[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
[click to zoom]
|
 |
From Agra to Delhi December 9, 1998
"They pulled out a small monkey wrench and proceeded
to beat the lock into submission..."
We went to Fatehpur Sikri on our second and last day in
Agra. FS is an abandoned, but well preserved, Muslim city built by the Mughal, Emperor
Akabar. We spent two hours with a guide walking through the now abandoned city learning
and looking. As legend has it, Akabar had three wives but no sons. So, he made a
pilgrimage to see the saint Shaik Salim Chishti, who blessed him, and somehow he begot a
son. Akabar had three wives: one was Hindu, one Muslim, and one Christian (a Portuguese
woman from Goa, India). The Hindu woman gave him the son, and thus became his favorite.
This was a slight problem for a Muslim ruler. His solution was obvious. Create a new
religion that combined parts of the three religions. A little radical for his times (the
1500's). FS served as the capital city of India, but was only occupied for four years. A
salty water supply forced everyone to move back to Agra. Agra then served as India's
capital until 1648 when it was moved to Delhi.
We drove back to Agra, where we met Deebee, the auto
rickshaw driver. Deebee drove us around to several shops (carpet, inlaid marble) to
presumably collect commission from the owners on whatever we buy. After that, we went back
to collect our bags, which we had put in a locker at the Shanti Lodge. Mike's guitar,
which was too long for the locker, had been left in a different cabinet. When we returned,
the cabinet was full of some other people’s bags, and their lock on the outside was
inconveniently holding the guitar prisoner. The Shanti staff, being the professionals they
are, knew it was time for us to head to Delhi, and could not locate the people or their
key. They pulled out a small monkey wrench and proceeded to beat the lock into submission.
When this failed to provide the fruits of victory, a crowbar was used to pry the door off.
The guitar was freed, and the door was nailed back on good-as-new (slightly used, but what
isn't in this country?). All we could picture was this poor guy trying to get his key into
the wrench-battered lock while the Shanti staff looked on and spoke to each other in
Hindi.
We went to pick-up our train tickets, and found it ironic
that the travel agent, who the day before had so praised the spiritual and mystical east
and so chastised the materialistic west, was in another city buying a new car!!!! Then the
travel agent’s brother asked Aaron if he would be interested in making some extra
cash by transporting $700.00 worth of jewels to the U.S. Aaron, who doesn't own a car and
could have used the money, declined. He's not a materialist.
On the train, we are constantly surrounded by Indians who
are enthralled with the USA. On the trip from Agra to Delhi, we met Prajal, a 24 year old
boy who had never been out of his small town. He was on his way to his friend's wedding in
the Punjab region. He had been awake for over 24 hours, and after Delhi he still had 8
more hours on a public bus. He kept asking us if we were nervous. Thinking he was misusing
the word, we all dismissed this odd question, until, at the Delhi railway station, he
confessed he was very nervous about being in the big city alone. He invited Jeff to go to
the wedding in the Punjab with him, and when Jeff declined he invited Aaron, Mike and the
three New Zealanders (Wick, Mitch, and Kalk) who were sitting in the berth with us.
We walked a few blocks from the train station, spent one
night at the Star Palace, and booked a room for the following night at the Namaskar Hotel
where we were to meet Josh when he arrived in Delhi. |
