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Back in India's Big Smoke
After that rather frivolous last entry I thought I better get back to the serious business of describing my experiences in India. I have arrived in Delhi after stays in Haridwar and Rishikesh, neither of which I have given any blog space to yet.
Haridwar was my first stop after the Himalyan interlude, and quite a gentle re-introduction to urban India. Situated on the Ganges, it is one of India's seven holy cities, and as such attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. Against all LP advice (and not on purpose) I arrived after dark, which always makes orientating yourself and finding a hotel more tricky. I was met off the bus by the usual clamour of people offering me rickshaws, hotels and given the usual BS about hotels being further away than I knew them to be etc. Thankfully though I found a decent hotel without too much difficulty, and after a quick freshen up ventured out to explore a bit.
There was a pretty friendly, low-key atmosphere here as a lot of the people wandering the streets are Indian families, on holiday (or pilgrimage) themselves. Many stopped and asked to have photos take with me (still find that so bizarre), and then would chat and tell me a bit about why they were here; to scatter the ashes of a deceased relative, to offer prayers for a sick relative, or simply to fulfil a life-time's dream/ambition. I was enjoying an after dinner chai at a roadside stall when an older Indian man approached and asked to join me. I have become quite accustomed to rebuffing such approaches, but something told me that this man was well-intentioned; and other than a vague hint that, perhaps I would like an introduction to his unmarried 50 year old brother (!), my instincts were right. So that is how I came to meet Raj, who was from Croydon of all places, and hear about how he had come all this way to scatter the ashes of his Mother who had died seven years ago, and all the family politics that were complicating the whole business. He also recommended me a restaurant, where the next night I had the most delicious kitcheree.
I spent the next day wandering the bazaars, doing errands, on the internet etc. Shortly before dusk I headed to the 'ghats'- the places/steps where the pilgrims come for the 'puja' - i.e. to bathe and make offerings at early morning and evening. It was here that I had one of those quintissential Indian experiences. Throngs of people in their beautiful brightly coloured clothes; families, holy men, groups of school children, even a football team...all gathered on the steps down to the Ganges. Music started playing, people begain singing, bells rang and at a sign given by one of the many officials, waving their arms in the air and cheering. Huge flames were lit and held aloft, and the crowd surged towards them. As the sun set, infusing the whole scene with a mellow orangey-red glow, the whole event reached a crescendo. People waded into the river, encouraged reluctant youngsters to take their first ever dip, or carried older and disabled people to the river's edge. Water containers (whose sellers, I noticed, had been doing a stiff trade all day) were filled with the holy water,and - my personal favourite bit - wreaths of brightly coloured flowers were set alight and floated down the Ganges.
It was one of those scenes you see on documentaries of India, and it was truly beautiful, magical. Although I felt that I was missing something; hard to put my finger on, perhaps because I didn't fully understand the origins of the occasion or appreciate its signifcance for the people around me - I wasn't personally connected to it in anyway, other than appreciating it from a purely aesthetic perspective. The Lonely Planet, excellent though it is, doesn't really elaborate and unfortunately there aren't any helpful National Trust/English Heritage type signs or guides around to illuminate ignorant foreigners on such matters. But as if the Gods had read my mind, in the process of removing my shoes, I got talking to a German guy (and the only other white face in the whole crowd). It transpired we had both just finished reading books and were looking to swap - his was a book on Hinduism!
From Haridwar I travelled an hour by bus to Rishikesh, which some of you may know for its connection with the Beatles, and others for its reputation as India's yoga capital. Rishikesh is India Lite - the most westernised and touristy place I have been so far (more so than Delhi and Mumbai in many ways). It was quite a shock, as the auto-rickshaw from the station made its bumpy way into town, and I saw all these white faces and people in Western clothing - they seemed to be outnumbering the locals in some areas! Anyway, after seven weeks deprived of home comforts such as brown bread, muesli, and digestive biscuits, it made quite a nice change to be able to get these things on tap.
There is a real back-packer community here - lots of ultra cool yoga and hippy types hanging out, signs advertising ashrams, yoga courses and aruydevic medicines on every corner and the ubiquitous market stalls selling beads, tie-dye and joss sticks. There was a definite "chilled out vibe" to the place, and I enjoyed my time browsing the shops on the streets winding down to the Ganges; listening to the medley of foreign languages and accents which accompanied the 'coffuchinos' I sipped in cafes; enjoying beautiful views of the Luxman Jhula temple, admiring the suspension bridges joining the two river banks.
Just in case I should forget where I was there were plenty of reminders. The cows and motorbikes which ambled and zoomed their respective ways across the bridges that were really designed to be pedestrian only. The parcel posting which took three hours - the first post office, which was a small local branch, was completely flummoxed by the prospect of sending a parcel abroad and so I was dispatched to the main post office, a very pleasant 20 minute walk away. Here they hand-sewed my goods into a parcel while I waited and also furnished me with stamps for my postcards (6 stamps per card!). I often marvel at where the time goes as the days just fly by here and yet I'm not actually working or anything...the latter goes some way towards explaining it!
Last, but not least, my visit to the temple served as the most pertinent reminder. I think it illustrates how I have started to adjust to India when I say I was tickled, and not shocked or mildly disapproving, to find that the 12 storey temple has shops selling all kinds of knick-knacks and religious paraphenalia on every level; I was less tickled when having given ten rupess to a guy who seemed to be a monk, he then indicated that I should donate my sunglasses as a "gift". The capacity of people to try it on with you here is breath-takingly incredible - you gotta admire it really!
After enjoying the 'perfect day' described in my last entry (chronology's all out) I had an early start for the 7 hour bus ride to Delhi. The local bus services here are so cheap- 140 rupees, less than two quid...Although, when in a few months I am forking out for pyhsiotherapy to treat the subsequent back problems, I may not think it such a bargain (good job there's a physio in the family eh)! So we shook, rattled and rolled our way to Delhi - but you get to see so much interesting stuff..it is worth it.
Having previously fled Delhi with, well being honest, NO regret what-so-ever, I was determined to give the place a decent second chance. Now, I don't know whether Delhi is on its best behaviour and enjoying a pre- Diwali spruce up, or whether I have indeed acclimatised to India, but it didn't feel quite as overwhelming as when I arrived last tim. Even the hell hole of Pahar Gang looked tidier and less crawling in touts?! it was nice to have just a degree of familiarity with the place. It also helps that the temperature is a much more reasonable, 30-34 degrees. My perceptions of the place were further altered when I met up in the evening with Emily, a British woman who I was put in touch with through a friend of my sisters (one of those travelling typical random connections). She has been living and working for an NGO here for a couple of years and really loves it. There is nothing like talking to an enthusiast for helping reverse negativity. She explained what she finds wonderful about the place, as well as being reassuringly upfront about its frustrations and the way it does drive her mad too. She made me rethink the place a bit, and I am now looking forward to exploring a bit further afield over the next few days.
Anwyay, think they want to chuck me out of here - it is Diwali today and the place is brimmimg with anticipation of the evening's festivities. Not quite sure what I will do myself having heard mixed reports about the merits and safety of being out and about on Diwali night. I was however, mightily pleased to read in the Times of India today, that the pollution resulting from the massive number of fireworks used, will kill off Delhi's remaining mosquito population - now, that is a reason to celebrate!
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