Delhi

Delhi is hot, smelly, crowded, and fun. If you can stand it, it has a lot to offer. We had the good fortune of being in Delhi on the 60th Anniversary of India's Independance in order to attend the Fulbright India Orientation held at the USEFI (United States Educational Foundation India) headquarters. The orientation was interesting and informative and the eight US teachers were in attendance (name/from/to) - Eddie Grannis (San Fransisco, California / Ahmedebad, Gujarat), Paul Amstutz (Yosemite, California / Bangalore, Karnataka) , Sarah Schmidt (Portland, Maine / Chennai, Tamil Nadu), Erin McGraw (Rutland, Vermont / Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh), Tim Daponte (Houston, Texas / New Delhi), Ashanti Branch (Oakland, California / Chennai, Tamil Nadu), Rodney Kleber (Northhampton, Massachusetts / Pune, Maharashtra), and myself - Patrick Kaplo (Manchester, New Hampshire / Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh). Leading the conference was Dr. Jane Schukoske, USEFI Execuive Director and USEFI program officers Ms. Varrtika Mudaliar and Dr. Garish Kaul. We heard from keynote speakers Mr. Adnan Siddiqi, Cultural Affairs Officer US Embassy, New Delhi and Dr. U.N. Singh, Joint Commisioner of all Central Government Schools (Kendriya Vidyalaya) in India, the largest school system in the world.

India's capital city is just bustling with everything - cars, motorscycles (2-wheelers as they are called here), auto rickshaws (3-wheelers or "autos" as they are called here), pedestrians, and last but not least, random cows roaming the streets. We spent the day after orientation visiting the Red Fort, which has a long and storied history in India and is most notably the site of the Independance address given by India's first PM Jawarharlal Nehru. I have copied the opening remarks here:

"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long supressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?"

Full text here: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1947nehru1.html

We also visited Chandni Chowk - the narrow and bustling labarynth of bazaars in the old city, which was quite a spectacal. The human density is astounding and the area is teeming with activity - jewelry makers, tailors, and food vendors making our favorite Indian sweet "goolab jamun" (although the butter/honey/flake of baklava-like "kaja" in concentric ellipses is a close second).


Later on that afternoon we visited the National Museum - which houses some of India's significant national treasures and ancient history. The auto (rickshaw) drivers in Delhi are a tough bunch to deal with - their meters suddenly become inoperable once they see that you are not Indian. It took quite a few interactions (OK - like 10 on the way back) to get a rate that was only twice or three times the actual metered fare.


We enjoyed our time in Delhi and in the north of India overall, but after traveling for the better part of two weeks and rarely staying in the same hotel for more than one night, we were ready to go "home". We got an early start on Saturday morning (August 18th) for the final leg of the beginning of this journey.

SEE THE DELHI SLIDESHOW BY CLICKING HERE!