Ahmedabad is the capital city of Gujarat state (in West India), and with a population of around 5 million people, it is no slouch as far as metros go. The traffic to get into town was dense and sluggish - as usual it was an uncomfortable arrival. Drivers in India care not for the comfort of their passengers and thus I usually find my whole body being thrown about like a ragdoll: the brakes, the gas pedal, and the steering wheel are used liberally in the fight for every bit of lane-less road.
The city itself is very old and has a high concentration of Muslims - I visited the beautiful Grand Mosque that was built in the early 15th century! Markets line the streets in the old town, with people selling socks, toys, and everything under the sun. It seemed that few foreigners came through here, for I didn't see a single other "white person", and just about every set of eyes was upon me all the time, everywhere I went. Fortunately, they were curious eyes, not xenophobic, hostile eyes. Other than some relics from the past (a few mosques, remnants of a fort, and an old gate into town), the town seemed plain, almost dreary - the buildings were not old enough to be interesting, but not modern enough to please the eye.
Ahmedabad is really known as Gandhi's headquarters during the middle part of his life, where he developed his theories and techniques for non-violent protest - it was on the outskirts of this town where he founded an ashram on the banks of the local river. It was a huge pleasure to visit the place - it was a peaceful haven from the heavy atmosphere of the city. To see the simple (almost empty) room where he lived, was quite moving. It was even more amazing to think that this man accomplished the same thing as the United States Army (ousting the British Empire), but without even fighting! A strong mind needs no fist apparently. To walk where Gandhi walked and to sit where Gandhi sat really inspired me. It gave me hope...
Later that night I was walking down a busy street, facing blinding headlights and deafening horns. Without warning, I stumbled upon the saddest sight I had ever seen. It was an old lady, no younger than 70 or 80- frail, wrinkled, nearly comatose - lying on the side of the road. Her feet were nearly sticking out onto the road, almost about to get run over. She was alone, sleeping on hard dirt, just staring into space. Her eyes would not blink. Other than small tears, her eyes looked empty. She seemed too lonely to care anymore, as if she were in shock. She was a shell of a person. After so many years on this planet, this is what her life had come to? Nobody was around to care for her or even comfort her as she faced death, old age and discomfort. People just drove by without even a glance. This woman was in deep trouble and help was not on the way: she was past the point of hope. At least the beggar children that I've encountered on the streets have a glimmer of hope, and a future (though a grim one). Most importantly, they have each other. But this woman had nobody, and not a trace hope...
It was too much for me to bear. I stopped, and for a few minutes I just sat with her and tried to soothe her. It was the least that I could do. She never looked my way or even moved, but I could see more tears in those empty eyes. She knew I was there, but I will never know if I helped - I hope she knows that at least someone cares. I eventually walked away, but I couldn't stop thinking about her. I replaced her image with that of my own grandmother, and couldn't help but shudder. Would you simply walk by an old lady lying in the dirt, dying of loneliness? Can you imagine your own grandmother in that position? What a way to end a life!
This single image can help explain many instances of overpopulation on this planet (especially in developing countries). Some people have lots of children because they do not want to turn out like this lady - lonely and dying, with nobody to care for them. They consider it an investment for their future - a free servant. All one needs to confirm this is to look at the thousands of children who are purposely mangled just to help earn pity money from people passing by. A couple of days ago, I saw a little girl less than a year old (practically a baby), without one of her legs - slinking along the ground, almost like an earthworm. I doubt she was born without a second leg.
So after such an inspiring day, I had seen the most wretched soul on earth: a soul that had given up, too sad to fight back. Is this what Gandhi wanted when he fought for a free and independent India? What would he do if he saw this lady? What would he think? The situation before me cannot possibly be the one that Gandhi had in mind...
2/19/2010
Rajasthan is the largest of India's 29 states, though it has only slightly more than 50 million people living here - it is a land of sparse population, though the colors and rich culture more than make up for the harsh desert landscape...
Rajasthan has always been a proud, and fiercely independent region of the world. Some of the warrior tribes here successfully fought off both the Mughal and British Empires, and were never fully subjugated by either (a feat unmatched by the rest of India). When faced with certain defeat in battle, the brave Rajput warriors would commit mass suicide rather than live under captors.
