Day 1 India Tour – Musings and Scribbles
As my tour of India progresses I need to journal my experiences, so I don’t forget the details, the moments that are bringing this experience to life for me. These posts will be like little snapshots of my day. Little moments that I want to recall. I hope you enjoy them and they inspire you to make your own journey into India.
A Special Moment to Remember
Today I sat and meditated in a Bhai’i Temple shaped like a Lotus flower. How cool is that?! As I sat in a temple 4000 miles away from my home in Shetland, I closed my eyes and connected to source energy and to my spirit guides. The quiet and the atmosphere were familiar to me. I didn’t feel 1000’s of miles away from home, I felt connected and at peace.
I could hear birds singing and the sound of traffic and horns was muted. For that moment I could have been anywhere. There is a certain atmosphere you only get in churches or places of worship. I find it soothing and comforting.
Keep Off the Grass!
The gardens were beautifully manicured and green. However, I don’t understand grass that one is not allowed to sit on?! What is that about? It’s too beautiful to be useful? Or to bring joy? Whatever the reason it was pretty behind the fenced off walkways.
Maybe it was easier for me to sit and connect, than for those who use ritual and performance as part of connecting with their gods. My guide explained that followers of these religions don’t see it as a temple or place of worship. The Hindus and Muslims have certain steps they need to take in order to be blessed or pray. Some religions insist you must be seated on the ground or bow and kiss the floor in front of idols in order to connect or be blessed. Hindus must pay to receive a blessing from a priest, who will read to them in Sanskrit verses from the Hindu Scriptures.
A Familiar Setting
As I was brought up in a Western Christian Protestant background I am used to churches with little ornamentation. As I have spent my adult life in Scotland – the Presbyterians had even starker churches. What I’m trying to say is that the space felt familiar to me. It had benches and a lectern for giving sermons. A vast open interior, with the inside of the lotus petals creating a soaring domed roof. The benches were set to form a semi-circle and were made of marble in a wood frame.
The sermons in the Bhai’i temple include reading from the Koran, the Hindu texts and from the Bible, before a discussion of Bhai’i beliefs begins. It is inclusive in its ideologies, which appeals to me. I loved that the space was free for all to enter and use.
How do I feel about my India tour so far?
How do I feel about my India tour so far? I’m super glad I took a tour. But I’m also not used to having a guide – something I’m going to need to get used to. He knows so much and I’m learning a lot, but I am used to just being able to wander where and when. Though it’s probably naive to think I would be left alone to wander – I would be harassed by touts.
I have ventured out alone, but only to around my immediate neighbourhood. There’s a western style coffee shop ‘Third Wave Coffee’ which is welcoming and familiar. I had a tandoori chicken wrap today and a hibiscus iced tea. Both were delicious. Yesterday I had an iced coffee. They have oat milk 🙂 I will return.
I haven’t tried to hire a tuktuk yet, or explore further – think I’ll ask my guide for tips on that tomorrow. Nor have I tried to buy fruit or food from any of the roadside vendors. the fear is real…
It’s much more dusty than I ever imagined. It catches the back of my throat – or maybe that’s the smog? I think it’s probably a bit of both. It’s been really hazy both days so far, which means temp has only been about 14-16 – super comfortable for me – super freezing to the locals who are bundled up in wooly hats and puffy jackets. Yesterday I even saw a golden retriever in a coat!! It was 16 degrees! In Shetland we crack out the bbq at that temp 🙂
Shopping on my India Tour
I splashed out today on buying 2 outfits. Absolutely beautiful fabrics and embroidery. And then I got shown some lovely silver & sapphire earings, but drew the line at a £400 pashima. The outfits will be delivered to my homestay tomorrow eve. I’m very excited about that. I’m also determined to not buy anything else other than a bag and some bedding further in my trip. And maybe some magnets at the end.
The Food!
While I’m not sold on India yet, as a whole. I am sold on the food. I have been having home-cooked meals in my homestay which are absolutely delicious. Not hot spicy, but flavoursome. Vegetarian. And I keep forgetting to take photos. Tonight I had a form of lentil daal, cabbage and peas and potato and spinach, with rice, 2 roti’s and a popadom (the nest I’ve ever tasted!) but the real history & architecture starts tomorrow.
What I’m Learning
Today I learned so much about the caste system, how Hindus, Muslims and Seikhs live and their beliefs. I was surprised to discover that the caste system is still so prevalent within Hindu society. Tier 1 is the super wealthy and royalty, tier 2 is the warriors, tier 3 the businessmen and tier 4 the untouchables who do jobs like cleaning. The amount of education a person has access to goes up by tier. The Indian gov offers incentives and free education, but not everyone sees the value in it when. I experienced tiny little girls, working begging at traffic lights… heartbreaking.
Fascinating how some rulers built in sandstone to be one with the people and others built in marble because they were king!
Want to know more about my India Tour? Check out these links and posts:
Where I stayed: Prakash Kutir B&B
