30 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Family, India, Politics, Travel
Tags: Appreciate, Be Giving, Community, Compassion, Eliminate, Perspective, Poverty, Slums, Squalor
We did something completely off the beaten path today by visiting a slum just north of downtown Mumbai. Nick had helped establish a Pre-K school here about eight years ago, and wanted to check on how it was doing. It’s inspiring to see someone put their heart into something and invest their time and knowledge into helping others, and still care enough to check its well-being so many years later.
You can imagine that I was feeling pretty apprehensive about the experience. While I knew that it would be educational, the opportunity to witness a slum in India first-hand intimidated me.
At first, I didn’t want to face the sadness that would overwhelm me, facing the stark truth that the luxuries I enjoy as an American are just that, unnecessary but expected. As one born in the USA, with opportunities afforded to me by hard-working immigrant parents, its easy to take everything we are given for granted. It’s so simple to think that the small unhappinesses and struggles we may experience are insurmountable, but in the cosmos of things, it’s but a small ripple.
Secondly, I didn’t want to make the locals feel like I was going to visit them as a tourist. My features make it impossible for me to fit in and I knew that not only would they be looking at me in curiosity, but they would also be wondering why I was there. I was concerned that the dwellers would feel like they were on display for a camera-snapping foreigner to watch, like they were in a snow globe village.
In the end, Nick and I went; he even commented that the conditions in the slum were a lot better than he recalled. Rather than propped up shacks made of scaffolding and tarp, I saw brick and mortar buildings, with weighted scaffolding as roofing. Along the paths cutting through the streets, you could see clothes drying on a line; there were vendors for everything from flowers and incense for the temple to little snack shops.
One thing that is different about the poor in India in contrast to other parts of the world is that you can see that the government cares. A lot of slums enjoy the benefits of electricity, cable, and running water. And often, despite springing up illegally on government land, the police do not forcibly remove families to make way for development. Rather, there is a government mandate that requires developers to build apartment-style housing to accommodate the displaced, but only if a majority of the slum community votes for it.
Unfortunately, due to funding issues, Nick was not able to find the school he so lovingly spent hours organizing. He had helped with organizing the lesson plans and worked with the sponsoring company to provide all the classroom essentials the students would need. It made me sad that Nick was not able to witness the longevity or expansion of all his good work. 😦
You may have noted that there are no pictures in this post. This is intentional. Over 2.2 Billion people across the world live in poverty. It is important to Nick and I that we don’t paste more pictures of slums and squalid conditions across the internet. How these people live is not an attraction, it’s not something to be remembered, it’s something, that as a community, and as humans, we work together to put in the past. Rather than something to be framed and on display in an art gallery, this way of life, these conditions, need to end and become a faint memory.
29 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Dance, Faith, Family, Food, India, Love, Music, Religion, Symbolism, Travel
Tags: Celebration, Divine Witness, Drums, Fire, Jai Mala, Marriage, Matrimony, Mumbai, Procession, Reception, Ritual, Saptapadi, Sarees, Solemn, Swagatam
Today, I was fortunate enough to garner an invitation to a traditional Hindu wedding as Nick’s plus one. (You may recall the various Saree shopping debacles that we encountered in Jaipur and Jodhpur).
Unlike a typical wedding, which tends to be a more serious and understated affair, Indian weddings are loud and energetic. The one we attended, was actually a 3-day affair (we chose to attend only 1 of 3).
It started with a Swagatam “welcome” ceremony. Under the raucous beat of drums, the Baraat “groom’s procession party,” consisting of family and friends, joyously dance into the building. In contrast, the bride’s entrance is a much more solemn affair.
The introduction between the families is made, and there is a Jai Mala, a garland exchange between the bridge and groom. During all of this, there is a constant flow of food and drinks circulating the room.
Honestly I had no idea what was happening for the majority of the ceremony, and neither did Nick. We had hoped to make the reception, which is when the bride and groom both perform separate choreographed dances to Bollywood music with their bridesmaids and groomsmen, respectively, but apparently that had occurred the day before. Nick’s friends, did however, regale us with some of their drunken stories from the previous night.
The most significant part of the ceremony is the Saptapadi, a 7-step ritual. The bride and groom have a part of their clothing tied together, and they walk around the fire 7 times. The fire, represents Yajna, the divine witness and each circle represents the oaths that they make to each other. It is after this event that the bride and groom are officially considered married.
