Welcome to India!

Have backpack, will travel!

We took an interesting sharp turn to the south, and then looped
 back northeast to Delhi- no flying over Pakistani air space 😳

After 32 hours of travel on three planes, I arrived
in Dehli, India at 3:00am on June 7th-
Happy Birthday to me!

Navigating the Evisa counter was a breeze. With only my backpack and nothing to declare, I was soon stepping out into the night to search for my driver I had reserved. The heat and humidity at 4am was unreal. I was reduced to a puddle of sweat in no time at all. With the help of a local family who called my driver on What’s app, we soon got connected and were on our way. It was only a 30 minute ride to the hotel, and I was amazed at all of the traffic and people out and about so late at night. I quickly saw tent cities and shanties constructed of tarps, cardboard, and tin. Nothing like being struck by the poverty within minutes of landing. Many were just sleeping on the sidewalks next to emaciated feral dogs...so many dogs, everywhere. There was a bit of confusion in attempting to check in, but when they made a copy of my passport, I knew I would soon have a shower and a bed. A cool shower never felt so good, and I collapsed in to a solid slumber at 5am local time.

I awoke with a start at 9am and made a beeline downstairs for breakfast. I knew they started serving at 7am and I was afraid I may have missed it. I was the last to be served, and with a full belly, I headed straight to my room for another nap. I woke up at 12noon, and made my way to the front desk to sort out my room and WiFi. The manager spoke very good English and explained to me that my room reservation really did not begin until today, but the man on duty last night felt sorry for my beraggled jet-lagged state, so he went ahead and gave me a room so that I could rest. I offered to pay for an additional night’s stay, (the rest of the tour group does not arrive until tomorrow) but he insisted I accept the room since it was my birthday today! He only asked that I write a nice review on Trip Advisor for my three night’s stay, which is next on my to-do list. So far, India and I are getting along swimmingly, swimmingly in sweat, that is 🔥😓. I live in SWFL throughout the summer, but dang, it is hotter than the fires of h**l here! Thank God I am somewhat acclimated to 100 degree temps. I thought that after 100 degrees, could 115 feel all the different? Um, that would be a resounding YES. It is crazy hot. 

After such a pleasant conversation with the manager, and feeling refreshed after two power naps, I was ready to tackle Dehli by tuk-tuk. The manager ordered a tuk-tuk driver for me, and negotiated 60 rupee for a ride to the Lotus Temple. This was extremely helpful, because when it came time to hire my own driver for the return trip back to the hotel, the driver tried to pull a fast one and charge me 150 rupee. Homey don’t play that game; he didn’t realize he had a savvy foreigner on his hands 😂

My first stop was the Lotus Temple which was constructed in 1980. I found it on Google maps when I was researching my hotel’s location. It was just 2km away. Anywhere else I would have wanted to walk there, but I was afraid that in this heat, I just might spontaneously combust. Have I mentioned how 🔥it is here?! My tuk-tuk driver asked where all I was visiting, and when I mentioned Jaipur, he replied, ‘Oh that is south of here, it is very hot in Jaipur. Very hot.’ Now, the fact that an Indian is telling me Jaipur is hot makes me sit up and take notice. I feel like I am already at the firey threshold of hell! At 11:30pm, it is still 95 degrees- whew!

I was eager to visit the Lotus Temple.  I had read about the Bahai

faith before my trip. It is not based on any one religion, but the unity

of all peoples and religions, promoting peace and harmony which goes

hand in hand with science, toward an ordered and progressive society.

Bahai promotes equal opportunity for the rights and privileges for both

sexes, advocates compulsory education, abolishes extremes of wealth and 

poverty, and exalts work performed in the spirit of service for universal peace.

I'm all for universal peace 💗

I decided to visit the visitor's center before entering the temple

to get a better understanding of the Bahai faith.  When I read

this placard, that provides education for the rural tribal women

of India, I was so impressed. The mission of the Bahai Vocational

Institute for Rural Women is to empower tribal women through the

development of leadership skills and an understanding of the vital 

role women play in society. As a woman and educator, I am on board!

 

The Lotus Temple was completed in 1986. Inspired by the lotus
flower, it has 27 marble clad 'petals' in clusters of three to form
nine sides. It holds 2500 people for gatherings, and is a place
for people of all religions to reflect and worship.  There is no
pulpit or set pattern for worship, as no sermons, choirs,
musical instruments, or ritualistic ceremonies are permitted.
It is a place of peace to simply reflect and pray. 

