Pictures from Delhi

Today's post is the first and only one that I will dedicate to Delhi. This is because the more time I spend here and the more I learn about this city, the more I hate it. Case in point: I was recently introduced to the fast paced world of Indian commerce. I was watching five or six little boys, who couldn't have been older than 9 or 10, mess around in the middle of a four lane road. If you remember from an earlier post, I mentioned that Indian drivers

are terrifying when you're in a car, let alone when you're a small child standing between those drivers and wherever it is they want to be. I asked why these boys were playing in the middle of a busy street, as I cringed again watching one of them nearly get taken out by a cab as he attempted to jump on the back of a bus. The answer? They're trying to jump on the backs of buses to get home from school. Because children get to ride buses for free, the bus drivers won't stop to pick them up. The government won't buy them school buses because it doesn't have the money. Now how, one must ask oneself (if one is even slightly less stupid than India's elected officials) does a government that is quickly becoming a very real world power, had one of only three economies in the world that was projected to improve this year and is currently spending gobs of money on a very expensive nuclear program, how does that government find itself so short of funds that it can't provide its children with school buses which will prevent them from becoming road kill? Oh, well, after the nuclear program, mismanagement of funds and what you lose to corruption there just isn't a lot left. And there would be a lot more if 99% of the businesses in Delhi bothered to pay their taxes. As it is now, if Mr. Patil wants to have a fruit cart business all he really needs is a cart and some produce. India is an entirely cash economy (my grandmother is currently paying to have a pool put in her house in cash) so there is no paper trail. Mr. Patil will make pretty good money with his fruit cart. My grandmother spends about $10 on the fruit she buys from him every week and she said there are probably about 1000 other customers who will do the same thing. He won't pay taxes on any of that. And if the police come around and give Mr. Patil trouble, say for something like not having a licence or not paying taxes, he gives them some fruit and they go away. And there are lots of small businesses like Mr. Patil's.

Then you go to the governmental part of the city and the lawmakers and officials live and work in these big, beautiful marble buildings while streets away kids are starving and being run over by stingy bus drivers and the cops can be paid off with fruit. It makes you very sick, actually. India is an amazing country with a culture that is really beautiful and, based on those I've met, people that are amazing. But Delhi is just an ugly, hot, messy contradiction. Although, to be fair if I were less subjective I'm sure I could say the same thing about D.C. But, though we're far from perfect in the U.S. I am fairly sure that D.C. has school buses. I'm just saying...

However, because it is the capitol of the country and because I am unfortunately staying here I will dedicate today's post to Delhi. There are some nice parts. So, here are the pictures I've got of the cool parts of Delhi. I'm pretty sure I got all of them, though, so check them out and then save yourself the trouble of coming here. If you come to India go to the mountains and enjoy the views or the south and enjoy the food or Orissa and enjoy the dancing. Don't come to Delhi.

Lotus Temple, a Bonai temple in downtown Delhi that was built from white marble in the shape of a lotus flower.

This mausoleum was the precursor to the Taj Mahal and was the first building to support that type of dome. More than 100 people are buried in it.

This is the Red Fort. At one time it was the imperial city of the Moghuls who ruled India. Its much bigger, this is just the entrance. Today, it is mostly a tourist attraction, but on August 15, India's independence day, the Prime Minister will give a speech here.

This is the bazaar inside the Red Fort. It was India's first covered market. When the Moghuls lived here the royal ladies weren't allowed out of the Red Fort at all, so the market was moved inside the walls of the imperial city for them.

Actually, this one's just for your amusement. This is a sari, and it took 3 women and 17 safety pins to get me in to it. I don't want to talk about what it took to get me out.

This is where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. The footsteps along the pathway are a memorial to the last steps he took in his lifetime. (Yes, its a little creepy) The smaller lighter structure is where he was shot. He went there every night to pray before going to bed. He was killed in 1948. You can't see it in this picture, but there is now a museum there that is dedicated to his teachings: nonviolence, truth and unity among all religions.

This is a beautiful Hindu temple in Delhi. Inside it's even prettier, it's like its own small city. But, because it is a place of worship, they don't allow you to bring cameras inside.

