Originally posted: January 11th, 2015
My life in India was made up of best day ever after best day ever. I’ve never felt so alive as I did in my month abroad, and March 13th was no exception (and by that I mean it was exceptional). Imagine actually living the life you advise other people to live when you put up inspiring quotes about ‘getting the most out of every second’ in a fancy font on your instagram page as you sit on their ass and binge watch House of Cards. There’s something about being in a foreign place that amped up my desire to see, to feel, to taste and smell. To introduce myself to people whose actions cause their path in life to bump gently into mine. To ask questions, to walk down streets not as a means of reaching a destination, but to experience the street itself. Each second has meaning, each day offers me 24 hours to learn as much as I want about this matrix into which we are all placed, and I can do with it whatever I want. It’s an attitude I’m sad to say I haven’t quite retained as well as hoped. Not to say I don’t get out and live, but nothing compares to the traveling lifestyle.
The breakfast of eggs and toast with Russian dressing, the metro ride to Delhi, talking with Apoorva, listening to strangers, seeing interactions, looks, smiles, a playful punch between teenage boys. It’s all learning. Watching and learning. Listening. All before the “day” started. Said goodbye to Apoorva at work and took off on foot towards my favorite spot in Delhi, Lodhi Garden. The temperature was in the sweet spot, not as hot as the previous day, but the sun still warmed all the skin it could find. Inside Lodhi Garden was bright and beautiful, with shadows from many types of trees and leaves decorating the paths with fancy designs. I walk toward a large ancient building and climb the age old stairwell to the interior of the domed space. To my left was a massive archway through which a sprawling expanse of stepped patio laid warming in the direct sunlight.
A man approached me and started talking to me, kindly enough. Conversation turned seamlessly from my background and my trip to the place where we stood, and the history carved into the stone. He was very knowledgable, and started walking around with me, telling me the secrets of the sculptures. For 15 minutes we walked, him doing the talking, me doing the asking and the learning. He shook my hand and thanked me for listening, and said it was customary that people offered him a 500 rupee ‘thank you’ for his sharing of information. I hate this. I gave him a thank you, but one that was nowhere near what he claimed was ‘customary.’ Bye.
Sat and drew on the ledge in the middle ground on the right.
The diversity of life here is amazing. Not so much in the human form, but the plants and rest of the animal kingdom is reppin hard
Spent half the day wondering if this girl was famous or just a bride to be trying to get some good shots
I walk out on to the patio and sit with my legs dangling off the edge, 10-15 feet above the spotted yard below, when the heroine arrived. A beautiful woman, with long black hair flowing into her long black sari with gold accents. In a matter of seconds, from security guards to little boys, to a group of girls on a school trip, every foot was still, and every eye following her progress across the grass. She was accompanied by a man, and I watched the two pass under my vantage point and walk up the tiered patio on which I sat. Without much hesitation, the photo shoot started, her posing, him dancing around the steps, shooting and getting what I’m sure were some great photos. Eventually, the security guard overcame his gawking and approached them, apparently telling them they weren’t allowed to shoot there. This was baffling, because it seemed like a free enough space, and I’m not sure what rules they have against photo shoots for Shraddha Kapoor looking women in Lodhi Garden.
Product of my doodles of the morning. May have taken some artistic liberties with reality
This building has many facets of historical significance. Most recently, it’s role has been photo shoot set
After she left, I spent a couple hours sitting and thinking, drawing, watching kids play in the gardens, and teens from some type of group trip flirting amongst themselves. I finished my drawing (not before some Japanese tourists complimented me) and reclined, laying my back on the warm, almost flat stones and watching the birds dance around their cobalt stage. A phone call from Apoorva to check in on me and invite me to lunch pulled me from my mind and back into the real world, and I headed off to meet her for lunch!
Got the shot. Didn’t die.
The dining area at the Indian Habitat Center is one of the best places to eat. But I have a lot to report on, so I’ll save this for another day. I ate there plenty. Also. Penalty. I don’t know if it’s an Indian thing or just a food thing, but they call the cakes there “Penalty” because they’re so damn good and unhealthy you’re penalizing your body if you eat them. Chances are fairly high that Apoorva just made that shit up, but hey, this is her country and I’m not gonna question it.
I left lunch and took an auto to the metro stop, then hopped a train South out of Delhi to the closest station to the Garden of the Five Senses. While I was still in an area that offered wifi, I loaded up Google maps and screenshotted all of the maps I would need to navigate my way from the station to the Garden and back without getting lost in the Indian hood.
On my walk to the Garden of the Five Senses, I followed this street for about 20 minutes.
The Garden of the Five Senses was a nice place to walk, but was rather dry. It is also apparently the hot spot to take a date, because it was occupied by no one but me and 50 couples wandering the paths. I was content to sit on a shady bench and draw a beautiful stone clearing, which offered me not only a pleasant environment, but the entertainment of watching two skittish girls attempt to get on a camel. I put my sketchpad down and just watched while trying not to laugh out loud. Life’s little pleasures.
I made plans to meet up with Apoorva as the day wound down and left the Garden. Walking home, I came around a bend in the road to find a bull standing in the middle of the road and a few people standing well back watching it. I started to walk to the left of the sidewalk to give it a wide berth when I the bull ran forward, I quickly threw it in reverse, back pedaling, thinking he was going to crunch the car between us. It was then that I realized there was a second bull I did not see on the other side of the car. The two butted heads and wrestled each other for a bit, and I stood back in amazement. The two bulls broke apart, staring at each other, circling. A standoff wrought with suspense for everyone involved, including us spectators. They came together again, and the larger bull pushed the other up over the other sidewalk and up an adjoining street. I briskly walked past the area and kept on my journey through the dry streets back to the station.
Saw it and knew we had to do it. Go big or go home.
I met up with Apoorva, and upon arriving home, she told me she would take me to go do the flying ball ride thingy that Auntie and I had spotted outside the Kingdom of Dreams. This was beyond exciting and I was giddy the whole way there. The ride consisted of an eight foot ball, tied with giant glorified rubberbands between two sticks shooting a hundred feet or so out of the ground. You climb in the ball while it’s locked to the ground, they crank the bands super tight, and then let fly. We yelled the whole way as we shot straight to the sky, spinning backwards, and forwards. As we hit the zenith of our ride, we slowed to a fleeting stop and caught a glimpse of all of Gurgaon and Delhi’s suburbs stretch towards the sunset. It was a quarter second, it was upside down, it was colorful, and it was breathtaking. We started plummeting towards the ground and began yelling again, it was so much fun. We slowed before hitting the ground, and shot back up, bouncing up and down until we came to a stop and they lowered us back down. A perfect way to end the day. We hit up some shops on the way back and I picked up some dirt cheap drawing supplies and we got some deli meat. Home included chai and pleasant conversations, and thus concluded a day of my life I would happily relive if I could.
I owe so much to Apoorva, Auntie, and Apoorva’s grandmother for letting me stay with them, and any reminiscing on my journey always comes with the standard rush of gratitude for them and their extended family who welcomed me. The greatest experience of my life is due to their generosity, hospitality, and overall willingness to bend their lives to show me the glory that is India. I just became so moved I had to send Apoorva another thank you snapchat. Cheerio!
No one’s scared of terrorists quite like Indians, and their omnipresent security reflects that. Don’t play around in the metro, there’s AK’s peering around.