Author Archives: heatherb

My First Cricket Match

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At 4:00 on a Wednesday, I was wrapping up the last day of day camp (four exhausting days of a successful day camp for kids – wonderful!), when I got a call from a friend who had an extra ticket to an IPL (Indian Premiere League) cricket match that night. Exhausted, I summoned all my energy to join him and another guy from the community at my first ever cricket match!

I raced home to get ready and caught a fast train to the South of Mumbai. When I arrived at the station, I picked out Mumbai fans in their teams’ blue jersey, and decided that I would purchase a jersey for myself to get into the spirit. I met my friend, Daniel, who was wearing a red Bangalore jersey (surprisingly, the crazy Mumbai fans left him alone), and we headed to Wankhede Stadium to watch the Mumbai Indians play the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Despite the fact that American football and baseball are far superior sports, cricket is an Indian national obsession. In trying to experience all that India has to offer, I’ve learned to like cricket, and was surprised by how quickly it grew on me. I have been watching cricket on TV with friends, and have a real grasp on the rules. I know all about overs, wickets, bowlers, batsmen, fours and sixes. I even know some of the best players!

The IPL, an Indian cricket league with 9 teams from major cities, plays Twenty20 cricket, meaning the matches consist of 20 overs, one over being six pitches, per team. One team bats for 20 overs, and then they switch.  The game lasts about 3 or 4 hours. I was disappointed because there isn’t a constant struggle to be in the lead. You don’t really know who’s winning until the game ends. Instead of an instantly gratifying “we’re winning” feeling, the game is more strategic. Everyone’s always wondering how many runs per over a team needs to win, thinking about the way the team plays over time. There’s always a question if the team will be able to catch up or not – and I’m telling you, I didn’t believe it would be, but it’s exciting.

The IPL is only in its 5th season, but you would never know it. The fans are die-hard and show up in hoards. Whenever there’s a cricket game, anyone with a television switches to the game. Electronics stores screen the matches on their big screen displays and people crowd around the windows to catch the action. I don’t blame them. After seeing it live, I completely understand the excitement surrounding the game.

As we entered the stadium, the crowd grew thicker, the majority wearing Mumbai blue (strikingly similar to Cubbie blue.) It was so surreal when we emerged from the stairwell to find our seats. It felt as if the bright lights and thunderous cheering slapped me in the face – I couldn’t believe I was really there! The stadium was huge, surrounding the circular field, the music was blasting and the energy was palpable. I soaked it all in, beyond thrilled to be a part of it all.

The stadium was full of fans, not an empty seat in the house. It is one of the loudest places I’ve ever been. I was surrounded by flags sporting the Mumbai Indians logo, and even snagged one for myself. As a sports fan, I quickly caught on to all the cheers, joining the crowd as they chanted for their most famous player, Sachin. I was entranced by the game, ooh-ing and aah-ing right along with the local fans, and loving every minute.

I wish I could see another IPL match, but the season is coming to an end. The IPL finals are this weekend, and since Mumbai didn’t make it past the semifinals, I’m rooting for Calcutta (Kolkata Knight Riders) – Go KKR!

Passover the Indian Way

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Because I am working with the Jewish community, I find myself counting the passage of time along with the Jewish holidays. I began my year in India with the Jewish New Year, and each time a festival comes and goes, it means more time has passed. Of course, holidays away from home are always bittersweet. I have loved celebrating the festivals in India, Sukkot and Simchat Torah, Chanukah, and more, and experiencing the local traditions, but have missed being at home with family. However, celebrating Passover was different. Although I missed my family greatly, for the first time, I felt at home in India.

The week before Passover began, I taught my Sunday School class about the festival. We talked about and reenacted the story, singing songs from preschool that my mom still loves to make us sing at our seder. And we made our own personal seder plates (how cute is he? And she?), learning all of the foods that belong on the plate. I, myself, had to learn about the differences between the Passover traditions to which I am accustomed and those that are common in India.

Here, they dip their karpas, celery instead of parsley, into lime juice rather than salt water. Instead of tasting like tears to remind us of our ancestors’ struggle, the tart taste will bring you to tears. The Indian charoset is made of blended dates, creating a sweet paste that resembles the mortar used to build pyramids much more closely than the mixture of apples and nuts we eat at home. Instead of horseradish, they eat lettuce as the bitter herb, which I found much more appealing. And matzah is matzah, although the homemade local variety is shaped like a circle.

For the Passover seder, I visited the home of Sharon and Sharona, an incredibly hospitable couple with three adorable daughters, two of whom are my students. They have invited me to their home for many occasions and I have always enjoyed spending time and celebrating with them. I arrived early to help with final preparations. Immediately, the girls pulled me to the front entrance to help them with their Nile River display. Floating in a tub, we put baby Moses in a basket, along with dozens of origami boats. Once that was done, I helped their grandma wash the lettuce. First, she picked the leaves, and I washed them thoroughly (twice). At one point, a small worm fell from the lettuce as she tore the leaves, laughing she said: “extra protein from the village!” True proof that I’m growing accustomed to India: I laughed right along with her.

We set up short tables in the living room and surrounded them with mattresses. While it is customary to recline during the seder, my family always opts for pillows on chairs around the table. This was my first seder sitting on the floor, what I can only assume to be a Bene Israel tradition. Along with Sharon and Sharona and their children, we were joined by their parents, an Israeli traveling around India and a family from the U.S. (a grandfather and his two grandchildren.) Before we began the seder, the host went around the room introducing the guests to one another. When he got to me, he said: “of course, we have Heather, who is more like family.” I was so surprised and honored that he introduced me in that way, and in that moment, although I had been wishing I was home with family, I was glad to be right where I was.

