Christmas Catch-Up

बड़ा दिन मुबारक हो!
Merry Christmas from New Delhi!

After a long spell of failing to keep up the blog with life events (or keep up with Ange as she blogs faithfully), here is a Chirstmas catch-up:

In November we enjoyed celebrating the Indian Festival of Diwali to the fullest. Ange's blog captures this in both pictures and words, so I will not re-hash what she has so expertly done. We went to the famous camel fair of Pushkar, Rajasthan over the Thanksgiving weekend - an awesome event we will never forget. Again Angela captured wonderfully our experience there, and I hope to add some elaboration on our main website on the Olmsted Travel page. Look for a link soon.

Now as we get into December, I must report that I survived yet another season of final exams. I also had a moment of pause just before starting my last exam on December 3rd...I thought I was done with this sort of torture years ago as an engineering undergrad at BYU in 1995! Although not the technical challenge of previous degrees, all the memorization and hours of handwriting was new for me (all finals are 3 hour essay sessions, no notes of any kind allowed).

During and after these tests we had Ange's Mom Peg here to see the wonder that is India. We loved having her here and we had a great time together. Ange and her Mom were very adventurous shoppers and travelers, and I was able to join them on a great visit to Old Delhi to see Chandni Chowk and the Jammu Masjid. I accompanied Ange, Peg, and some friends on their first (and my second) trip on the shiny new Delhi Metro.

It is being built at a rapid pace (by Indian standards) in hopes of being ready for the Delhi-hosted Asian Games in 2010. It is a nice system that is obviously inspired by the London Tube in design and feel. It was quite a visual, auditory, and olfactory contrast to step out of the 21st-Century Metro into the filth and choke of the 18th-Century Chandni Chowk Bazaar. Since most shopps were still closed, we made our way on cycle rickshaws to the Jammu Masjid.

Although Ange and I have visited before, today was much less crowded and the weather was just perfect. Besides the haze of pollution, it was an ideal time to visit the largest active Mosque in India. We climbed to the top of one of its minarets in a very dark, narrow, medieval staircase that spiraled to the top. From above we had great views of Old Delhi and the Red Fort. If the air quality were better we would have had even better vistas of the city and the Yamuna River.

After leaving the mosque we enjoyed a great Indian feast at Karim's, a great little restaurant hidden in an alley in the bustle of Old Delhi. The Mutter Paneer was particularly good. We then spent a hour or two wandering in the labyrinth of shops and commotion of Chandni Chowk. I was overwhelmed the first time I came here, but now I really love the adventure of it all. After coming here perhaps six times, I still have yet to explore a tenth of it! Any who come to visit us absolutely must come with us to experience it - just try to come this time of year when it's not so blasted hot!Besides Old Delhi, Peg was able to see Qutb Minar, The Taj Mahal, and Becca's Birthday party. A few days after bidding goodbye to Peg, I was able to join with our Church young men's group in another great service project. On a brisk evening (temperatures are dipping into the low 40s overnight) we took a stockpile of donated blankets, scarves, caps, sweaters, and other clothing items and drove through the streets of Delhi looking for families in need. We met as a group several weeks ago to plan how to best make a difference and the young men decided that we should seek those who have come to Delhi to seek a better life working as day laborers. They are plentiful in Delhi and most have few possessions, living with their families in makeshift tents on their work sites or on the streets. Although the ubiquitous street-corner beggars are equally needy, the boys thought it better to help the unseen workers - who never ask for handouts, only an opportunity to make a better life. They said a prayer and we drove into the city, seeking them out. We found most on their work sites, and the boys' gifts were gratefully received. Particularly touching was the last blanket, which two boys silently placed on a homeless woman sleeping on a park bench.

दशहरा - Dussehra Festival

This weekend we enjoyed one of India's greatest and most widely celebrated festivals known as Dussehra, which comes from sanskrit meaning "10 days". It is the culmination of nine days of fasting - called "Navaratri" (meaning "nine days") - and worship of Shakti, an embodiment of the Hindu concept of the "Divine Mother" Durga.


The 10th day is celebrated in grand fashion, culminating in the burning of massive effigies of Ravana - the arch foe of Lord Rama as told in the Hindu epic scripture Ramayana. The Demon-King Ravana is flanked by Kumbhakaran and Meghanad, his partners in crime, and all three are symbolically defeated by Rama after he rescues his wife from their clutches, having kidnapped her to their kingdom of Lanka (which most associate with the island of modern Sri Lanka). This is a boiled-down oversimplification as Dussehra is not celebrated uniformly across India, varying in custom and emphasis depending on the region. But the general purpose of the festival is to celebrate the "Victory of Good over Evil" - a particularly auspicious time to initiate a new venture, dedicate a new building, or seek blessing upon tools, weapons, machines, books, etc.


The exciting part was the evening event held to culminate the week's festivities and burn the effigies. These are set up in big venues and in small neighborhood parks throughout the city. We drove through Delhi (to drop off fellow scholar Chris Wilkinson at the train station - he was here for just one day on his way to Kolkata) and saw some very impressive effigies setup near the Red Fort. We also noticed that it was only 4 PM and there were already tens of thousands of people massing for the carnival-scene...way too dense for us to venture into!

