Incredible India

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the tourist board tagline is "Incredible India". and i am not going to argue with that at all.

i have had a great last day, doing a bit of mooching and getting lost, but also saw India Gate, Connaught Place, the parliment buildings, Gandhi Smriti, which was very moving (the spot where he was assassinated) and the Akshardam temple. the last in particular is amazing, breathtaking. it's a kind of modern temple, only finished in 2005, over 20,000 idols all hand carved. it's very spectacular.

delhi has such contrasts, some bits are so modern and fancy. i got the metro back from the askshardam, and it's just like the tube in London! there is a person employed especially to try and make sure people let people OFF the train before trying to board. what a thankless task. just like the traffic police you see all over india, armed with a whistle, and just pretty much helplessly standing by observing the bedlam....

wow i am going to miss india SO much. even though it is my last night i am just trying to put the thought of leaving out of my head. i think i might cry when the plane takes off.....

the people, all smiles and head wobbles and curious stares... "namaste!", "which country madam"...

the landscapes, snowcapped mountains, sacred rivers and lakes, dirty alleyways....

chaos, confusion, cows, chai....

litter and beauty all mingled together...

gods, incense, mantras, tilaks, lingams......

anything you can imagine being transported by cycle....

buffalos, dogs, monkeys, rats, lizards...

sab kuch milega - everything is possible

i love this country

i know i will be back

some people told me a trip like this would change me. do i feel different? yes and no. i am still me, nothing fundamental has changed, but i feel like i have learned a lot. but nothing i can put my finger on. just to see that there is a different way of approaching life, a different way of looking at things. and i do think this can only be a good thing.


Thank You Incredible India

*namaskaram*

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