Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Manali
Manali
Manali sits as a Himalayan getaway in the minds of Indians. It reminded me of BC the second I stepped onto the land. Rolling mountains that pierce the eye, with the sun twinkling off of high peaks covered in snow -- winter has arrived in India. One would never think so, but it is a place that you can find almost all winter sports within a few dozen miles -- skiing, HELI-skiing, snowboarding, mountain parachuting. Hardly the association one would usually have with travelling to India. I settled in a small lodge that was aptly titled the "Adventure Lodge" and was mainly a log cabin, freezing cold with a portable heater to make the space cozy. With the Himalaya mountain right at your doorstep, streams and fresh air the second you step out the door, it's hard to think that you are in India.
Travelling into the morning market, I could see the streets readying themselves for a parade. One could see flat caps on the heads of men, a sign that there are people of the mountains and Kashmir migrants who dwell here. I settled for an English style breakfast at a local cafe, much to my surprise having sat beside fairly social Italian backpackers. You know when you are just trying to decipher accents, and make out the subtleties of a person's rhythm, intonation, inflection to try to gather the clues as to where they are from? A small look at the excessive hand gesturing and I was fairly sure that they were Italian! We ended up chatting and they informed me of a small getaway that contained natural hot springs.... Hot Springs! The tale goes that these were the spring that Lord Rama used to bathe in with his guru...I would love to talk with all my deep friends about subjects of enlightenment, and the nature of the universe in this very pool, it was gorgeous. Segregated are the springs, male and female, and sharing the same spring they managed to divide the pool of water in two. Wow how indulgent and hot this water was, I felt subject to the extremes of pain and pleasure at once, my body a vehicle for chi!
All of this concluded with a walk in the forrest after losing my Italian compadres in the market, and went strolling to find a waterfall much talked about in the town. It was a leisurely saunter through the woods, occasionally passing locals, settlers and tourists who came to soak in the Manali/Visshist beauty. My experience in the woods was immediately amplified when a lone dog who had been following some Dutch tourists, decided to follow me into the woods. Cute and perhaps destined to find me, we strolled over small peaks and low-flying valleys until I reached the waterfall. I was surprised at the dexterity of the dog, I fed him some potato chips that I had, a small reward for this new accomplishment in our friendship. Haha! And as I saw the sun setting, I made my way down to Old Manali to catch a meal. The dog followed suite! I called him Beta, meaning "son" in Hindi. He made friends along the way also, as I snaked my way into town, now with a pack of 4 dogs following me! Having set foot in the restaurant the new dogs were promptly chased away, but not Beta, no he hid under my chair and I ate with a huge smile on my face. I said bye to my dog and hopped in a cab, heading for the night market. Sari and shawls were a big attraction in this part of India, so I purchased a highly coveted Kulla shawl for my mom before leaving the town. Soft, cuddly, goodness.
Delicious Fruit Wines - Kiwi, Mango, Strawberry, Apple!
My Italian friend Claudio!
I love how roads can by occupied by both cows and rickshaws, it's such a harmonious and humouring display!
Crystals and rare gem stones are special to the markets
Sacred Views and Landscapes
Manali sits as a Himalayan getaway in the minds of Indians. It reminded me of BC the second I stepped onto the land. Rolling mountains that pierce the eye, with the sun twinkling off of high peaks covered in snow -- winter has arrived in India. One would never think so, but it is a place that you can find almost all winter sports within a few dozen miles -- skiing, HELI-skiing, snowboarding, mountain parachuting. Hardly the association one would usually have with travelling to India. I settled in a small lodge that was aptly titled the "Adventure Lodge" and was mainly a log cabin, freezing cold with a portable heater to make the space cozy. With the Himalaya mountain right at your doorstep, streams and fresh air the second you step out the door, it's hard to think that you are in India.
Travelling into the morning market, I could see the streets readying themselves for a parade. One could see flat caps on the heads of men, a sign that there are people of the mountains and Kashmir migrants who dwell here. I settled for an English style breakfast at a local cafe, much to my surprise having sat beside fairly social Italian backpackers. You know when you are just trying to decipher accents, and make out the subtleties of a person's rhythm, intonation, inflection to try to gather the clues as to where they are from? A small look at the excessive hand gesturing and I was fairly sure that they were Italian! We ended up chatting and they informed me of a small getaway that contained natural hot springs.... Hot Springs! The tale goes that these were the spring that Lord Rama used to bathe in with his guru...I would love to talk with all my deep friends about subjects of enlightenment, and the nature of the universe in this very pool, it was gorgeous. Segregated are the springs, male and female, and sharing the same spring they managed to divide the pool of water in two. Wow how indulgent and hot this water was, I felt subject to the extremes of pain and pleasure at once, my body a vehicle for chi!
