India Archives - A Side of Sweet

New Delhi, India

My last few days in India were fairly unremarkable. I traveled from Agra to New Delhi, where I did a bit of shopping and checked out some Delhi tourist attractions.

I stopped by the Sikh temple Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Similar to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, this beautiful temple shimmers in the sunlight and is situated over a large water reservoir. People come to bathe in the holy waters and everyone has to walk through a shallow trough of water to clean their feet before entering.

The temple also serves meals to thousands of people every day, every one from rich businessmen to children living on the street with no other source of nutrition. Everything is run by volunteers and I was told that there is a huge state-of-the-art kitchen with AC (!).

Humayun’s Tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is sometimes referred to as the “Little Taj Mahal”. It is also a Mughal tomb, and was built in 1569-70. Just like the Taj Mahal, the entrance fee to Humayun’s Tomb is very pricy for non-Indians! I paid $5 for my ticket, which doesn’t seem like much, but the cost for a local is $0.20!

Just like the Taj Mahal, seeing Humayun’s Tomb is worth the expensive entry fee. At first, I thought that the main attraction was one of the large secondary monuments:

Turns out, that was just a warm up for the main tomb, which houses Humayun, his wife, and several other Mughal royals.

One night, I celebrated my birthday a little late with an amazing dinner at Indian Accent at the Manor Hotel. It is rated in the top 5 restaurants in India and one of the top 50 in all of Asia! It was definitely a little chichi, but the food was beyond amazing – very thoughtfully prepared and flavorful. The menu was extensive, so I ordered the seven course tasting menu and left the decisions in the chef’s hands. This was an excellent choice! The staff was wonderful and when they found out it was my birthday they gave me a champagne toast and an extra serving of gelato. Obviously the best way to this girl’s heart!

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Paharganj Market is one of the the best places in New Delhi to find everything that is on your India shopping list. For me, that included tiffin boxes for Pat, loose tea, and gauzy fabric to use as a shawl and headscarf in Morocco for our honeymoon.

I also found an amazing seamstress who was able to turn my Varanasi silk into a bridal robe for my upcoming wedding – in less than 24 hours! She charged me 500 rupees (about $10 USD) for the task. I was so happy with the results. She was able to create exactly the robe I had in mind with just a few photos from the internet and some hand waving from me.

The other market I shopped at was Chandigar Market in Old Delhi. Although it is extremely hectic to navigate, it is the place to find Indian exports – everything from textiles to camera parts to . I had a mission – to find edible silver leaf that is traditionally used on Indian sweets. I had the address of a wholesaler that I found online, but finding it was an adventure! It also turned out that the seller had wholesale gold and silver leaf as well, so I stocked up. The gold leaf has really come in handy for wedding preparations.

I also bought a little extra edible silver leaf as well as decorative gold and silver leaf. I created a little Etsy store for myself to try to sell it. I hope you’ll check it out!

Seeing the Taj Mahal – Agra, India

I took a train from Delhi to Agra (about three hours) for the sole purpose of seeing the Taj Mahal. Although it seemed a bit cliche, I figured a tour of India wouldn’t be complete without seeing this Wonder of the World and what is possibly the most recognizable building on the planet.

While in Agra, I had the chance to explore some side streets, thanks to my prepaid Taxi driver depositing me at the hotel of his choice, despite my protests. Maurading children, shouting for rupees and photos kept me on my toes. I abandoned my explorations early when they started to get a little too crazy-eyed, making me feel slightly anxious and uncomfortable. It was the first and only time I felt unsafe in India. Regardless, it was interesting to meet some of Agra’s residents, who live within 100 meters of this fabled building. I was also amazed at how beautiful the streets were, all cobbled and lined with brightly colored buildings.

After scoping out a few places, I decided that Hotel Shahjahan was the place where I would lay my head for the night. The combination of the warm and welcoming staff, clean-ish room, the 200 rupee price tag ($4 USD) and free wifi throughout were just what the doctor ordered. The Indian toilet…eh, oh well. Thank goodness for wet wipes, as I there was no running water to be found.

I had dinner on the rooftop of Hotel Kamal, which boasts the best view of the Taj, according to the Lonely Planet. For once, the LP didn’t disappoint. During dinner, I would lose myself for a moment in my egg curry and book and then look up and there was the Taj all over again. The cycle repeated and the view was equally astonishing each time.

