The 7 Cities of Delhi

Miller

Our four days in Delhi and Agra have gone faster than even the earlier days of the trip, faster than the days in Kolkata, Darjeeling and Varanasi.  From here on in I can only expect for things to gain further velocity. 

The things we did in Delhi and Agra felt quite touristy:  visiting the beautiful Taj, Jama Masjid, Agra Fort, the red fort, eating at a butter chicken restaurant, and walking around in Ali Baba pants.  This feeling was a nice change of pace from the hectic days in Kolkata and Saraswatipur, but at points I felt as just one of the many Western tourists that were visiting the capital, still it was another aspect of India to be immersed in.  One thing we did that was a bit different was visit an NGO called Asha, Asha means "hope," in Hindi and that is what the organisation tries to bring to the people of Delhi's numerous slums.  So far, Asha is able to operate in 12% of the slums in Delhi, but from what we saw in a slum Asha has been working in for 30 years, the work done in the 12% is helping out a lot of people.  Something I find special about Asha is that they never give money to the people, giving a slum x amount of rupees could buy them some clothes or food, and that is good, but that money runs out.  Asha provides support by building infrastructure and schools, educating the people of the dangers of disease and providing vaccines and medicine, and by educating the women of their human rights in order to halt the manipulation and abuse their husbands may inflict upon them.  With these forms of aid, the children can grow up healthy and educated, many can attend university afterwards and even get well-paying jobs outside of the slums if they so choose, and if they do choose to stay they bring wealth and experience to the whole community.  The kids we met were lovely and had the biggest smiles you've ever seen as they showed us their many songs and dances.

Visiting the NZ High Commission of India, Nepal and Bangladesh was a rather unique experience.  The last song to play on the bus before we departed to the embassy sums it up nicely: a "Slice of Heaven." The speech by the High Commissioner gave us an insight into the work done by the High Commission and into the lives of the kiwis living on an island of familiarity surrounded by a sea of uncertainty that is the High Commission.  The accents, art, furniture, scones, pineapple lumps, raspberry slices and milo did a good job of bringing me back home for a few hours.

The magnificent sights we saw in Delhi and Agra, especially the Taj, were very impressive and aroused my youth's love of archaeology.  Most of the structures we saw were built by the Mughal Empire, something I have found interests me immensely.  The Mughal dynasty descends from Genghis Khan, but themselves originate from modern day Uzbekistan.  The empire at its peak contained much of the Middle East and Indian subcontinent and some of main Asia.  Its GDP was the highest in the world and 1/3 of the entire human population were citizens of the empire.  There were six powerful rulers of the dynasty, first the warrior, second the poet, then the great, the playboy, the builder (who built much of what we went to see), and finally the religious (Muslim) fanatic, these emperors were followed by many lesser rulers who brought the end to Mughal rule losing land to the British and other European colonial powers.

Now I am on the short train trip from New Delhi to Jaipur, the pink city, and from what I have heard of the place I am very excited for what is to come.