India's comimg to an end

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In a half daze I boarded the train with some people that I had met from Bombay, more then willing to just follow them to Amritzar. After another night train ride, we arrived early the next morning, found a hotel close to the railway station and crashed for a couple of hours before heading out to the temple. I have met all types of wonder people in India, but the Sheiks are some of my favorite. As a community they are consistently kind, gentle and humble. They also have a reputation of having great courage, making up 90% of the Indian army. I learned over time to look for them, (they always have a beard and a turban hat), when I needed help or directions. Several times they approached me and would sincerely enquire to see if I needed any help or to scare the hawkers away. They are India's guardian angels. It was these qualities that endured me to them, fueling the desire to experience their holy place, The Golden Temple. Briefly the Golden Temple is a gold plate building that sits in the middle of a square, man made lake. More temple buildings also surround the lake. Everything is made of white marble, and very clean. A peaceful place filled with worshipers of all ages. It was quite refreshing to step through the gates and into the sanctuary of this ancient place. After a brief stay we headed back to the hotel. Two of my companions invited me to join them to the Pakistan / India border crossing to observe a nightly ceremony when both sides lower the national flags. When I arrived at the border I found a stadium like atmosphere. On each side of the main gate was stadium seating filled with onlookers. On the Pakistani side, the stadium was divided, men on one side, woman on the other. The India stadium, much larger in size, was a mash of humanity. Planted in the middle of this mash, I witnessed what appeared to be a football game then a changing of the guard. Chanting, yelling, and screaming slogans on both sides of the gate. The only thing that was missing was the yell, "we're Number 1"! Grown men making silly gestures like school children taunting each other into a fight. Personally I think both sides have to many people bored with life and a fight would liven things up a little, unfortunately they happen to have nukes in there back pockets and seem only have aware of the potential consequences, lost in there emotions. We can only hope common sense will prevail, and peace will come.

Afterwards we hurried back to the train station, they boarded and left me alone to spend the night in Amritzar. I decided to wonder back to the Golden Temple to get some night shots of the temple lit up against the nighttime sky. Arriving at the temple I checked my daypack into the cloakroom and walked into the center area to see the beautiful illuminated golden temple reflecting on the black lake. I met a young Sheik from Delhi named Jimmy. He fit the image of a sheik, big, bearded and kind. Jimmy convinced me to join him in taking a bath in the holy waters of the lake. After some searching, we purchased a pair of bathing shorts, changed, and went lakeside to the bathing location. I waded into the water as I walked down the marble steps that slowly disappeared into the blackness. Surrounded by bathers on all sides, Jimmy was directly behind me, slowly wading in. It was a beautiful sight, wading into the water with the gold reflection filling the surface of the lake. The water is supposed to be able to cleanse your soul, very conceivable in this golden water. As I was enjoying the quiet moment, I heard a man shrieking, it was Jimmy, he was afraid of the large fish (carp) that swam around you as you bathed. Suddenly he went running out of the water, unable to control his fear. I asked, what happen to the fearless Sheiks of legend and lore?? I chuckled, asking if he was afraid of being gummed to death! He just laughed, and said that was most Sheiks, not all! We dried off, went to the kitchen where we plopped down on the floor and they fed us. Generally I get a spoon, not here, it was time to eat with my fingers. So, mopping up rice and Dal as best as I could, I filled up and relished the moment. It finally came time to go, so we went to the cloakroom to get out things, only to be greeted by a locked window. They had just closed, the room was dark, and wouldn't open again until 3 AM the next morning. Ugh, I was stuck. My shoes were in my bag, along with other personal items, so I was going nowhere. Back in to the temple we went, knowing I would be able to catch my 6 AM train, but once again get no sleep, for the 3rd night in a row. We found an open space lakeside, on the marble bank, plopped down and tried to rest. I thought to myself, this is a pretty nice place to be stuck. The cool marble felt good against my warm skin, and I used my water bottle as a pillow. I spent the next 4 hours watching the temple, staring at the stars in the nighttime sky and floating in and out of sleep. I bathed, ate, and slept at the temple, they told me that should make fairly pure for some time. I'll take whatever help I can get! Eventually 3 AM arrived, I grabbed my bag and went back to my hotel. I took another shower, packed up, and headed to the train station to catch my early morning train to Delhi. I was knackered, as they say in Britain, but still kicking and pure :)!

Waiting in Delhi was Sunita, a former travel companion in Ladakh. She had invited me to stay with her family while passing through that part of India. I instantly felt at home there, it was like visiting my family. In the home were Sunita's parents, her brother, and his wife with their three children. I was made to feel part of the family, as the young twins called me uncle. It was good to be in such a loving environment, with the fun and laughter of small children. Delhi was a "to do list' stop for me. I finished up my Christmas shopping, (for 2002) got my teeth cleaned at the dentist office, cleaned myself up, sewed up torn cloths, purchased my airline ticket for Turkey, and most notably cut my hair short. It was fun to have long hair, and it's purposed had been served, it was time to come off! And it feels ssssssooooo good! Short is easy, cheap and best! After finishing up my "to do list", (by the way, I haven't missed a" to do list" one bit!) I hopped onto a train for Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. Even with all the touristy hype, this place is amazing. It is as close to perfection as you can get in regards to creating a physical structure. A fitting tribute to the depth of love the Mogul had for his wife, and in some way, what all men feel for their partners in life. It was blazing hot when I was there, but even that couldn't detract from the awe of this place. Later that evening I snuck onto the train with no ticket, and jumped off at Mathura. For a brief and somewhat rushed period, I explored the birthplace of Krishna, and then jumped back onto the train again the next morning. This time I wasn't so lucky, I stepped right into the arms of the conductor who immediately asked for my ticket. I said I wanted to buy a ticket, but he just kept asking for it, apparently not understanding what I was saying. This went on for a few moments, until I finally reached in and gave him the only ticket I had, my Delhi to Bombay ticket. He looked at it for a minute and finally asked me for 200 Rupees ($4), the fee for my ticket and fine for boarding without it. I can handle that.

My return to Delhi was brief, just long enough to say goodbye, mail some boxes, and grab my backpack. Once again I was on a night train, this time heading for Bombay. Arriving in Bombay to constant rain, I decided to continue straight on to Pune. I have known many people who have passed through Pune, liked all of them and was curious about what was there. In Pune I found a place to relax, and a chance to meditate as much as I wanted. It was a good way to finish up an amazing journey through India. Hours of silent meditation allowed me to reflect upon my experiences, to keep them from disappearing into one large blurry haze.

India is a place of extremes, great wealth, and great poverty; great inner peace and external kaos with high-pitched emotions calling for war; people smashed together in large cities and the empty landscapes of Ladakh. It is a place where it is impossible not to be changed by the experiences in a deep and profound way. You are smothered, smothered by the neediness of the poor, smothered by the kindness of the ordinary people, smothered by the curiosity and different perspective of personal space, smothered by the pollution and by the beauty of the land and the eyes of the people. In all of it you are exposed to the many faces of humanity, and in this you find a deeper understanding of yourself, not different, but a part of it all. And in some simple way, I find great peace in that.

Back in Bombay I stayed with the Amin family, whom I met on a pilgrimage in Jammu. Like the long lost cousin, we reunited for a brief moment. They took such good care of me, whisking me around Bombay for the nickel tour, and putting me on the plane. India is now, and will forever live in me, and hopefully, I was able to share with it the best part of myself.

August 17th, 2002 Love Dean :)