From my rooftop spot, I watched life continue as the sun dropped low in the sky. A girl learning to ride her bike, boys flying kites, two monkeys wrestling with a pink shopping bag.

I woke up early in the morning to visit the Taj Mahal. It officially opened at 6:30, but when I got there around 6:00, there were already people inside. I found out that laptops weren’t allowed so I was forced to go to the lockers to check it. Of course, when I got to the lockers they didn’t open until 8:30. Determined to not miss the entirety of sunrise, in an act of desperation, I left my precious Macbook Air in the hands of a souvenir shopkeeper who was a few feet from the entrance. Luckily it was safe and sound when I returned, a favor I happily paid 200 rupees ($4) for.

Seeing the Taj Mahal was definitely worth the trip. It was stunning.

It was the first time on my trip that I encountered hoards of tourists traveling in large groups. It was a little bit of a culture shock. However, even the rude Australian man shouting at people to move out of the way so he could get the perfect Taj photo with his point and shoot couldn’t mar the experience.

Early in the morning the light hits the domes from the East and viewing from each different direction gives a totally different experience. I took several minutes to catch the main building from each angle.

And I lied, the tourists did start to get to me after all. After about 90 minutes, I fled the scene to recover my laptop and have breakfast at the hotel.

And that was Agra. Not much to offer. Definitely worth spending a night to catch the Taj early, but in my opinion, not worth spending more than 24 hours there.

Couchsurfing in Varanasi, India {Travel}

Couchsurfing in Varanasi, India

I had a couchsurfing stay lined up in Varanasi, so my first stop when I arrived was to meet Rahul Rai and his family. They live near Hydrabad Gate, which is on the southern end of Banaras Hindu University, the largest University in Asia. As the rickshaw driver entered the university gates, the cool air hit me like a wave. The campus is beautiful, with wide expanses of greenery and flowers and beautiful old buildings. The contrast between the dust and honking of Varanasi and the campus is astonishing.

Rahul and his family welcomed me whole-heartedly. They have a beautiful home that sits underneath Raj Paying Guesthouse, which they run. Because of their location, they mainly provide rooms for people visiting the campus.

My couchsurfing hosts quickly became like a new Indian family to me. We talked about weddings – Rahul’s sister had recently gotten married and had over 2,000 guests! – and my wedding, with a more modest 30 planned attendees. I also helped with dinner. Mrs. Rai gave me a chance to help with the chapatis, which I promptly failed miserably at. She taught me that the trick with the rolling pin is to use one hand as a pivot and the other to roll the dough into a circle. Due to my clumsy attempts, I was soon fired from chapati duty and put back at the vegetable peeling station.

I had several lengthy conversations with Rahul and his family about everything from arranged marriages to Rahul’s career aspirations. Rahul is a certified Varanasi travel agent and is starting his own travel agency. He also owns land and is building homes on it and selling them, and is considering becoming an air host (flight attendant)!

Couchsurfing in Varanasi, India

In the morning, I had to say goodbye. I was much sadder than I expected to feel after only two days in Varanasi. To my surprise, Mrs. Rai presented me with a sari, in honor of my upcoming wedding. As I mention before, I was constantly overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of the Varanasi people. It was truly a memorable experience and will definitely be one of the highlights of my trip to India.

Need a place to stay while visiting Banaras Hindu University or Varanasi? I highly recommend Raj Paying Guesthouse and hiring Rahul for a tour guide. You can contact him at [email protected].

Ganges Boat Ride in Varanasi, India

One of the most memorable parts of my time in Varanasi was learning about Hindu views on death and dying. One thing we did was a Ganges boat ride to see the city from the Ganges river, which is considered holy water. Thanks to the local hook up from our guide, Sonu, we paid 300 rupees for the hour boat ride (about $6 USD). I’ve heard the going rate can be up to 1,000 rupees per hour.

People come from all over the world to bathe in its waters, despite the fact that the water is horribly polluted from garbage and nearby metal refining factories. There is some debate on whether purifying the water negatives the holiness. The current school of thought is that boiling the water is okay, but chemically treating or filtering it is a no-go.

The contrast between the water in Varanasi (first) and Rishikesh (second), which is further north is quite striking.

