India Circa 2009 (Part I)

We just returned from a fabulous 2-week trip to India, which explains the lull in blog posts.  There is much to tell, and of course many pictures to go along with the usual rambling, so get ready and enjoy!

If you haven’t made a trip to Asia from the East Coast, just know that it’s VERY long!  8 hours from DC to Amsterdam.  Several hours of quality time at the Amsterdam Airport, which we came to find out has a casino and a “Yotel” for travelers who have long lay-overs.  In an attempt to enjoy our time at the airport, we sprung for 2 very expensive cups of coffee (the value of the dollar against the euro just doesn’t work in our favor).  We also played with our monster pod.  Then another 8 hours from Amsterdam to India.

After almost 24 hours of travel, we arrived in New Delhi, where Gaurav’s parents live.  Because Diwali was a week away, all of the houses, buildings, and gas stations were adorned with all sorts of colorful strings of lights and orange garlands…essentially like Christmas in the US, but even more festive.  Instead of the DIY approach that most of us are used to, the local electrician will actually come by and put up your lights for you.  Much like many things in India, there’s always a specialist with some type of unique expertise around the corner, be it someone to iron your clothes, bring you fresh, unpasteurized milk, what have you.

We spent the first few days getting over our jet lag, eating, eating, and, well, eating, catching up on Bollywood gossip (LOVE and miss The Delhi Times!), watching cricket and “Bigg Boss”, and getting ready for Diwali.  Oh, and did I mention it was our anniversary on the 13th?  We decided to venture out to one of our favorite restaurants, Punjabi By Nature, to celebrate.  The yogurt kebabs and Goat brain were quite literally to die for.  Definitely up there with Balthazar’s warm goat cheese and caramelized onion tart!

Below are a few pictures of everyday life in Delhi.

Below is a photo of a car driving dangerously (yet typically) close to a bicycle rickshaw.  The streets are certainly congested!

On our third day, we decided to take a family trip to the Taj Mahal. And what a wildly crazy decision that was…well, only because it was 2 days before Diwali.  And, because of a VVIP, of course.  We reached the Taj at around 10:30am, but had to wait 2 ½ hours because the Argentine President had apparently decided to make a last minute trip to the Taj.  Everyone who was already inside had to leave the site and we were all forced to stand and wait.  And wait.  And wait.  Pure chaos and frustration in the 90 degree heat, but worth it by the time we got inside.  There’s no denying that it really is one of the true wonders of the world.

Everyone who enters the Taj must take off their shoes.  However, since we looked “western”, we were given this pair of booties.  Of course, this also meant the tour guides inside the temple knew they should approach us. 

Diwali itself took place on Saturday, October 17th, this year.  Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a Hindu and Sikh holiday celebrated throughout India and all over the world, including in Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, the West Indies, and the United States.  There are several different cultural interpretations of and ways to celebrate Diwali.  We observed the day by setting up diyas (candles) and hanging garlands in front of and in the house.  We then performed a brief puja (religious ceremony) in the evening.  The end of the night took us up to the roof of the house, where we set off hundreds of fireworks…the kind that one would normally pay to see in the US.  There were booms and blasts going on until the wee hours of the next morning.  Not great for the throat and the eyes, but still loads of fun!  For more information and some stunning pictures of this year’s celebrations, check out this recent article in the Boston Globe.

Modern diyas come in some very bright and festive colors.

Colorful deities being sold at the market for the Diwali puja.

Rangoli outside the houses are used for decorative purposes.

We had organized the diyas and some of the more innocent fireworks for easy access.

The shops were insanely busy the night before Diwali; people scrambled to do last minute shopping!

Kyra lining diyas outside the house. The significance of lighting diyas is to show Lord Rama the path back home on a moonless night.  These diyas also show the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, the god of wealth and prosperity, the way into your home.

Culinary Tangent

Since a significant part of traveling, especially to India, really is all about the food, we figured we’d also give you a sneak peek into the culinary world of Delhi.  There are some very well-known places, as well as some hidden gems, that everyone should know about.  Here are some of the foodie options that are not to be missed if you’re visiting India’s capital city:

-          Punjabi By Nature : As mentioned above, we highly recommend their yogurt kebab and brain curry (if you’re feeling adventurous…just like scrambled eggs, seriously!).
-          Om Sweets: Vegetarian North Indian snacks and sweets, the best Dhokla EVER.
-          Sagar: Great South Indian cuisine, dosas galore.
-          Golgappa street stand
-          Barbeque Nation (Janak Puri), famous biryani shop in Old Delhi, Bukhara (in the Maurya), and Karim’s (also in Old Delhi) are four restaurants that we didn’t have time to try, but that have received rave reviews.

In India, it’s always tea time!  It’s much more like having a shot of tea rather than a super-sized cup; that’s the only way you can have tea 6-7 times a day.

Puri and halwa.

One of the many local food stands.  We were only brave enough to try “street food” one time, though it was very tempting!

Tea stall at the local market, a very common sight.

Fresh juice stand.