It was a vibrant affair filled with colorful clothing, diverse sarees, intricate henna, and shiny jewelry. The food selection allowed me to try some curries I’ve never had before. Nick and I even became best friends with the Chai-Man! I do wish, however, that I had known what was going on. Everyone is so busy carrying on conversation during the ceremony, that it was impossible to know what was occurring on the dais. 😦
28 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Architecture, Art, Faith, History, India, Innovation, Natural Beauty, Travel
Tags: Astronomical, Cardinal Directions, Chaumukha, Cold, Inticate, IST, Jainism, Marble, Monsoon Palace, Mumbai, Petite, Ranakpur, Regret, Snares, Udaipur, UNESCO
Our initial plan today was to hire a taxi to day trip to Ranakpur before being dropped back at the airport for our flight to Mumbai later tonight. Unfortunately, our lack of internet connection at the hostel proved to be our downfall.
While I had posited asking the staff for advice on taking buses, Nick didn’t hear me, and I was too snuggled into my cozy cocoon to emerge from the warmth. We did not make it to Ranakpur and I regret not summoning the willpower to face the cold. Admittedly though, it was really nice to have an open day with nothing planned.
Credit: Ingo Mehling
Ranakpur is 91 km away from Udaipur, making it approximately a 1-hour car ride in US terms and a 2.5 to 3-hour travel time according to IST (one needs to factor in traffic, rough roads, and slower speed limits). It is home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a massive, sprawling, Jain Temple constructed entirely of marble in 1437.
It is with sorrow that I cannot speakbout how amazing the structure was, as it has over 1444 pillars that are each uniquely carved in exquisite detail. Additionally, there is a massive rock that is carved into 108 snake heads and tails. The layout of the building is in the form of a chaumukha – four faces in each of the four cardinal directions that symbolize the cosmos.
Instead, Nick went off to meet his Uncle and I found a little cafe to savor coffee in while using their wifi for some net-based tasks. We met up again later that morning to visit Monsoon Palace.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarmi
The Monsoon Palace was built in 1884 entirely of white marble on the Bansdara Peak of the Aravalli Hill. At a total elevation of 3100 ft overlooking Lake Pichola, the original intent was for it to be a 9-story astronomical centre to track the movement of the monsoon clouds. It would also be a vacation home for the royal family.
Unfortunately, despite the innovative water harvesting system the building utilized in its underground cistern, the storage capacity proved to be inadequate resulting in the abandonment of the palace.
After the palace, all we had to do was get Nick a shave for the wedding, and find him some shoes. This was surprisingly almost as difficult as finding me a Saree; there’s not much you can do about a gigantor’s foot size when you are on a continent that tends to produce petite-sized humans.
27 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Art, Dance, Family, Handicraft, History, India, Travel
Tags: Camels, Dilli Haat, Folk Dancing, Heritage, Kamar, Manjeeras, Precision, Rhythm, Shilpgram, Technique, Teratali, Tribes, Udaipur
Since Udaipur is a smaller city and Nick and I have already seen our fair share of ancient temples, palaces, and fortresses, we chose to experience the diversity of India by visiting Shilpgram.
Much like the Dilli Haat in New Delhi, Shilpgram is a heritage village composed of 5 west-zone states. Its purpose is to expose the diversity of tribal cultures to the general public and foster a spirit of collaboration between rural and urban artists. This cultural complex was incredibly large with a total square area of 70 acres!
Nick and I didn’t intend to stay for so long, but there was so much vibrancy to be seen amongst the artists. I’ve attached a brief collage below to illustrate the range of work.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni and Myself (some are his and some are mine).
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
One of the things I enjoyed the most were all of the regional dances that were performed. As someone who studied traditional chinese dance for over 8 years in my youth, folk dancing continues to fascinate me. It is such a rich part of one’s ingrained heritage and it would be a true pity if these arts got lost in the sands of time.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
Some of the female dancers kept inviting me to join them! I didn’t, but I did pick up the rhythm and pattern of their movements. At the end of it all, they were really friendly and invited me to take a picture with them.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
Nick and I both hopped on Camels and went for a ride as well.
We finished our day with a sunset boat ride on the lake, followed by more famous dances from Rajasthan at the Bagore Ki Haveli.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
My favorite dance by far was the Teratali dance. Performed by the Kamar tribe while sitting down, the woman balance a pot on their heads and clench a sword between their teeth while they use Manjeeras (cymbals) to acoustically provide thirteen different beats. The sounds made vary by the angles at which the cymbals collide, making this dance one that requires technique and precision.