The Caste System

In India, you are defined from the day you are born until the day you die by the caste system. The most uncomplicated way to explain the caste system is that Indian castes are somewhat like American socio-economic classes were a hundred and fifty years ago.

The castes are top down, meaning that some people are considered intrinsically "better" than others. These people also tend to be richer. The top caste is the Brahmin caste, followed by the warrior caste, then the merchants, then the agriculturists and then the untouchables at the bottom. Up until recently the caste system sort of ensured that society functioned properly. The Brahmins are something like Hindu priests so they would perform religious duties for the people in return for the services that each of the other castes performed- the warriors offered protection to the villages, the untouchables were stuck with basic service jobs. But economically it ensured that everyone ate, lived in security and pleased the gods (I guess? This is all really weird to me too).


Today, the caste system is as strong as ever, especially in rural areas. When I was in the mountains, I hiked to a few of the more remote villages with Mumtha (who is educated and thinks the caste system is ridiculous) and two people who work for her organization. One was a woman in a higher caste (Lela) and the other was an untouchable (Moorie). Lela wouldn't speak to Moorie and he always walked about 15 feet behind us. People of lower castes aren't allowed into the houses of people of higher castes (something I saw firsthand) and people of higher castes won't eat with or touch untouchables.

Obviously, with all those pesky human and civil rights movements in the last 50 or so years, a system like that makes India look pretty bad in the international community. The Indians know that and they have officially abolished the caste system. There are reserved seats for untouchables in parliament and to treat anyone of an inferior caste unfairly is illegal. Moorie could take Lela and others in his village to court for treating him differently, but I think its pretty safe to say that lawyer's fees are beyond his means and he wouldn't risk the social retribution that legal action would cause for his family.

To an outsider, of course, the whole system is just retarded. To me it seems like, without having major physical or religious differences to use as an excuse to mistreat each other like they do in other parts of the world, Indians have just invented their own differences. But, its their country and culture, not mine so I kept my opinions to myself. Then at dinner a couple nights ago the topic came up. It sounded like an American discussion on civil rights in the 1960s or on immigration issues today. Indians know that changing their system would mean social and, in more rural places, economic upheaval. Even so, its something they're working on. Like all human rights movements it will take time and a lot of work. But I think what both Americans and Indians are learning is that there can't be second class citizens (and there definitely can't be 5th class citizens or non-citizens). To make a country successful and to make progress possible, equality is right up there with democracy on the list of important ingredients.

Oh and on a completely side note, here is a great cartoon of Hilary trying to make Lord Shiva and a Chinese dragon get along. Shiva is known as the destroyer (he accidentally killed his own son) and I could be wrong, but I don't think dragons are known for their friendliness. Good luck, Mrs. Clinton.


Things I have learned about India: All Indian movies have singing and dancing in them. And most of them also have pretty bad acting and not much of a plot.

Things I have yet to learn about India: Why they don't do something about the cow problem. Cows are sacred, so no body kills them. Once a cow stops producing milk, if the family can't afford to feed it they sort of just set it free and it wanders around on the street. Traffic jams are frequently caused by cows who have decided to take naps in the middle of three lane streets.

Delhi

Hmmm. I don't know why I took this picture. Maybe the architechture of the building in the background? Its the first time in 3 years that I've had a camera. Sorry if I go a little crazy and start clicking brick walls.

Qutb Minaur

This is the tower at Qutb Minaur. It was either built by the Hindus, the Muslims, or the native Indians who even predate the Hindus. And it was either meant as a tribute to Allah or an astronomy tower. Our guide had his opinions on the subject, but it appears the Indians don't keep the best records.

I'm up here!

Yesterday, after finishing a hike I was cat called. In Hindi. By a ten year old. Mumtha, after yelling at the little pain in the ass, apologized and explained what he had said. She was as shocked to find out that the same thing happens in the U.S. as I was to see it happen among children in a village so remote it took me 15 hours by plane, 15 hours by car and another 2 on foot to reach it. It got me thinking. Why is it that women are always judged first - apparently everywhere in the whole freaking world- by what they're wearing?

