Well, finally I am in Delhi, India...Words can't describe this city. It is simply amazing... Upon arrival from the airport, we were escorted by Winnie's (director of Maitri) personal driver to her house for a wonderful lunch prepared by her cook. Sonal (Winnie's daughter) then took us to Som Vihar, which is the living complex in which we will be staying during out duration here in India. It is a high rise in the government district of Delhi. We live on the 6th floor of the building where I can see the horizon of the city from my balcony and hear the Azan (Muslim call to prayer) being called at dawn. We have our own cook and driver. I have to admit it is quite nice, but a little unnerving. Sushant is our main servant who cooks us breakfast, lunch, and dinner, he also cleans our flat and laundry. I have never been treated so well.
Today, Sonal took us to the market to get a feel for things around us, there are so many people and so much to see, at times it is overwhelming, but never boring. The streets are filled with bustling people either on their way to work, coming from work, working, traveling to school, begging for a couple rupis, or just walking. The colors of the women's saris and shawls add such an exotic feel to the overall crazy atmosphere. The streets are jammed packed with motor rickshaws, cow drawn rickshaws, human pulled rickshaws, and of course an assortment of every kind of car that one can imagine. This is added to the fact that no one stays in one lane, here people operate on the system of honking and weaving in between other moving vehicles, there have been a couple of times in which I have truly feared for my life, yet Sonal assures me that this is the norm here in India. Added to this seemingly never ending pandemonium are pedestrians walking in the streets, cows and dogs taking their daily strolls...in the streets, and men women and children begging from car to car for rupis. It horrible and wonderful all at once...I am not even sure if that is possible, but that is exactly how I feel.
There is so much I want to tell you, but frankly I will have to take a break for tonight. I am extremely jet-lagged. I will post tomorrow. Stay tuned and email me!
Cheers~KK
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
It is sooo great that you are there. I can't believe it but reading about Maitri and Sonal I remember that when I went to India about 18 years ago I met Sonal as well...is that possible -? Some friends in Burlington Vt. suggested that I look them up at least that is who I think was the connection. At that point they were working on raising awareness of the practice of women throwing themselves on the burning funeral pyres of their husbands out of duty.
The world is so strange. Loved your description of Delhi and I remember feeling like the women remain so beautiful and calm amidst the chaos.
Enjoy and take it all in.
Keep writing!
We miss you here in SLC.
XO
Annabel
Post a Comment