Sunday, December 6, 2009

Rishikesh and Haridwar Mini Trip


After an all night drive in a giant tour bus on bumpy roads, our small group (only a few from our bigger group decided to go on this short trip) arrived in Rishikesh- a beautiful city situated in the middle of green mountains. Rishikesh is a very holy city, as the holiest of all rivers runs directly down the middle- the beautiful Ganges. We arrived around 5:00 a.m., and after a short tea stop we got on our way, stopping at a steep cobblestone drive. This was also the spot where I first laid eyes on the Ganges, an amazing and GIANT turquoise green river rushing down from the mountains.
Our tour in Rishikesh included two ashrams, a jewelry shop, bridge and breakfast at the end. The two ashrams that we visited were really cool. Ever since reading the book "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert I have been wanting to visit one. We witnessed a puja at the first and were given the prasadam (food offered to the Gods) and got a few minutes to walk around through the halls. All around us as we walked were people sitting in silent meditation, and throughout the visit we were to keep as quiet as possible. The jewelry shop was a stop along the way where we got to see malas- a religious necklace worn while chanting that contains 108 beads. The bridge was at the opposite end of the city- a famous and holy bridge that we got to walk across and back :) We rode to the bridge by jeep- the same type as we rode in while going to the Amber Fort.
After finishing our tour of Rishikesh, we all boarded our bus and drove the short distance to Haridwar, another holy city where WE GOT TO BATHE IN THE GANGES!!!!! I have to say, bathing in the Ganges was one thing I had dreamed about before coming, and when I got down on my knees and let the incredibly fast moving, and freezing cold green water run over me I felt incredible. The water was completely clean and pure. It was an amazing experience, and I'll never forget the hundreds of people that were all around me during this- some were sitting quietly, some performing ceremonies for their young children, women bathing in their beautiful sarees and of course the part at the end when all of the women had to pay five ruppees to change into dry clothes behind a hole filled tarp underneath the bridge. We had been expecting bathrooms to be available...but oh well. It was an interesting experience!
P.S. the photo is another photo of a professional one that we had taken after our dip!

Days in Delhi


Back in Delhi we were once again in the same hotel as before. The location was good for us- there was a street right next door full of all kinds of shopping, and there were restaurants ( a McDonalds too!) nearby. We spent the days in Delhi at the Indian International Trade Fair- an event that happens every year when countries from all over the world, and all the states of India build huge indoor booths to showcase products from their country or state. Both days that we went, our mode of transportation was the Delhi metro....let me just say I've NEVER in my life been so squished! We arrived at the station both days, purchased our tickets, went through a security check and then walked up a flight of stairs to the tracks. We got into partners (so as no one got left behind alone) and when the metro came, we grasped tightly and had to push our way through a solid mass of people trying to get off of the train and trying not to fall out! Luckily both times, my partner and I made it onto the car, and we rode for about five minutes like sardines in a can. Every inch of my body except for a small piece of my head and face was pressed tightly against the body part of another person. We were a completely stable block and didn't even budge a centimeter when the train stopped at stations- we all held each other up! That was an experience I'll never forget...I couldn't help but think about someone being claustrophobic...that would be so bad!
The trade fair was held at a huge ground area near the metro station, so when we got off the platform it was only a short walk down a dirt path before we arrived at a security check and then the entrance gate. There were buildings spread about us and inbetween there were paths and grass areas to sit. The paths were filled with ice cream and coffee carts, and the grass areas were overflowing with people sitting down to rest. It was a really cool experience to get to come to this, and I got some real insight into what the other states of India are like- not only did each state's building have information and photos, but there were even some that had their state's classical dance going on out front! The shopping was really good- mostly everything was decently priced and good quality, so my group (a group of twenty women who all LOVE shopping) spent most of our time browsing the stalls.
In the evenings we went out for dinner to a Punjabi (state in the north of India) restaurant that had everything cooking in an open area downstairs and the tables to sit upstairs. It was at this restaurant when I got to see naan (my favorite North Indian thick and soft bread like food) made in a tandoori oven! It was so cool! The man making it would first flatten the dough, then place it on a towl and stick it onto the side of a circular barrel that was embedded in the counter- a tandoori oven!It was also at this restaurant where I discovered the first Indian sweet that I love- gulab jamun- a round sweet that to me tastes kind of like a donut...SO good!
P.S. The image above is of the group I went with at the IITF.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Day 3: Agra!!!


We continued on the next morning- a five hour drive to Agra where the entire bus (mostly) tried to get a few more minutes of sleep!
Our first stop was a famous fort located just outside the city called Fatehpur Sikri, which was built in 1570 by the emperor Akbar and was the capital city of his empire for fifteen years until it was abandoned for unknown reasons. Fatehpur Sikri was HUGE! We spent about an hour and a half touring around the massive courtyards and pillared hallways where I got to see many different types of architecture. There was even one hall that was the emperor's "courtroom" that had a giant pillar in the center with three very different styles of designs carved onto it. The cool thing though about Fatehpur Sikri is the fact that the entire place is made up completely of red stone! It was very cool looking, and the contrast between the grass and the walls was pretty fantastic.
From Fatehpur Sikri we continued on into the main city of Agra, but before going to the main attraction of the city, the Taj Mahal, we visited the Agra fort which was also built by emperor Akbar as a replica of the Red Fort that we visited in Delhi. It didn't exactly look the same to me...but the color was the same! The emperor moved to Agra for a few years, but liked the climate better in Delhi and so eventually moved back after he had constructed and left his mark on the area :)
And then came the moment I had been waiting for- we drove into the parking lot outside the Taj Mahal (we couldn't see anything yet) and unloaded onto a small van that drove us up the hill (past camels! The first I'd ever seen!) to the entrance gate. After going through security we walked through the gateway into a giant open grassy space surrounded by big red buildings. Following the path we came to the archway of one of the buildings, and looking through over the many heads in front of me, I SAW MY FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE TAJ MAHAL!!!!!! We went through the tunnel and emerged with the enitire view laid out in front of us- I was completely in awe (as were many others standing at my sides!)! The structure is just SO giant and out of this world amazing! I don't think that I could do the experience of being there justice by writing about it- it was just like being in a dream.
We spent our time there roaming around the gardens, taking photos, and soaking up every moment (or at least I was!) from the experience of being there. Our group had several professional photos taken of each one of us, and then a group shot front and center to the monument. We also toured through the inside of the main dome, where the emperor and his beloved Mumtaz Mahal (whom he built the Taj for) are honored with tombs (their actual tombs are beneath the replicas that are on display).
Leaving the Taj Mahal felt strange...because it was like being in a dream, as soon as we walked back out through the tunnel it was almost as if what lay behind us had disappeared. On the way back to the bus, our group was bombarded with small boys trying to sell us everything from postcards to books to key chains to pens! I bought a book and some postcards (after doing some heavy bargaining) and was eyeing the key chains that a little boy was holding in front of me when he said "20 rs each! 20 rs. each!" looking around at me and then quickly to the women next to me- when he saw her he says "5 rs! 5 rs!" then looks back at me, realizing what he just said, and slaps himself on the forehead. I laughed at him and said "O.K. 5 rs.!" and handed him the money. Even though he had just lost out on what could have been a big pay day, the little boy chased after our van as we pulled away, laughing and waving good bye!
P.S. The photo above is a photo that I took of the professional photo...it's not exactly great quality, but you can see the awesomeness! :)