I belong to Delhi

I have found a new favorite sound. It is the tinkling of Cheenu’s bracelets as she moves around the house. It is a happy sound that tells me she likes to look nice no matter what she is doing. It is a new concept for me to have a maid - someone in my house, cleaning my floors and dusting my furniture. But while it is odd, it is nice to have her around. She speaks no English, I speak no Bengali (neither does anyone else in the building!), so when she comes to me with questions I just nod and grin like a loon. She is very patient with me. I must admit that I am bad at having a maid. I made sure that everything was as tidy as possible before she came the first day and even washed the dishes out of guilt. I am hopelessly middleclass but have graduated to having her do dishes and the bed. I’m learning! While it sounds so posh to have domestic help, it honestly is the way that things are done here. I was told the other day when I expressed unease with hiring someone that even the servants have servants in their homesNow I am worried that I will get used to having someone do all the work I hate that it will be all the harder to do it again when we get home!

Why we need a maid. Gertie the Gecko welcomed us home the other night. She was lounging in our living room!

The other night we took a rickshaw home from the grocery store. The agility of our driver was very impressive as he slid into spaces that seemed far too small for us to fit. We passed by a park where a wedding was being held. Outside the groom sat on top of a wagon decked with heavy chains of flowers and ribbons. He looked absolutely regal in a deep crimson jacket and turban, sitting ramrod straight. He also looked a little sick. His face did not look overjoyed but rather a little overwhelmed at what was happening around him. And what was happening was a party! Drummers, dancers, stilt walkers, bagpipers, and fireworks all joined together to make a raucous celebration that made every other wedding I have ever been to appear positively snore-inducing. Later we were told that this was a poor person’s wedding, but there was nothing poor in what I saw.

One thing we have noticed is that everything in Delhi has a sensation to it. Whether it be the smells of the city, the taste of the food, or the sound of the unfamiliar languages to us, everything has flavor. Nathan observed the other night that you feel what you taste here. What you put in you mouth has one flavor to begin with and then it contorts itself into another all together. And as if the flavor is not enough of an experience alone, it fills your mouth with heat and spice that burns itself (but not too much) over your tongue and down your throat until it slides into your belly. It is truly something amazing.

Yesterday was a holiday so Nathan, Cherie and I took a little tour of Delhi. We first went to the symbol of the city, India Gate. It was built in commemoration of the Indian soldiers that fell in the First World War. It looks very much like the Arc d’Triumph in Paris down to the eternal flame in the center of it. As with all of the British architecture here though, it takes its cue from classic styles of the west and then adds an Indian twist to it. For example, after the Gate we went and saw the Presidential Palace where the Viceroy used to live and the current president does now. On either side are government offices, including the Ministry of Defense and Parliament. If you squinted a little you would swear that you were in DC except for two major differences. Instead of the gleaming white that we use on our buildings, theirs come in deep reds and pinks. And supporting the dome overhead are massive carved elephants. Taking its cue from the west, but distinctly Indian.

India Gate


Nathan with the Tourist Police
Afterwards we went to Connaught Place. This is the main shopping district in the city and was built by the British as their hub. Frankly, it was just too much for me. It is a ring road within a ring road within a ring road of shops. And outside the shops are individual vendors selling crafts. Also, the people there are incredibly friendly (pushy) in that they are all trying to direct tourists to the Cottage Industry Shops. These are government run bazaars where the prices are fixed but incredibly high. The standard greeting was “I’m not trying to sell you anything, but you should try Cottage Industries. It’s just around the corner.” Now this may seem harmless enough, but when two to three people give you that exact same speech on every corner you start to get suspicious. Again, not my cup of tea. What was wonderful was the weather. It was cool with a lovely breeze and just as we sat down to lunch the clouds opened up and it poured for about 20 minutes. It was perfect weather to be out and about. We did make one FANTASTIC purchase though! It is a tennis racket that has wires strung though it instead of strings. The wires are hooked up to a battery so you can use it to swat flies and mosquitoes and ZAP’EM!!! As Nathan declared at the check-out counter, “Tonight, we fight back!” A more stirring speech, I have yet to hear!

Mmm... I think I'll get my hair done there!

Nathan's GIGANTIC PJ bottoms.
I keep thinking about something that one of Nathan’s co-workers said to us the morning that we arrived here. We asked him if he was originally from Delhi or if he had come from somewhere else. He replied “I belong to Delhi”. His English is not the best, but I absolutely love the way he put it. It has made me think how nice it would be to feel as if I belonged to a specific place, somewhere that held my history and memories. I suppose though that instead I belong to several places. To Germany, Oklahoma, Washington, California, Arizona, England, Argentina, I belong to them all. I am planning on belonging to Delhi too.