Today, one still gets the feeling that this part of India cherishes its unique culture and independence. The food is simple but very delicious. The music is rich and complex (often tied to dances), and many of the instruments used are not played anywhere else in the world. At night, exotic desert music floats through the air, evoking a distant past. Even the curved mustaches on the men seem to be found only here. But what really sticks out to the most casual visitor, are the colors. The women's clothing here nearly radiates color due to the strength of the dyes used. The men's turbans likewise seem to use every color in the spectrum (different colors signify a certain status in society). Eyes strain to keep up with the multitude of colors that people flash on the streets. But these wonderful colors aren't just found on the people.
Oddly enough, the cities here seem to be color-coded, like patches of colorful desert flowers. I visited Jaipur, the capitol of Rajasthan, and could see why it was called the "Pink City." The markets and buildings of the Old Town are all painted a pink hue, almost a salmon color. I then visited Jodhpur, and the buildings of its Old Town, settled at the base of a magnificent fort, are painted a rich blue, to symbolize the Brahmin caste that used to exclusively live here. Further west, almost on the border of Pakistan, I came to Jaisalmer, with another indomitable fort - this fort (and the rest of this small, ancient caravan city) has a golden, honey colored hue that comes from the local sandstone. Furthermore, Pushkar (the city with the holy lake where Ghandi's ashes were spread) is almost completely adorned with white buildings. The different colors of these cities seem to evoke a uniqueness, or a way to separate one from the next- a very independent spirit to match the independence of its people. Such a dense arrangement of colorful cities is hard to match anywhere else in the world...
For all the color and culture that I found in Rajasthan, I could not help but notice a huge problem that is only getting worse...Water scarcity. The lake of Pushkar(or the lack thereof) is a perfect example the water problem here. Only a few years ago, this lake was nearly full, supplying holy water to the thousands of pilgrims who visited it. Today, the lake is completetly gone - an invisible holy lake. In Udaipur, where I am currently staying, the lake is still here, but it is very low, and slowly shrinking. Such recent problems are unprecedented here.
Rajasthan is a desert, and much of it is dry and poorly irrigated - its people heavily rely on the unpredictable monsoon to grow crops. Almost 70% of Indians still depend on farm incomes, and 60% of India's farms depend on these monsoon rains, according to the BBC. Sadly, 2009 was the weakest monsoon season in 40 years, and India (especially Rajasthan) is currently facing a sever water shortage. Not only is there not enough water for personal use, but crops are not getting the water they need, and food is becoming scarcer. Such scarcity is a driving factor in the relocation of people from rural to urban areas. One only needs to look in the news today to notice that Indian prices for such staples as potatoes, pulses, wheat, and rice have sharply risen in the last year. Overall food inflation in India is currently at about 18%, the highest it has been in nearly a decade - this is a clear sign of water and thus food scarcity. For a population that is only growing (India's population is set to double by 2050), this is an ominous sign. Soaring food prices in 2007-8 caused riots all over the world. Water wars have already been fought in Sudan and Somalia with brutal ferocity, and future water wars will be no less violent. It doesn't help that more than 70% of India's precipitation runs off into the sea! It is obvious that India does not have an effective water management strategy, and it better get one soon!
For all of the problems with water shortages in the world, including Australia and the American SW and SE, you would think that people would start to take this matter seriously. Local reservoirs, rivers, lakes and dams are blatantly short on water, and the fact that 2007 and 2008 were in the top ten hottest years on record should further highlight this problem. Yet in October 2009, only 35% of Americans believed that climate change is a very serious problem, down from 44% in April 2008 (Pew Research Center)!! Of course the economy can be blamed for turning people's attention away from the more long-term problems of the environment, but can we not think about more than one thing at once?
This is not just India's problem, but that of the entire planet. By 2050, the world population will be at around 9 Billion people, and in order to feed that many people, global output of food will have to increase about 70% (AP). Is this even possible, with more and more land being overused or developed each year? Time will tell. Nevertheless, these problems are very urgent and very serious - not even the most colorful cities or pashmina scarves of Rajasthan can cover them up...
Rajasthan has always been a proud, and fiercely independent region of the world. Some of the warrior tribes here successfully fought off both the Mughal and British Empires, and were never fully subjugated by either (a feat unmatched by the rest of India). When faced with certain defeat in battle, the brave Rajput warriors would commit mass suicide rather than live under captors.
