Yesterday, just before setting off on the drive up from Agra to Delhi, we toured one more fort – what was it called? Gods, there have been so many forts. Each one is different and unique and has its own history to tell, but, Sweet Baby Yoda, they all blend together after a while. At least for me they did.
If you’re a fort-fanatic, a connoisseur of castles, have a peccadillo for praising palaces, well, then, this Agra Fort part’s for you:
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The drive itself was an uneventful 3 hour shot along a massive four lane toll road. Budhiman told us this was built about five years ago to alleviate the potholed and crumbly smaller roads that you could take with a lot of stop and go. It takes about the same time as this way is longer, but it’s a much easier drive.
It looked like any interstate highway in any part of the world – an asphalt ribbon to the horizon, the open landscape whooshing past the car window making barely an impression. No matter how far from home, how “foreign” a place may be, there is this universal truth – car rides on highways beg the repeated question, “Are we there yet?”
Just outside the city proper, Budhiman took us to a free massive Hindu temple for us to see in all its opulence. We weren’t allowed to take cameras or food or much of anything inside, which we realized was so they could charge to take photos for you, sell you snacks, and ensure you always, ALWAYS went through a gift shop. For better or for worse, this place was the Disneyland of Hindu Temples, akin to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, FL, in combining religion with family fun theme park rides (see the laser light fountain show! Ride the boat tour through all of India history!). As for the main temple itself, the amount of golden inlays and marble carved statues was staggering, something Donald Trump might aspire to build someday for his presidential library… only his would perhaps be more worshipful.
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Katie was due to fly out late last night but I had one more day to sightsee (Monday the 27th). Budhiman invited us both to his family’s home for dinner and it was lovely to meet his wife and two children (an 18 year old son working as a hotel manager before hopefully heading off to college and a daughter who was in middle school). They rent a very small apartment and in such close quarters they were a close family. Budhiman is from Nepal originally so his wife Calpurnia prepared some Indian/Nepal fusion dishes that were wonderful. When I mentioned how big a fan I was of Nepalese Momos, they insisted I come back on my last night and Calpurnia would make me homemade momos. More on the momos in a moment.
On my last day in India, Budhiman and his son took me on a city tour to the major sights. It was a Monday so many things were closed… and because the day before had seen many a celebration for India’s Republic Day, a lot of venues were closed for breaking down the grandstands and temporary security stations. As a result, I would see some of the big ticket items from afar, such as the India Gate:
And the Lotus Temple:
Here though is a drive-by photoing of the at times drive-by sightseeing:
- Sri Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, or The Golden Temple, is perhaps the most famous Sikh temple in Delhi. It has a large reflecting pool and houses arguably the most spiritually significant shrine in Sikhism. No selfies were to be taken… even though people were taking selfies.
As part of the Sikh faith, there is a massive kitchen operation to feed those in need – and while I cringed at the tourists taking photos of those eating the food in the glassed dining area, like observing folks in a fishbowl, I was willing to take photos of the kitchen itself. Rather than photographing those in need, I preferred to focus on those working so hard to provide that need. It seemed somehow less invasive.
- The Indian Parliament Building was strictly off limits, though I couldn’t tell if that was always the case or was due to the break down of the Republic Day accoutrements.
Budhiman’s Son and me outside the Parliament barricades.
- The India Gate is a large war memorial to the 70,000 British soldiers who died in the British India Army from 1917-1921. As it is where the Republic Day parade always starts, there was a lot of clean-up to be done… coupled with the fact that last night the people of Delhi gathered there en masse, so much so that the city had to close down 2 km of the metro around the area and close it to anybody else, that’s how over-packed to capacity it had been. I should also note, this is a popular spot for demonstrations. It is an imposing gate but since I only got to see it from afar, I have to give my personal preference to the Gateway to India in Mumbai.
- Qutb Minar is the largest stone tower in India. Construction began in 1193 with a single storey minaret. Three more storeys were added soon after. The top storey was destroyed when struck by lightning in 1369, only to be rebuilt and a fifth and final storey put on. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s one part of a massive archeological dig area with oodles of history and ruins… which I appreciated stylistically even if I was burned out on the historical/educational.
- I got snookered into going to a shopping district that I presume gives a kickback to Budhiman. It was called the India Textile Development Corporation and they had a supposedly soft-hard-sell. I was taken into a backroom to be shown luxurious woven carpets, which the sales guy and his assistant would begin to unfurl and then let smack to the ground with a THUD to show their quality/heft. They kept doing it even after I said I wasn’t interested. “Perhaps this size is more your liking…” “Or this one, perfect for just next to the bed…” THUD. “We offer free shipping…” I did get talked into buying my Mom a table cloth runner which did not unfurl with a THUD. And then this guy got me to buy a wooden Ganesh to bring my good luck and avoid the evil eyes of others… seemed like a worthwhile investment for $15. Turns out I could’ve gotten a very similar one at the airport for $10 but… this is the way. I did find it funny that the sales guy told me he wrapped it up really nicely for me… which I took to mean a kinda “Tiffany’s” box thing. Turns out he just wrapped it in newspaper, the way I’ve wrapped birthday presents since I was 9. Is that really nice? I guess he meant it would be really protected when I packed it… but, still…
Before heading to the airport for my crazy late/crazy early flight at 3 AM, I once again had dinner with Budhiman and his family. And Calpurnia made me momos. And they were delicious. And I kept eating them… and then as I thanked her for a delicious dinner she shook her head in shock. “That was just the appetizer!”
And then Budhiman brought out the whiskey. And started playing on his phone the youtube video of the Rock winning a WWE championship from years ago. It was all very surreal and wonderful and strange and funny and bizarre and yet comforting… in many ways, the perfect way to sum up and cap off a trip to India.