We decided to attend the locally-produced event in the next neighborhood known as Rama-Krishna Puram. The picture here shows a close up of Ravana, who is normally depicted as having 10 heads looking in all directions (that's what those thingys hanging off the ears are). He has the trademark mustache and is armed...but he was in for a big shock, as were we, for his demise was imminent! You should know that this is really just a wood and bamboo frame covered in paper and plaster, but is about 45 feet tall! (notice the neighborhood water tower behind him) He is also held up by four ropes, the idea being they will keep him from falling on the crowd as he goes up in flames! Nevermind there were people sitting within the perimiter of its fall - OSHA has no juristiction here. In fact an OSHA inspector would probably have an aneurism if they saw this setup. Ravana was packed with enough explosives to...well, you'll see below. There were fireworks (the REAL BIG boomer-type stuff with awesome colors) that was cooked off literally 40 feet in front of us by guys with matches or sticks that were on fire! And they shot right up over our heads, showering debris onto our laps! Yahoo! It was like the good-'ole-days in America before the Lawyers took over! (Tone...no slight intended, Bro!)


We bought some tickets to enter the "VIP" section, meaning we were in front of a makeshift wooden barricade (where the rest of the neighborhood sat on the grass) and behind a ropeline, which was all that was between us and all the super-flammables. Actually we wisely sat on the back row.


When the time came to begin, the Master of Ceremonies began to narrate a super-simplified version of the story of Rama, Sita, and Ravanna, while a small pack of local boys decked in costumes roamed about the no-man's land (in and around the effigies that were loaded with powder, and literally criss-crossing the launching pad while the fireworks were going up!) pretending to fight each other. It was not coordinated in any way, and it seemed to drag on forever as they just wandered around in 2 groups, occasionally meeting and having it out with their wooden swords.

Things finally got exciting after they finished a litany of motivational speeches and a few traditional songs. Suddenly the small hut near the effigies went off like someone just dropped a 500 lb bomb on it! They were some serious detonations, and most of the enactment boys were within spitting range. I was just waiting for someone to go running off screaming having lost a finger or a foot. We could feel the heat from about 50 yards away!

After about 10 minutes of more rambling, I became concerned about the sudden overpowering smell of gasoline fumes. They were dowsing the hay bales beneath one of the effigies with some high octane go-go juice, and they weren't being miserly about it! When this effigy was ignited by the dudes with matches, it was not just flame, it was loaded with explosives like those in the fireworks! The pressure waves of detonations and the heat were intense...

...And despite the decided elevated risks taken by a large number of people, only Ravanna and his cohorts were burned or maimed.

After his two buddies were reduced to smoldering heaps, Ravana himself had a nice touch - his belly erupted in a spinning wheel of sparks and noisemakers. This, however, did not trigger his demise, and the underpaid, overzealous ignition guys had to creep up to his formidible, half-lit and smoking tinderkeg corpus to try to get him to go off completely. They succeed without bar-b-queing themselves...

And the neighborhood was much pleased to see that good does, in fact, triumph over evil. Even if you had to wait for a very long time to see it happen in such a spectacular and satisfying way.

दुशहरा कि हार्दिक शुब्कम्नाये !

Agra Fort - आगरा कीला

We recently took a great trip back to Agra with my Mom and my sister-in-law. We used the train this time (quite a cultural experience) and spent more time there exploring Agra Fort after seeing the Taj. Follow links to Ange's blog (under 23 Sept entry) for details and pictures!
Ange's Blog writeup
Agra Fort Pictures

Lending a Hand - सहायता करना

This last weekend I joined with our church youth group to tackle a very worthwhile and rewarding project. We journeyed about a hour east of town into neighboring Noida to the Saikripa Orphanage to help them prepare for an exicting and momentous event - a wedding! Actually it will be two weddings for girls that were raised by "Autny Anjina" (as she is known by all of her children) who are now adults leading productive lives. They were in need of help to beautify the otherwise gloomy and run-down rooms where the little girls live. The weddings will be held in these same rooms, so we came to do our best to make them look good.

हम अनाथालाये को गाये और उसके दीवारों पर रंग किया. दो लेर्कियाँ थोड़े समय पर शादी शुदा होंगीं - उनके लिए इतने अदभूत होगी !

It was hot, sticky, and crowded, but the kids were in great spirits. The walls had to be sanded first, and then the dust had to be removed as best we could. We prepped the rooms for painting and got down to work painting a pretty pink picked out by Aunty. About half way through the job we were running out of paint, so I took a few of the boys and we headed to the nearby market to get more. It was tough to find the right paint and color, but I was able to use my Hindi to work out the details. It felt good to put some language skill to practical, hands-on use on the street!

