On the flipside

Unlike Columbus, Helen and I actually made it to India. We couldn't help feeling a bit funny as we stepped off the plane and into the sweet jasmine scented air wafting across the tarmac at Jaipur international. Maybe its was just the delirium caused by 24 sleepless hours of travel bouncing from Budapest to Dubai to Jaipur; or maybe it was realizing the historical irony of our situation, that it was because of Columbus' fortunate failure 500+ years ago that we could be here at all, as Americans in India; or maybe it was because we knew that we had crossed a boundary of sorts and that we were now +13 hours ahead of home which, given the inevitability of our round planet, puts us on the return side of our 'half-way-around' mark.

Regardless, arriving in India at 4am after a full day of traveling and after five months in Europe caused a bit of a shock for us. Not the "oh my god" sort of shock but more of a sitting-quietly-while-staring-out-the-windows sort of shock as our taxi raced us through the strange streets of Jaipur. Dawn was breaking and the cows were up..so were the beggars, the cripples, and the homeless families. The hedgerows of garbage, squashed piles of cow dung and open sewers were starting to reek and the gritty fumes of exhaust from dilapidated rickshaws and smoke from numerous roadside cooking fires were already clouding the early morning air.

the frenetic crush of Indian traffic

We checked in to our hotel and slept for almost two straight days. That is to say, we only managed a couple of short ventures into the city for first couple of days..exhausted and dazed we'd quickly returning to the sanctity of the hotel and our English language movie channels. By day three though we had mustered the strength to circle the bazaars and Palaces of the old city.

Palace Guard in Jaipur Palace

Children at play outside the Palace walls in Jaipur old city

Jaipur street vendor in old city bazaar

By day four we managed to hire a rickshaw and tour several of the old Mughal forts capping the hillsides surrounding Jaipur.

parked line of Rickshaws in Jaipur old city

view of greater Jaipur from Tiger fort

And by day five we had relaxed a bit and spent our time visiting some local temples and hand feeding monkeys.

Hand feeding monkeys at Monkey temple outside Jaipur

By day six we had had enough of Jaipur and headed west towards the pilgrim city of Pushkar. Jaipur is a city of 5 million, Pushkar by contrast is a city of only 15 thousand and so is much more manageable by foot. Being a holy hindu site though means no meat, no egg, no alcohol and no public displays of affection. In the Brahma Temple in Pushkar we gave offerings of peace and hapiness to the world in celebration of Gandhi's birthday (Oct2). We wandered the streets bazaars practicing our jedi hand waves and took long walks around the lake stopping to watch the ritual bathers on the ghats and the sunset.

Brahma temple in Pushkar

Street scene in Pushkar

Pushkar Ghats

We've been in India for just over a week now and so far we have nothing but mixed feelings..India can be an incredibly colorful and beautiful place with an equally fascinating history and culture. But it is also a very filthy place as well, with ridiculous levels of poverty. Something about India is very exotic and enticing and yet it is a very tiring place as well. I've tried to capture some various scenes and sentences that I think frame the varied wonder that is India.

We were in Rajastan, one of the poorer states in India.
In Rajastan, women traditionally do not work..some hold jobs of drudgery however as sweepers, street vendors, etc.

lady sweeping at Amber fort

Child labor laws do not apply in India..India in fact is one of the worlds largest offenders of child labor.
On the streets the kids beg in seemingly organized gangs..they ask for food or rupees.. succumbing to one will simply cause the others to rush over and flock around with one hand out and one hand on their bellies demonstrating how hungry they are.
I was accosted by a gaggle of school children wanting me to take their photo in exchange for rupees..they almost pulled me down at one point.

six year old street vendor selling water colors made from crushed rock and vegetables

Colorful ladies in Pushkar during Gandhi day fair selling various fruits and veggies

Cows in India are sacred..Brahma the chief diety takes the form of a cow..and the Brahman Bull was Vishnu's preferred mount.
Seemingly oblivious to most around them the cows lumber slowly through the streets in their endless, unfettered search for food..eating everything in their path..dropped food, vomit, paper and plastic refuse..the nest in droves in the street corner garbage heaps.
Not all cows are benign though..I've been rammed by two so far and Helen was chased down an alley by one who wanted the leftovers in her hand.
The other downside to public cows is the dung..it litters the street so that you have to constantly be on watch for it..I've already missed several times..

street cow in front of street art

Pushkar mystic musician at sunset

Despite the pervasive filth India is one of the most brightly colored places we have been to.
Silken saris and pashmina shops line the walls of the bazaars creating in rippling technicolor waves.
Every hue is imbued with a deeper mystical meaning, painting the world in history and religion.

Pushkar street scene

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Crowd at Pushkar temple

India it seems has everything..and its all for sale..the bazaar is the medieval heart of the city..it is here that the day occurs. Buying, selling, cooking, packaging, sewing, hammering, resoling, smelting, carving, typing..it is quite amazing actually to just wander and witness all the various tradesmen going about their daily grind..

Pushkar street vendor polishing wares

Pushkar street scene

Pushkar street vendor and cart

Pushkar street scene

Pushkar street scene

Pushkar street scene

Pushkar street scene

Despite the absence of meat, egg and alcohol, Indian cuisine never fails to delight and surprise.

Food Stalls

Food Stalls

Driving down the crowded streets in India you have to share the road with a variety of other man, machine and animal. Wizzing past elephants in a rickshaw mere inches from their bone crushing footfalls gives a new perspective on these animals. Despite their colorful adornments elephants though are treated fairly poorly in India.

Elephants at Amber fort

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mystic outside temple

Brahman Bulls in front of Brahman blue wall

tea time