Why is it that we discussed Hilary's pantsuits and the money Palin spent on her wardrobe during the last election but never once debated the color of one of Obama's ties or McCain's taste in jackets? Why do we continue to argue about whether Muslim women should or should not wear veils (or as Obama, being the true revolutionary that he is, recently suggested, whether they should have the freedom to decide for themselves) when women in many countries, both in Middle East and elsewhere are being denied education? Why can't I walk down the street of a crowded city without people sizing me up when a man wearing the same thing (a pair of loose jeans and a t-shirt) wouldn't have been given a second glance.

When I first got here I thought clothes mattered a lot. I wanted to be respectful of culture as much as I wanted to blend in. So for the first few days I tried wearing Indian clothes. But apparently I don't pull off a sari very well because I got disgusted glares from both men and women in Indian clothes too. Finally, I had an epiphany. I am more than what I'm wearing. If people have issues with me wearing clothes I'm comfortable in, that is their problem not mine. And this isn't a gendered issue. The blame falls on us too, girls. We need to stop judging each other by our clothes. If we're going to discuss women's issues they need to not be focused on what women are wearing, but the kind of lives they're living. And most of all, we need to make ourselves comfortable before we worry about what everyone else will be thinking of us. If people want to get to know us they'll get over what we're wearing and come talk to us. If not it's their loss.

And to the creeps out there that insist on making comments- particularly at this moment the ones cluttering up the streets of Manali: close your mouths.

Coconut juice!

The slums in Delhi

Colorado mountains are much dryer than Indian mountains

I learned a very important lesson today: uncoordinated people shouldn't attempt to climb slippery rock cliffs in the pouring rain.

Somewhere in the Himalayan Mountains

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a couple days, I've been in Kullu, India in the Himilayas. The internet connection is even shottier than in Delhi. I'm also sorry that today's post isn't going to be very educational or investigative because in these mountains you just care less about things like development and politics and economics and much more about things like hiking and river rafting and fresh air and pretty handmade fabrics.

These mountains are unbelievably beautiful. The Rockies are definitely better, but these are pretty good too. They're greener than ours and they are so big! I know that sounds stupid, because they're the Himalayas and, well, duh, but seriously- so big. I'm getting frustrated because the pictures I'm taking aren't doing them any justice. I was able to get two pictures posted on here and since then haven't had any more luck, so I might just start posting them on facebook. If you're interested look there. Mom and Dad, I'll email them.

I'm technically here in Kullu to be working with a NGO that focuses on empowering the women of these rural mountain villages. Mumtha (I think that is how you would spell it) is an old friend of my grandmothers... well she looks like shes about 27 so she's not that old of a friend, but anyway she established and pretty much runs the organization here. Shes one of the coolest people I've ever met and the only Indian I've met so far that is any fun.

Mumtha and her organization work with over 1000 women in 108 villages. That may not sound that impressive, but yesterday it took me three hours to hike to just one of those villages. The furthest one is a four hour hike. Her organization teaches the women to use their environment (these villages are entirely dependent on the mountain) in a sustainable way. She has also established a program that helps the women create and sell products like soap, scrubs, oils, teas etc. from the herps and plants they grow so that they can become more financially independent.

By our standards the people in the villages are very poor. But actually, they're only poor economically. They have cold clean water readily available, they wake up every morning to views that most of us would pay a lot of money to have for a few days, they have enough food, access to education, and they unlike most people in the world, live without fear. There is almost no crime, no violence, basically no danger except for sickness. Their family and friends are always close by in the same little village. Their lives are hard, but they don't really know that because they just live the way they have always lived. They're so happy. Its kind of hard not to be a little jealous.

I'm definitely a spectacle here... especially when I wear my hiking shorts (which are down to my knees). Apparently women don't show anything above the ankle in India... nobody told me. Yesterday the kids in the villages were laughing and Mumtha said that they couldn't believe they were seeing a foreigner in their village and that they were having a good look at my funny clothes.

Anyway, so I'm technically here as an intern for Mumtha's organization (I would tell you the name but I can't even pronounce it so I won't bother), but I'm being a total slacker. Pretty much all I've done so far is hiking, river rafting, eating, shopping, taking pictures, exploring Buddhist and Hindu temples... somehow I don't really feel that bad though.