Unfortunately, the seating area was less than optimal, otherwise I would have provided a video. 😦
26 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Architecture, Art, History, India, Myths & Legends, Politics, Travel
Tags: Architectural Blends, City Palace, Desert, First World Problems, Fort, Hermit, Lakes, Maharana, Sleeper, Toilets, Udaipur, Venice
Nick and I actually delayed our travels to the city of Udaipur by a day because we wanted to visit the Fort. Hence, rather than a 7:30 AM bus, we caught a 6.5-hr sleeper bus. Since it was a non-AC bus, we were feeling pretty optimistic that it would not be too cold. After all, how often does a typical commercial bus have openly ventilated windows? Much to our dismay, even though each cot had its own glass-enclosed cubicle, the windows to open air were not tightly sealed, and therefore it was impossible to limit the amount of penetrating cold desert air.
Even worse, I woke up at 3 AM with a pressing need to use the toilet, with no possibilities in sight. I was concerned that even if I asked the driver to pull to the side, the language barrier would prevent him from fully understanding that I needed him to wait for me. I was terrified that he’d drive off and leave me, in the desert, by myself, in the middle of the night. A long struggle later, Nick finally woke up, and he made sure the bus driver didn’t leave me behind (though he was concerned when he felt the wheels of the bus inching). 😦 There is never anything glamorous about popping a squat in a dark ally out of sheer necessity.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
When we finally arrived at our hostel around 6 AM, they had given our beds away (even though we had called the previous day to give them fair warning)! Nick and I ended up having to squeeze ourselves into two very small chairs with a blanket to catch a little more shut-eye.
Needless to say, we did not feel very rested when we finally awoke, and had a pretty lazy day.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
Udaipur, often called the “Venice of the East” for the its beautiful lakes, was founded in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh II as the last capital of the Mewar Kingdom. It was during this time that the City Palace first came into existence. In reality, the City Palace is not merely one palace, rather it is a sprawling complex consisting of many different palaces that were constructed by 76 different kings over the course of nearly 400 years.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
The royal family, the Sisodia Rajputs “Worshipers of the Sun God,” built each palace to face east, in order to greet the rising sun. The exquisite facade of the 11 palaces spans a total length of 800 ft, and a total height of 100 ft. A unique trait of the architecture is that, since the total structure was built over an extended period of time, one can see a diverse blend of different styles. Each characteristic of the Rajasthani, Mughal, Medieval, European, and even Chinese Architecture is paradoxically homogenous and unique at the same time.
It is said that the Maharana (distinct from the term Maharaja) built his palace atop the hill following the advice of a hermit who he had found meditating at the summit.
25 Dec 2014
Merry Christmas from Jodhpur!
We all woke up late this morning due to the festivities of last night. The staff had cleaned up the cake (from the glitter firecrackers) and shared some slices with us. Nick didn’t pull his string aggressively enough, so he decided to pour all of his glitter over my head. -_- I may still be sparkling….
Craig, one of the new friends we made last night, was traveling alone so we invited him to explore the city with us. We trekked up the hill at the center of the Jodhpur old city and entered one of the seven gates of Mehrangarh Fort.
The fort is situated 400 ft above the city and surrounded by thick walls. Within the complex are several palaces known for the intricacy of their carvings and the botanical diversity of their courtyards.
Legend says that Bhaurcheeria, “The Mountain of Birds,” initially had a single human occupant. In order to build Jodha’s fort, Cheeria Nathji, “Lord of the Birds,” was forced to leave. In his anger, the hermit cursed Jodha:
“Jodha! May your citadel ever suffer a scarcity of water!”
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
Nathji was only marginally appeased by the construction of a house and temple within the fort that was in close proximity to the cave that the hermit had meditated in. However, even to this day,the area is plagued by a drought every 3 to 4 years.
As an even more extreme measure to ensure his new site was propitious, Jodha buried a man named “Raja Ram Meghwal” alive beneath the foundation. In return, Meghwal’s family was guaranteed to be looked after by the Rathores. Even to this day, his descendants still live in Raj Bagh, an estate beaquethed to them by Jodha.
After catching a gorgeous view of the “Blue City” from high above, we started our descent on the other side of the hill, and came across some traditionally dressed girls with baskets on their heads. I find it quite fascinating that even in this modern-day and age, a diverse array of traditional clothing can be seen in India as a stark contrast to the more readily adopted Western Clothing.
We then paused by the Jaswant Thada for a breather, before continuing to engage in some aimless traipsing through the streets.
