Sheryl writes from India.
Part 1: Puri
Part 2: Kolkata
Part 3: Khalaigat
Part 4: Assam
Part 5: Trains
Part 6: Sikkim
Part 7: West Sikkim
Part 8: Darjeeling
Part 9: New Delhi
At the Sun Temple, the carvings depict, among other things, various sexual positions. Our guide explained it was a way to educate people. Right.
There are still rickshaws pulled by men with bare feet, which must be an awful job but still a job.
As we approached the door, they really started shoving. The floor was slippery with either ghee (clarified butter) or sacrificial blood.
I'm in the state of Assam, in the northeast. The drawing point of the market was the large indigenous population of hill tribe people.
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Toilets |
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The legend of Shakti and Sati |
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The platform school of Bhubaneswar |
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Victoria Memorial |
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Slums |
Trains are a life unto themselves. There must be hundreds of thousands of train cars. There's also a huge laundering operation they must run.
The Sikkim Democratic Front is the governing body and is one of the most environmentally conscious governments in India. There is a ban on plastic bags and there are fines for polluting.
We were fortunate to be at the Pemayangtse monastery during a puja ceremony for two young boys who were joining the monastery as initiates. Buddhist families often "give" one son to the monastery to be educated.
A political candidate had been assassinated and all businesses were ordered to shut down or face possible reprisals such as rocks thrown through their windows. Everything was shut down and it was very quiet.
The highlight has been the Taj Majal. It is absolutely exquisite. Perfectly proportioned, well kept. Intricately designed. It was built by Shah Jehan as a memorial for his wife who died in childbirth.