The seder was conducted entirely in Hebrew, in a very traditional manner, which was interesting to see, but otherwise not the most engaging. The best part of the seder was sitting next to the girls and going through the children’s Haggadah with them, explaining what was happening, and why we went through each part. I was proud that they remembered details from our Sunday school class, and that they wanted to sing the songs I taught them. See Mom? I ended up singing those Passover songs this year after all!

A Relaxing Weekend in Goa

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During March, I decided at the last minute to enjoy a long weekend in Goa before the weather there became too hot. Goa is India’s smallest state, located just South of Maharashtra, where Mumbai is located. Goa’s entire Western coast sits on the Arabian Sea, and its beaches are India’s most famous. North Goa is better known for its party scene, while South Goa is said to be quieter and more peaceful. For a weekend away alone, I chose South Goa and headed to Benaulim Beach.

I flew into Goa’s airport late at night, and took a taxi to the beach. When I arrived at my hotel, there was no one at the locked gate, although they were expecting me. I called repeatedly until I reached the man who had taken my reservation and finally got into the hotel complex. Unfortunately, the rooms were disgusting. It was hot and humid; I saw multiple cockroaches and dozens of mosquitoes. There were no mosquito nets (which I had specifically asked for, and like to have just-in-case in rooms with no A/C.) The man told me he’d get me one tomorrow, but I was doubtful. So I said thanks, but no thanks, and went across the street to book a more expensive room at Hotel #2. At that point, I would have paid just about anything not to have to stay at Hotel #1.

I was glad for a clean shower and clean sheets at Hotel #2, but I knew that I could get a better deal. So in the morning, I wandered into town. When I found it, a nicer room with A/C at 2/3 the price, I left Hotel #2 for Hotel #3. Sometimes when traveling, you have to wander around to find the right place to stay. The best places with the best deals might not have websites or recommendations in guidebooks. But to anyone heading to Benaulim Beach, I would recommend Tansy’s! Finally settled, I was ready for my vacation to begin.

After a late breakfast at my new hotel’s delightful restaurant, I walked down the road and wandered along the beach to find a spot for the day, enjoying the sand under my toes and the warm water lapping at my ankles. I found a great beachside restaurant called Rex’s Place with chaise lounges in the sand. I couldn’t resist, given that it was named for my little cousin, Rex! I spent the day reading and relaxing by the beach, enjoying jumping in the warm waves, soaking in the fresh air and having an all-around good time. I ate shrimp fried rice for lunch, my first of many seafood meals over the course of the weekend. Later in the day, I tried a strawberry lassi, a perfectly cool treat for a day at the beach.

The next day, I arranged to take a trip to Old Goa. I didn’t want to take a tour, but I did want to make sure I got to see the remnants of Portuguese architecture, for which Goa is famous. Portuguese merchants landed in Goa in the early 1500s, and soon after, colonized the land. Most Goan people are Catholic, and churches dot the countryside. The architecture is a combination of Indian, Islamic and Portuguese style.

My hotel owners arranged for their son, Ossie, to take me – my own private tour guide! We drove through small towns, past brightly painted houses (pink and yellow!) and overflowing forests of palm trees on the way to Old Goa.

Despite what I had expected, I was surprised as we walked up to the Basilica of Bom Jesus, one of the oldest churches in Goa, and in all of India. It looked much like the churches you might find in Europe! The church contained elaborate gold altars, but its design was otherwise simple. The Basilica of Bom Jesus, holds the remains of St. Francis Xavier, regarded as the patron saint of Goa. There is a public viewing of the body every 10 years, and each year people from across the state visit the church for the saint’s feast. Ossie told me that on this day, the church’s grounds are full of families with picnics celebrating the patron saint. The church isn’t large enough to hold all of the people!

Across the street, we visited Se Cathedral, the largest church in India. The outside was painted stark white, but intricate paintings and carvings decorated the inner walls. After exploring the two largest churches, along with hundreds of other tourists, we continued to explore some of the smaller churches. We traveled up a winding dirt road to a church atop a hill, with a beautiful view of the town below, lush greenery only interrupted by church spires and the river.

Soon enough, we left Old Goa, which served as the capital of Portuguese India for over two centuries, to the current capital of Goa, Panaji in Marathi or Panjim in English. Here, I witnessed the local scene: a small, clean capital, especially compared to the other capitals I have seen (Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Jaipur). We quickly visited the beach, but the hot sand and the hot sun begged us to get back into the car and keep moving (not without a stop for a photo-op in the mouth of a giant fish sculpture!) Before heading back, we visited Dona Paula, the meeting point of two of Goa’s rivers and the Arabian Sea. It was quite the view, accompanied by a lovely breeze.

After returning from Old Goa, I headed the other way down the beach for a “change of scenery,” although it didn’t seem to matter where I sat to enjoy the view of the sea, the sun and the sand. For dinner, I again ate a delicious seafood meal. I don’t think I could ever get tired of eating fresh food at a table on the beach while digging my toes in the sand, close enough to the sea to hear the crashing waves.