We leave for another mountain town, Manaly, tomorrow, so I may or may not be able to post again for a couple days. I love and miss you all!

Caddie

Things I have learned about India:
Delhi has been invaded 17 times in recorded history. Three times by Hindu's, 12 times by Muslims and twice by the British. No invader has ever been able to hold the city for more than 50 years.

Things I have yet to learn about India:
Anything coherent about the Hindu religion... I can tell that cows are sacred, they definitely believe in reincarnation and there are tons of gods, but beyond that it really doesn't make much sense to me. Every time we pass a statue or a shrine I'll say, "Oh, is that Shiva, the one that rides on the tiger," or something and she'll look at me like I'm stupid and say "No, that's Vestla." or something equally enlightening.

More pictures!

My grandma's house where I'm staying in Delhi

Pictures!

These are the weird little yellow and green taxis I was talking about.

India in Transition

One of the coolest things about visiting India right now (aside from the refreshingly temperate climate) is getting to see a country in the process of transitioning from the third world to the first world possibly faster than any country has ever done before. In Delhi the chaos of this transition is probably more obvious than anywhere else. A new public transit train line is being put in (which the locals are almost ridiculously excited about), roads are being built and a new western mall (which they are also very excited about) has just opened up. But at the same time the poverty of the huge lower class is still terrible (they are without the most basic human rights: education, food, shelter, medical care- more about this soon when I have learned more about it. I'm meeting with some NGOs tomorrow).

Anyway, the people that are not confined to debilitating poverty are kind of scrambling around trying to figure out how to reconcile the values and traditions of their ancient culture with their new modern lifestyles. For example, in some ways they are actually way ahead of us in the U.S. A new law was just passed providing same sex couples with the right to marry legally in the eyes of the government. And everyone is pretty much fine with that. There isn't really any controversy over it at all. My guess is that parents would be more pissed off to find out that their son or daughter had decided to have a "love marriage" (a term which sounds so scandalous when they say it) as opposed to an arranged marriage than that he or she would be marrying some one of the same gender. And if that person belonged to a different caste (social class) or (God forbid) was Pakistani the gender wouldn't matter at all. They would be too mad to even hear that part of the news. Its all culturally relative I guess.

In the meantime, while adjusting to thier progressing political, economic and social conditions, Indians also have to fight not to slide backward into the kind of mess that so many African nations are in. They are very proud of new laws in place that require total government transparency, which really important to preventing a corrupt regime from taking power and destroying the progress that has been made. And again, based on whats being uncovered about the last administration, they're way ahead of us.

But my favorite part about all this are the newspapers. As at least Adrienne, Ariana and Don will appreciate, the Indian journalists are fearless. Where U.S. news sources shy away from anything that might be controversial to their readers, stir up trouble from the government or corporations or just cost a lot of money to do the necessary investigations (I'm really just going to hope for my own sake that Ania isn't reading this and please note, that I completely exclude Law Week and State Bill Colorado from these accusations) Indian reporters don't seem to be afraid of any person or organization, don't really give a shit if a story might upset readers, and from what I can tell, are very into investigative journalism. I read an article today that openly debated with itself whether India should present itself as a poor country in need of assistance and breaks at the G8 Summit or if it should try to impress the more powerful countries by showing off its growing strength, development and independence. I think everyone in the house is laughing at me because I literally read the papers with my mouth hanging open. As if I wasn't already dealing with a reputation as the little American freak who can't handle spicy food.

Miss you all!

Caddie

Things I have learned about India:
Uh, see above.

Things I have yet to learn about India:
Why yogurt that sort of looks like very bad milk has to be part of every meal. I know that I'm no world class chef or anything, but since when does yogurt go with chicken anyway?

This Just In:

Okay, I lied about the wildlife. A little lizard just fell off my celing and landed right next to my bed. Its okay, my aunt says, only his tail is poisonous. I wonder how many of his friends actually fell into my bed. . . No sleep for Caddie tonight!

P.S. Sorry about the pictures... its actually a lot harder than it looks. I'm working on it, so check back.

P.P. S. I'm tall in this country! So ha!

