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Published: November 11th 2014
Laxman Rao the Chai Wallah Author
Fantastic story. please read the links quotedCurrent Mood: Numb
Panoramic images are from the rear of Taj Mahal and the tombs of Akbar the great.
Well well well… What can I say?! India can be a country that can at times be very comfortable (in-between bathroom breaks) leaving you feeling extremely happy, some saying “enlightened”. India Can also be a country that can absolutely break your spirit (During bathroom rushes) making you curse the people around you and I think, people may forgive me for saying “I wish I had never paid the government the fee to visit this country”. This feeling doesn’t always last but I have to say that a lot of time in India, the bad times can outweigh the good. Without too much complaint I will try to give you a mish-mash explanation. When it’s good it is great, when its bad….. Holy Cow!!
So I think I left you sitting on a train on route to Delhi after a gruelling but very comfortable AC 2 tier sleeper compartment. This has been the carriage of choice where we can get it that is. First off there is AC1. 1
st class Air-conditioned private lockable rooms where the service can be fantastic
(so I hear) but the price is to match. Then there is AC2 Tier to which we try to travel on which is the same as AC1 but without lockable rooms pretty much. This is fine and the prices are reasonable. AC3 is similar again to AC2 with the difference being the amount of beds in the compartment. AC2 has two beds on each side of the compartment with two over the isle bunk bed style whilst AC3 has three on each side (Tripple bunk action). Then there is sleeper class (Like AC3 with no aircon and supposed confirmed beds) Aircon seat class (which is great for short day trips and hardened bummed travellers who want to do the 20 hour journeys) and then we get into 2
nd class seat, other seat, ‘None confirmed general bookings’ (to which you can jump on the train and hope for a seat, and can also sit in any compartment) Disabled class and luggage. Geez I hope that makes sense. We will re visit this later!!
‘WHEN IT IS GOOD IT IS GREAT’: Arriving in Delhi was an experience but very much as expected. From the minute we hit the platform touts were
on the prowl, but in a different Delhi style. Instead of asking you outright, they would slowly follow you to see where you would go. Maybe you have another train so why waste time speaking to that sort of traveller. They scuff their feet along, even as far as following you into the loo, giving a big smile as you leave the pristine squat you were forced to use through no fault of your tummy. Then, offering you directions to the exit you again become accompanied all the way to the car park where all of the hard work pays off?!?. They saw you first. Back off buddies!!!
After Bat and ball smiling through the station (their smiles meaning “you know I want your taxi money” and mine meaning “you cheeky bleeders”) the approach then is always the same. What are you looking for? Do you want a taxi? Do you have booking? Would you like to see my hotel? Answers… Taxi, I just said I want a taxi, YES and I just said I had a booking!
“OK I can take you please come”. The Problem for the Delhi driver is that they think you have just
arrived from the airport so the price is always crazily high. 1200 rupees for four people was the first offer for a 23 minute drive. It was 600 rupees for an hour in Mumbai so quickly we point this out and then the game begins. In the end a rogue taxi driver offers us his panel van for 300 rupees and off we took leaving our greedy, hardworking, foot shuffling friend screaming and waiving from afar.
Arriving at City heights hotel on Main Bazaar we were pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. Apart from the normal, funny quirks Indian hotels have we could easily deal with what they threw at us making this a ‘NIKI 4 star option’. Laundry was thrown in, aircon was cranking and the shower was perfect. The only thing for us to do now was to catch some sleep and try to avoid Delhi Belly tomorrow (yeah right).
Waking early but feeling relaxed we all sat about our rooms until nearly 10.30am before deciding to get a little bit of breakfast. After a bite to eat and some planning for our whistle stop two day tour, we decided to go for a walk
and explore a few of the famous spots that would include Delhi’s Red fort and Gandhi’s Raj Ghat Monument.
The Red Fort in Delhi was quite an experience. From being hit twice in the Rickshaw by passing bikes we found ourselves in quiet gardens, wondering the internal museums of weapons and public grievance halls. It was a great time out and a fantastic way to spend a few hours away from the hustle outside. Just be careful of the friskers on the way in, near the bomb detectors. They like to give you a cupping that you may or may not like. “That’s abit heavy aint it pal” hahaha
After a few hours of relaxing on the grass inside the walls we were getting a little peckish so we grabbed a few packs of Muung Dhal and a street cornetto, then made the 2km walk to Raj Ghat, the sight of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation in January 1948. My first impression of the area surrounding the memorial was a great one. A peaceful park housing a great botanical gardens and memorials that include that of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhi), the feeling here was towards complete relaxation but reflection.
