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Published: October 8th 2007
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Home in Delhi
Home of the Delhi relis I came into Delhi at night after two 8-hour flights (plus a 3-hour layover in Milano, Italy). Looking down from the plane as it approached the airport, I could not believe the number of cars on the city's roads. A man sitting next to me, an Indian on his way home from a business trip in Italy, explained that even at midnight, there are traffic jams on the roads of Delhi.
Seeing the late-night traffic from the ground was just as amazing. Cars, auto-rickshaws (like a mini buggy which is similar to a taxi, but smaller and slower), motorbikes, bicyclists and pedestrians were all crammed onto the same street. Everyone seemed to be on the move, though don't ask me where all these people were heading to at 11 at night!
The streets of Delhi were just as filthy as I had imagined. We drove past whole communities of people living in squalor by the side of the road, such as the one little neighborhood of shacks set up on top of a pile of rocks in the middle of a traffic rotary.
Animals were scattered around, as well. A pack of cows walking in the opposite direction
Front Lawn
Front lawn of the home in Delhi forced traffic off to the side. And dogs were everywhere -- one waited patiently for traffic to go by so it could cross the street, and another was licking up someone's trash spilled along the side of the road. Still another lay dead in the gutter just before we arrived at the home of my sister-in-law's family, where I would be staying.
My sister-in-law's uncle, Ashok, came out to greet me when he heard the driver, whom he had generously hired for me, pull up in front of the house. He led me inside, where a surprise awaited...
I knew their home would be lovely, as I always had the sense that my sister-in-law came from a well-off family in India. However, I never dreamed it would be as beautiful and comfortable as it was. Contemporary Indian art adorned the walls, and statues decorated each of the rooms. Fresh flowers had been put on display, as well.
Ashok summoned his wife, Anjana, from the bedroom, and she came out to meet me. We didn't talk long, since she was ready for bed, and I was exhausted from my long flight. She saw me to my room, where Ashok showed me where all the light switches were, and, after making sure I had everything I needed, they left me to my devices.
My room was in the front corner of the house, overlooking a small front lawn on one side, and a courtyard filled with potted plants on the other. An ivy-covered fence and trees blocked out the view from the street. Instead of turning on the air conditioner, the windows had been left open, and a super-sized ceiling fan kept a cooling breeze going through the room.
A pot of fresh-cut flowers had been placed in the window for me, and on the desk was a plate of apples and pear apples, with a knife to cut off slices. But my favorite was the jar of cookies, which, after I had already consumed almost the whole thing, I noticed were actually "digestive bisquits."
Before collapsing into bed, I checked out the bathroom. I was pleasantly surprised that they had all the luxuries of home -- flush toilet and a hot water shower -- which can be hard to come by in this city.
The next morning, I stumbled out of my room to find that Ashok had gone off to the farm he owns outside of the city, and Anjana was at the market. A servant girl who had been washing the front door dropped her chore and asked: "Chai?" Oh, yes, feed me some chai!
About the same time that the tea was ready, Anjana came back from the market and we had a chance to sit down and chat and get to know each other. I brought out pictures of my family, mostly my sister-in-law, brother and their two children.
We had a pleasant conversation, but Anjana was busy with several chores, including giving instructions to her gardener, so she arranged to have one of her nephews -- my sister-in-law's cousin -- come over after lunch to take me around Delhi and show me some sights.
We went to Connaught Place, where we walked around and looked at all the little shops and were accosted by people trying to sell us their crap. I've never had so much useless stuff shoved into my face! Scarves I'd never wear, drums I'd never beat, and miniature chess boards I would never, ever, play chess on.
Our next stop was better: Dilli Haat, where artisans display their wares directly to customers, without going through a middleman. This week's theme for the display was Kashmir, so every stall seemed to be selling shawls. But there were any number of things which would make great souvenirs for folks back home, and at good prices, or so my personal guide assured me.
Apparently, Anjana had assigned a cousin to me who enjoys beer as much as I do, so, once we discovered that we were both in the mood for a cold beer, we gave up on the shopping and headed back to the house. After a few hours relaxing over the beer and socializing, another cousin arrived, a woman doctor who I had actually met before when she was in the states, though I had only a fuzzy recollection. It is difficult to really get to know these relatives when they're all there at the same time for a function like a party or a wedding. But sitting down and talking with just a few of them over dinner was a much more bonding experience.
Unfortunately, by the time dinner began, after 9 p.m., I was pretty wiped out. I enjoyed the dinner, but, lingering around the table afterwards, and as midnight approached, I began nodding off. Finally, they took pity and let me wander off to bed!
The next morning I had to rush out the door bright and early in order to get to the airport to catch my flight, so I didn't feel like I got to say goodbye properly, or thank them enough for the hospitality they displayed. I am looking forward to seeing them again on my way home from Nepal.
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Craig
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A differing perspective
Well, Jess, I'm glad to see you're having a good time and that you arrived safely. I had a much different experience when I visited Delhi, though. Yes, there was a lot of poverty...but there was also a great deal of culture, history, art...there's a lot of beauty there if you take the time to look. Maybe as a Westerner you just couldn't get past the poverty (and hey, I'm a Westerner too, so I know it's tough), and you seem to have had some pre-conceived notions of what to expect, so maybe that's all you saw. I mean, Delhi's a major metropolitan city...hot running water isn't "hard to come by" and a middle-class family in a single-story seven-room house isn't "well-off." I don't mean to be critical, but rather to be encouraging...you've got a great opportunity to learn a bit about a culture other than your own, so try to see past your expectations and experience it for what it is. Take it from someone who's been through it before! Good luck and happy hiking - and say hi to Mamaji and Mamiji for me if you see them on your way back!