Today, one still gets the feeling that this part of India cherishes its unique culture and independence. The food is simple but very delicious. The music is rich and complex (often tied to dances), and many of the instruments used are not played anywhere else in the world. At night, exotic desert music floats through the air, evoking a distant past. Even the curved mustaches on the men seem to be found only here. But what really sticks out to the most casual visitor, are the colors. The women's clothing here nearly radiates color due to the strength of the dyes used. The men's turbans likewise seem to use every color in the spectrum (different colors signify a certain status in society). Eyes strain to keep up with the multitude of colors that people flash on the streets. But these wonderful colors aren't just found on the people.
Oddly enough, the cities here seem to be color-coded, like patches of colorful desert flowers. I visited Jaipur, the capitol of Rajasthan, and could see why it was called the "Pink City." The markets and buildings of the Old Town are all painted a pink hue, almost a salmon color. I then visited Jodhpur, and the buildings of its Old Town, settled at the base of a magnificent fort, are painted a rich blue, to symbolize the Brahmin caste that used to exclusively live here. Further west, almost on the border of Pakistan, I came to Jaisalmer, with another indomitable fort - this fort (and the rest of this small, ancient caravan city) has a golden, honey colored hue that comes from the local sandstone. Furthermore, Pushkar (the city with the holy lake where Ghandi's ashes were spread) is almost completely adorned with white buildings. The different colors of these cities seem to evoke a uniqueness, or a way to separate one from the next- a very independent spirit to match the independence of its people. Such a dense arrangement of colorful cities is hard to match anywhere else in the world...
For all the color and culture that I found in Rajasthan, I could not help but notice a huge problem that is only getting worse...Water scarcity. The lake of Pushkar(or the lack thereof) is a perfect example the water problem here. Only a few years ago, this lake was nearly full, supplying holy water to the thousands of pilgrims who visited it. Today, the lake is completetly gone - an invisible holy lake. In Udaipur, where I am currently staying, the lake is still here, but it is very low, and slowly shrinking. Such recent problems are unprecedented here.
Rajasthan is a desert, and much of it is dry and poorly irrigated - its people heavily rely on the unpredictable monsoon to grow crops. Almost 70% of Indians still depend on farm incomes, and 60% of India's farms depend on these monsoon rains, according to the BBC. Sadly, 2009 was the weakest monsoon season in 40 years, and India (especially Rajasthan) is currently facing a sever water shortage. Not only is there not enough water for personal use, but crops are not getting the water they need, and food is becoming scarcer. Such scarcity is a driving factor in the relocation of people from rural to urban areas. One only needs to look in the news today to notice that Indian prices for such staples as potatoes, pulses, wheat, and rice have sharply risen in the last year. Overall food inflation in India is currently at about 18%, the highest it has been in nearly a decade - this is a clear sign of water and thus food scarcity. For a population that is only growing (India's population is set to double by 2050), this is an ominous sign. Soaring food prices in 2007-8 caused riots all over the world. Water wars have already been fought in Sudan and Somalia with brutal ferocity, and future water wars will be no less violent. It doesn't help that more than 70% of India's precipitation runs off into the sea! It is obvious that India does not have an effective water management strategy, and it better get one soon!
For all of the problems with water shortages in the world, including Australia and the American SW and SE, you would think that people would start to take this matter seriously. Local reservoirs, rivers, lakes and dams are blatantly short on water, and the fact that 2007 and 2008 were in the top ten hottest years on record should further highlight this problem. Yet in October 2009, only 35% of Americans believed that climate change is a very serious problem, down from 44% in April 2008 (Pew Research Center)!! Of course the economy can be blamed for turning people's attention away from the more long-term problems of the environment, but can we not think about more than one thing at once?
This is not just India's problem, but that of the entire planet. By 2050, the world population will be at around 9 Billion people, and in order to feed that many people, global output of food will have to increase about 70% (AP). Is this even possible, with more and more land being overused or developed each year? Time will tell. Nevertheless, these problems are very urgent and very serious - not even the most colorful cities or pashmina scarves of Rajasthan can cover them up...
2/12/2010
Varanasi: City of Life and Death
Wherever you go in the world, you can witness life, you can experience life, and you can ponder life...