India: Days 1 and 2

Hi!

I'm here- across the world! It shouldn't have taken me this long to write, but, being the computer genius that I am I managed to block my own blog and then had to spend the last two days figuring out how to get it unblocked. Yes, I am also shocked that my parents allowed me to travel across the world by myself, brilliant as I am.

But- on to more important things. Two days' isn't really enough experience to give a very accurate account of a country of a billion people, but I'll do what I can.

Delhi is both the New York City and the Washington D.C. of India. In our small neighborhood alone there are over 100,000 people. I can't even imagine how that is possible, but I believe it because looking around, there are people everywhere. Every street is packed with people, bikes, small cars and these strange little green and yellow motorized carts which I'm told are taxis (see picture below). The roads are paved and there are lots of tall square houses. But even so the city is a jungle. I know that the next house is less than a hundred feet from our back window, but I can't see it through the trees. And apparently keeping tabs on millions of people is enough work for the government, because the animals pretty much do as they please. Yesterday we almost hit a cow in the street that hadn't bothered to use a crosswalk. There are also stray dogs everywhere. Unfortunately, other than some goats, birds and frighteningly large bugs that's all the animal life I've seen. I think deep down I really thought I would wake up to elephants staring in my window. But, when I complained about it my grandmother told me I could ride an elephant if I wanted. I think she's bluffing.

The streets are very scary, even scarier than in Europe. In Europe its like they don't have traffic laws. Here its like they don't have traffic laws and all the drivers are drunk. And maybe blind too. On the little Vespas or whatever they are the women wear all their skirts and sit side saddle behind the men and don't bother holding on. Every time one of the maniacs takes off after a light I watch expecting to see the woman behind him flying off the back of the bike. But it never happens. They do get in accidents though. Monica, our little neighbor girl who is twelve and is the only person I've ever seen smile in this whole country, told me today that her one of the bikes hit her mother last year and crushed her leg. She still can't walk, but she will be able to someday.

Other than Hindi the only language I hear is this kind of Indian accented British-English that sounds like it stopped evolving when the British colonizers left in the 30s. Lots of words like "cinema" and "fellow" and "Caddie, shall we take our tea now?" These people drink so much tea. But they all speak both languages. Even the dogs. Everyone except me. I'm working on it.

That's it for now. Pictures will be in the next post, and maybe a video soon if I can get this stupid thing to work. Miss you all.

Caddie

Things I have learned about India
50 Rupies = $1
Native language: Hindi, also English, lots of tribal languages
Average temperature in the summer: 45 Degrees Celsius, about 120 degrees Fahrenheit
Religions: Muslim, Catholic, Seek, Punjab, Hindu... probably lots more
Hindu Holy Trinity: Brahma (Main God) Shiva (Very scary God) Vishnu (Takes many forms, very confusing God).

Things I have yet to learn about India
How a culture that requires so many layers of clothes could have developed in a country that is so unbelievably hot or why they insist on inflicting this tradition on poor outsiders who are not used to the heat and already felt like they were dying before you piled all these clothes on them.

Pre-rambling rambling

This would be my first, unofficial blog post. I'm cheating right now, since this is supposed to be a travel blog and I'm actually sitting on my bed at home in Denver. This post is primarily to 1. make sure the site is working and 2. let you know that you found the right page.

For background, this blog was born out of an overwhelming number of requests for postcards from my travels to India and Jordan over the next few months. If I had actually sent postcards to everyone who asked for one I would be completely broke and would probably develop tendinitis. So, instead, I set up this site where you can all come and check in on me during my travels. It's better than a postcard. I'll post pictures, stories and occasionally links and polls here, every couple of days.

For those of you that are new to blogging, this site allows you to read and follow my blog from any computer. If you want to become a "Follower" there is a link at the right side of this page where you click to sign up. Being a follower just means that you can comment on my blog posts directly on this page. Everyone else will be able to read your posts on the page. If you don't become a follower you can still read my blogs whenever you want to by going to http://www.caddietravelblog2009.blogspot.com/ It will be just like any other website.

I leave town on July 8th. I'll write again when I get to India. I love you all and miss you already!

Caddie