Everyone’s invited to the wedding!

This morning, we woke up very early to go on a bike tour of the bird sanctuary next to our hotel in Bharatpur. It was such an extreme difference in scenery than we have been used to thus far. We saw not only birds, but also foxes, cows, and other animals. It was nice to get away from the haggling merchants, garbage, beggars, and constant reminders of poverty. The tour took about 3 hours, and we got off our bikes to get a closer look at the wildlife quite often. After the bike tour, we walked back to the hotel for breakfast.

Once breakfast was over, we left to head for Jaipur to visit the Jantar Mantar, an astrological observatory where we took a guided tour around all the old tools used to calculate zodiac signs. We saw the world’s largest sundial, and it told the time so exact- it was accurate within two seconds. The whole experience was so interesting, and it was especially impressive how intelligent and capable the Indian astronomers were so long ago without using any of the tools we have at our disposal today. One key takeaway I got from this visit was that astrology goes so much farther than just making simple predictions. In Indian culture, astrological signs, readings, matching’s, etc, are taken much more seriously. It is so extreme, in fact, that people will avoid marrying the one they love simply because their signs are not aligned. I am usually not a believer in zodiac fortunes, however, hearing it from a different perspective in the Indian culture has made me much less skeptical on the topic.

After that, we visited the Hawamahal Palace, predominantly used to house women. There were even special windows where the women inside could see out, but no one else could see in. We then departed for our hotel, and on the way we passed by a wedding procession and got out of the bus to walk along with them. They were dancing and celebrating and the groom was riding an elaborately decorated horse accompanied by a small child. Everybody within the procession was singing and dancing and there was music playing. The father of the groom came up to us and asked us to join everyone at the wedding. When we turned him down, he continued to plead and beg with professor Gupta for us to come, even if just for a little bit to have a bite to eat. He was so animate about us joining him, and he was genuinely upset when we had to turn him down. That extreme practice of hospitality is yet another unique aspect that separates the Indian culture from all others.

Finally, we got to our hotel, which was AMAZING! It was a huge complex with all individual huts and suites. Our room had two huge king size beds, a sitting room, and a master bathroom. It was probably big enough to fit eight people comfortably. We started the night in the professor’s room and everyone sat in a huge circle and played a came we made up, which we named “Mein Bhi” (the Hindu phrase which translates to “Me Too”). We all got to know a lot about one another and it was a lot of fun. I think, as a group, we finally knocked down any remaining barriers between us and grew much closer together. After the game, we went to dinner at the restaurant within the complex. We had to take our shoes off and sit on the floor while eating. It was a very traditional Indian meal with pieces of bread and different dipping sauces. After dinner, there was a little fair outside where we played some games and went on an elephant ride.

Overall, it was probably one of the longest days we’ve had yet, but I had a great time and enjoyed everything we did!

 

No hands, no Taj

Today, we woke up very early in order to get to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. On the way, my group had to make our case presentation, which was on the Dabbawallas. The Dabbawallas are people who deliver homemade lunches from people’s home to their places of work. The system uses very little technology and has been running almost exactly the same way since it began. It was interesting to see how a system can remain so successful throughout time without being overrun by more tech-savvy competitors. Oe point I found particularly interesting was the dabbas preferred hiring uneducated workers over educated ones. The point was that, while educated people will waste time asking questions and arguing, an uneducated worker would have already finished the job. Uneducated workers see the job as a Dabba as a stepping-stone, with the opportunity to grow, which is a huge motivational factor for a majority of employees.

The bus ride to Agra was about four hours long. Once we got off the bus, it took a while to get through security, especially for the boys (for the first time). At 1^st site, the Taj Mahal definitely did not disappoint. It was just as astounding as I thought it would be, if not more. First thing first, we got a huge group picture with everyone on the tour. After that, we played the role of the obnoxious tourist and took pictures from every single angle and pose, doing all the traditional ones as well as inventing a few of our own. The story of the Taj, which I had never previously known, is actually quite interesting. The royal King had it built for his wife, and it now serves as her tomb. The king was imprisoned by his son at some point, and he situated his bed so that he was always able to see the tomb from his bed via the reflection of his mirror. There is also a myth that the King had all the hands of the builders of the Taj cut off so that they could never build anything as extravagant and magnificent as it again. The only part which was a bit of a let down was the inside part of the Taj. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but I kind of thought the inside would be just as astonishing as the outside, and for me that just was not the case. I did get to take my shoes off though, which is progressively becoming one of my favorite activities!