But Varanasi is the only place in the world where you are guaranteed to confront both life and death. It is a city where the full cycle of life is embraced on a daily basis. Death is literally floating in the air! Whether it is the flicker of a funeral pyre or the smell of a burning body, one is constantly reminded of mortality while walking along the ghats (steps) of the Ganges River. Spirituality seeps from this city. It is saturated in history and enlightenment...
It is at first very shocking to see dead bodies engulfed in flames. After about 3 hours of burning, they are completely reduced to ash and smoke, only to be carried away by the wind and water. But quickly the experience becomes rather calming and relaxing. The power and significance of this event is too great to feel sad or uncomfortable for too long. It opens your mind to say the least, especially if you are used to a normal funeral at the cemetary...
There are two main "burning ghats" where people take their deceased loved ones. But first there is a procession through the streets of the old town, where the body (wrapped in cloth ranging from a simple red to lavish golden and orange, depending on gender and caste) is carried on what looks like a bamboo stretcher. The body is eventually taken down steps to the Ganga (as they call it), where it is given a final bath, and then placed on the destined pile of logs. Different wood can be chosen, and each type has a different price (sandalwood powder is the most expensive). There are specific men who weigh out the wood with scales - it is said that weighing just the right amount of wood for each different body is considered an art. Indian men are the only ones who watch the burning, as women have been known to become so upset at the sight that they throw themselves on the fire! As one guy told me, only "strong men" are allowed to watch. The bodies of the lower castes are positioned closer to the river, while the higher castes burn higher up the slope and farther from the river. Cows sit and occasionally gaze over, completely indifferent to everything. People just stare quietly, deep in contemplation, as smoke fills the air. Temples long ago stained black from the smoke provide the backdrop of this dramatic sight. Boys from the lowest castes eventually scoop up the ashes with a shovel, which are then given to the Ganges River...
The first time I experienced the ghats of Varanasi was in a rickety little boat rowed by an old, bearded man. The colorful ghats that lead down to the river from the narrow alleyways of the old city all seemed to have unique atmospheres. Some were crowded, and some were desolate. Temples, shrines, and palaces loomed over the water like a canyon of history. The current was peaceful and slow, almost nonexistent as it carried the ashes of the deceased into the oceans of the world. For all that my eyes were seeing,all I could really hear were children laughing, bells and cymbals occasionally being struck, gulls squawking, and the sound of the river lapping against the boat and paddles. The discrepancy between my vision and hearing was something to marvel at. It was the ultimate boat ride.
The newer parts of town have a peaceful chaos about it that I grew to like. Sure, there is dirt and garbage (also tons of cow dung everywhere, watch your step!). The traffic is dense mostly with honking motorbikes and rickshaws, as speakers emit exotic Indian street music from a secret location above the roads. Flea-ridden dogs and holy cows roam the streets. Young children caked in dirt beg for money while people try to sell you drugs and peddle boat rides. Sadly, the Ganges is literally septic, with dozens of sewers constantly spilling into it. But in the end, these are mere sidenotes to the entire experience that occurs along the river (the beating heart of Varanasi). While death is something that most people are afraid to think about, we all know it will eventually come. In the end we hide from it and push it under the rug, only to briefly think about it occasionally. For people who inhabit or visit Varanasi, the imminence of death remains in your thoughts at all times. Time does not seem to exist here sometimes. Powerful stuff...
It is not just death that is here - it is also the full range of life. Here people pray, bathe and do their laundry in a river that they believe enhances both their life and afterlife. People connect with their gods and the spirits of their family members and friends who are no longer here, while young married couples sit by the water, connecting in only a way they will truly know. Kids laugh and play cricket along the banks of the river, yet at the same time beggars and street people hold dearly onto life. Such life experiences are walking distance from burning ghats, where day and night bodies are lit on fire and disappear, only to become a memory. Life and death really do coexist on a permanent basis here, and in plain view.
Varanasi (or Kasi as they used to call it) most represents India to me - like India, Varanasi inspires every single human emotion. The great and the horrible will surround you at the same time, and never seem to leave. If there is a sight, smell, sound or feeling that isn't in India, it doesn't exist. Varanasi is a microcosm of India, which in itself is the world in concentrate. Nothing is watered down or covered up here. Take it or leave it.
When compared to every other city I have seen, Varanasi is like a wise, old guru who knows everything about life and is willing to share its secrets with whomever seeks them. The maturity of this city is impossible to surpass, and a visit here is more than highly recommended. It is one of the most surreal and amazing places on Earth...
