Northern India - 1997 home
Susan and I just got back from 18 days in India, touring Rajasthan, Delhi, and Agra. The trip was fantastic and exceeded our expectations. Rajasthan is the region where the Moghul rulers created wealthy kingdoms and enormous palaces, and later where Maharajahs built their exquisite palatial mansions. Despite being sacked repeatedly over the last few hundred years, many of the palaces retained their splendor and magnificence. Some of them were beautifully restored, and some have been converted to hotels (yes -- we stayed in some!).
The trip had many great highlights. The Taj Mahal at dawn was far more beautiful and magical than I could have imagined. We arrived by bicycle rickshaw a half-hour before sunrise. Through the morning mist, the Taj appeared before us as if it was floating on the mist. When the sun came up, the golden sunlight made the white marble glow and sparkle.
The bicycle rickshaw "scene" was something we'll never forget. At 5:15am in the dark, we walk out of our hotel to the gate, where there are two bicycle rickshaw wallahs. We negotiate to go to the Taj in taxi-wallah English (place name, cost, and hand motions). The fee was 20 rupees (about US$0.40). We both try to board one rickshaw, but no - we were instructed to board one rickshaw each (okay we thought… this will cost 40 rupees). They take us the few miles to the taj, leave us at the gate and tell us that they will wait for us - and to pay later. (okay we thought - now it's 80 rupees, but we'll have a rickshaw waiting). When we arrived back at our hotel, he proudly asks us for a *total* of 20 rupees. Two people, two hours, and lots of huffing and puffing (I weigh 200 lbs/91kg). - yes, we tipped him well.
We timed our trip to coincide with the festival of Holi, the Hindu celebration of spring. The festival started with burning of bonfire-effigies. These structures, 15 to 20 feet tall, were constructed of grasses and small logs, and ignited in a huge flash of fire. The most astounding thing is that these bonfires were in the middle of extremely narrow city streets, barely wide enough for one tiny car. The flames seemed to lick the adjacent buildings, but nobody seemed the least bit concerned. In fact, the men, women, and kids seemed to be as awestruck as we were! Throughout the three fires we witnessed, the villagers explained the symbolism and events that were taking place, and then led us to the next fire.
Smoke-filled and exhausted, we returned to our "palace hotel" and got up early the next day to take part in Holi's "festival of colors". This festival is frequently pictured in Indian movies and involves sprinkling, throwing, and smearing colored powders on friends and neighbors. We came prepared with a large bag of purple glitter (which we brought from home) and hot pink Holi powder. Within minutes we were covered and deeply stained! As we walked down the streets of the neighborhood, people invited us into their homes to share sweet candies and pastries. The purple was a hit with the kids and women. The oddity of foreigners taking part in the festivities made us both targets for both the coloring-patrols (no part of us left uncolored) and people's warmth and friendliness. It was an extraordinary experience.
In the trip, we were treated to dancing and live music (both Rajasthani and ragas), excellent food, and the miracle of complete health. We visited Jain and Hindu temples, small villages and large cities, and bustling local markets. We went to a huge art-deco cinema to see "Dil To Pagal Hai", a Hindi film (no subtitles, but a straightforward plot) to experience Indian cinema at it's best. We took every imaginable form of transportation - horsecart, bicycle rickshaw, tuktuk, elephant, camel, train, bus, car, and Indian Airlines. Each was an exciting experience!
The people of northern India were generally warm and friendly. The poverty is not as ever-present and overwhelming; there were no hordes of beggars besieging us nor masses of disease-ridden people as films seem to portray. Instead, the people, whether poor or not, appeared to proud of who they were. We did see some misery, however it was choreographed for us as we exited a train. It was explained to us by our guide that some deformed or handicapped children are often used by their parents to evoke sympathy or pity. Whether this is true or not, I have no way of knowing. However we were told repeatedly (even after our return) that clinics offer a modicum of health care to those who cannot afford it, and the incidences of elephantiasis and leprosy we observed were not for wont of medical care.
The most disturbing aspect of travel in northern India is not poverty, it's the begging culture, unfortunately perpetuated (and probably created) by well-meaning tourists. Children constantly asked for pens (allegedly for school) or shampoo and refused to take no for an answer. We were told that these items, once garnered, were then sold to merchants in the markets. Sure enough, the markets offered tubs of bottles of hotel shampoo, miscellaneous pens, and other sundries obtained from tourists. It's hard to say no to people who are asking so little when we comparatively have so much, but the creation of a begging dynamic is terribly sad - and we tourists perpetuate it by handing out "wealth" in this manner. Like John D. Rockefeller tossing dimes (US$0.10 coins) to depression-era crowds, this behavior is degrading. There are many fine agencies who offer medical care, schooling, clothing, farm loans, and other forms of aid. Please - if you go to India, give your money to one of these agencies instead.
The last aspect to prepare would-be India travelers is the persistence of the merchants. We were often treated with a warm welcome at every shop we visited; every street-vendor whose goods we viewed. But it's hard to get them to accept "no thank you". There was a tendency to become abrupt - almost rude - after the 5th or 6th "no thank you", and loudly say "NO!" I hated doing this; it's so outside my character, but this type of persistence on their part must work on some tourists to have been so deeply ingrained into the culture.
If you do buy, it's expected that you will bargain hard. Don't opt for the line "we'll ship it to you". Take it yourself and go to a well-known freight forwarder. And DO accept tea and Coca Cola from merchants from whom you are buying. It's considered polite, and I must admit that it's a wonderful custom.
We traveled with Cox & Kings, a British company. The other group members (21 total) were very nice to travel with. Traveling with an all-UK group is interesting, as the subtle (and not-so-subtle) cultural differences were obvious at the very first moment we met until the final "Cheerio" when we parted. There was never a conflict; we all got along extremely well. It did however become apparent that we were viewed as being the adventurous eccentric risk-takers.
We made some good friends with some people on this trip. Group travel has its plusses and minuses, meeting Tony and Erika was definitely a plus.
And now, after 30 hours of travel, we're back. Although very dazed from the jet lag, we're looking forward to getting back to the grind (specifically fresh-ground coffee).