Link
by PhoenixKaio
24 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Architecture, Family, India, Love, Natural Beauty, Travel
Tags: Christmas Eve, Friendly, Generosity, Hindi, Jodhpur, Luxury, Masala Chai, Opulence, Royalty, Saree, Thankful, Thankfulness, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Welcoming
Shukriya is the first word that I learned in Hindi. It means “Thank You.” This is always the first term I learn when traveling in a foreign country because it allows me to thank all the kind people who help me find my way when I am lost and confused.
For me, it tells the locals, ‘Thank you for sharing your culture and heritage with me, Thank you for your generosity, and Thank you for welcoming me.’
Today, is Christmas Eve, and it seems like an appropriate day to be grateful for the luxury of traveling. Too few people are given the opportunity, or have a passion to explore the world as I do. Let’s be honest, the hobby of adventure requires both capital and time, and such a large portion of the human population enjoy neither.
A family who can afford this extravagance is the Jodhpur Royal Family, and we visited their private residence, the Umaid Bhawan Palace. Built in 1943, the construction of the palace provided employment to thousands of citizens during a famine. Numbering at a total of 347 rooms, the building serves three purposes. It functions as a home, a hotel, and a museum.
Leaving the opulence of the structure behind, we headed back to the Saree store from yesterday for a final fitting. The fit was off, and the design of the blouse was not what we had discussed. Nick and I were both extremely frustrated as we had spent about 2-3 hours at the store yesterday to discuss and hash out all the details to make sure we got what we wanted.
We ended up walking out of the store unhappy and disgruntled. Fortunately, my deposit was negotiated down to 500 rupees, so I only lost about $7 on this Saree attempt.
We ended up making a third attempt at buying a Saree at the Sadar Bazaar, and settled on a dark blue Saree of a different style. I already decided that I refuse to buy more shoes or bangles to match this new color, so some clashing may occur. Thankfully, I know that no matter what I wear, I will still stand out of the crowd at the Wedding.
After dropping off our purchases at the hotel, we started to hike up to the fort before realizing it was closed for the day. On our way back down the streets, Nick started conversing with a young man, around our age, who promptly invited us into his home, which had been in his family for over 100 years. His mother and father were super inviting, and presented us with chai. Granted, much of the conversation was lost on me, but the mother asked to take a photo with me because she thought I was so beautiful. 😀
We bid adieu with the intent to return to our hotel. A group of kids in an alley stopped us and asked for American coins, I felt bad because I didn’t have anything to offer. Their family also proceeded to welcome us with open arms, and we spent some time talking with the kids and their parents while savoring our second cup of Chai. They played a few games on my cell phone, and when the girls wanted to paint my nails, I couldn’t say no. Their future dreams ranged from working in Law Enforcement to being a Doctor. It was incredibly heartwarming to hear about their ambition, and Nick and I encouraged them all to study hard as we left.
Our hotel, the Castle View HomeStay threw all of its lodgers a party for Christmas Eve. We lit a lantern and attempted to let it float up into the sky, but alas, the windy conditions were not in our favor, and the lantern dropped like a rock. It was really funny at the time, and incredibly endearing how much effort the staff had put in. A ‘Santa Claus’ was nominated who gave us small handicraft gifts that are local to the region, and we enjoyed a buffet dinner together with some Gulab Jamun, a sweet milk dessert from a famous bakery in the city.
23 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Architecture, India, Landscape, Natural Beauty, Travel, Urban Design
Tags: Bargaining, Bazaar, Clock Tower, Colorful, Custom, Jodhpur, King, Marwar Kingdom, night train, Saree, Sleeper Trains, Thumbs Up, Unprepared
After Ranthambore, Nick and I had booked a night train to our next city, Jodhpur.
As has often been the case, we were woefully unprepared for how basic the sleeper cabins were. Unlike trains in Europe, you are only provided a cot. It was only after we found our berths that it dawned on us why so many people on our platform had brought pillows and blankets.
Needless to say, it was the coldest night we’ve had. The train windows are openly ventilated, and despite putting on all our layers, time passed slowly. I’m pretty sure I contracted a cold because of this. 😦
Jodhpur is known by two names, the “Sun City” for the year-round sunny weather, and the “Blue City” due to the uniquely blue houses that surround the fort. It is the second largest city in Rajasthan, and was formerly the capital of the Marwar Kingdom.
Nick and I were not up for much after we finally arrived at our hotel. It was also the King’s Birthday (royalty still resides in the palace) so all of the major tourist attractions happened to be shut down. We opted to visit the Ghanta Ghar “Clock Tower,” and roam the nearby Sadar Bazaar to make a second attempt at finding me a Saree.