But Varanasi is the only place in the world where you are guaranteed to confront both life and death. It is a city where the full cycle of life is embraced on a daily basis. Death is literally floating in the air! Whether it is the flicker of a funeral pyre or the smell of a burning body, one is constantly reminded of mortality while walking along the ghats (steps) of the Ganges River. Spirituality seeps from this city. It is saturated in history and enlightenment...
It is at first very shocking to see dead bodies engulfed in flames. After about 3 hours of burning, they are completely reduced to ash and smoke, only to be carried away by the wind and water. But quickly the experience becomes rather calming and relaxing. The power and significance of this event is too great to feel sad or uncomfortable for too long. It opens your mind to say the least, especially if you are used to a normal funeral at the cemetary...
There are two main "burning ghats" where people take their deceased loved ones. But first there is a procession through the streets of the old town, where the body (wrapped in cloth ranging from a simple red to lavish golden and orange, depending on gender and caste) is carried on what looks like a bamboo stretcher. The body is eventually taken down steps to the Ganga (as they call it), where it is given a final bath, and then placed on the destined pile of logs. Different wood can be chosen, and each type has a different price (sandalwood powder is the most expensive). There are specific men who weigh out the wood with scales - it is said that weighing just the right amount of wood for each different body is considered an art. Indian men are the only ones who watch the burning, as women have been known to become so upset at the sight that they throw themselves on the fire! As one guy told me, only "strong men" are allowed to watch. The bodies of the lower castes are positioned closer to the river, while the higher castes burn higher up the slope and farther from the river. Cows sit and occasionally gaze over, completely indifferent to everything. People just stare quietly, deep in contemplation, as smoke fills the air. Temples long ago stained black from the smoke provide the backdrop of this dramatic sight. Boys from the lowest castes eventually scoop up the ashes with a shovel, which are then given to the Ganges River...
The first time I experienced the ghats of Varanasi was in a rickety little boat rowed by an old, bearded man. The colorful ghats that lead down to the river from the narrow alleyways of the old city all seemed to have unique atmospheres. Some were crowded, and some were desolate. Temples, shrines, and palaces loomed over the water like a canyon of history. The current was peaceful and slow, almost nonexistent as it carried the ashes of the deceased into the oceans of the world. For all that my eyes were seeing,all I could really hear were children laughing, bells and cymbals occasionally being struck, gulls squawking, and the sound of the river lapping against the boat and paddles. The discrepancy between my vision and hearing was something to marvel at. It was the ultimate boat ride.
The newer parts of town have a peaceful chaos about it that I grew to like. Sure, there is dirt and garbage (also tons of cow dung everywhere, watch your step!). The traffic is dense mostly with honking motorbikes and rickshaws, as speakers emit exotic Indian street music from a secret location above the roads. Flea-ridden dogs and holy cows roam the streets. Young children caked in dirt beg for money while people try to sell you drugs and peddle boat rides. Sadly, the Ganges is literally septic, with dozens of sewers constantly spilling into it. But in the end, these are mere sidenotes to the entire experience that occurs along the river (the beating heart of Varanasi). While death is something that most people are afraid to think about, we all know it will eventually come. In the end we hide from it and push it under the rug, only to briefly think about it occasionally. For people who inhabit or visit Varanasi, the imminence of death remains in your thoughts at all times. Time does not seem to exist here sometimes. Powerful stuff...
It is not just death that is here - it is also the full range of life. Here people pray, bathe and do their laundry in a river that they believe enhances both their life and afterlife. People connect with their gods and the spirits of their family members and friends who are no longer here, while young married couples sit by the water, connecting in only a way they will truly know. Kids laugh and play cricket along the banks of the river, yet at the same time beggars and street people hold dearly onto life. Such life experiences are walking distance from burning ghats, where day and night bodies are lit on fire and disappear, only to become a memory. Life and death really do coexist on a permanent basis here, and in plain view.
Varanasi (or Kasi as they used to call it) most represents India to me - like India, Varanasi inspires every single human emotion. The great and the horrible will surround you at the same time, and never seem to leave. If there is a sight, smell, sound or feeling that isn't in India, it doesn't exist. Varanasi is a microcosm of India, which in itself is the world in concentrate. Nothing is watered down or covered up here. Take it or leave it.