If you die in Varanasi, you are more likely to go to heaven, so the city is full of the elderly and infirm who often live at the temples, begging for food until they can pass to their next life. Most Hindus are cremated over an open wood-burning fire, as this is thought to be the most beneficial to the departed soul. A number of years ago, the government created electric crematoriums, in hopes to make the burial process more eco friendly. Unfortunately, this trend never caught on and now they are only used for unclaimed bodies and the destitute. We were able to see the funeral pyres on the beach of the ganges. The families stay with the bodies and mourn and celebrate until the fire is done burning, about three hours. It was quite startling to see the mounds of firewood with charred human limbs hang out of the sides.

Children under the age of 12 or 13, pregnant women, people with leprosy, and the very old are not cremated. Instead, the bodies are bound tightly and taken outside the city, and sunk in the Ganges. We took a boat ride on the Ganges and came across a body gently bobbing up and down near one of the boats. When we inquired of Sonu, he told us that either this was one of the exceptions to cremation that had mistakenly risen to the surface, or more likely, there was foul play afoot and the person had been murdered. As if this was not gruesome enough, about 10 yards away, a group of children was receiving a swimming lesson! Our response was much more horrified than Sonu’s. Hindus are much more accepting of death than we are. Perhaps part of it comes from the belief of reincarnation and the hope that the dead will come back as something even more fortunate in their next life.

The Ganges boat ride was also the best way to see the Ghats, or holy steps, that Varanasi is famous for. The Ghats are the center of city life and are always crowded with bathers, pilgrims, holy men, wallahs (sellers) and the homeless.

Ganges Boat Ride in Varanasi India

Two blonde haired, blue eyed girls in a boat on the Ganges were quite a novelty for others on the river. Our entire trip was punctuated by namaste’s and waves from pilgrims and bathers.

Ganges Boat Ride in Varanasi India

The water buffalo, however, were not impressed.

Two Days in Varanasi, India {Travel}

Thanks to the recommendation of a girlfriend, I chose to skip the third corner of the Golden Triangle, Jaipur, in favor of spending two days in Varanasi, the holiest city in India. It was absolutely the right decision.

Varanasi was an incredible experience for me. So far on this trip, I have been to Mcleod Ganj (Dharamsala), which is a mixture of mainly Tibetan and Western cultures. I also spent a week in Rishikesh, which is basically a city of Ashrams filled with Western travelers. Varanasi was my first true taste of India. The noise, smells and sights. Unlike the other cities, Varanasi doesn’t give the sense that it would crumble if all of the tourists suddenly decided to pack up and leave.

It is heading towards bilstering hot season, which means that Westerners are few and far between, headed off to the north of India where I came from. I was lucky that a Aaf, a Dutch girl I met in Rishikesh, was also traveling to Varanasi for a few days, so we were able to coordinate and spend some time together seeing the city for my only full day in Varanasi.

Aaf was staying at Sameer Guest House in the Shiwala neighborbood of Varanasi. Although her room reminded me a little of a closet, she was getting an incredible deal at only 100 rupees ($2USD) per night. In addition, the staff at her guesthouse were wonderful. They picked her up from the train station, helped us navigate the city and at the end of my time in Varanasi, one of the guys took me to the bus station on his moped – even though I wasn’t actually a guest! That brings me to one of my favorite things about Varanasi – the people. Varanasi is full of incredibly kind, incredibly helpful people who bent over backwards to make sure I enjoyed my time in their city. From my couchsurfing hosts, to the Sameer Guest House staff, to the apple pie master at Pizzeria restaurant, they always managed to make me feel like more than a walking ATM. There is a lot of pride in the city and it shows.

One of the staff at Sameer Guest House offered to accompany us for the day to show us a local perspective of Varanasi. He insisted that he didn’t need payment, that he wasn’t a guide, but a friend. Thanks to Sonu, we had a great day seeing the sites of Varanasi. I was craving an American breakfast, so Sonu took us to Pizzeria, a place known for its wood fired pizzas and its homemade apple pie. Even though it was breakfast, Aaf and I couldn’t resist splitting a piece of pie. The pie came warm and, much to my amazement, was incredible! I ended up talking to the baker and he was happy to give me the recipe. I scribbled down all of the ingredients and I am going to try to replicate the pie when I get home. My suspicions are that this will be impossible! In my two days in Varanasi, I managed to consume three pieces of pie! How’s that for coming off of my “cleanse” in Rishikesh!?

