Turbans and Temples

Thank goodness for our peaceful week Phool Chatti ashram, because the days following were a whirlwind of travel, exploration, group discussions, heat and crowds. Upon arriving Chandigarh, the only planned city in all of India, we were thrust into finding accommodation which, as Elaynna mentioned, Devon and Rozzi spearheaded and secured us a spot at a very comfortable hotel. While most of our first day there revolved around much needed group meetings, we did manage to explore the clean, paved streets scored with stoplights, and an expanse of outdoor mall that turned carnival-esque at night. It was there that we had a pre-birthday dinner at a South Indian chain restaurant for Sarah, followed by some deliciously cold soft-serve ice cream and some freshly popped popcorn.

The following morning we all made it to the famous Nek Chand Rock Garden of Chandigarh. Never heard of it? Neither had we, but apparently it is the second-most visited site in India. WhenChandigarh was in the midst of construction and they were clearing out villages to make way for the huge malls and wide streets (makes the city slightly less charming, no?) there was so much garbage and rubble lying around that a gentleman named Nek Chand decided to do something with it. Long story short, he received some money from the government and got to work creating a beautiful rock/sculpture garden/maze/extravaganza that spans 40 acres. Needless to say it was a phenomenal sight. We then headed to a birthday lunch for Sarah, at Ruby Tuesdays! Talk about a Western city. As we departed Chandigarh that afternoon, we said goodbye to our little taste of American culture and prepared totransition into traditional India once again, but this time in Sikh style.

Our three days in Amritsar were intense, exhilarating and filled with stunning sights. We were greeted at the Golden Temple by crowds of turbaned men, women in beautiful saris and more babies than I think any of us have laid eyes on. Though we did sleep in a dormitory designated for foreigners, it was in the temple complex, and all we had to do was take a step outside the room to by surrounded by Indians who traveled far and wide to pray at one of the holiest shrines in Sikh culture.

Our days were free to be spent exploring, photo-taking, meandering through the temple complex and eating at the Gura-Ka-Langar--a free community dining center that serves approximately 9,000 meals a day! Eating our Langar-the name given to this charitable meal- was an experience I don't think any of us will soon forget. You're beckoned by the incessant clanging of metal plates, and once inside, are handed one of those plates, a bowl and spoon and join the moving mob. You're herded down the large hallway, trying not to lose sight of the other group members as you're pushed and prodded from all directions until you finally burst into a great hall lined with mats on which you rush to secure a place. The actual serving of the food is surprisingly quick and in a similar fashion as the ashram. Men with baskets of fresh chapatis and buckets of steaming dahl and rice pudding, rush to fill your plate. The food is delicious and you are welcome to ask for seconds, in fact, you witness many women stuffing extra chapatis into bags or dahl into tupperware. After fifteen minutes, the serving and cleanup of 500 people is done. Insane.

Our final afternoon was spent viewing the India/Pakistan border ceremonies. It was similar to a huge sporting event, though there is no real interaction between the two sides apart from a handshake. It seemed that the main goal was the lowering of the flags but there was a lot of hooplah beforehand, including but not limited to: dancing, running with flags, marching guards and the part where soldiers from each side try to yell at a single tone for as long as they can. There was much cheering and clapping from both sides and the energy was electric. Obviously there is no declared "winner", but I think everyone in attendance can agree that India outperformed Pakistan, at least in the crowd aspect. It was a pretty bizarre experience, but definitely worthwhile and a fantastic ending to our time in the Punjab region of India.

We are now all happily settled in our homestays in McLeod Ganj so you can look forward to an update on that soon!

~Kathryn