I still think of that fascinating place as if it was yesterday.
1. Visit the Taj Mahal and Varanasi
The first one is pretty obvious - you don't really expect to see something so white and well-kept in India, unless you're in Chandigarh. Taj Mahal reminds us all of the splendour of India. During the Mughal Empire, Emperor Shah Jahan (Son of Jahangir, Grandson of Akbar) built it. They got the marble from Rajesthan and the jewels from the West Coast (Gujarat, I think). A pity most of the time it's packed with people, and its entry ticket is not cheap like the other attraction sites. But it's worth a go, to show people you have been there.
Expect touting. That's part of India. You could quote a ridiculous price if you are slightly interested in something they are offering. My friend once reduced the price by 10 times (from Rs 400 to Rs 40). Of course, usually 50% of the price is a good way to start bargaining, but if you're outside the Taj, you could go way less. Have fun bargaining!
"ye wala kitne ka?" (this thing how much [price]?)
"five hundred only, madam. very cheap. very good."
"kya bakuas! pachaas rupee ka to bas. thi-ke?" (what nonsense! 50 rupees the most. ok?)
"nahi madam! this very good quality! four hundred." (let you touch the thing. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH, or he might try to be funny and make you pay, or snatch your money, etc)
" nahi, bhaiya. nahi chahiye. jao, jao." (no, brother [this is a term used by all hindi speakers]. don't want. go, go." (walk away, please.)
"madam! wait! haah, do sau. thi-ke?" (2 hundred, ok?)
"nahi chahiye, jao. meh sirf pachaas rupee. thi-ke?"
"haah, madam! ek sau. last price. good quality. pachaas nahi yar." (100, last price. 50 cannot)
[at this point, take it if you want. too troublesome to bargain till 50 unless if you're really really free. or just leave. he'll chase after you. just ignore. and be adamant about it.]
There is this famous golden triangle - Jaipur (palace), Agra (taj), and Delhi (capital). If you like, do it with a tour (but be prepared for lots of weird touting, and taxis driving you to shops and asking you to buy their stuff cuz he gets a commission). I've never been to Jaipur, but I heard Jalsaimer is beautiful. That's where the desert is. For an Indian palace, I highly recommend Madhya Pradesh (Orcha) if you've the time. If not, Jaipur will do. Varanasi too.
Varanasi (or Benares) is a holy city which embodies a substantial Hindu atmosphere. It's dirty. You see cows everywhere, shitting. You see people chewing betel nut and spitting those red stuff all over. And men peeing by the roadside (ok they're a bit discreet, but they really do stand there, face the wall, and pee alongside others!) It's smokey, because of the incense and the cremation at the ghat. What to see? Go to the ghat. You'll see lots of people cremating there. PLEASE RESPECT THEM and not take photos; they're mourning. At 7pm, go to Dashwashemedha Ghat, and join the puja session (prayer along the Ganges River.) They'll all shout "Ganga-ma aati, jai!" (Prayer to Mother Ganges!)
Head down to the famous Pizza place at Vaatika Cafe. Memorable food and ambiance. Head over to Dolphin Cafe if you're really rich. Avoid Lassi (the yummy yoghurt drink). They make it with Ganges River water. But make exceptions if you find that very famous stall, heh. (and you can, like me, suffer bouts of diarrhoea happily after that.)
Paakora by the roadside is yummy! And relatively harmless, since the parasites and bacteria have all been fried. Stand by the roadside and eat with those Indian kids, teenagers and old men. Quite an experience.
Visit the famous Monkey/Hanuman Temple - New Vishanath Temple, aka Birla Temple. Look at the holy Sadhus there. 40 years, haven't moved out of the temple once. And they don't really need to eat.
Speaking of Sadhus. Walk down Ganges and you'll see a lots of people bathing. And sadhus who are high on marijuana, along the river.
Make it a point to wake up at 4 in the morning to take a boat ride down Ganges. It's beautiful, and memorable. The city wakes up, you see the dhobi (washermen) washing clothes and linen by the river, buffaloes and cows bathing alongside the many men and women. People travel thousands of miles just to come to this river to bathe. However, do not attempt to bathe in it, unless you're prepared to fall sick. It's one of the most polluted rivers in the world. It's a wonder it's still oxygenated, and has fishes in it. Someone told me it's Ganga-ma, of course. The river is a goddess/deity.
