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Published: September 21st 2008
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Hello From Amritsar,
Well I made it to the home of the famous Golden Temple known here as Hari Mandir Sahib (God’s Temple) or Darbar Sahib and of the home of Saroop and Maina who I have come to know as an Aunt and Uncle. I caught the bus from Dharamsala at 5 am. It was a public bus and the cost of the trip was 138 rupees ($3.50) for a 6 hr ride. I sat at the front of the bus and enjoyed the ride. Again, there are many interesting things to see on land journeys. I saw the most disturbing site so far in a town we drove through. There were all these dogs in the middle of the street surrounding a cow which was decapitated! It must have been hit by a truck or bus…it was so weird, here this body of the cow was sitting in the middles of the road but with no head…just this neck with blood all around…It was an odd and grotesque site I must say. Other than that, the trip was nice and went quick. The roads are somewhat in bad condition due to the monsoon which causes potholes. During the
trip, the rain started pouring and I was just praying that my bag, which was on the rooftop of the bus, was going to survive the downpour. Silly me, I forgot to put the raincover on it.
Like all major centres in India, the chaos and hectic nature of the city can be overwhelming for a westerner. As we pulled into the bus depot, the bustle of auto-rickshaws, bicycle rickshaws, cabs, cars, motorcycles, loaded carts with donkeys and buffalo, trucks, and buses were making their way somewhere all in an organized chaos. I get quite nervous in a new city here as it is not easy to orient oneself amongst the congestion and noise. Cabbies and rickshaw drivers harassed me for my business even before I stepped off the bus. It takes some resilience to withstand the bombardment to the senses. After I got my wet bag off the roof, I was whisked away by an aggressive rickshaw driver to my destination on Circular Road, Medical Enclave in Amritsar. I had no idea how far Saroop and Maina’s place would be from the bus depot, but it turns out, not far at all - a few kilometers only. The
rickshaw driver found the address with no problem and dropped me off on the house steps. It was then, I was relieved…ahhh a house to come to and relax and be “at home.”
Saroop and Maina’s house is a big three story house in a very nice area of Amritsar. The neighbourhood is called Medical Enclave for most of the houses here are owned by doctors. And at the very least, by very well to do professionals, politicians and of course Saroop, who was a very high status Captain in the Police Force and Army. Saroop and Maina’s daughter-in-law, Jasmine, and son, Hartaj, live here also; she is a doctor. Champion, the Labrador dog is the family pet; he lives outside and has a little lawn to run around on in front. I feel bad for Champion as he is tied up a lot and needs room to run. The whole house is gated and surrounded by high walls. The house is a beautiful, concrete house, like all the houses here, with marble floors and wood accents. It has many rooms, including a prayer room, with the Granth Sahib (holy book of Sikhs) of course as the centre, where
Saroop does his morning and afternoon prayers. There is a huge living room, dining room, family room and of course kitchen. There are three very large bedrooms with attached baths for each. I get my own room and bath…what luxury! There is a an upper library room and of course a huge rooftop deck that surrounds the house. Also, attached to the house is a separate apartment. The houses around here are spectactcular and quite “mansion-like” with huge veranadas, columns and architecture fit for a king. I am definitely seeing a whole other part of Indian life here.
I was greeted with great affection and love. The weather is hot here and so the air conditioning, just known simply as A/C, is a welcome reprieve from the heat. Only the bedrooms have A/C and the common areas have ceiling fans. Of course it is not appropriate to have the A/C or fans on all the time. So despite the luxury, the heat is still felt inside. I turn the A/C on a little here and there and at night. I asked Jasmine what was right and she said a couple hours at noon then at night. Of course I
want to have it on all the time, but I am respecting the electricity concerns. The power goes on and off here too like all parts of India. There is a backup system for the fans in the house when the power goes out, but not the A/C or lights. As I write, the power just went out…again! The lifestyle here, in this strata of society, is definitely different than in North America and to the lifestyle I am accustom to. I am having to accommodate and adapt to many new things. The whole family here is being more than hospitable…I am not used to such pampering. They are such lovely people…I am so lucky. I cannot express how grateful I am to have this opportunity to stay here with them. My Uncle Saroop is organizing everything for my visit and stay in my father’s birth village of Buddhipind, and also in the village he spent his childhood, Moranwali. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. This visit here will be one of the most memorable of India I am sure.
More later…Leila
I am just resting and relaxing…for the remainder of the day. Leila
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