After the Taj Mahal, we were off to the ancient city of Fatehpur Sikri. The whole complex was very elaborate. There was a different room for each of the ruler’s three wives, which happened to all be a different religion. Also, he had 365 girlfriends (one for each day of the year)! I’m curious as to why the wives didn’t step in and question his extra-marital relationships? Perhaps it was just not their place.

Next, we drove to our bird hotel right outside the bird sanctuary near Jaipur. The ride was beautiful. We were able to see the crowded slum and dirty streets turn into rolling green grass. It was such a contrasted lifestyle than what we have been used to seeing through the windows of the bus. At the hotel, there was a bonfire all set up and the entire group sat around talking and eating and relaxing… a great way to wind down from a busy day!

 

150 Rupees! Okay, okay, I give to you for 100 Rupees!

This morning we started off with a visit to DSCL, which is where Dean Dillon used to work and started his career. It is a family run, private business that has 100-year old roots. Recently, in 1990, it broke up into 4 different companies. The company itself focuses on the untapped market of rural India, which is considered to be the future success of DSCL. It’s business plan involves retail stores set up in rural India where people can buy groceries, clothes, and other necessities. I was skeptical of how profitable DSCL will be able to be because of the very low value of discretionary income of people in those areas.

After the visit to DSCL, we traveled by bus to the crowded streets of Chandni Chock. We split up into small groups in order to get through the masses of people easier and with less confusion. There were people and shops everywhere. Wherever I turned, someone was trying to sell us something or beg us for money or even just converse with us or stare at us. The first store we went in to was selling scarves in every color and design imaginable. As soon as we walked in, we were ushered to a couch area where we were offered a seat as well as coffee or tea. I felt this was very odd considering this was just a random shack of a shop off the side of a street and not an elaborate private retail store. Obviously, the owners saw a whole bundle of opportunity (and by that I mean rupees) in our clear foreignness. Once seated, the shop owner kept pulling scarf after scarf out of the packaging to lay them out for us. At first, we misunderstood and thought that each scarf was 150 rupees. Ultimately, it turned out that they actually were set at 1,250 rupees each, which changed the situation entirely. Originally, we had all picked out about 6 or 7 scarves to buy. Once the actual price was established, things changed and the owner didn’t like us as much anymore (understandably). Despite my reluctance, I ended up purchasing one and then moved on to the next store.

My favorite part of the entire day was interacting with the people on the streets, and not necessarily in a buying/selling atmosphere. There was a fair share of beggars, however most people were genuinely interested in interacting with us on a social and curiosity level. At one point, a group of us were waiting outside a store and all of a sudden found a swarm of Indian people circling us, asking us questions in Hindi and laughing. They make have been making fun of us (most probable case), but the whole exchange was great.

Bargaining and haggling prices down was like a sport. Many times it seemed as if the people wouldn’t budge. But, once you got up to leave without making a purchase, the seller instantly lowered the price closer to your desired value. After we were done shopping, a group of us more, “adventurous” eaters went to a street vendor/restaurant for dinner. It was, by far, the most authentic Indian meal I had experienced yet. It was a spicy cauliflower-stuffed piece of bread that had been deep-fried and was served with a variety of spicy and sweet dipping sauces. Our waiter was a young child (probably 8 or 9 years of age) who didn’t let the hustle and bustle of the dining crowd overwhelm him. He served our table with the efficiency and capability of any waiter with 10 years of experience in the most crowded restaurant in the middle of New York City.

After dinner, we visited the Red Fort, which used to be home of Indian Royalty. We toured the fort for a little, which really was way bigger than I had initially thought. Then, we saw a (light) and, predominantly, sound show which detailed the history if India and the kingdom itself. This kind of relates back to the theme I mentioned earlier of India being characterized by both a deeply rooted and ancient culture going back thousands of years, in addition to a very recently liberated, independent nation.

 

Work hard, play hard… the Indian way

Today (day 3 in India) included an extremely diverse array of activities. The “touristy” part was taken care of via a visit to the Akshardham Temple Complex where we went through several different interactive videos and even a simulation. The temple itself was incredible, both in size, detail, and structure. For me, the biggest challenge of confusion for me to overcome is the difference between India as an ancient culture and India as a contemporary and very recent independent nation. It’s hard to split the two- yet, maybe they aren’t meant to be split. In order to see where India is now, it’s important to understand their roots, and their history as a nation doesn’t begin with their independence from Britain in 1947, but with their initial beginnings as a cohesive community of understanding people.