Next, we wandered the streets of Varanasi, and stopped in to visit Sonu’s family and girlfriend. Varanasi has many windy, cobbled streets with colorful buildings, reminding me of some of my other favorite cities in the world, Antigua, Guatemala and Trinidad, Cuba. The only drawback was the incessant honking of the mopeds as they tried to dodge all of the cycle rikshaws and pedestrians that clog the streets. Talk about obnoxious!

We also managed to get in the way of as a parade of school children marched toward our cycle rikshaw that was parked on the side of the road. Instead of maneuvering around us, the headmaster exchanged angry words with our driver and we were forced to move out of the way.

Varanasi is one of the best places to buy silk in India. As we wandered the streets, we came across house after house where the weavers were hard at work hand weaving sari fabric, scarves, and bedcovers. We stopped in a little factory shop to check out the silk for ourselves. It was fun to see all of the brightly colored fabrics and we even got to play dress up. I ended up buying the fabric you see me wearing. I’m planning to take it to a tailor in Delhi and get a silk robe and a Western-style dress made from it.

We had a late lunch at the tad overpriced but very delicious Open Hand Café, which is a nonprofit that supports a group of disenfranchised India women who are victims of everything from HIV to domestic abuse. The café itself sells traditional handicrafts and a smorgasbord of Western goodies including filter coffee, homemade muffins, and ice cream.

Even though I was only in Varanasi for two days, it crept into my heart and will definitely be one of my favorite places in India.

Heading to Varanasi and need a guide or a room? I highly recommend contacting Sonu at Sameer Guesthouse. B.3/139-A, Shiwala (Near Chet Singh Fort), Varanasi-1. Ph 988-972-0547 or 91-542-227-7731

India Budget Train Travel

On my train ride to Varanasi from Rishikesh, I found out at the station that I was #1 on the waitlist for a spot in 2nd class AC and that I did not have a spot on the train. Because the train was scheduled to leave at midnight, I decided to suck it up and buy a general boarding ticket. I have mentioned general boarding tickets in previous posts, and they may be described as a “cattle car” experience. I also said, “I can’t imagine doing long travel like this.” Famous last words!

More humans than I have every seen are crammed into every space you can imagine – in the aisles, under the seats, two to a seat, five to a bed, you name it. Luxurious, it isn’t, but cheap – heck yes! By doing a general boarding ticket, my trip cost $5 US instead of almost $20.

My experience doing an overnight trip in general class on the Indian Railway was overwhelmingly positive. I felt very safe and even managed to get a few hours of sleep. Despite the language barrier, I was able to bond with my fellow passengers and felt like they were always keeping an eye on me like I was part of the extended family. Overall, I am very grateful for the experience and would absolutely do it again.

Tips for India Budget Train Travel

1. Get there early, especially if you are at the end of the line. I boarded my train about 2.5 hours before scheduled departure and the train was already about 50% full.

2. Get a top berth. This is more important if you are traveling alone. The bottom berths usually hold around 5 people, while the upper ones hold one or two, plus luggage. The slight inconvenience of having an unpadded seat means that you will have space to stretch out a bit.

3. Save money on AC. Depending on where you are traveling to, unless it’s May through September, AC is probably not necessary. Especially when you are traveling at night, there is a nice breeze coming through the cabins and they all have fans.

4. Make friends. In India, you don’t need to speak the same language to make friends. All it takes is some smiles and a “Namaste”. With just those small gestures, I could tell that the families that were below me were keeping an eye on me, which made me feel safer.

5. Offer to surround yourself with luggage. For me, it was better to have some luggage to curl myself around, than a strange Indian man. I ended up sleeping with my head and shoulders against one suitcase and my legs draped over another.

6. Bring earplugs. I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s worth saying again. Never travel without earplugs.

7. Bring a scarf or a towel. I used a scarf to lay over my bag that I used as a pillow, and a sweater to protect my butt bones from rubbing on the rales of the berth. The slats in this picture below are what my butt and legs were resting on the whole night.

8. Pack snacks. Preferably to share. Cookies are good and so are almonds for a little protein. Wallahs (sellers) are constantly coming around with chai and water, so you don’t need to worry about fluids.

If it gets to be too much, you can always try to throw the conductor a little cash for a better seat.