It was humbling to see what few possessions these little girls had. At the same time, it was very reassuring to me that there are many good people in India working in a devoted way to tackle the poverty and suffering that is so wide spread here. It was a great experience for my son Z and I to join with local Indian kids and work with them to improve their community. There were a couple other Ex-pat kids (of our friends the Seiperts, who live at the embassy), and after spending the day sweating it out together, we had some great chats reflecting on the privileges we take for granted in America. We will definately make this type of service a regular part of our plans. It may not make much difference in the big scheme of things, but it feels great to accomplish a few small things that bring big smiles.

ये काम करके, हम जानते हैं कि हमारे जीवन मे भुत अशिशे हैं.

Golfing in Delhi: Contrast in Culture

This week I had the opportunity to do what I did not expect to while in India - spend an afternoon golfing. I am not an avid golfer, but I did bring my clubs to India - more of a default occurrence than a conscious choice. Still, through an unlikely connection - a fellow named Siddarth that I met at our church recently - I was invited and graciously accepted. He is a great guy from a wealthy business family, and up until recently, an aspiring amateur/pro golfer (and he had a mean game!) It is hard to imagine a more stark contrast than to step off the streets of Delhi and on to the green paradise that is the Delhi Country Club. It may not be as immaculate as some exclusive clubs in the US, but it is very beautiful in its own right. It even has a few small Moghul-era (~500 years old) monuments on the course - something you won't find back in the States.

The course was also a haven for wild Peacocks, who routinely wandered across the greens and fairways, oblivious or even welcoming of our presence. The club house was filled with the well-heeled and well-connected of Delhi. Siddarth is a well-known fellow at the club, and one of his regular golfing friends spontaneously joined us for 9 holes. We had great caddies, with whom I spoke Hindi (making fast-friends). However when I spoke Hindi to my fellow golfers or club members, they complimented me politely but spoke to me only in English. They spoke to the caddies and course employees in Hindi, but to me - always in English. It is another example of the wide social and economic divides that exist in modern India, and the status indicator that speaking English represents in the upper classes.


I enjoyed my time on the links immensely (who wouldn't?), but after leaving the walled-in haven behind and returning to the streets and the pervasive poverty, the complexities and disparities of Indian culture seemed even more stark. I am coming to realize the profound insight in the oft-quoted phrase of the famous Cambridge Economist Joan Robinson: "Whatever you can rightly say about India, the opposite is also true."

हुमायूँ का मकबरा - Humayun's Tomb

We took an afternoon to see Humayun's Tomb, one of Delhi's best kept and popular historic sights. We spent about two hours wandering the grounds where the second Mughal Emporer was buried, in a magnificent tomb constructed by his widow Haji Begum. It preceded the Taj Mahal by almost a hundred years, and is the first in a succession of grand Mughal structures that testify to the vision of the Emporers of that period. It is a great sight to see before going to Agra, as you can get a great feel for how this structure influenced the Taj and many later monuments.

The complex has several monuments and tombs besides that of Humayun. Near the entrance is the tomb of Isa Khan, one of the nobles of Sher Shah Sur (a compeditor to Humayun and the Mughal Dynasty). Just outside the gate to Humayun's garden we climbed on the ruins of Arab ki Sarai, where the artisans and laborers originally dwelled.

We were fortunate to have some rain to bring the temperatures down, and we really enjoyed the well-kept grounds and wildlife. The call of peacocks and their occasional sighting added some authenticity to the Mughal paradise-garden scene. The complex has recently undergone extensive restoration and improvement, including running water in the fountains and channels of the tomb garden plaza. One gets a sense of the grandeur of the Mughals and the permanence of their legacy in India, considering that the complex was built in 1565 AD. It is a must-visit for all who come to see us, especially since it is very close and easily accessed. We didn't take the kids this time (maybe that's why it was so serene...) but this is a great place for them to run around and even climb the stairs to get a view from above. Awesome!

मेरी दिल कि रानी - Queen of my heart

अंगेला मेरी दिल कि रानी हैं - इतनी खूबसुरत हैं! अंगेला ने काई नए सरियां खरीदीं, और पहनकर च्रुच गयी। सुब लोगों को बहुट आचा लुगता था!

This week Angela really had a great week - especially from where I'm standing - and I have to sing her praises. It has been a rollercoaster ride and a real struggle getting a family set up and functioning in India, and I know she has had some pretty bad days this last month. But she persisted with the courage and determination that I have always admired her for. She has been driving the car by herself (maybe not everywhere, but nonetheless braving traffic, stick shifting, and staying on the "wrong" side of the road), signed up for Hindi classes, and got her long-awaited LASIK operation. She did her LASIK homework and found a place well-recommended by many expat friends. But the idea was always terrifiying to have the procedure done, even in America much less in a foreign land! She had a rough first night but everything turned out, I should say...beautifully!

Speaking of beautiful, you should see "the queen of my heart" in her new saris. She is stunning! She shopped with our cook, Manjula, and found great fabric at a great local price. She figured out how to put them on, and decided to wear one to church this morning. Wow! I didn't know when I came to India that I would be married to a Bollywood Bombshell! Enough of my babbling, see for yourself...