HAPPY DIWALI!

Happy Diwali! Fireworks galore!

Car decorated for Diwali in Hindu tinsel!

Bullet on the left...one of three that killed Ghandi

Ghandi's original 2 bottom teeth

Ghandi Museum...replica of Ghandi's house---simple and beautiful!

Infront of Delhi archeological sight

Red sand drive up to parliament house

Parliament house road

Bus decorated in common marigold flower in Delhi

Rickshaw

First taste of kingfisher

Wonderful colours

Birds-eye view

Well, we have arrived in India and already my senses have been amplified by a million! Today is the Diwali festival ( a Hindu celebration otherwise known as the "festival of lights") where people give gifts, light fireworks and burn butter and oil lamps to lead Lord Rama home from exile. We were awoken several times last night ---from our charmingly unique hotel room---"THE CHAND PALACE" (the name is only slightly misleading )---by what we thought might be bombs or gunshots but instead was the buildup to a festival of lights. Fireworks and firecrackers are relentless as Des and I roamed the neon-lit streets tonight and even now as I write. But everyone is happy as can be as the children light the crackers and giggle while they watch and the adults shake our hand to wish us a Happy Diwali.

India is amazing so far. We are staying in the heart of Delhi in the Paharganj area--a bit dodgy but an exciting area filled with lots of noise and the smell of incense and street food. Other smells that have been prominent in the air are: a smell similar to a sauna, the smell of rotting eggs in some parts and patchouli. The air is very heavy with a fog of pollution but I am delighted to be in a heat that is bearable as well as watch as the pink sun sets in the misty horizon.

We took a taxi out for the entire day today for around 15 euro. Our orange-dyed hair taxi driver stayed by our side and took us all over Delhi to see the sights. The drivers are absolutely manic here...they seem to create 5 lanes out of 2 and using their horn so often it almost sounds like the national instrument. Traffic lights seem to be used merely as a suggestion. The road vehicles consist of yellow and green auto rickshaws, cows pulling goods with men sitting atop, goats, horses, taxis, buses, bikes with baskets filled with the notorious yellow flower lays and overpacked pick-up trucks. We have also seen wild monkeys and stray dogs everywhere as well as a man who let me hold his snakes! I held an orange one and a cobra--very exciting!

One thing I loved seeing today were the children playing cricket in a field as happy as can be using bricks as wickets. There was also a devastating sight which broke my heart where a little girl (around Juliet's age...3-4) saw my blonde hair and gasped, came up to our cab while we were stopped in traffic, knocked on my window and started doing flips right there in between car lanes on the extremely busy street. She then started doing "tricks" where she disjointed her body and popped her arms out of their sockets all in hopes of us giving her some rupees. She was so young and dolled up in eye liner (as many of the children are here, even babies) and a nose ring. As much as I would have loved to give her a few euros, I think this would just add fuel to the fire. Many of these children are denied a childhood and sometimes school in order to be used as a commodity for their family incomes. I just can't support that.

Yesterday, as we were passing by,  a homeless man went up to one of the street vendors, put out his hands and the street vendor poured the grimy, hot water that he'd been cooking with into the man's hands which he then drank. We have seen many children and families "shower" in the street with whatever water they have. We also saw a child as happy as can be playing with an air-filter off a truck as a fine toy. We have seen a lot of homeless people but it breaks my heart especially seeing the children as they beg us and follow us and knowing that for the greater good I have to say no. India is a remarkably humbling place.

This morning we woke up to a Masala omelette. The food is more amazing than I imagined! So far we have tried different versions of (all vegetarian---go Des!) dishes including dahl, paneer, tandoori aloo, vegetable curries, vegetable byriani and garlic naan. It has surpassed my expectations! Last night we followed dinner with what the waiter told us helps digestion...dried anaseed and sugar cane-great idea I thought!

Today WE SAW GANDHI'S TEETH! That's right, our first stop was the Mahatma Gandhi memorial museum which included objects such as his bottom 2 teeth (and dentures from later on), clothes, walking sticks, original writings, wooden sandals he did his notorious walks in, the sheets his dead body was wrapped in and one of the three bullets which took his life in 1948 by a man that got down on one knee pretending to pray at Gandhi's feet but instead opened up fire. We went to try and see his gated cremation sight but it was closed (as was red-fort in Old Delhi) due to the highly-anticipated arrival of the U.S. president Obama.

We went to a beautiful terracotta coloured archeological sight where sundials and ancient time-tellers still are. We also went to the gorgeous parliament buildings which are absolutely massive and beautifully designed surrounded by red sand and including elephants as gargoyles and elephant-shaped shrubs.

One of the highlights of the day was QUTB MINAR which are beautiful religious buildings dating back to the Islamic rule in India. (1100's). The ruins of the first mosque in India and other buildings surround one main large and intricately designed 5 story pillar made of red sandstone.It was here especially that  Des and I were stared at and followed around by darling little girls and their family who wanted a photo with us unusual western folk. I had to take one as well as their colours are so unbelievable on the eyes! Sari's in every colour and materials I have never seen before.

We also went to the Lotus Temple (Bahai religion)  which was an absolutely incredible building. Shaped like an enormous lotus flower that was entirely composed of marble and surrounded by several turquoise blue pools. We took the long walk through a beautifully groomed park, took off our shoes, checked them in- in a potato sack and went into the temple barefoot where we meditated for 3 minutes.

We also strolled around barefooted in the yellow and red, marble and sandstone Hindu temple (Lakshmi Narayan) which was mind-blowingly beautiful. In every corner was one of the bright and sparkley idols of the faith which people prayed in a repetitive style to. (Doing almost a yoga downward dog, flat on their tummy and then cleansing their face with air). There were large speakers in both the inside and outside areas of the temple where music was broad-casted from the 2 men playing the drums, an accordion looking instrument and singing the prayer book. I was a bit shocked to see the swastika symbol in the temple and also around Delhi. The swastika is used as a cross dating back 8,000 years ago (apparently the Nazis adopted it from here) for the Aryan (Hindu) faith-again adopted name by Nazis? Anyway, it was gorgeous temple and a very powerful place! A lady came up and gave us a ginger and lemon tasting sweet which looks like cheese....a man gave us the same sweet as a Dawali gift tonight...not sure what it was but the Indians sure love their sugar. Our coffee and tea came this morning tasting so overwhelmingly  sugary that we couldn't drink it. Same things with their sodas. Can't wait to try the chai tea tomorrow.

I will close now as it's getting late here and we're going back to our room to watch some cheesy ballywood soap operas and commercials which advertise beauty cream for turning brown skin white....hmmmm.

~Andrea and Des xoxo