Sarnath is where the Tibetans are. Really, Varanasi has the best of Hinduism and Buddhism. Check out the Stupa - that's where a part of Buddha's remains is buried. The calmness of the place is unmistakable. Suddenly, you don't hear car horns, nor people shouting. Lots of devout Southeast Asian/Chinese Buddhists are there doing pilgrimage. Quite a site. There is also a famous temple where they feature the life of Buddha. It's a Mahayana Buddhist Temple.
Be careful of people in Varanasi. They are all out to cheat your money. If you understand that, and play along, then you're quite alright :)
2. Take the Indian train!
There's airconditioned and non-airconditioned. I've NEVER taken the AC version (because they cost so much more). It costs about SG$10/US$8 to take a train from Delhi to Varanasi on Non-AC Sleeper class. You've to be extremely vigilant about your passport, luggage, and try to make friends with ladies if you're a girl. If you're a guy, you're quite fine alone. Just be very alert.
I recommend the Sleeper class because it's 5 times cheaper. I get to see the poor people - the real "normal people from all walks of life" - on the Sleeper class. Many times I meet students, so I strike a chat with them (I calculated that the risk of getting into serious trouble is lowered when I make acquintances on the train.) There are people with "unconfirmed ticket" - they bought the ticket, but there isn't enough seat, so they have to stand the whole way. There is always this "chai (tea)" man, who goes: "chai, chai, chai, chai, chaaaiii..." even in the middle of the night, if you're unlucky, but if you laugh it off, it's quite funny actually. I often buy the "kaafiii, kafi. kaaafiiii, kafi (coffee)" It taste pretty bad (water, milk, sugar, where's the coffee?!?). But the fun lies in watching him pour the coffee. Ok, not fascinating. He stops by, does his trick, and gives you the coffee. 5 rupees. (SG$0.25) Occasionally, when it passes by other train stations, you can buy samosa/samoseh (not recommended for people who fall ill easily). There is also train food! The pantry man comes by your seat, takes order (vegetarian or chicken?) then he'll send you the food like 4 hours later or something. 35 rupees. (SG$1). Win! Occasionally you get to buy Lays potato chips. Oh the Masala flavour one is so yummy (SG$0.60)! And all is well. Scenery is beautiful outside the train. You get to open the window and have the wind blowing on your face. If the ticket inspector isn't looking, you may hang around the entrance of the train, and it feels like you're flying.
No climbing onto the roof of the train. We see that in Mumbai, on TV. Don't do that. But you may look at people doing that if there are any. I have never seen any.
NEVER DRINK ANY UNAUTHORIZED WATER. Fruit juice no ice. No pani puri (the chaat/snack with water in it, yumms!). No weird lassi by the street. No Rs.1 water by the roadside (not even if they squeeze you the lemon). Make exceptions at your own risk. I did, and had a hell lot of fun. Bottled water. CHECK THE SEAL. I kid you not. Sometimes they try to be funny and refill those empty bottles.
3. Visit the bazaars/central markets
Forget what those Indians told you - those splendid malls, whatever. Come to Singapore if you want malls. I kid you not, we've a stretch of award-winning road just for malls, and they are world-class. Head down to the bazaar and central markets. They are really fascinating to check out. From saris/salwars to pails to momos (dumplings by the roadside!), everything looks so chaotic, yet organized. You can have your shirt tailored. The tailor sits under the sun in the middle of the parade square with a pile of clothes next to him. He takes your measurement (I don't think he'll molest you), and asks you to collect a few days later. Be with someone, and be careful of your money lest you get pickpocketed (Neither I nor my friends never got that, so it's not that dangerous.) Get lost in there, then grab some KFC, momos, or what-have-you (Bhel Puri? :P a chaat/snack item that has onions, puffed rice and sauces in it.) Then catch the auto or rickshaw to wherever you want.
Delhi: Sarojini market and Chandni Chowk are real good everything-market. I personally love the Lajpat Nagar Central Market, and the Saturday Market around Lady Shri Ram College. Go to Khan market if you want some expatriate-standards. Or head to Dilli haat if you're cheating.
I've listed 3 things to do, but I've actually listed lots more, like bargaining, doing the really weird stuff.
To girls: refrain from going around after the sun sets. For every hour, your risk doubles - rape, rob or ransom. Unless you know the place well, of course.