My last day in Goa was as relaxing as my first, and I again spent the day at Rex’s place. I acted like a kid, covering myself in a layer of sand and then running into the water to wash off in the warm waves. I soaked in my last bit of sun, and my last chance to walk up and down the beach, splashing my feet in the shallow water. As I read my book, some local women approached me to buy their sarongs and jewelry. I told them I wasn’t interested in buying, but after they complimented my toenail polish, I spoke to them about living in Goa. They come from Karnataka for the tourist season to sell goods and make money, living far away from their families. Soon after I left, they would be returning home to wait for the next tourist season to begin.

Before I said goodbye to the beach for my trip back to Mumbai, my new friends at Rex’s place fired up the grill and cooked me (more) delicious fish for my last meal. As I watched the sun set, I realized that I had never before gone on a beach vacation by myself. Unlike my other travels in India thus far, the goal of my trip to Goa was to completely relax. I had nothing on the agenda, nowhere in particular to be and no one to interrupt my plans. I wondered if I had ever before been so relaxed, and I was grateful for the refreshing trip, before returning to the busy, wild city.

Celebrating 50 Years of JDC in India

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This year marks the 50th year of the Joint Distribution Committee’s work in India. Here, they call it a Golden Jubilee! To commemorate the occasion, our local office has decided to put together a small documentary featuring members of the community talking about their experience as Jews in India and their interaction with the JDC throughout the years. I have taken the lead on the project, and have been working hard over the past few months as it has come to life.

This project has been the most exciting project of my year for many reasons. I am learning new skills when it comes to video, editing and interviewing. I am exploring my interest in communications work. And I am getting the chance to speak one-on-one to community members. Working on this documentary allows me to look through a window into the community that wouldn’t have otherwise been open to me.

I have been invited into individuals’ homes, warmly welcomed with cold drinks and sweets. I have flipped through pages of family photo albums, remarking on the beautiful wedding sarees, the smiling faces, and the family members that I recognize. I have listened as people brag about their children, shyly list their accomplishments, and discuss their involvement in community life.

I have interviewed elderly people, children, couples, welfare recipients and more. I interviewed one elderly man well known in the community as a comedian. He told jokes throughout the interview, and we spent most of our time laughing together. After the interview, he shared his writings from over the years and his wife shared family photo albums.

I spoke with some of my younger students, who shared with me what they like about being Jewish and why they love coming to the Jewish Community Center. I was proud to hear them share things they’ve learned with me, and talk about programs I have planned for them.

I interviewed a middle-aged couple, who were so excited to speak that they spoke over one another throughout the interview. As we were chatting after the official interview, their niece arrived to hand-deliver an invitation to her son’s wedding. I witnessed how she formally presented them with the invitation, reciting the date, time and location, asking if they would please do her the honor of joining in the celebration. After a few hugs, the aunt went into the kitchen and came out with a plate of sugar. She placed a spoonful in each of our hands (me too!) to eat – a sweet treat for a sweet occasion. And, as my luck would have it, I was invited to the wedding as well.

I received honest answers from the community’s youth, young people who want to stay in India to live their Jewish lives, who are grateful for the Jewish opportunities they have been given and recognize that they have been lucky to have more Jewish resources than their parents did when they were young.

I visited an 88-year-old man, who was hard of hearing and difficult to understand. But his kindhearted nature shone through his smile. When the interview was over, he asked if he could sing me a song, and it warmed my heart to hear him so happy to share this moment with me. It was one of the highlights of the documentary making process.

I am glad to have had this opportunity to put together a meaningful documentary for the community. I have enjoyed spending time with local Jewish community members, learning about the people in a way that might not have otherwise been possible. And I feel so lucky to be part of a project that is marking a moment in time for this community, reflecting upon its past and looking toward its future.

Happy Holi!

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I had anticipated celebrating Holi since arriving in India, a definite must-have-experience here. Holi is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. The story goes that Prahlad, strongly devoted to Lord Vishnu, miraculously escaped when the Demonness Holika dragged him into the fire. She was burned, but he escaped without injury due to his devotion to Vishnu. Bonfires are lit the night before Holi in remembrance of this story, but the festival it appears to be less of a religious holiday than a day that brings people together to have a good time. The festival commemorates the beginning of the new season, spring, and people celebrate wildly by throwing colored powder at each other in reference to spring’s abundant colors. The celebration brings together young and old, rich and poor, men and women, to enjoy the festival, and the atmosphere is full of excitement.

Days before Holi officially began, shops and stalls began selling water guns and gulal, the colored powder people throw at one another in celebration. Two days before Holi, I noticed that kids were practicing throwing water balloons from their balconies. (Do I have to mention that I noticed because I was pelted with one on the way to work? And with another on the way to the market?) Advice I received a little too late: always look up when you’re walking outside the week before Holi.

The day before Holi, I stocked up on supplies, purchasing a water gun and bag of gulal each for Hannah and myself. I also purchased a small bottle of hair oil to apply before the celebrations began. I had been advised by multiple people to put oil in my hair before Holi so that the color wouldn’t dye my hair. The thought of putting oil in my hair is absolutely foreign to me. But I realized hair oil is common here after asking what kind of oil to put in my hair, and being told whatever oil I normally put in my hair would be fine. Oh thanks, how helpful. After finally working out the hair oil issue and choosing an outfit that I would never want to see again, apparently gulal is not kind to clothes, I was ready to play Holi!

Hannah and I planned to celebrate with our building society, advised by numerous people that going out on Holi wouldn’t be safe for foreign girls alone. I didn’t want to test the theory considering the rowdy nature of the holiday combined with drinking during the day; and I was glad for an excuse to celebrate with our building and get to know our neighbors. When Hannah and I woke up in the morning, the celebration was already in full force. We hurried downstairs to the parking lot between the buildings in our unit and were happily greeted by the kids in our building with handfuls of gulal. Wishing us a Happy Holi, they rubbed the bright colors into our cheeks, hair and clothes.