The biggest surprise here was at how quiet it was. I thought the inner walls had it going on but this place (if in the UK) being a beautiful green park would be packed to the fences. In comparison to main bazaar, this place was wonderful. Not too long later though, after making our way to the entrance of Raj Ghat itself, the pleasure of peace and tranquillity was soon removed by that of my belly giving way around ten minutes walking distance from the last loo we spotted. Quickly turning (after grabbing the last bit of paper from Joe’s bag) I was at a very steady, very tensed pace towards the toilet, what now felt like it could have been an hour away. Just about making it after going ‘Cross Country’ and walking through fresh sewage water, lets say the squat in this blissful garden area was not as nice as the outside seemed to be. WHEN IT IS BAD…. HOLY COW! Walking back across the park towards the guys, wiping the sweat from my brow and counting the mosquito bites on my arms legs and backside, the feeling of serenity had left me completely. I needed to be
near toilets, of air condition quality and where better to find them but at Connaught Place .
Connaught Place was really a lot like Colaba causeway with air conditioned shops and restaurants combining street side Market stalls, Food stands and mobile Chai Wallahs. (The best Chai wallah comes later. Laxman Rao:
). Even with a bad tummy I still managed to get a chai into me as I can’t seem to resist them, and to calm the feeling of very tensed and warm bum cheeks I would venture into the odd Nike shop to enjoy the freezing cold aircon. Deciding it would be safer near the room we then made a little walk back to main Bazaar to tuck into a great Curry at Sams pub with a couple of beers to wash it down. I advise you not to read the next bit in brackets as this is directed to anybody that has sat with me over a meal or beer anywhere in the world and talked about toilets and near mis-haps (SAMS BAR as bad as the toilets were, has an Ass cannon that fires warm water. On the hot side of warm actually. Fantastic!) After
filling up and a little walk in the evening to work off the food it was time for rest. I would need it for tomorrow as I’m off to find a guy that will be known as a Delhi legend. LAXMAN RAO.
Waking late the next day it seemed that my tummy was fixed so after messing around with booking plane tickets and train journeys lunch time soon approached. Above Sam’s bar, through a different entrance and up on the roof, Sam’s café looks out over the Bazaar offering great views of the hustle and bustle down below. They also offer a great Falafel and Banana Lassi’s to which I made short work of. After spending a few hours here it seemed like time had flashed by so our only task for the day was to find Mr Laxman Rao.
According to the Video and description attached he is based in the ITO area so we punched in the details and hopped into a rickshaw towards it. Google maps puts you miles away from his actual location so after asking hundreds of people if they knew the Chai Wallah author and being sent to each and every chai
store near a book shop we were all ready to call it a day. One last crack at the whip however, we managed to find his address by default on the screen inside the Indian times newspaper lobby. After funny discussions we ended up looking back at google to see a little heading… ‘near the Hindi Bhavan building in ITO area’. Our future was made. We would get to meet Laxman Rao.
Crossing the busy street via the subway we came across this lane that looked very local orientated. Small food stalls and Chai wallahs on either side made me feel like it was the wrong place but once again putting our trust into google maps with the simple search ‘Hindi Bhavan’ we found ourselves turning the corner to see in the distance a small set up far away from all of the other vendors. The road was covered in shade by the tall buildings and trees which made for a perfect setting. All along the roadside you would see peddle rickshaws who all offered a tour of the city but this was not what we was in this part of the town to see. At this point and
I don’t know why, I honestly felt like it was Christmas morning as a child or I was meeting up with an old friend. Excitement doesn’t describe it. As we approached we all recognised him instantly and in my ecstatic state I rushed towards this very small man, who was sitting behind his bubbling pot of tea with my hand out ready for the shake. He must have thought I was a nut job, but after saying his name his face beamed and he jumped up to welcome us. I explained how we knew of him (which was a random video whipping through my facebook feed) and it was then I think he truly settled. This was an unreal experience for no other reason than his story that I urge you all to read in the links displayed at the end and once again this YouTube link:
taracloud
Tara Cloud
Happy Birthday!
How fabulous that you found such sweet, gorgeous, quiet spots among the craziness of the poo streets! You really have me wanting to go to India with your great tips--Little Taj and Akbar's tomb. The Dehli belly seems pretty formidable though as a street food aficionado, my tummy is stronger than most. Loved both the video on Laxman Rao and your pilgrimage to meet him--these off-beat meet-ups give such meaning to travel. And good to hear there's affordable AC, but horrendous hearing of the trains. I hate booking anything ahead, but it seems my spontaneous ways may not be so safe or comfy--yikes!