India, 5

Nov. 8th

Happy Diwali!

Now, first things first - to add to the list of things sharing the road:

Rats, which I forgot

Did I remember monkeys?

Pigs, seen in Jaipur.

From Delhi to Agra, the days have been jam-packed with adventure and joy.  

Jaipur, Rajasthan was the first destination after Delhi. Rajasthan is rich in agriculture. In fact, 70% of all of India is agricultural with only 30% of the population living in the cities. On our arrival at The Old Jaipur Market, I might have guessed all 30% to be living there - if I hadn’t already seen 
them in Delhi. They say you either love or hate Jaipur, there is no in between. It was the most wonderfully chaotic, loud, colourful, vibrant place I’ve ever been. Vendors hawking their wares at a shout, worshippers clanging temple bells to get the attention of the gods, cattle lowing, traffic and horns, people everywhere, on the street, in the market, on the sidewalks. Because it’s Diwali, the whole city was lit. Buildings looks like something out of a movie set, with streams of lights draped down from the roof tops in all
colours. People were out shopping for the holiday and I can tell you we are complete amateurs in Canada, when it comes to crowds. 

Rickshaws took us to a restaurant for supper after we’d been to a fabric block- printing factory where I bought a silk kurta and trousers  - or rather, I had them made for me.  They took my measurements and delivered the finished garments that night.  

We saw the Amber Fort the next day, where more snake 
charmers entertained on the sidewalk and elephants are one way to get up to the site. The poor things are very forbearing, in that they don’t go mad and trample their measly human bosses.  This is another gigantic complex sprawled across a mountainside although much bigger than Neemrana. The highlight is the “Hall of Mirrors” where inlaid convex mirrors refract and reflect light. 

Early the next morning I went for a hot air balloon ride over the countryside and villages outside Jaipur.  It was a little like being a peeping Tom because houses are constructed around an open courtyard so we looked down into their very homes - not to mention that rooftops are used as living space too. We were a big hit with the kids, especially, who yelled and jumped about, as if they were channeling our excitement at being in the air. When we landed, the entire village came out to greet and stare at us. Can’t say I blame them.

Next, we went to the village of Dhula Bagh, stopping at the Monkey Temple -as seen in various movies.  I’m not a fan of monkeys but the monkey god gives them some status here. 
Bathing in the waters here is supposed to be good for your health but I can’t imagine how. It was fascinating and repulsive all at once. 

I highly recommend Dhula Bagh; it’s in an idyllic setting with an ancient fort and its wall running along the spine of the mountains overlooking the village. Large permanent tents sit on smooth concrete pads, and they have beds, 
electricity and running water. And flush toilets. It’s called 
glamping , not camping. We celebrated “small Diwali”, the 
night before Diwali, by lighting many small terracotta oil 
lamps and placing them around the pool. Ruby, our fabulous trip leader, even arranged for fire works that night.  

We started the next day with a bike ride through the village and into the countryside. I chose not to cycle through a herd of goats heading my way, and waited instead for them to pass before proceeding. However, I successfully threaded my way between two motorcycles at a village intersection. It was peaceful on the dirt roads and we saw parrots again. And tailor bird nests, a smaller weave than the ones I saw in Africa. And gigantic, terrifying spider webs that looked like messy, unravelled balls of wool. We stopped for chai at our guide’s house and got to see the inside of a village home. I can never complain about storage space again. There were two ovens in this house -one at ground level, the other on the rooftop. They are simply made of terracotta coloured mud packed to make a kind of hob for the pots and pans to sit on.

On our way to Agra, we stopped at a fantastical step well. We’d seen one in the village but this was on a scale I never imagined. It looked like an MC Escher painting of steps going up and down forever.  They were cruelly narrow steps that clung to three walls of the well and people would carry 
water on their heads and in their hands, which I kind of 
understand because you wouldn’t want to make the trip unnecessarily,  but I can’t imagine how difficult and scary 
that trek would have been. A fear of heights would have been mere indulgence. 

For Diwali, we went to the home of a middle class family where puja to Lakshmi was performed ; I should have luck and prosperity this year. We helped light and distribute clay oil lamps around the home to welcome the gods. We ate and then there were the family’s fireworks- they were echoing all through the city as each family sets off their own. The best ones were, from my balcony view, the Catherine Wheels, which spun about on the ground flinging light and sparks.  

This morning we saw the Taj Mahal. Stunning. Until I saw it, I did not realize or appreciate the beauty of its marble, and underestimated the grace of its structure. later we saw the Red Fort, where the shah (Jahan)who built the Taj was imprisoned by his own son to the end of his life. He could only look at but not visit the mausoleum where lay his beloved. Again, an enormous structure, with intricate care taken over every detail of its construction. Carved stone walls were painted to look like hanging rugs. When you walk into these homes of the wealthy you never simply look through a doorway into a room; each room’s doorway affords a vista-like view of other rooms and openings, framed by intricate scalloped arches. As you pass into ever more private courtyards, you can’t help but think about the Europeans who first arrived here and how the beauty and wealth of these places must have overwhelmed them. It certainly overwhelms me.

PS To the person who asked where the pictures are: I don’t know. I don’t have the same view of the blog as you so I’m not sure. I only know I can add them and have added some. If anyone out there can help...