We quickly joined the party, splashing color on everyone and soaking everyone with water. Someone had set up a sizeable kiddie pool in the parking lot, and water showered on the crowd from the water pipes on the second floor. Covered in color from head to toe, we met our neighbors, most of whom we had never met, and some who we had never even seen! Dads and uncles joined the festivities, while moms and aunts stood on the balcony above, a safe distance from the gulal. Kids were drenched from head to toe, and soon enough, so were we!

Soon after we arrived, we ran out of color, and the main activity shifted to splashing as much water on everyone as possible. We ran around dodging buckets of water as popular Hindi film songs thundered through the speakers. Our neighbors offered us snacks and drinks. I accepted a vodka tonic, but immediately set it down and went back to playing. It was clear that whoever had served me was already fairly drunk, as my drink was more vodka than tonic. I tried the biryani and other snacks while chatting with our neighbors. After a full five hours of pure laughter and celebration, I was soaked to the core and desperately wanting a shower. I excused myself to wash off and warm up. Luckily, most of the color came off of my oiled hair and skin easily, but a light patch of pink remained in my hair for the next week or two. Hannah was not as lucky; sections of her blonde hair stayed hot pink for at least a month!

Not only was it a fun-filled and successful Holi, but I was grateful to have a very local experience. The best part of it all? The kids in our building loved playing with us, and have visited our apartment a handful of times since. They have taken to calling us ‘didi,’ a respectful name that means older sister used to refer to an older girl who doesn’t yet qualify as ‘auntie.’ We’ve played games, colored, and watched Harry Potter together. Some of them even tried our famous naan pizza, and the following day, their mom came over to ask for the recipe! Getting to know other people in our building was the cherry on top of a great Holi celebration; and now I’m feeling even more a part of the neighborhood!

My First (and Second) Hindi Movie

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Yes, I find it embarrassing to have been in India so long without being a part of something that is a defining characteristic of the culture – Bollywood. Indians are in love with movies. There are 250 movie theaters in Mumbai alone. 14 million Indians go to the movies daily and Bollywood churns out 800 films a year, more than double the number of feature films produced in the U.S. Bollywood actors are centerpieces of Indian culture; their faces are on billboards around the country, and everyone has their favorite (hello Shahrukh Khan – very unoriginal, but he’s the King of Bollywood!)

I have seen a few Bollywood movies on DVD, and have seen countless Bollywood music videos on TV during our lunch breaks at work. But I had never seen a movie in theaters. Thankfully, a new Indian friend asked me to join him for a movie, and so I was off for another first!

We went to see London, Paris, New York at the Regal Cinema in Colaba, an old theater, one of the only ones around during British times. The seating is still as it was back then, cheaper seats at screen-level, more expensive seats in the balcony, and the most expensive seats in the first 3 rows of the balcony. We purchased tickets (a steal, by the way, can you go to a movie for $4 in the States? Can you even rent a movie for $4 in the States?) and selected our seats on the seating chart provided. We grabbed some sodas and found our seats with the help of an usher with a flashlight. It wasn’t the fanciest movie theater I’ve seen, but it was definitely the most formal.

Before the movie began, I rose with the rest of the audience and they played the Indian national anthem as an animated Indian flag waved on screen, a phenomenon you have to see to believe. I enjoyed the movie, despite the fact that it was almost completely in Hindi. I did recognize some words (very exciting, thank you Hindi class) and they used some English words here and there. My friend explained some of the dialogue, and I was able to understand the simple plot, thanks both to the overacting and to my comprehensive knowledge of how romantic comedies generally unfold.

It was a silly movie, nothing Oscar-worthy, but enjoyable nonetheless. The songs were great; I love that most Bollywood movies have singing and dancing throughout (it’s not just for musicals!) And the best part? Two days later when one of my Sunday School students was singing a song from the movie, I was proud to be able to say I had seen it. Recognizing Hindi songs is definitely a source of pride, proof that I’m not just a visitor. And singing along to Hindi songs? Well that’s just plain fun.

I saw my first Hindi movie in theaters in March, before I hit the six-month mark in my time here. Since then, I’ve seen another! One of the “aunties” from the office wanted to take Hannah and me for dinner a movie (how sweet!) And so we joined her to see Housefull 2, which is one of the most terrible movies I’ve ever seen. I thought the plot was ridiculous, and the acting was over the top. I kept wishing for it to be over, until I realized that we hadn’t yet paused for intermission. Films in India always have intermission, even foreign films. When I saw The Iron Lady, the film stopped right in the middle of a scene – time for a bathroom and snack break!

I have since read a bit about the Bollywood film industry, learning about what they call Masala films. Masala is a common word that they use to refer to a mix of spices. These films combine more than one genre in the same movie, blending elements of comedy, romance, action and drama. Housefull 2 (spoiler alert) has it all: feuding families, Comedy of Errors-esque deceit, slapstick comedy, gangsters and guns, lost on a desert island love scenes, sepia colored flashbacks, Matrix-like fighting, typical Bollywood song and dance scenes, an ornate wedding and more. To people unaccustomed to this idea (me) it seems ridiculous: how could the filmmakers have tried to include so much? But to a local, the masala film is great: more bang for your buck. One of our fellow moviegoers even complimented the movie by saying “it had everything!” And because in India, going to the movies is a family affair, the goal for many moviemakers is appealing to as many people as possible.