All of this concluded with a walk in the forrest after losing my Italian compadres in the market, and went strolling to find a waterfall much talked about in the town. It was a leisurely saunter through the woods, occasionally passing locals, settlers and tourists who came to soak in the Manali/Visshist beauty. My experience in the woods was immediately amplified when a lone dog who had been following some Dutch tourists, decided to follow me into the woods. Cute and perhaps destined to find me, we strolled over small peaks and low-flying valleys until I reached the waterfall. I was surprised at the dexterity of the dog, I fed him some potato chips that I had, a small reward for this new accomplishment in our friendship. Haha! And as I saw the sun setting, I made my way down to Old Manali to catch a meal. The dog followed suite! I called him Beta, meaning "son" in Hindi. He made friends along the way also, as I snaked my way into town, now with a pack of 4 dogs following me! Having set foot in the restaurant the new dogs were promptly chased away, but not Beta, no he hid under my chair and I ate with a huge smile on my face. I said bye to my dog and hopped in a cab, heading for the night market. Sari and shawls were a big attraction in this part of India, so I purchased a highly coveted Kulla shawl for my mom before leaving the town. Soft, cuddly, goodness.
Delicious Fruit Wines - Kiwi, Mango, Strawberry, Apple!
My Italian friend Claudio!
I love how roads can by occupied by both cows and rickshaws, it's such a harmonious and humouring display!
Crystals and rare gem stones are special to the markets
Sacred Views and Landscapes
Friday, March 4, 2011
Top 10 things to bring and buy for travelling to India
Top 10 things that you should bring to India upon reflection:
1. Warm Sleeping Bag
2. Portable Water Filtration device
3. Canada patch
4. Camera with extra memory sticks and batteries
5. Warm Socks
6. Portable pillow for loooong train rides
7. Sketchbook
8. Mosquito net - always comes in handy
9. Lonely Planet guide to India
10. Money on hand and money in a bank with low internation withdrawal fees
Things that come in handy, and are worth buying when you are in India:
1. English - Hindi Book of common phrases
2. Cell Phone - hook one up, buy a phone, it's dirt cheap!
3. Handmade journal for writing about all the amazing things you will see!
4. Travel mug for all the chai you will consume
5. A step down converter plug if you want to charge your North American device in India
6. Comfortable slippers
7. Incense to help make the hotel rooms cozy
8. Pudin Hara - natural mint tablets good for soothing the stomach when upset
9. Address book for all the fine travelers and people your WILL meet...also a calendar comes in handy
10.Alcohol wet cloths, nothings beats a good hand wipey wipe.
1. Warm Sleeping Bag
2. Portable Water Filtration device
3. Canada patch
4. Camera with extra memory sticks and batteries
5. Warm Socks
6. Portable pillow for loooong train rides
7. Sketchbook
8. Mosquito net - always comes in handy
9. Lonely Planet guide to India
10. Money on hand and money in a bank with low internation withdrawal fees
Things that come in handy, and are worth buying when you are in India:
1. English - Hindi Book of common phrases
2. Cell Phone - hook one up, buy a phone, it's dirt cheap!
3. Handmade journal for writing about all the amazing things you will see!
4. Travel mug for all the chai you will consume
5. A step down converter plug if you want to charge your North American device in India
6. Comfortable slippers
7. Incense to help make the hotel rooms cozy
8. Pudin Hara - natural mint tablets good for soothing the stomach when upset
9. Address book for all the fine travelers and people your WILL meet...also a calendar comes in handy
10.Alcohol wet cloths, nothings beats a good hand wipey wipe.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Dharamsala
My journey to Dharamsala began when a good Buddhist friend of mine informed me that he would be giving a lecture in early Decemeber and that monks from all over the world would be attending. Being that I was in Delhi at the time, I knew I had a long trek to make it into the Himalayn lands of Dharamsala.
When I lived in Vancouver attending university, I had the rare privilege of meeting him while he gave a blessing at a local temple. Standing for a photo op with local monks after giving his blessing of their Buddhist temple, through the crowds of people outside, he noticed me by the gates standing with my hands pointed in prayer towards him, and my eyes fixated on him with a smile. Immediately after the photo shoot, he look straight at me and walked with his humble abode towards me. Before I knew it, he was holding my hands within his and asking my name. "Your name?" he asked jovially. "Rahul" I replied stunned with joy. "Ahah Rahul, you are Indian?" "Yes!"..."haha Rahul!" he repeated and stared at me for 3 seconds but what felt like an eternity, and walked away. Buddha's only son's name was "Rahula"so I imagine, the name carries significance to the Buddhist faith as well.
