Once upon a travelogue...: The Paradox That Is India...

January 28 – February 2, 2014

New Delhi, India

A visit to India is akin to an assault on the senses...physically, mentally, and emotionally...and then some. I remember clearly that first ride from the airport to my hotel; I don't think I've ever seen so many cars nor heard such a cacophony of horns. How there are not more traffic accidents is something I'll never understand; there don't seem to be too many rules of the road and drivers create their own lanes and often maneuver their vehicles in multiple directions (sometimes facing one another) and this is while motorcycles roar and weave in and out. Such was my introduction to this capital city, although what I experienced in New Delhi was a common theme throughout my trip...the sometimes overwhelming contrast between beauty and squalor, between the majesty of palaces and religious sites and the filth in the streets where trash is everywhere and families, cows, dogs, and sometimes pigs share the same space. My tour guide said that he knows of people who want to get back on the plane and go home as soon as they land while others can't wait to return; such is the paradox of this country.

India has a population of 1.27 billion people and 50% of this population is under 25 years of age. At several of the historical sites in New Delhi, there were students with their teachers on field trips learning just as we were. Driving through the country, it was encouraging to see children in their uniforms walking home from school on the dirt roads along the highway, always waving as the bus went by. Free education programs are provided to poor people living in the many villages and towns so the literacy rate is improving, albeit slowly. One morning, our group visited a local village school where we were warmly greeted by barefoot children who sat on the floor in rooms without electricity and with the barest of supplies, but whose enthusiasm for demonstrating their English and math skills was contagious. And then there were the children in a busy intersection in Delhi, oblivious to the traffic whizzing by, as they held out their hands and begged for money or played with sticks while the adults were in the tent camps nearby.

The days in Delhi (Old and New) were spent touring and getting our first history lessons; this is a country wonderfully rich in history and religious tradition and the monuments are large, beautiful, and impressive. Of course there was the introduction to Indian food and rice, dal (lentils), chicken curry, and nan (flat bread hot off the stove) quickly became daily staples...and Kingfisher beer! And then there was the rickshaw ride in Chandni Chowk bazaar; this was clearly one of those adventures where one had to trust the rickshaw driver and believe that the ride would end without mishap (accepting that there might be a few close calls!)

The time spent in the capital was just the beginning of a cultural awakening unlike any I have ever experienced...let the photos tell the story.

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