The trip to HCL was my favorite business trip to date. The CEO was one of the most inspiring speakers I have heard. He was able to turn each and every possible negative into something positive. The thing he said which most intrigued me was when I asked him how he dealt with employees taking advantage of all the power, trust, and respect he gives them. He responded simply that, if they feel they must take advantage of such treatment, they must really not have felt trusted in the first place. That idea alone is something uncommon among people in general, never mind the very top of a globally successful corporation.

The final, and probably most appreciated destination of the day was to professor’s Gupta’s family house for a traditional Indian festival, in order to celebrate the beginning of spring. Everyone was encouraged to wear traditional Indian clothing, and each person that did looked fantastic. All of the girls even got henna tattoos, which are very popular in Indian cultures, especially at weddings. The night was filled with music, laughter, dancing, drinking, and eating. It was so humbling to see all of these people, most whom I had never met in my entire life, open their arms, homes, and hearts to myself and all the other Binghamton Students. Not once the entire night did I feel awkward or out of place. I felt more involved, more inspired here than I have at numerous parties and festivals attended with my own friends at home in the United States.

Also, it was interesting to see Indian life from another angle. So far, we have mostly interacted with native Indians in the business world, professionalism a priority. Tonight, people were able to let their guards down. I saw family members embrace, strangers bust a move, and new friendships start from a simple nod. The night flew by, and I have to say it really was one of the most genuinely amazing times I have had in my entire life. I know how corny that must sound, and it’s very difficult to describe through writing. But the happiness and joy in each of the people I saw and met tonight were insanely contagious. I have never seen or felt anything like it before, and people in the United States could really learn a lesson from it. When the day is done and work is over, let all of your worries and fears and anxiety about tomorrow disappear. If not, life will fly right by you, and you will miss your opportunity to just dance!

 

We’re as interesting to them as they are to us…

The very first thing we did as a group in India was a visit to the India Gate, where we were lucky enough to see various different marching groups practicing for the Republic Day on January 26th. The entire experience was mind-blowing, however the thing that most intrigued me was to see the soldiers and marchers whipping out their camera phones to take pictures of us. We are surrounded by things that are so different and trying to take everything in, yet it seems that I tend to forget that we are in fact the minority here, and that we will be the ones being stared at, instead of the other way around.

Another activity we participated in the first day was a visit to the Sikh temple. Prior to this, I had heard of the religion, yet had no knowledge as to what it stood for or what it meant. After a brief explanation, I am truly in awe of how followers of that faith place so much importance on the idea of absolute and total equality. The way they all eat sitting on the floor in order to symbolize no one person being “higher above” another is very intriguing and kind of puts everything into perspective for me.

Definitely everything that I had read and heard about concerning the coexistence of the old and the new, the rich and the poor, the clean and the dirty in India is entirely true. Our hotel is a perfect example. It is a beautiful space with a gorgeous interior, however it is directly across the street from a seemingly deserted open shack with no doors, walls, or finishing. On the roads, there are very nice and urban cars driving alongside rickshaws, bikes, and people walking without even any shoes. All of this doesn’t even turn the head of a native Indian. To me, it’s not necessarily a negative characteristic. In fact, I envy it and which this peacefulness existed in the United States. I feel as though in the United States, the middle and upper class, in general, tend to look down on poverty and turn their noses on the poor, deeming them insufficient and unworthy of attention. In India, although the well-to-do aren’t necessarily throwing out rupees to the poor, they don’t look disgusted by them. Rather, they see them as just other people, living their life and minding their own business.

No pictures yet, as I am unable to log on to the internet from my own laptop to download my pictures from. Once I arrive back in the states I will try and get back into each post to associate the pictures I feel best symbolize the experiences I have expressed in writing.

I will describe my favorite picture from the day, though. Walking back from the hotel from our afternoon of shopping, I saw three young boys playing atop a mound of dirt (I think). They saw us walking and were smiling and waving, and I asked them to pose for a picture. They were more than willing, and all three smiled wide. The picture is great, and it shows a true joy and happiness, as the boys are blissfully carefree and experiencing total youthful enjoyment.