It took quite a bit of negotiating, but we finally found a shop that had all the pieces and would measure me so that it would be a custom-fit. We then proceeded to buy all the requisite shoes and jewelry to match this outfit before heading back to the hotel for dinner and an early night.
22 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Animals, India, Landscape, Natural Beauty, Travel
Tags: Appearances, Bengal Tigers, Black Market, Endangered Species, India, national park, nature, Northern India, Poaching, Ranthambore National Park, Wildlife
We decided to take a walk on the wild side today and ventured southeast of Jaipur to visit Ranthambore National Park.
It is about 160 km away from the city, which realistically should only be a 2.5-hr drive, however it ended up being around a 4-hr drive given the poor state of the roads outside the larger cities, the slower pace due to a sandstorm, and the traffic that is classically India.
After arriving at the park entrance, it took Nick some serious negotiating and the help of the local policeman to secure spots on a safari vehicle for us. The individual that had guaranteed us seats earlier in the day was unable to deliver; fortunately, he refunded all of our money.
Credit: Himangini Rathore Hooja
Ranthambore is one of the largest national parks in Northern India, covering a total area of 392 sq. km. Declared one of the Project Tiger Reserves in 1973, it became a national park in 1980. The sanctuary is best known for its tigers, and it is for this reason that we visited, with hopes to see one in its natural Jungle Habitat.
Unfortunately, this did not happen, despite the tiger population being at 61 – the highest its been in the last decade.
It is important to recall that the species native to India, the Bengal Tiger, is classified as endangered, with less than 2,500 existing worldwide, and a downward trend. As with most creatures on the endangered species list, poachers are a constant threat to their existence.
The sad truth is that the rarer the animal is, the higher is the asking price for their meat, skins, and bones on the black market. Too many individuals are concerned with appearances and are constantly finding ways to display their power and wealth.
We did, however manage to see some of the other native wildlife, and even spotted paw prints in the dirt!
21 Dec 2014
by PhoenixKaio
in Architecture, Faith, History, India, Innovation, Landscape, Myths & Legends, Natural Beauty, Religion, Symbolism, Travel
Tags: Camels, Conservative, Dress Up, Elephants, Galta Ji, Jaipur, Jal Mahal, Man Sagar Lake, Monkeys, Mughal, Pilgrimage, Rajput, Red Sandstone, Strange Couples, Temple
This morning, we both enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in before heading for a walk around the Man Sagar Lake to observe the beauty of the Jal Mahal “Water Palace.” We even got to see an elephant just strolling down the street amidst the motorcycles and rigshaws, and a camel just resting its legs!
Interestingly, Maharaja Madho Singh I constructed the complex in 1750 intending for it to be a lodge for himself and his entourage during duck hunting parties, it was never intended to be a palace.
It is considered a classic example of Rajput and Mughal Architecture, and as we’ve seen often during our trip, composed entirely of red sandstone. There is a rectangular chhartri on the roof, and four octagonal chhattris on each of corners of the building. They are elevated dome-shaped pavilions that have become a signature of Indian Design.
Based on plain observation, one cannot derive the complexity of design and technological forethought involved in this structure. While we only see it as a one-story building, in reality, the palace has five floors in total, four of which are submerged in the lake
As we savored the nice weather and strolled along the lake, we came across a costume peddler and decided to have fun and play “dress-up.” The most awkward part of this, was when they wanted us to pose and take a picture as a couple. [Insert Awkward Turtle].
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
India is still a conservative nation, so when they see a man and a woman travel together, assumptions are often made. Additionally, seeing an Indian and an Asian together is almost an unheard of circumstance. Fortunately, Nick and I had a good laugh about this.
We wandered the area and found ourselves a nice open garden to take a seat in and relax, before grabbing lunch and heading to hike up to Galta Ji.
The pilgrimage site lies in the town of Khania-Balaji, just outside of Jaipur. It is known for its natural water springs that accumulate in tanks “kunds”. Thousands come to bathe in these waters every year as it is considered auspicious. Additionally, some believe that the Saint Galav lived here. He meditated, did penance, and survived for years just drinking cow’s milk.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
Galta Ji is also commonly called “The Monkey Temple” as a tribe of monkey lives there. Nick was being mean and joking that he had reunited me with my family. T.T.
I’ve self-perpetuated this ongoing joke when, a few years ago, I discovered that my strangely shaped thumbs coincidentally align with the thumb shape of a gorilla. It is all in good fun though, and I enjoyed getting up close and personal with my brethren.
Credit: Nikhil Kulkarni
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