Now having been removed from the theater, which at the time felt more like a torture chamber, I realize I’ve learned a little bit about Indian culture through its cinema. Indian movies rely on an enormous suspension of disbelief. Coming from the States, where we are usually much more focused on making our film portrayals realistic, I found myself thinking throughout the movie: “that would never happen, ever,” while the rest of the audience roared with laughter. Watching the audience laugh was, in fact, more entertaining than the movie itself. Bollywood movies depict more of a fantasy world, an escape from what real life looks like, and the audience is generally satisfied with that.

I realize that it’s in our nature to mock what we don’t understand. I’m used to movies that reflect my cultural values and themes that make sense to me. Bollywood movies reflect Indian cultural values and themes. Understanding Bollywood is just another step toward understanding Indian culture (which I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to comprehend fully.) But part of what I love about living in India is that I want to keep trying. As someone who loves film, I know that I can learn to appreciate Bollywood. And next time, I’ll be better prepared.

Blogging About Blogging

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I don’t love when people blog about blogging, because I find it boring. And I don’t want to blog about blogging because I always prefer to “do” rather than “talk about doing,” and if I blog about blogging that would mean I find myself boring (see previous comment.) But here we are, and I’m already blogging about blogging about blogging, so let’s just get to the point.

I love what this blog has become. I am proud that I have chronicled my year thus far, honored (and surprised) that so many people have enjoyed reading it. I have felt myself transform into a writer, documenting my adventures not just for myself, but for others as well, conscious of what I write and how I write it. And I am excited to see where the blog will take me. Thus far, my travels have fueled my writing. But I’m beginning to think that in the near future my desire to write will fuel my travel, and that idea is thrilling.

Recently, Adventures Uncharted has reached some exciting blogging milestones. My blog is now at adventuresuncharted.com, making me feel much more official and inspiring me to think seriously about a long term future of traveling and writing about it (either as a career or a hobby) and to add some new features to my blog (now that I’ve said it, I have to do it!) I have now written over 50 posts! This reminds me that I’ve truly committed to keeping a consistent update of my travels for friends, family, and whoever stumbles upon my adventures on the Internet (fun fact: people from 78 different countries in the last 2 months.)

Finally, I apologize for my blogging hiatus. It has been less than a month, but feels much longer for me – so much has happened! And I can only assume it has felt like an eternity for you, considering I imagine you all sitting at your computers, refreshing my page every few minutes, desperate for new content. I’m behind on sharing my adventures, but I assure you I’m in the process of closing the gap between blog time and real time.

And, while I’m blogging about blogging, I guess now is as good a time as any to thank you for reading! Keep your comments coming, and I promise more frequent posts coming your way soon…

Jaipur: Exploring the Pink City

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Jaipur, our last stop on our tour, was the perfect way to end our trip. Between Bharatpur and Jaipur, after a long day of bird watching, we stopped unexpectedly at a place called Abhaneri, a small remote village surrounded by wheat fields. We sleepily stumbled out of the car, but woke up when we saw the Chand Baori (stepwell) and palace. With minutes until sunset, we quickly walked around the grounds, marveling at the incredible geometric site. The stepwell contains eleven visible levels of zigzag steps leading down to a well, in which the moonlight reflects. Centuries after the well was built, a palace was built into one of the sides. A truly brilliant structure, the palace used the well water to cool the building’s interior, and the steps down to the well doubled as stadium seating when dancers performed at the palace.

Before leaving Abhaneri, we also viewed stone carving remnants of a destroyed Hindu Temple. The caretaker told us the destruction was the work of Genghis Khan, but after further research we found that he and his army didn’t make it down into the subcontinent, so the Temple destroyers remain a mystery to me.  As the first stars appeared in the sky, we hopped back into the car to continue our drive to Jaipur.

When we arrived at the lovely Girisadan Homestay, Captain and Mrs. Singh warmly greeted us with a delicious home-cooked dinner. After our whirlwind of a tour through India, we were glad to be staying in the same place for three days and to slow down the pace. Our room was on the main floor of the homestay, and so we were able to eat in the Singh’s private dining room. The place was warm and homey, a different environment from the fancy hotels and restaurants we had been frequenting. We felt at home there, and it was a perfect place to spend quality family time.

The next morning, we had a nice leisurely breakfast before exploring the Old City of Jaipur. Our first stop was Jantar Mantar, a collection of astronomical instruments built by Maharaja Jai Singh, a mathematician and astronomer himself, in 1728. He built five of these facilities, but the observatory in Jaipur is the best preserved and, in my opinion, quite impressive. The outdoor grounds were full of sophisticated instruments measuring time by the sun and reading the stars. We hired a guide to show us around and explain in greater detail the function of many of the instruments. The sun shone down on us as we watched a clock tell precise time within 2 seconds. These massive stone figures were impressive in their size and precision. The nerds in us could have spent a lot more time there, but decided, after our tour and a few photos, to move on and visit the City Palace

Jaipur’s City Palace is a vast and beautiful complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings. Before entering the palace grounds, we visited a textile museum that had royal clothing from throughout the ages on display, a highlight being the massive clothing belonging to the equally massive (4 feet wide) Maharaja Sawai Madhosingh. We admired the building’s architecture, its many sculptures and archways. We especially enjoyed the courtyard with four gates dedicated to the four seasons (here’s Mom with one, and me with another.) We walked through the outdoor hall of private audience, full of columns and decorated archways. Two enormous silver jugs, the two largest silver pieces in the world, are housed here and were used by a devout Hindu Maharaja to carry holy water from the Ganges River with him to drink while he travelled to England. We were unable to take photographs in the most impressive of rooms, the hall of public audience, with walls painted in the original, naturally colored paint that hasn’t faded, and home to impressive silver thrones and paintings from years ago.

