Somewhat of a lost day. I woke up not feeling well, and let the group go on without me. Ann will fill in the details of what they did later. I spent my morning sleeping, vegetating, and generally doing nothing useful. I tied to sit in the lobby to read, but a) it was cold, and b) they have an overpowering sandalwood or other incense smell in there, and I couldn’t stand it in my weakened state.
I tried to sit outside on the veranda, but some other tour group was having an event with a marching band and elephant polo. There was an MC who was loud and had a microphone.
I slept for a while, but got too cold there, also, despite the temperature set at 24(75F). I guess I could have set it higher, but Ann would be stifling when she got back. Bah. It looks as if I will not be going out this afternoon, either. Tonight is another “home hospitality” visit. We’ll see if I’m up for that.
So I get to be the “official “ trip blogger today.. We took off by bus this a.m. – no camels or elephants today – to see Birla Temple, a Hindu temple that was built in 1985 by the Birla family, a one of the very wealthy and well established Indian family – Ghandi was living at one of the Birla family homes in Delhi when he was assassinated.
Before we went into the temple, Ritu, our tour guide, gave us a brush up on Hindu theology. Although I thought that Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. I apparently was incorrect. It is based on one god, Paramahtma, which means supreme soul. (Mohandas Ghandi came to be known and revered as Mahtma Ghandi). Below Paramahtma is a trinity of male gods (Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva the destroyer) and a trinity of female gods (Kali, Saraswai and Lakshmi) who were sent down to create the universe. Although Shiva is thought of as the destroyer, he has a much broader role than just causing destruction. Since the Hindu’s believe in reincarnation, Shiva plays a very important role in keeping balance in the universe by causing living things to die so they can be reincarnated and life can continue in its natural cycle of birth death and rebirth. The Birla Temple is dedicated to Shiva and Kali. There is a sculpture of Shiva outside of the temple and large “dressed” sculptures of Shiva and Kali on the front altar of the Temple. The altar has doors at the front of it which may be opened or closed. Ritu explained that the Shiva and Kali are awakened each morning and dressed in their finery. They each had on beautiful jeweled robes and head dresses. They are “fed” – given offerings by worshippers – and all of the extra food is then given to the poor. At night, they are undressed .
Birla Temple was created with an ecumenical purpose. The Birlas wanted to promote tolerance among different religious groups and acceptance of a wide range of ideas. To that end, there are sculptures of Copernicus, Socrates, Jesus, Moses and Mohammad on the outside columns of the temple.
From the Birla Temple, we headed to a paper factory where paper is made from textile waste. No trees are used in the process. Stores like Home Goods and Barnes and Noble are customers . One of the things we watched being processed was nesting boxes that are destined for Home Goods. I even got a picture of the bar coded price tag with the Home Goods insignia on the box. And of course it stated the original price of the item and the discounted price. I asked our store guide whether she was a manager of production and she relayed that she was not. Her job was to guide the 5-6 tour groups a day which tour the facility. She also shared that the worker earn between 150-300 rupees ($3-$6) per day. We then were guided into the shop where we were able to purchase hand-made paper items such as the package of 6 note cards and envelopes for 100 rupees ($2).
Our next stop was the Blue Pottery Shop where we were given a demonstration how pottery is made which was just like the demonstration Ellen and I had seen in Morocco. We also got another demonstration of block printing on fabric, for which the Indians are very well known. Then on to the shop connected with the operation for more shopping where I bought an Indian top which Steve commented looks hippyish when he saw it.
At that point we had the choice to return to the hotel or have an hour shopping in the local bazaar. I opted for shopping with the two California couples we have been hanging out with. Edie, Fran and I decided that there are strength in numbers and we had a great time bargaining for scarves and buying bangles together. Always the negotiator, I was able to get the vendor to come down almost 50% on his originally quoted price on the scarves. –AHS
So everybody is out for dinner and I am left behind trying to get better. There are 1 or 2 others who are in the same situation as me. Rice & toast for dinner…
Tomorrow is a 4 hour bus the Ranthambore National Park for tiger hunting/photos. I’m told there are only 38 tigers in the park, so we’ll see if there is any actual viewing. Internet access may be spotty, so bear with us until perhaps the 14th when we get to Agra.
-I just returned from our group dinner with a Jaipur family. We ate in the family’s home which is a regal three story structure which they have been occupying continuously since 1752. Currently 21 family members occupy the multigenerational home, with each portion of the family occupying its own so called “apartment”. An apartment is basically a bedroom with a sitting area. The family eats communally in the common dining room. There are no separate kitchen facilities for any of the nuclear families that live in the home. On the walls of the living room are photos dating back generations, illustrating the family’s important relationship with the Maharaja (King) of Jaipur. According to the patriarch of the family, prior to India’s independence, the family served as feudal lords to the Maharaja. When the maharajas lost their power at the time of India’s independence so too did the feudal lords. After that time, all they had left was the house which they continue to occupy. We were given a tour of several of the apartments and of the public meeting room where the head of the family would hear grievances from the members of the community. After the tour, we sat down for dinner accompanied by a daughter of the family and a daughter in law. More details about the dinner to be continued later. AHS
I tried to sit outside on the veranda, but some other tour group was having an event with a marching band and elephant polo. There was an MC who was loud and had a microphone.