1. Visit the Taj Mahal and Varanasi
The first one is pretty obvious - you don't really expect to see something so white and well-kept in India, unless you're in Chandigarh. Taj Mahal reminds us all of the splendour of India. During the Mughal Empire, Emperor Shah Jahan (Son of Jahangir, Grandson of Akbar) built it. They got the marble from Rajesthan and the jewels from the West Coast (Gujarat, I think). A pity most of the time it's packed with people, and its entry ticket is not cheap like the other attraction sites. But it's worth a go, to show people you have been there.
Expect touting. That's part of India. You could quote a ridiculous price if you are slightly interested in something they are offering. My friend once reduced the price by 10 times (from Rs 400 to Rs 40). Of course, usually 50% of the price is a good way to start bargaining, but if you're outside the Taj, you could go way less. Have fun bargaining!
"ye wala kitne ka?" (this thing how much [price]?)
"five hundred only, madam. very cheap. very good."
"kya bakuas! pachaas rupee ka to bas. thi-ke?" (what nonsense! 50 rupees the most. ok?)
"nahi madam! this very good quality! four hundred." (let you touch the thing. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH, or he might try to be funny and make you pay, or snatch your money, etc)
" nahi, bhaiya. nahi chahiye. jao, jao." (no, brother [this is a term used by all hindi speakers]. don't want. go, go." (walk away, please.)
"madam! wait! haah, do sau. thi-ke?" (2 hundred, ok?)
"nahi chahiye, jao. meh sirf pachaas rupee. thi-ke?"
"haah, madam! ek sau. last price. good quality. pachaas nahi yar." (100, last price. 50 cannot)
[at this point, take it if you want. too troublesome to bargain till 50 unless if you're really really free. or just leave. he'll chase after you. just ignore. and be adamant about it.]
There is this famous golden triangle - Jaipur (palace), Agra (taj), and Delhi (capital). If you like, do it with a tour (but be prepared for lots of weird touting, and taxis driving you to shops and asking you to buy their stuff cuz he gets a commission). I've never been to Jaipur, but I heard Jalsaimer is beautiful. That's where the desert is. For an Indian palace, I highly recommend Madhya Pradesh (Orcha) if you've the time. If not, Jaipur will do. Varanasi too.
Varanasi (or Benares) is a holy city which embodies a substantial Hindu atmosphere. It's dirty. You see cows everywhere, shitting. You see people chewing betel nut and spitting those red stuff all over. And men peeing by the roadside (ok they're a bit discreet, but they really do stand there, face the wall, and pee alongside others!) It's smokey, because of the incense and the cremation at the ghat. What to see? Go to the ghat. You'll see lots of people cremating there. PLEASE RESPECT THEM and not take photos; they're mourning. At 7pm, go to Dashwashemedha Ghat, and join the puja session (prayer along the Ganges River.) They'll all shout "Ganga-ma aati, jai!" (Prayer to Mother Ganges!)
Head down to the famous Pizza place at Vaatika Cafe. Memorable food and ambiance. Head over to Dolphin Cafe if you're really rich. Avoid Lassi (the yummy yoghurt drink). They make it with Ganges River water. But make exceptions if you find that very famous stall, heh. (and you can, like me, suffer bouts of diarrhoea happily after that.)
Paakora by the roadside is yummy! And relatively harmless, since the parasites and bacteria have all been fried. Stand by the roadside and eat with those Indian kids, teenagers and old men. Quite an experience.
Visit the famous Monkey/Hanuman Temple - New Vishanath Temple, aka Birla Temple. Look at the holy Sadhus there. 40 years, haven't moved out of the temple once. And they don't really need to eat.
Speaking of Sadhus. Walk down Ganges and you'll see a lots of people bathing. And sadhus who are high on marijuana, along the river.
Make it a point to wake up at 4 in the morning to take a boat ride down Ganges. It's beautiful, and memorable. The city wakes up, you see the dhobi (washermen) washing clothes and linen by the river, buffaloes and cows bathing alongside the many men and women. People travel thousands of miles just to come to this river to bathe. However, do not attempt to bathe in it, unless you're prepared to fall sick. It's one of the most polluted rivers in the world. It's a wonder it's still oxygenated, and has fishes in it. Someone told me it's Ganga-ma, of course. The river is a goddess/deity.