As we wandered around the palace, an expensive car, apparently carrying the princess, entered the private section where the current royal family still resides. Before leaving the complex, we visited the palace textile shop, where we found authentic pashminas, which are a rare find amongst the vendors claiming their imitation pashminas are the real thing. We also visited the painting showroom, where artisans display their work depicting typical Rajasthani themes – palaces, elephants and more.

We exited the palace complex, walking through the streets of the Old City and Johari Bazaar, careful to watch our step amongst the vendors and the traffic. We passed the Hawa Mahal, admiring from the outside the impressive pink sandstone structure where the ladies of the royal house used to stay. As we walked, we admired the various wares, but walked through quickly. My parents were catching up to me in their frustration with the pushy vendors. We did stop briefly to look at some bangles, and were approached by a TV station for an interview. They ushered us into a shoe store and explained that their segment was about footwear. We tried on ridiculous traditional Rajasthani shoes and an attractive hostess proceeded to ask us equally ridiculous questions. Dad absolutely stole the show, wearing pointy, gold Rajasthani shoes. To a question asking why women wear high heels, he answered that they wear them to look taller, and also because he likes to watch them walk from behind. This elicited insane laughter from Mom and me, as well as the entire production crew.

Before leaving the Old City, we visited the famous LMB Hotel, of course named after Mom (her initials are LMB!) and her Chicago-based business (also carrying her initials.) After a much-needed lunch break, we visited a tea and spice shop, enjoying the presentation of the variety of teas while sipping delicious chai masala. We returned quickly to the homestay to change clothes and join Captain and Mrs. Singh for the ballet. Mom borrowed a rose-colored saree, looking beautiful, and feeling regal in the local garb. The ballet, called Rangeeniyan, was part of a three-day dance festival. The dancing was lovely and more interpretive than the widely offered tourist dance shows. We returned to the homestay for a late dinner with Captain Singh before calling it a night.

Our plan for the next day was to visit sights just outside of the city of Jaipur. After a leisurely breakfast, we left for Amber Fort, stopping on the way at a Hindu Temple. We climbed the steps through a gate flanked by elephants. We circled the temple, admiring the carvings of gods and goddesses in the façade. We walked inside, standing back to watch as a group finished praying, and Mom received her first good luck bindi, some orange tikka between the eyes.

We continued to Amber Fort, driving to the car gate, but pausing at the elephant gate to watch as tourists rode in on the massive decorated animals. Elephants are my favorite animals, and as exciting as the idea of riding one sounds, I have a lot of questions regarding the treatment of these beautiful creatures, and am uncomfortable with the idea of elephant tourism.

Amber (pronounced Amer) was briefly the ancient capital of the state of Jaipur, and its Fort is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Jaipur. The Fort, impressive in size from the outside, is even more impressive in the detailed design inside. We walked through the ornate front gate and around the entire grounds, getting lost in its weaving corridors and peering through latticed windows of the women’s quarter on courtyards below. We visited different halls decorated with intricate carvings and inlaid mirror and glass, featuring impressive archways and domes, typical of Rajput architecture in the region. The views from the Fort provide different angles of the Fort walls and the city below.

We then visited Jaigarh Fort, located above Amber Fort, which was built in 1726 to protect the palace complex within the Amber Fort. The two Forts are similarly constructed and are connected by long underground passageways, which are being excavated but are currently closed. Before exploring the Fort, we visited the armory museum with old pieces of weaponry, including rifles and cannons and the logs of when and where those weapons were used, each piece with its own unique history. We then visited the Jaivana Cannon, the world’s largest cannon at the time of its manufacture in 1720, an extreme source of pride for the locals. The guard was insistent on explaining the significance of the cannon with what were without a doubt the only English words he knew. The cannon, made of 8 different types of metals, was never used in battle, and was fired only once as a test.

Before leaving, we explored the Fort’s interior, including museum-type displays of what the kitchen and dining areas might have looked like in the Fort’s heyday. I especially enjoyed watching as the pieces of a spectacular, elegant wedding were coming together throughout the Fort’s various courtyards. It was quite the royal venue for a wedding!

On our way back to Jaipur from the palace, we saw the Lake Palace, another palace isolated in the middle of the lake, seemingly emerging straight from the water, much like the one in Udaipur. We ate Indian food for lunch while we were serenaded by a man playing international tunes on a typical Rajasthani string instrument. Our last stop for the day was Galta Temple, nicknamed Monkey Temple because of the massive amounts of monkeys living there.

We arrived at the temple in the late afternoon, passing cows as we entered the gate. On the welcome sign, Dad saw a species of bird we didn’t see in Bharatpur (and you didn’t think that was possible…) He saw a pair of Hoopoes and yelled “on the sign!” Mom and I were looking far away in the trees for a sign, but these birds were sitting not even three feet away – an amazing sight!

We climbed the stairs to the Temple honoring the diety Hanuman, and entered to see images of him, as well as receive a protective string around our wrists. We joined the other tourists looking for monkeys, but were disappointed with the small numbers; it is nicknamed the Monkey Temple, after all! We were lucky enough to be there when the locals flooded into the temple to pray. They washed in the water by the temple, and entered for their daily prayers. The colors of their clothing blended together as the group walked in unison with purpose. Witnessing the local interaction with the Temple was the best part of our visit.