With this memory strong in mind, I knew I was 'supposed' to see him this trip. I took the 10hr bus ride and listened to the final day of his 3-day lecture on the teachings of a Russian Buddhist monk, especially on the topic of chakras and meditation. The experience was divine and the setting for the Tibetan refuges in the mountain of India, couldn't be more ideal for introspection....
Where the Dalai Lama gives his talks and Dharshan in Dharamsala. No photos of his Holiness are permitted in Dharamsala due to safety.
Monks eating food after hearing their master speak. What a blessing it was to eat with these pilgrims from all over the world, after hearing the Dalai Lama give a lecture on chakras.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
20 Reasons why Delhi Weddings are Cool
So after all the tall tales of how Delhi weddings wag tails, I finally got to experience one. Alas it was not some distant relative (i.e. my uncle's great uncle's daughter, or my grandfather's second cousin's grandson...invitation for such events are always more than likely)...it happened to be my grandfather's brother's grandson...that's not too distant right? Anyways, a marvelous excuse to go to the capital of India if you ask me, and land right in the smack of extravagance. The city was exploding with weddings, they usually happen in heaps, early spring and around the first-second full moon in November. Awesome that the lunar calendar still bares a mark on modern civilizations. So around this time of year, many strange and extraordinary events can be witnessed around India (mind you this is shortly after Diwali, so it more or less seems like the fun just never dies).
Drawing from the experience within the wedding of my lovely dermatologist cousin and his fantastic dentist wife, and from the streets of Delhi itself, I have compiled a list of "20 Reasons why Delhi Weddings are Cool":
1. There are gallant white horses running the same red lights as you
2. The fireworks just never stop, the acoustic alarm clocks are ever present
3. Mehndi (Henna) tattoos are noticeable on 5 of every 8 women
4. The men seem to be wearing deodorant
5. Brass bands fill the street, costumed. At the end of the night, 15 men with brass instruments usually pack into a 3-wheeled autorickshaw built for 5 people
6. Hello random elephant
7. You can either be wearing a tuxedo or pajamas (aka kurthas = oversized shirts and somewhat tight fitting cloth pants -- with an oversized waist ... I think the original Indian men must have looked something like a tall Homer Simpson)...oh, did I mention curly toed slippers?
8. Women get to wear their most colourful and closeted saris
9. If an aunty who you haven't seen in 20 years appears and recognizes you, you get your cheeks pinched
10.Uncles insist on doing alcoholic shots with their kids and their grown up friends
11.Everything is significant and symbolic during the ceremony: from throwing sandalwood and herbs into the fire, to putting a veil of pearls around the groom's eyes (whoopsy baby: you can't see me!!)
12.When you ask a man (who you will usually call uncle, whether you don't know their name or have forgotten it) "how are you doing?", you sometimes get responses like "A-1, First-Class, 150%"
13.There is usually secret matchmaking going on behind your back if your cousins or aunts find out you are a bachelor
14.It's the one time of the year that servants and drivers get to party with everyone
15.Every secret Indian recipe comes out of the closet and get thrown into the buffet, and for good measure Italian salads, Chinese noodles and American ketchup can usually be found nearby
16.If you are meeting someone for the first time, it's fun to put your stopwatch on and time it till when they ask you "So ______ (<- your name here), what do you do?" ...then give a prize, like a dessert from the buffet, at the end of the night to the person who discovered where you work the fastest
17.People aren't afraid to dance
18.There are usually recognizable dance styles on the dance floors, themes/influences if you will: Indian Classical (Kathak, Bharatanatyam), Bollywood, Drunk fusions, and line dancing generally
19.The brides have about 50 pounds of jewelery on, it's a "clink" "clink" fest wherever they go
20.You feel more Indian after you left the wedding than before you walked in...like an A-1, First Class, 150% Indian.
Drawing from the experience within the wedding of my lovely dermatologist cousin and his fantastic dentist wife, and from the streets of Delhi itself, I have compiled a list of "20 Reasons why Delhi Weddings are Cool":
1. There are gallant white horses running the same red lights as you
2. The fireworks just never stop, the acoustic alarm clocks are ever present
3. Mehndi (Henna) tattoos are noticeable on 5 of every 8 women
4. The men seem to be wearing deodorant
5. Brass bands fill the street, costumed. At the end of the night, 15 men with brass instruments usually pack into a 3-wheeled autorickshaw built for 5 people
6. Hello random elephant
7. You can either be wearing a tuxedo or pajamas (aka kurthas = oversized shirts and somewhat tight fitting cloth pants -- with an oversized waist ... I think the original Indian men must have looked something like a tall Homer Simpson)...oh, did I mention curly toed slippers?