I slept for a while, but got too cold there, also, despite the temperature set at 24(75F). I guess I could have set it higher, but Ann would be stifling when she got back. Bah. It looks as if I will not be going out this afternoon, either. Tonight is another “home hospitality” visit. We’ll see if I’m up for that.
So I get to be the “official “ trip blogger today.. We took off by bus this a.m. – no camels or elephants today – to see Birla Temple, a Hindu temple that was built in 1985 by the Birla family, a one of the very wealthy and well established Indian family – Ghandi was living at one of the Birla family homes in Delhi when he was assassinated.
Before we went into the temple, Ritu, our tour guide, gave us a brush up on Hindu theology. Although I thought that Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. I apparently was incorrect. It is based on one god, Paramahtma, which means supreme soul. (Mohandas Ghandi came to be known and revered as Mahtma Ghandi). Below Paramahtma is a trinity of male gods (Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva the destroyer) and a trinity of female gods (Kali, Saraswai and Lakshmi) who were sent down to create the universe. Although Shiva is thought of as the destroyer, he has a much broader role than just causing destruction. Since the Hindu’s believe in reincarnation, Shiva plays a very important role in keeping balance in the universe by causing living things to die so they can be reincarnated and life can continue in its natural cycle of birth death and rebirth. The Birla Temple is dedicated to Shiva and Kali. There is a sculpture of Shiva outside of the temple and large “dressed” sculptures of Shiva and Kali on the front altar of the Temple. The altar has doors at the front of it which may be opened or closed. Ritu explained that the Shiva and Kali are awakened each morning and dressed in their finery. They each had on beautiful jeweled robes and head dresses. They are “fed” – given offerings by worshippers – and all of the extra food is then given to the poor. At night, they are undressed .
Birla Temple was created with an ecumenical purpose. The Birlas wanted to promote tolerance among different religious groups and acceptance of a wide range of ideas. To that end, there are sculptures of Copernicus, Socrates, Jesus, Moses and Mohammad on the outside columns of the temple.
From the Birla Temple, we headed to a paper factory where paper is made from textile waste. No trees are used in the process. Stores like Home Goods and Barnes and Noble are customers . One of the things we watched being processed was nesting boxes that are destined for Home Goods. I even got a picture of the bar coded price tag with the Home Goods insignia on the box. And of course it stated the original price of the item and the discounted price. I asked our store guide whether she was a manager of production and she relayed that she was not. Her job was to guide the 5-6 tour groups a day which tour the facility. She also shared that the worker earn between 150-300 rupees ($3-$6) per day. We then were guided into the shop where we were able to purchase hand-made paper items such as the package of 6 note cards and envelopes for 100 rupees ($2).
Our next stop was the Blue Pottery Shop where we were given a demonstration how pottery is made which was just like the demonstration Ellen and I had seen in Morocco. We also got another demonstration of block printing on fabric, for which the Indians are very well known. Then on to the shop connected with the operation for more shopping where I bought an Indian top which Steve commented looks hippyish when he saw it.
At that point we had the choice to return to the hotel or have an hour shopping in the local bazaar. I opted for shopping with the two California couples we have been hanging out with. Edie, Fran and I decided that there are strength in numbers and we had a great time bargaining for scarves and buying bangles together. Always the negotiator, I was able to get the vendor to come down almost 50% on his originally quoted price on the scarves. –AHS
So everybody is out for dinner and I am left behind trying to get better. There are 1 or 2 others who are in the same situation as me. Rice & toast for dinner…
Tomorrow is a 4 hour bus the Ranthambore National Park for tiger hunting/photos. I’m told there are only 38 tigers in the park, so we’ll see if there is any actual viewing. Internet access may be spotty, so bear with us until perhaps the 14th when we get to Agra.
-I just returned from our group dinner with a Jaipur family. We ate in the family’s home which is a regal three story structure which they have been occupying continuously since 1752. Currently 21 family members occupy the multigenerational home, with each portion of the family occupying its own so called “apartment”. An apartment is basically a bedroom with a sitting area. The family eats communally in the common dining room. There are no separate kitchen facilities for any of the nuclear families that live in the home. On the walls of the living room are photos dating back generations, illustrating the family’s important relationship with the Maharaja (King) of Jaipur. According to the patriarch of the family, prior to India’s independence, the family served as feudal lords to the Maharaja. When the maharajas lost their power at the time of India’s independence so too did the feudal lords. After that time, all they had left was the house which they continue to occupy. We were given a tour of several of the apartments and of the public meeting room where the head of the family would hear grievances from the members of the community. After the tour, we sat down for dinner accompanied by a daughter of the family and a daughter in law. More details about the dinner to be continued later. AHS
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