In the woods on the way out of the temple, we saw a handful of peacocks and more monkeys than there were at the famed Monkey Temple! We ended our day with a drink at the Rambagh Palace, a palace-turned-hotel and part of the Taj Hotels group. We walked around the courtyards and gardens, in awe of the property that makes anyone visiting feel like royalty! We saw more peacocks in the garden, as well as decorated horses, camels and elephants. We settled on the Polo Club for drinks, enjoying the nuts and appetizers they brought us. We sat close together, huddled around the camera, going through the images of our trip, laughing and remembering the last few days together.

We returned to the homestay for a leisurely evening. In the hotel next to our homestay, there was a family celebrating a wedding, so we peeked outside to see the festivities! We were told this was just a smaller area for nightly celebrating leading up to the wedding, and that the wedding would be at a different venue. It was fun that my parents were still able to see the outfits and dancing in their short time in India.

The next day we ate a relaxed breakfast on the veranda, stopped at a textile shop and made the long drive back to Delhi, where we had to say goodbye. It was a whirlwind that felt much longer than the ten days we had. At the end of the trip, it felt as if we really did it all. My parents visited Mumbai, Delhi, Agra, Bharatpur and Jaipur. We drove through four states, visited countless sights and spent the most wonderful quality time together. This trip was not only a highlight of my year in India, but one of the most wonderful trips I have ever taken in my life. I was lucky to show my parents the life I’m living in Mumbai, and take them around the country I’m learning to call home. I was ecstatic to have them there, and memories of this trip will be memories forever.

Bharatpur: A Fabulous Day of Bird Watching

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We arrived at the Birder’s Inn in Bharatpur skeptical of the accommodation. It was our first off-the-beaten-path location, and our first hotel chosen by me, rather than a travel agent. We were pleasantly surprised by the large, clean room and the courtyard garden. It was a good choice for us – my parents were happy to get a taste of the way I travel, and I was glad that I didn’t royally mess up our evening.

However, we were met with some of my usual challenges. The hot water wasn’t working when Mom wanted to shower but, while she struggled through a cold shower, we did get the hot water flowing for later in the evening. The power went out three times, once right after we arrived and were relaxing in the room. We immediately burst into laughter, a good sign that we were having fun and couldn’t be bothered by a little darkness. It went out again later in the middle of dinner, and once in the middle of the night. We woke up no worse for the wear, and well rested for our day of bird watching.

We made our way to the front gate of Keoladeo National Park where we hired two bicycle rickshaw drivers as our guides for the day. Not only did we get to venture deeper into the park because of our three-wheeled rides, but we also had the added benefit of our drivers’ expertise. After working in the park for 20 years, these guides have seen it all, and have developed superhuman eyesight, spotting birds from a distance that we would never have noticed, even if we had been staring right at them.

The park and bird sanctuary is home to thousands of birds, including local and migratory species and is one of the richest bird areas of the world. Years ago it served as a hunting ground for the maharajas of Bharatpur, and we saw for ourselves the plaque listing the hunting date along with the hunters’ names and number of ducks shot. For the last 30 years, the bird sanctuary has been protected as a national park, and hundreds of bird species have flourished there.

A great shot of a vibrant Kingfishser

We saw kingfishers, parakeets and drongos, woodpeckers, eagles and herons, bulbuls, flycatchers and shrikes. And the list goes on and on. We spent seven hours with our fabulous guides, and spotted over 70 species of birds. Not to mention, we also saw wild boar, antelope, spotted deer, sambar deer, cows (of course), turtles and monkeys! We stopped for a while to watch dozens of families of Painted Storks in the treetops during feeding time. We even spotted the only pair of Black Necked Storks in the entire park – just one of the many sightings that would have been impossible without our spectacular guides.

When lunchtime rolled around, we stopped near a Hindu temple within the park, where our meal had been delivered from our hotel by bicycle rickshaw. We relaxed in the shade, surprised that we ended up enjoying the boxed meal. As we continued our bird watching marathon, we were constantly impressed by the sharp eyes and precise knowledge our guides possessed. And, we think, they enjoyed having us as their customers as much as we enjoyed having them as our guides! They especially loved joining Dad to check the different bird species in his new ‘Birds of India’ book, and they jumped at the chance to gaze through his binoculars, a luxury and treat for them.

Bird watching is one of my dad’s favorite hobbies, and I was thrilled to be able to find an opportunity to visit a national park that would not only allow us to spend a day enjoying our natural environment, but also to take part in an activity he loves. While my mom and I enjoyed the bird watching immensely, we were equally, if not more, delighted to watch my dad as he so enthusiastically spotted new species, marking them down and expressing his excitement. When I later heard my dad describe this day as the best day of bird watching of his life, my heart nearly burst out of my chest. There is no feeling more wonderful than making the people you love happy. Our day in Bharatpur was a perfect day by any definition of the word. We enjoyed a day in the fresh air away from the city bustle and we experienced an incredible day of bird watching that some can only dream about.

