Agra - The end

Agra

We arrived in Agra by train. Unfortunately, I was unable to see the countryside very much because I was in an upper sleeping compartment on the train, where I wrote my other two blogs. However, when we finally pulled into the train station, there was nothing but people and the metal framework of the train station, painted in blue and silver. The most unfortunate part: I didn’t get a picture of it since we were too busy slinging luggage and trying to get the group to the bus without anyone being lost.

The key element in Agra was, of course, the Taj Mahal.

We were fortunate to not have too many people there that day, or maybe it was that it was early so not many people had woken up in their hotel rooms. We tried getting a picture that night of the Taj Mahal; however, due to security concerns (terrorism) they do not have lighted up at night.

The morning, though, we set out on our adventure to see this Modern Marvel. Upon entering, there are several gates. The first gate is when you have to go through security. The rules say that you cannot bring any electronic devices in, except your phone and camera. You cannot bring any matches or cigarettes in, or any other combustible materials. The second gate, though, was the gate that allowed you to see it from a postcard standpoint. You could see the entire building and pillars in all of their magnificence. The four towers, you realize as you see it, are actually leaning a little outward, in case of earthquakes. It was very interesting that they had those considerations even back then.

 

The Taj Mahal was a hallmark of love. The king built this to prove his love to his third wife, who he loved the most, and who requested it. It was built as a tomb for her and is perfectly symmetrical, except for the kings tomb that throws off the balance of the interior. Because of this hallmark, my friend, Pablo Romero, decided to ask his boyfriend to marry him. Awesome.

The whole day was extraordinary. When we finally began to tour the World Heritage Landmark, we learned that all the designed were made of stones worn by the Queens in their gowns, hair, etc. There  are no paintings whatsoever within or without the Taj Mahal. It’s all stonework. Each piece was hand-carved into the building with groove sets in the marble that hold the pieces. 

Like I said, this was an extraordinary day. We finished up the trip with a bus ride back to New Delhi, where I finally got to see some countryside and we even got to witness a non-seasonal storm that resembles those we have in the Coachella Valley, including extraordinarily strong winds that was making the bus rock back and forth.

Overall, the trip was a success. We were able to see some of the education facilities in India and compare it to ours, we were able to look at a business and the differences in mindsets from American businesses and we witnessed one of the glories of the seven modern wonders of the world. 

I wonder what life has in store for me next. 

Jaipur

The Pink City is the home to Jaipur Rugs, the company we came to evaluate. It is called the Pink City because one of the kings, in the 17^th Century designated this city as his capital and his color as pink. Jaipur is clean, friendly and has a lot going for it. My first impression was that it was going to be a smaller City as compared to New Delhi, and maybe it is, but it is definitely more accessible. But it wasn’t India as we necessarily came to learn. Jaipur served as an access to the remote parts of India. We visited the villages and found things to be in a word…..different.  You have little places of worship dotting the landscape next to the villages, women working in the fields and working on the looms trying to provide for themselves along with the help of their kids. 

The villages we visited while in Jaipur were impoverished. They didn’t have a phone or a television. They had their places of worship, each other and their looms. They didn’t even have running water, but struck me profoundly was that they all seemed happy. They were happy to be working, happy to answer any and all of our questions and happy to see different people.

            The work of the Jaipur Rugs Foundation impressed me greatly.  One thing caught my attention was the education they were providing the women of the villages were empowering and engaging them. 

The women ranged in age from 16 to one lady who was sitting in the back (just as engaged) who was at least in her 60s. They were able to ask questions of us and even come up with (innovative) ideas to help facilitate furthering their education by making it more convenient for them. When suggested, they even seemed to think about running for office in their village in order to help make things easier for them. The power these women now have by having the ability to read, do math and even signing their own name is inspiring and I now know that I have been taking my own literacy, and all the benefits provided, for granted. 

In another village, one woman asked us if we could take her to visit America. That engagement and hope is incredible and I know that India’s transformation to a world superpower is inevitable with the establishment of women’s rights. 

Overall, my impression is that although India still has a long way, groups such as the Jaipur Rugs Foundation are paving the way for empowerment of not only women but of impoverished villages that would have no other way of getting resources.             

Jaipur Rugs business method of doing business, from what we saw, is the way many businesses should be geared. Not necessarily the exact business model, but its humanitarian focus and willingness to tackle these topics on their own. Social responsibility is what consumers are beginning to demand of the corporate world. Social responsibility is what Jaipur has demonstrated. Kudos.

P.S. The elephants were so much fun. J

New Delhi

New Delhi

Upon arriving in New Delhi, the first thing that I noticed was that I was no longer in Kansas anymore. The writing was different, the familiar smells have changed to something distinct and completely foreign and then the weather hit me like someone had thrown sugar on me and sprinkled it with water. That’s how sticky it was. I then thought, let the adventure begin.

The adventure starts with something you’ll never see in the United States, a statue of a monkey god. 

            This is just one of the many things that impress me about Indian Culture, the diversity of the religions that are here. In the bottom left hand side of the picture, there is a Jewish Star of David. The way the Indians integrate is phenomenal. Additionally, we went to a Baha’I faith temple, called the Lotus Temple and on the other side of the scare is an ISKON temple for the followers of Krishna.

         

   I am not familiar with Indian history.  One perception that I had was that Indian history was filled with village warfare and there were but only a couple of large cities. The one thing I was not prepared for was the number of forts. One in particular, was the Red Fort, built in the 7^th Delhi. Yes, that is correct, another thing I didn’t know was that Delhi was built seven times. I’m not clear on how they were destroyed, but because of the presence of the Red Fort, and the tour mentioning it was built multiple times, I think that it was sacked by the various tribes or groups such as the Moguls. That was very enlightening.

            The people in New Delhi have been very nice so far. The folks who sell trinkets and various items are not pushy, as it was in China. The men actually hold hands and this is a normal thing. In the United States this would be a shock except in a few isolated places such as San Francisco, Palm Springs, or various gay districts. This is another cultural misconception that I had of India. That it was closed minded when it comes to public displays of affection and how they treat their women. The men don’t necessarily show their affection for women, but they do for each other. Also, women only hold themselves to their own personal morality and beliefs, not that of society at large or even other groups.

            My overall impression of India (New Delhi) so far is that this cultural melting pot works. Not in the traditional way of melting pots of blending all the components, but more of a mixing of all the components.  Each cultural trait really is distinct; something I didn’t think was possible. 

 

From the old to new or the North to the South, everything is preserved distinctly just as it is today. Not how it was, but how it has weathered time and stood fast against the elements, just like the cultural pieces that make up India.