Sarnath is where the Tibetans are. Really, Varanasi has the best of Hinduism and Buddhism. Check out the Stupa - that's where a part of Buddha's remains is buried. The calmness of the place is unmistakable. Suddenly, you don't hear car horns, nor people shouting. Lots of devout Southeast Asian/Chinese Buddhists are there doing pilgrimage. Quite a site. There is also a famous temple where they feature the life of Buddha. It's a Mahayana Buddhist Temple.
Be careful of people in Varanasi. They are all out to cheat your money. If you understand that, and play along, then you're quite alright :)
2. Take the Indian train!
There's airconditioned and non-airconditioned. I've NEVER taken the AC version (because they cost so much more). It costs about SG$10/US$8 to take a train from Delhi to Varanasi on Non-AC Sleeper class. You've to be extremely vigilant about your passport, luggage, and try to make friends with ladies if you're a girl. If you're a guy, you're quite fine alone. Just be very alert.
I recommend the Sleeper class because it's 5 times cheaper. I get to see the poor people - the real "normal people from all walks of life" - on the Sleeper class. Many times I meet students, so I strike a chat with them (I calculated that the risk of getting into serious trouble is lowered when I make acquintances on the train.) There are people with "unconfirmed ticket" - they bought the ticket, but there isn't enough seat, so they have to stand the whole way. There is always this "chai (tea)" man, who goes: "chai, chai, chai, chai, chaaaiii..." even in the middle of the night, if you're unlucky, but if you laugh it off, it's quite funny actually. I often buy the "kaafiii, kafi. kaaafiiii, kafi (coffee)" It taste pretty bad (water, milk, sugar, where's the coffee?!?). But the fun lies in watching him pour the coffee. Ok, not fascinating. He stops by, does his trick, and gives you the coffee. 5 rupees. (SG$0.25) Occasionally, when it passes by other train stations, you can buy samosa/samoseh (not recommended for people who fall ill easily). There is also train food! The pantry man comes by your seat, takes order (vegetarian or chicken?) then he'll send you the food like 4 hours later or something. 35 rupees. (SG$1). Win! Occasionally you get to buy Lays potato chips. Oh the Masala flavour one is so yummy (SG$0.60)! And all is well. Scenery is beautiful outside the train. You get to open the window and have the wind blowing on your face. If the ticket inspector isn't looking, you may hang around the entrance of the train, and it feels like you're flying.
No climbing onto the roof of the train. We see that in Mumbai, on TV. Don't do that. But you may look at people doing that if there are any. I have never seen any.
NEVER DRINK ANY UNAUTHORIZED WATER. Fruit juice no ice. No pani puri (the chaat/snack with water in it, yumms!). No weird lassi by the street. No Rs.1 water by the roadside (not even if they squeeze you the lemon). Make exceptions at your own risk. I did, and had a hell lot of fun. Bottled water. CHECK THE SEAL. I kid you not. Sometimes they try to be funny and refill those empty bottles.
3. Visit the bazaars/central markets
Forget what those Indians told you - those splendid malls, whatever. Come to Singapore if you want malls. I kid you not, we've a stretch of award-winning road just for malls, and they are world-class. Head down to the bazaar and central markets. They are really fascinating to check out. From saris/salwars to pails to momos (dumplings by the roadside!), everything looks so chaotic, yet organized. You can have your shirt tailored. The tailor sits under the sun in the middle of the parade square with a pile of clothes next to him. He takes your measurement (I don't think he'll molest you), and asks you to collect a few days later. Be with someone, and be careful of your money lest you get pickpocketed (Neither I nor my friends never got that, so it's not that dangerous.) Get lost in there, then grab some KFC, momos, or what-have-you (Bhel Puri? :P a chaat/snack item that has onions, puffed rice and sauces in it.) Then catch the auto or rickshaw to wherever you want.
Delhi: Sarojini market and Chandni Chowk are real good everything-market. I personally love the Lajpat Nagar Central Market, and the Saturday Market around Lady Shri Ram College. Go to Khan market if you want some expatriate-standards. Or head to Dilli haat if you're cheating.
I've listed 3 things to do, but I've actually listed lots more, like bargaining, doing the really weird stuff.
To girls: refrain from going around after the sun sets. For every hour, your risk doubles - rape, rob or ransom. Unless you know the place well, of course.
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