Paharganj

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Landing in Delhi was an immediate culture shock and assault to the senses. We had no sleep on the long flight and were feeling fragile. None the less me managed to change some Rupees and negotiate a taxi to Paharganj - a well known backpacker haunt with the city's cheapest guest houses.

We explore the area for a few days and attempt to acclimatise a little before moving on to Agra. The plan was to jump in at the deep end and leisurely swim to the shallows. The deep end it certainly was.. Just leaving the guesthouse is a challenge in itself as we are instantly assailed by touts and beggars so for the first day we spend most of our time on the rooftop with only short forays in to the whirling chaos of the street below.


Journal excerpts:

Tom: ".. The Hare Rama Guesthouse is a filthy flea bitten hole to our usual perspective so recently shed, yet to lock the door and cast off our cumbersome packs is a relief beyond measure. We lay our hats and this is home with all the comfort that brings. We even have our own toilet!.."

Ness: ".. The hotel has a nice feel to it, a sanctuary from the madness below. Our room walks on to a courtyard and upstairs is a rooftop restaurant/bar with two resident stray cats. Not your ordinary domestic cats, these really are feral and have the pleading eyes of the starving children from the street below. Not waiting for fish or meaty tit bits they eat what you are willing to give. Everyone and everything is begging.."

Ness: "..Our favourite eatery becomes the Diamond Restaurant which sports the sign 'Recomeeded by Lolenly Planet'. The staff are as honest as you get here and they refuse entry to any beggars. We're blown away by how good the food tastes and a Kingfisher beer hits the spot!.."

Tom: "..At 7am the 5:30am train lumbers out of Delhi and for the first time we are the only foreigners. We sit on a bench opposite two woman who don't speak a word of English but prove valuable allies as a Sadu (Indian mystic) sits on my feet for no explicable reason. I do not understand the Hindi but 'Leave the white person alone, you are freaking him out' seems close. They even pay off a particularly adhesive beggar boy. With grateful eyes and a small bow i attempt to thank them. Every pair of eyes in the carriage stare at us with unquenchable fascination for three and a half hours..."


Paharganj
A paint daubed cow chews rubbish in the street.
A graffitied dog sleeps or is it dead?
A woman begs milk for a baby she's hired.
A body is beared aloft,
A boy hawks, spits and coughs.
A lad with no feet begs with his hands.
A tout in a doorway offers rooms for cheap.
A shrine to Krishna in a neon lit box.
Men with frozen smiles,
A million different styles.
A newcomer clutches a bag with white knuckles.
An older hand strolls with acclimatised grace.
A rickshaw plows regardless through a teaming crowd.
A pit of clawing hands,
Flies swamp fresh food stands.

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Photos

Afghanistan
As the sun rose over the mountains i can't help wondering if the mythical Osama is somewhere down there sipping chai and plotting the downfall of the west.

Comments

[Ash Kapila]

WOW
I heard from your dad and was curious to learn about your trip around the world. Yes the dank poverty and filth is a shock to the system. Having left India some fifty years ago, and having led a sheltered life there, we got accustomed to blissfully ignoring everything outside our cocoons. When I did go back in 1978, yep, it was a real eye opener. The redeeming feature is the honest welcome one gets from the people. Do like the Indians do. Ignore the filth, and enjoy the history, culture and the people. Learn to be real agile and side step the spits, the snots and the pooh!