Agra: The Magnificent Taj Mahal and More

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People say the best time to see the Taj Mahal is at sunrise. After seeing it for myself I will tell you, they are right, despite the pain of waking up before dawn. My parents and I sleepily drove to the Taj Mahal outer gate, where we walked the remaining ½ mile to the main entrance. Over the years, pollution has taken its toll on the pristine white color of the Taj Mahal, and in 2002 the discoloration was addressed by applying an ancient recipe – a blend of soil, cereal, milk and lime – used by Indian women to beautify their skin. As a method of prevention, polluting vehicles are not allowed near the Taj Mahal complex, and visitors are left to walk or hire a bicycle rickshaw to reach the entrance. We waited in line to be among the first people to get tickets for the day, and soon after sunrise, we were walking through the grand entryway toward the Taj Mahal.It was a magical feeling to stand in front of what is widely considered the most spectacular building on earth, to be face to face with history, to recognize you are experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The building is breathtaking, something you must see in person to realize its immense size and precise detail. We walked all around the beautiful ornamental gardens, awestruck by the view from each and every angle.

The Taj Mahal itself is perfectly symmetrical, with four identical faces. Four minarets, made of the same translucent white marble, decorate the corners of the platform on which the Taj Mahal sits. To the west stands a red sandstone mosque, an important religious site for local Muslims. An identical building called the jawab sits to the east, constructed purely for aesthetic reasons, to maintain the building’s symmetry. The Taj Mahal is constructed entirely out of white marble and is defined by its central dome and impressive archways. The marble that forms the Taj Mahal is meticulously carved with beautiful designs, inlaid with thousands of semi-precious stones and covered in verses of the Quran written in calligraphy.

We made our way to the raised platform on which the Taj Mahal sits to examine the building more closely. To really understand its immense size, we stood in the archways that surround the structure. Up close, it is impossible to deny the master craftsmanship and extreme attention to detail in its construction, which took 20 years and employed nearly 20,000 workers. We gazed out onto the Yamuna River, lining the back border of the Taj property, we ran our fingers over the inlay work, and we shielded our eyes from the sun to see the peaks of the minarets. We ventured inside the building to see the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, for whom the Taj was built, and the spectacular pietra dura and marble inlay work surrounding her tomb. Her husband, Shah Jahan, has been laid to rest next to her, and his tomb is the only piece that offsets the symmetry of the immaculate building. Both of these tombs are, however, false. The real tombs are locked in a basement room below the main chamber, closed to visitors.

Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a memorial for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Stricken with grief after her death, Jahan began the meticulous construction immediately. Not long after the Taj Mahal was finished, Shah Jahan was overthrown and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb, forced to live the remaining 8 years of his life in a room in Agra Fort (our next stop), gazing at his masterpiece from afar.

After spending hours gazing at the spectacular structure in the different shades of morning light and taking tons of photos (one or two of my favorites, full album here), we hesitantly walked out the gate, wishing we had more time to spend. We caught bicycle rickshaws to the front gate and made our way back to the hotel for a late breakfast. Before checking out and moving on, Mom and I made our way to the rooftop to see the view of the Taj Mahal from there. We enjoyed a few quiet and relaxing moments together on a porch swing admiring the monument from a distance.

Before visiting the Agra Fort, we stopped at a marble showroom, where we saw an endless variety of marble pieces inlaid with semi-precious stones. We watched as the craftsmen exhibited the detailed inlay process and learned that these craftsmen are descendents of those that crafted the Taj Mahal itself. The skill and secrets of the trade have been passed down from generation to generation. Not surprisingly, we spent much too much time in the showroom, entranced by the beauty of the various wares.

Our next stop was the Agra Fort, a red sandstone fort on the banks of the Yamuna River. According to the informational sign outside the fort, Agra Fort is the most important fort of India. The great Mughals Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb lived there while Agra served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1526-1658. Although overshadowed by the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort remains a spectacular piece of Mughal history.

We walked around the fort, through the maze of buildings, on our own, remarking on the detailed carving, intricate inlay work and beautiful archways. We gazed across the river at yet another spectacular view of the Taj Mahal. We visited the Hall of Public Audience, the gardens, Jahangir Palace, and Muasamman Burj (where Shah Jahan was imprisoned for the last years of his life.) As the heat of the day was setting in, we wandered through the massive fort complex taking in the history around us.

On our way out of Agra, we were stuck in traffic as we allowed a parade for the Maha Shivaratri festival to pass. I have grown used to these parades for every possible local holiday creating problems with traffic, or at the very least waking me up early in the morning! But here was another cultural phenomenon foreign to my parents, which reminded me of its foreign-ness as well. We marveled at the parade floats and snapped pictures outside the windows, waving to the children in traditional dress.

We arrived in Fatehpur Sikri exhausted, and I wish we had more energy to appreciate the beautiful palace complex. Unfortunately, we were a little architecture-d out, but we still took time to wander around the courtyard and palace buildings. Fatehpur Sikri is an ancient city and the short-lived capital of the Mughal Empire between 1571-1585 during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Akbar commissioned the construction of a walled city full of royal palaces, courts, a harem, a mosque and other buildings. However, it was abandoned after it was completed due to a water shortage, and the empire again assumed Agra as its capital.

We made our way through the walled city, spotting a kingfisher on the edge of a pool of water, enjoying the incredible gardens, where the gardener offered to sell us flower seeds, and taking in the beauty of the red sandstone buildings surrounding us. The buildings, including multiple palaces, halls of private and public audiences, a treasury, stables, and more, displayed a mix of architectural styles. When we had our fill of beautiful buildings for the day, we trudged to the car, glad that the next stop was our hotel for the night.

Next, we were off to the small town of Bharatpur, home to Keoladeo National Park and bird sanctuary, for a little break from the city bustle.