8. Women get to wear their most colourful and closeted saris
9. If an aunty who you haven't seen in 20 years appears and recognizes you, you get your cheeks pinched
10.Uncles insist on doing alcoholic shots with their kids and their grown up friends
11.Everything is significant and symbolic during the ceremony: from throwing sandalwood and herbs into the fire, to putting a veil of pearls around the groom's eyes (whoopsy baby: you can't see me!!)
12.When you ask a man (who you will usually call uncle, whether you don't know their name or have forgotten it) "how are you doing?", you sometimes get responses like "A-1, First-Class, 150%"
13.There is usually secret matchmaking going on behind your back if your cousins or aunts find out you are a bachelor
14.It's the one time of the year that servants and drivers get to party with everyone
15.Every secret Indian recipe comes out of the closet and get thrown into the buffet, and for good measure Italian salads, Chinese noodles and American ketchup can usually be found nearby
16.If you are meeting someone for the first time, it's fun to put your stopwatch on and time it till when they ask you "So ______ (<- your name here), what do you do?" ...then give a prize, like a dessert from the buffet, at the end of the night to the person who discovered where you work the fastest
17.People aren't afraid to dance
18.There are usually recognizable dance styles on the dance floors, themes/influences if you will: Indian Classical (Kathak, Bharatanatyam), Bollywood, Drunk fusions, and line dancing generally
19.The brides have about 50 pounds of jewelery on, it's a "clink" "clink" fest wherever they go
20.You feel more Indian after you left the wedding than before you walked in...like an A-1, First Class, 150% Indian.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Diwali in Bombay
Diwali, also known as the celebration of lights (Sanskrit: दीपावली Dīpāval), is a wondrous 5-day celebration important for the Sikhs, Hindus and Jains of India, and abroad. It's an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji (thanks Wikipedia!). To many, it is the mark of a new year (always starting on a new moon mid-October/November), an occasion to welcome wealth into the home, sweets into the mouth and goodness to the heart. The latter explains why oil lamps and candles are placed at the doors of houses, a welcoming of goodness into the home. What Christmas/New Years is to the West, Diwali is to the East. Among many deities, the Goddess Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) is worshiped on this day.
If you are an Indian growing up in the West, not observing any other holiday, you probably still celebrate Diwali. However to get a taste of Diwali in India is a different story.
The days leading up to this Diwali, have been packed with non-stop clamor in the streets of Bombay. Stores and street-side dealers have been opened extra late. Colourful powders of vibrant indigo, yellow, greens, orange are sold to garnish the front entrances of homes. Sari shops and fabric stores are busy and booming with women. Whole families can be seen on the street making orange and green flower garlands to adorn temples and cars. New clothes are a must, so every retailer seems stocked to the brim with new knickers. Not to mention incense sticks, cap guns and fireworks, toys and every other imaginable good thing in the commercial world lies somewhere on the street waiting to be bought and brought to a loving home.
Garland Making
Street Fireworks
I had the privilege of spending my Diwali doing a Puja (prayer ceremony) with a couple of Bollywood's most beloved sisters: Kojal and Tanisha. My father had acted with the sister's mother Tanuja in his first movie, and since then have been the longest of friends. Thus my mother and I were invited to a small gathering at Thauja/Tanisha's apartment where the ceremony was held. Tanuja is one of my favorite aunty's in the world: bright, vibrant and full of sass...yet tremendously down to earth. This was a thread that rang through her daughters too. Very happy to give a hug and share their warmth. Kajol's husband Ajay Devgan (also one of the top actors from the current scene in Bollywood) was also present along with her two daughters. Sweet couple they make.
Tanisha
Tanuja
President Obama made his way to this city today to join in on the celebrations. The past few days amidst all the pre-Diwali preparations, one could see the additional effort expended in his honor. The street curbs were repainted black and yellow, the roads had been re-tarred, blockades that read "Mumbai Police" lined certain street corners, and extra security was everywhere in the downtown core. This packed the streets with traffic, twice-so because of the Diwali is already the busiest time of the year. Road closure are everywhere this weekend. Ghandi's old residency was being retouched and rewired to accommodate the President's honorary walk through.
Ghandi's Residency
Walking through a night market is the quite the sight and sound, its bright like daytime! The locals seem all too exuberant. Men walk in big groups. Women laughing in small circles. Kids playing with fireworks causing sonic eruptions practically everywhere. Everyone was anxious to have me take their photos, thinking I was from the press. Even the cows looked like they were smiling. A light of cheerfulness illuminated every nook of this city it appeared...
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