I was eager to join the masses inside; and I was not
disappointed.  I took in my surroundings, watched others
bow in prayer, some did yoga, while others silently sat,
and I began to pray.  It has been a difficult year, and I
desperately needed a 'reset button' to clear my mind and
restore my spirit to peace and happiness.  As the tears
began to flow, I continued to pray, and felt cleansed.

As I walked about the nine pools and gardens
in the sweltering heat, I made the conscious
decision to eat, pray, and love my way through
India the next couple of weeks. I felt better already.

Reflecting on my Christian education at Anderson University, and a course I took on World Religions, I was interested to read the following outside the Lotus Temple by the pools...

Throughout history, God has revealed Himself to humanity through a series of divine Messengers, including Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Christ, and Muhammad. The latest of these Messengers is Baha'u'llah (founder of the Bahai faith) who has brought new spiritual, social, and administrative teachings for this age. Baha'u'llah teaches that there is only one God, that all world religions are from the same God and that they differ from one another only because of the requirements of the ages in which they were born. Today is the time for humanity to recognize it's oneness and to live in peace and harmony. 

I say, "Amen to that!"

Having been with Len for the last several years, and admiring his philosophic and logical mind, when I visited another pool, and read the following quote, I was reminded that religion and science can peacefully coexist.  

Baha'u'llah insists on the importance of harmony between science and religion.  If religion does not correspond with scientific principles and the process of reason, it becomes superstition. On the other hand, science without the universal virtues taught by religions will lead to materialism.  In India, an ongoing "Discourse on Science, Religion, and Development" seeks to envision a new model of social and economic development that draws on both scientific methods and universal values inherent in all religions.

Spending an hour or so in the 115 degree sun, I was wilted and famished.  My tuk-tuk driver waited for me while I visited the temple.  I asked him to take me to get some food, somewhere along the way to the next temple I wanted to visit.  He took me to a perfect place....it was a market, with an Indian restaurant upstairs.  I am sure he probably got some sort of commission for bringing customers to this place (a common practice in India), but it didn't matter to me.  I was able to do a little Christmas shopping at my leisure in the air conditioning!

The vegetable spring rolls and ice cold Coca-cola hit the spot!

After lunch, we wound through the crazy traffic (so. much. honking.)
of Delhi to my next destination, Kailash Temple, also known as
'rock temple' as it is carved in the rock of a hillside. 

My driver dropped me off and pointed in the
direction of another market.  I thought, 'Oh no,
here we go again'.  I asked if I was in the right
place, and he insisted it was about a 10 minute
walk through the market that ended at the temple.

As I began to smell incense burning, I knew I was close.

I looked up through the canopies of the market,
and saw the dome. I climbed the stone steps and entered.
(Oops, I forgot to take off my shoes!)

As I took in the scene- the chants, the sights,
and the smells, a kind, middle-aged Indian woman
came up to me and offered a bag for my sandals.
Her English was very good, and she proceeded to
give me a personal tour of the temple, explaining
all that was there.  She had a death grip on my
hand, but in the KINDEST way, lol.

 

Many would chant prayers, then ring the bells for good luck.

As I exited the back of the temple, I heard a
young child crying....REALLY crying.  Two mothers
were there with their other family members along with
two toddlers, who were having their head shaved by a
 man with a dry straight edge razor.  Baby girl was UPSET,
 but this is a common Hindu practice. It is believed that
shaving all of the baby hair stimulates proper growth of
the brain and nerves, and that the sikha, a tuft at the crown
crown of the head, protects one's memory. Since this was
my 56th birthday, I paused for a moment to consider
 having my sikha shaved to protect MY memory!

 

I received a blessing and bindi (a red dot, which
got sweaty and smeared, lol). I think they were
under the impression I was married since I
wear my mother and grandmother's wedding
bands together on my left ring finger. I'll
take my blessings however they come!

The rest of the ladies in our group, including my friends Wanetta and Sue, were arriving overnight and into the wee hours of the morning.  I deciding to call it an early evening and rest up, to get a jump on the others in overcoming jet lag.  It was a most excellent first day in Delhi, exploring on my own.  I am back in my happy place, seeing something new, experiencing something new, tasting something new, smelling something new...

As Grandma said, "You only get one go around, you better make the most of it."

Of course, the Hindus believe otherwise...

G'nite, y'all!