When compared to every other city I have seen, Varanasi is like a wise, old guru who knows everything about life and is willing to share its secrets with whomever seeks them. The maturity of this city is impossible to surpass, and a visit here is more than highly recommended. It is one of the most surreal and amazing places on Earth...
2/05/2010
The Taj & The Train
My time in Uttar Pradesh has allowed me to see the best and the worst of India. UP as they call it here, is the most populous state in India, with 170 million people crowding the Northern strip of plains along the Ganges, the holiest river in Hinduism. It is a very rural area, and quite poor as well. Thousands of villages hug this precious source of life.
In the midst of this all is Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. I can't say much about the town - it is a very boring (but bustling) tourist town that is mostly a sidenote to the Taj. But the Taj itself is a different story. We have all seen images of this masterpiece of design, but it is only until one visits the place that true appreciation can begin...From afar, one will never notice the intricate marble inlay designs that covers this memorial, nor can one see the design of the entire space. The Taj is set in a large, beautiful courtyard, true to its Mughal (Muslim) design, and it is flanked by other gorgeous buildings that are sadly never noticed. And the beautiful Yamuna River (Hinduism's 2nd holiest river) that flows behind the Taj creates a whole new atmosphere of natural serenity that pictures will never capture. Both the intimate details and grand design can only be seen in person, and I will not try to describe the indescribable to you any longer. It is a futile effort. But the Taj Mahal is truly something to behold, and it is possibly India's greatest gift to the world...
But it was after my visit to this wonder of the world that I got to see a different part of India - the trains. India's railway system is the 2nd most extensive in the world, covering just over 39,000 miles (one of the few positive legacies left behind by the British). But the train situation in India is currently stagnant at best.
Let's start with a typical Indian train station - extremely crowded with people sleeping, practically camping out. To grab a plot of floorspace that is not covered with dead cockroaches, betel nut juice spit, or general garbage and filth, is a miracle. The stations almost feel like refugee camps, or sess pools. People jump down onto the tracks and urinate in front of everybody. Since many of these people do not live in areas inhabited by tourists, this is their one chance to inhabit the same space. I had numerous people just come up to me, and stand there - staring. Awkward to say the least...And it doesn't help at all that trains in India are ALWAYS late. I have taken two trains so far, and one was 5 hours late, while the other was a measly 3 hours late. One guy told me about his train being 12 hours late!! At that point I say cancel the thing...
So once I got on the train, I found my sleeper compartment. A slab of hard leather, which I have no problem with. But this slab of leather got really cold at night, especially when half of the windows in the car were missing! I was near hypothermia by the time the sun came up the next day. I saw a mouse scurrying around the car, as well as cockroaches. Not a pretty sight. The smell of human waste emanates from the bathrooms (in which the toilets merely open onto the train track below, a convenient but unfortunate short-term solution to the problem of waste disposal on the trains). These things I (and probably you too) take for granted in the USA and the West. I will, after this, discontinue any negative remarks towards the US train system...
It really makes me wonder about the state of Indian infrastructure if something as basic and simple as the windows of a train are missing...can the government not even try to keep people from freezing? Do politicians here even care? The roads of India are not any better...The harsh Indian sun and weight of millions of automobiles is constantly thrashing the roads and highways here, making road work an endless project. India has the highest ration of workers to miles of road in the world (one for every 1.25 miles of road), yet this still is not enough to prevent potholes that can sometimes be the size of a bathtub! Unfortunately, anybody employed by the Indian government can NEVER be fired under a certain article of the Indian constitution, so these workers never show up for work, since they will get paid either way. This also explains many problems in the country - rewarding people for not working may prove to be disastrous for this country. This all sounds trivial, until it is understood that up to 1/3 of all vegetables grown in India rot before they reach their destination, due to slow travel caused by poor road conditions. Similarly, up to 1/3 of teachers miss school each day here because they cannot reach their school on time, also due to poor roads.
The bad state of Indian infrastructure will only hurt India as a society and an economy, and it will make life difficult not just for a visitor like me, but for the rest of the country (that's 1.3 billion people and counting by the way). Fortunately, a massive highway project called the Golden Quadrilateral Highway is nearly finished, after it was begun in 1998. This highway connects all four of India's big cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata), basically forming a loop around the edges of the country. Another highway is in the works to bisect India down the middle from the North to the very South. These projects should help things immensely in the long run. But the train system must be developed further and made more efficient, since trains are less energy-intensive than automobiles. Let's hope things start to seriously pick up, or else the added weight of more people with more cars will only drag this country down to the pace of a snail...
