Our second day in New Delhi was one of cultural discovery. The day began with some very heavy smog, but that cleared up in the afternoon, so we considered ourselves grateful. We also didn’t spend the first few hours of the day in a tuk tuk (which are open and very windy), so we were able to watch the city fly by fro the comfort of our hired car instead of huddling together for warmth.
These were taken at Qutb Minar, one of India’s National Treasures
There are wild parots in this strange city!
After visiting this beautiful UNESCO world heritage site, we were brought to some shops where retailers tried to sell us Pashminas, paintings and Saris. I left with a Kashmir scarf and some tea, which didn’t leave the salesman very happy, but I felt pretty good about my purchases!
This is a piece of petrified wood that was used to support the building!
After a tasty Indian lunch, our driver took us to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial. There, we learned about this national hero’s life and death, and visited the place where he was assassinatedIndian. The country owes a lot to Gandhi, and it’s apparent from the time you enter the country. His face is printed on all of their money and many buildings are named after the man.
His final steps were taken on this path
A newspaper announcing India’s Freedom
Gandhi’s worldly posessions (on the top right, you can see his iconic glasses)
Where Gandhi was killed
Our final stop was at the National Museum, where we were able to see art that dated back to 3000BCE! Having studied classical history in University, I was so excited to see some of the artwork, pottery, jewellery and weapons that have been found across India. The artifacts provide crucial clues regarding the lives of our ancestors and without them we would know very little about the people who lived before written records were kept. Through studying classical Greek history at the University of Winnipeg, I learned that what may seem like a pot to you, can actually tell an archaeologist a lot about the people who made it.
Some of the beautiful jewellery we saw today
A carving of Shiva and Parvatti, two of the Hindu gods. In it, they are crushing the head of ignorance
Ganesha…the son of Shiva and Parvatti
This carving is 4000 years old! It depicts a foreigner and it is one of the earliest discovered pieces of art using this specific technique. The artist began to polish the stones in a different way to give it a shine and make the art more life like
Tomorrow we head to Agra, the home of the famous Taj Mahal!!! I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
New Delhi is a place like nothing else i have ever seen. I expected the crowds and the pollution and I knew that that poverty here would appall me, but nothing really prepared me for one aspect of Indian society that I’d read about, but had ever seen first hand…
We also knew we’d see a lot of stray dogs…the ones in India though, unlike those in Cambodia or China, seem to be well cared for.
We woke up this morning and enjoyed western breakfasts that were recommended by a local tuk tuk driver. As we were leaving the restaurant with our stomachs then appeased, the same driver offered us a ride once more, which we actually did need.
One of the meals we enjoyed later in the day
He brought us over to one of his drivers (this was a manager I suppose) and they both made us feel very welcome and promised that they’d get us to our location (an HSBC; the only bank that will let us withdraw from our Chinese bank account) and we were off.
This is an Indian Tuk Tuk. They are a very popular form of transportation all across Asia.
Our driver showed us landmarks along the way and asked us questions about our lives. He told us that he has 4 children (2 boys and 2 girls) and that tomorrow is he and his wife’s anniversary (years!). He was very easy going and friendly and we didn’t feel pushed at all by him. Many taxi drivers in China will try and scam you, and I kept waiting for that from this guy, but he seemed legit.
Most surprising was his ability to maneuver his vehicle while keeping pace with our conversation
After taking us to the bank, he drove us down to a government tour office. He said they could us plan any train trips we needed and that we could save some money if we got set up with a rail pass. We agreed to stop in, and he said he’d wait outside.
The tour agency ended up being immensely helpful and we booked our next 12 days with them. We’ll be able to see 2 extra cities and have everything taken care of for us because of our Tuk Tuk driver friend.
The only real shot I got of our driver
The agent at the office offered us his driver for the rest of the day as a ‘bonus’ for booking with them, and a few minutes later, our Tuk Tuk friend came in so we could pay him and he could continue on with his day.
Now, this is where things get infuriating for me….
As he entered the room, our jovial and friendly driver turned meek and quiet. At first, we didn’t understand why, but we soon realized that it was because of our company. Not only did these tour guides talk to him like he was a small child (or a dog), but they laughed at me when I said that he should be receiving commission for bringing them so much business.
What we witnessed this afternoon was the Caste system. The tuk tuk driver was treated as some sort of sub-human, all because he doesn’t make as much money or belong to as wealthy of a family as the tour guide. It all happened so quickly at the time that it took us a few minutes to even realize what had happened, but we also know that being in India, this is to be expected. Things have improved here, for the lower castes and women, but they still have a very long way to go.
This entire situation has been bothering me all day (especially the way this man was spoken to…) and I feel that it will forever change my perspective on travel and culture. As much as I try to respect other cultures and embrace their norms, this is something that, had I caught on more quickly, I could never have allowed to happen.
Frankly, my favorite people so far are all “lower caste”. The servers at the restaurants, the tuk tuk drivers and the ‘bell boys’ at the hotel have been nothing but kind and welcoming to us since we arrived. I can promise you all this: my goal for the next 28 days is to be as kind as I can to these people in an attempt to help balance out the way they are treated by others in their culture…even if it’s only for a moment at a time…
In the afternoon and evening our new driver (who is also a fantastic guy) took us to a few sights around Delhi. This is Humayun’s tomb.
A very cool shot I got with our new camera. This bird was high up on one of the towers
a close up of a bird that was about 20 feet away
The sae bird on top of the building
I loved this building. And it’s always amazing getting a shot that’s void of tourists
