of relentless colours, smells and sounds and there is enough breathtaking beauty and traumatizing ugliness on every street corner to break your heart.
We spent a few days experiencing Delhi before we headed off for a two week tour of the Province of Rajasthan. Our first stop was the India Gate, a 42 metre high triumphal arch that was built to commemorate India's war dead in World War I. The India Gate is a gathering place for school children on outings and picnicking families.
In Delhi we also got our first introduction to the myriad of religions that thrive in India. We visited a vibrantly colourful Hindu temple called the Birla Temple. We learned that Hinduism, which is the third largest religion in the world and is followed by 85% of Indians, worships millions of deities. Before we entered, we had to take off our shoes and bring the customary flower offering. The temple is designed so that "cosmic energy streams through the copula and goes in eight directions." To imbibe the "energy", you have to walk around the temple in a counterclockwise direction. The temple is also adorned with swastikas, an ancient Hindu power symbol that was co-opted by Hitler for more sinister purposes.
Next, we visited a Sikh Temple, a relatively young religion that was founded in the 15th century and is followed by 3% of Indians. The symbols of Sikhism are long unshorn hair, a comb, steel bracelets, shorts and a dagger
Family Picnic at India Gate
. To enter the Sikh temple we had to remove both our shoes and socks and cover our heads. Within the temple, worshippers either sit or stand around a central altar from which someone is singing from the Sikh holy book. Upon exiting the temple you are given a handful of a mixture made from flour, sugar and butter. Paul can't pass up free food so he tried the free temple food and came out none the worse for wear! Within the temple complex there is also a large ceremonial pool where the faithful bathe in the holy water to cleanse themselves. We also took the time to see the burial place of Ghandi which is in a simple memorial set within an expansive park. It was a very peaceful spot and many locals gathered there to take shelter from the hectic clamour of Delhi.During our tour our guide pointed out the packs of wild monkeys that roam Delhi. We found out that like at home they will attack you for food. Paul and the monkey gang leader glared at each other.