In the midst of this all is Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. I can't say much about the town - it is a very boring (but bustling) tourist town that is mostly a sidenote to the Taj. But the Taj itself is a different story. We have all seen images of this masterpiece of design, but it is only until one visits the place that true appreciation can begin...From afar, one will never notice the intricate marble inlay designs that covers this memorial, nor can one see the design of the entire space. The Taj is set in a large, beautiful courtyard, true to its Mughal (Muslim) design, and it is flanked by other gorgeous buildings that are sadly never noticed. And the beautiful Yamuna River (Hinduism's 2nd holiest river) that flows behind the Taj creates a whole new atmosphere of natural serenity that pictures will never capture. Both the intimate details and grand design can only be seen in person, and I will not try to describe the indescribable to you any longer. It is a futile effort. But the Taj Mahal is truly something to behold, and it is possibly India's greatest gift to the world...
But it was after my visit to this wonder of the world that I got to see a different part of India - the trains. India's railway system is the 2nd most extensive in the world, covering just over 39,000 miles (one of the few positive legacies left behind by the British). But the train situation in India is currently stagnant at best.
Let's start with a typical Indian train station - extremely crowded with people sleeping, practically camping out. To grab a plot of floorspace that is not covered with dead cockroaches, betel nut juice spit, or general garbage and filth, is a miracle. The stations almost feel like refugee camps, or sess pools. People jump down onto the tracks and urinate in front of everybody. Since many of these people do not live in areas inhabited by tourists, this is their one chance to inhabit the same space. I had numerous people just come up to me, and stand there - staring. Awkward to say the least...And it doesn't help at all that trains in India are ALWAYS late. I have taken two trains so far, and one was 5 hours late, while the other was a measly 3 hours late. One guy told me about his train being 12 hours late!! At that point I say cancel the thing...
So once I got on the train, I found my sleeper compartment. A slab of hard leather, which I have no problem with. But this slab of leather got really cold at night, especially when half of the windows in the car were missing! I was near hypothermia by the time the sun came up the next day. I saw a mouse scurrying around the car, as well as cockroaches. Not a pretty sight. The smell of human waste emanates from the bathrooms (in which the toilets merely open onto the train track below, a convenient but unfortunate short-term solution to the problem of waste disposal on the trains). These things I (and probably you too) take for granted in the USA and the West. I will, after this, discontinue any negative remarks towards the US train system...
It really makes me wonder about the state of Indian infrastructure if something as basic and simple as the windows of a train are missing...can the government not even try to keep people from freezing? Do politicians here even care? The roads of India are not any better...The harsh Indian sun and weight of millions of automobiles is constantly thrashing the roads and highways here, making road work an endless project. India has the highest ration of workers to miles of road in the world (one for every 1.25 miles of road), yet this still is not enough to prevent potholes that can sometimes be the size of a bathtub! Unfortunately, anybody employed by the Indian government can NEVER be fired under a certain article of the Indian constitution, so these workers never show up for work, since they will get paid either way. This also explains many problems in the country - rewarding people for not working may prove to be disastrous for this country. This all sounds trivial, until it is understood that up to 1/3 of all vegetables grown in India rot before they reach their destination, due to slow travel caused by poor road conditions. Similarly, up to 1/3 of teachers miss school each day here because they cannot reach their school on time, also due to poor roads.
The bad state of Indian infrastructure will only hurt India as a society and an economy, and it will make life difficult not just for a visitor like me, but for the rest of the country (that's 1.3 billion people and counting by the way). Fortunately, a massive highway project called the Golden Quadrilateral Highway is nearly finished, after it was begun in 1998. This highway connects all four of India's big cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata), basically forming a loop around the edges of the country. Another highway is in the works to bisect India down the middle from the North to the very South. These projects should help things immensely in the long run. But the train system must be developed further and made more efficient, since trains are less energy-intensive than automobiles. Let's hope things start to seriously pick up, or else the added weight of more people with more cars will only drag this country down to the pace of a snail...
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