Train Rides

Travel by train is the most common way to get around India. So common in fact that the standard seating cars are practically always overbooked and waitlists for first, second, and third class cars get up into the hundreds. In years past, it wasn't uncommon to see passengers riding on the tops of trains due to lack of space, or lack of a ticket, on the inside. The situation has improved such that you don't see people riding on the rooftops anymore, but the standard seating cars are still a classic example of Indian pandemonium. Experiencing the chaos first hand was as exhausting as it was thrilling.

To paint the appropriate picture, the train started off comfortable enough. Danny, Nick and I had purchased a reserved seat, so a place to sit was guaranteed. When the train left the first station, all seats were taken and there were a few people already standing in the aisles - a bad sign since we'd be picking up more and more passengers all along the way back to Delhi. Those standing had paid for a ticket to board but not for a seat. They'd be standing for the next 6-7 hours, well aware of how crowded the train car would get and also aware that there would be no air conditioning in this ticket class the entire way.

Gradually, more passengers boarded and soon the aisles were jammed so tightly with bodies, it was getting hard to breathe. Absolutely every possible millimeter of space was eventually occupied. Three people to each row had to smash ever more tightly into their chairs to allow a tiny inch for a standing passenger to rest his legs. If you were unfortunate enough to have the aisle seat, someone else's belly was regularly pressed against the side of your head; armpits were in every other person's face; passengers started sitting on the backs of chairs for more space; others were hanging out the doors of the train; and some braced themselves between the overhead compartments, a railing, and the side wall of the car. Mothers and fathers held babies for hours since there was no place for them to stand on the floor, and they'd probably be smashed in the next wave of passengers trying to plough through this human wall. If I had to guess, I'd say there were 300 people in that car with seats to accommodate 100. Add to this the heat and the sweat and the effect is dizzying. Heaven forbid you ever have to use the bathroom at that point. There's just absolutely NO WAY to get through that mass of bodies.

We endured these conditions for somewhere between 6 and 7 hours. I took note of one passenger sitting on the top of the back of the chair and decided to do the same for the last hour and half since I couldn't feel my legs anymore. Within minutes, the space that fit my body in the seat now only had room for my left foot which I used to support myself on the top of the chair. Space had become liquid - if it opened up, it was instantly filled by someone else.

Even though I was irritable and desperate for a shower by the end, it was actually remarkably fun! Observing all that was happening in that train car gave perspective on how the average Indian typically travels. It was the real India - not polished, sugar coated, or restrained. The real deal. I was fascinated by how many could cram into this car, the fact that they were willing to endure it, and the ingenuity that went into finding a comfortable perch. No where else have I ever seen this tolerated by travellers.

Sitting next to me was a man who works as a software engineer in Delhi. His English was perfect and he was returning from vacation in Naintal. We talked about my impressions of India, the people, the culture, how much has changed in only 10 years and where he hopes the direction of the country is going. As we passed through India's countryside in Uttar Pradesh, he identified the types of crops being grown in the fields flying by. He explained his views on the problem of rapid urbanization in India and the toll it takes on rural families who stay behind.

Across from me was a family of four also on their way home from a week vacation in Nainital. The parents were doctors from Jaipur and the husband had a sister living in Ohio. Their children were both under 10 but were exceptionally patient and content on the long, hot train ride. The mother asked if she could read the intro to my book, The Blue Sweater (a book about the author's work in economic development and micro-financing), and when she finished she, Danny and I began a long conversation about development in India and the state of healthcare for Indians. She happens to specialize in blood cancer patients.

As I sat there enjoying ever minute of these interesting conversations, I couldn't help but wonder what this family of doctors and this software engineer were doing on the cheapest and least comfortable train car available. It changed my impressions about certain aspects of Indian lifestyle. I had the impression that one wouldn't find businessmen or professionals traveling this way. But my assumption was apparently dead wrong. I didn't consider that this is how it has always been done in India. Up to 10 or 20 years ago, the ride was probably even less comfortable. But this was normal to them. Discomfort for a little while really isn't a big deal. True, it's disgustingly hot, but we all had water and strangers shared their packed snacks with everyone close by. All that pushing and shoving in pure desperation for space quickly turned into friendliness as soon as space was acquired. Competitive but kind. I guess that's how aspects of Indian life can be summed up.

Hot and uncomfortable as it was, that train ride may well be one of my favorite memories of India. I was able to laugh at the chaos, learn more about India's development through interesting conversations, and began to understand so much more about the culture without ever leaving my chair for 6 hours. It was awesome.

The picture doesn't do the experience justice, but just to give you an idea, here's a glimpse of how crowded the ride was:

Different Perspectives, Different Approaches

We’ve been here for four weeks now and I’ve started to notice that each of us is developing different perspectives of India. Of course, each of us come from different backgrounds and were bound to see India differently from the get go. But what I’m referring to is how we’ve each developed ideas about what India is based on where we work, who we talk to, and personal encounters in Delhi. It’s hard to tell the extent to which we are each influenced by internal factors – our personalities, experiences from previous travels, etc. – versus external factors – like conversations with those we work with. The line is blurred, but nevertheless, we are influenced by those around us. It’s been interesting hearing where those variances in understanding lie.

To a large extent, the differences manifest when we discuss travel plans and relay pieces of advice picked up from supervisors and co-workers in our respective firms and NGOs. For example, one firm will often emphasize caution at all times, counsel against buses or trains in favor of planes or hired drivers, and recommend high-end hotels. That’s one extreme, while the other is hearing virtually no travel advice beyond using caution. The rest of us get something in between. From this middle perspective, the difference between buses and trains is like quibbling over apples and oranges…with the exception that one reaches the destination faster than the other. The key is just getting a bus or train car that offers air conditioning. The concept of hiring a driver hasn’t been advised in the particular and the hotel we stay in doesn’t really matter as long as it’s in a safe area. Most of the advice I’ve heard falls into this range. No doubt, our respective offices are aware that we generally have no idea what to expect when we venture out of Delhi and prefer that we error on the side of caution, but it also results in varying comfort levels and travel intentions among the group.

Our ideas of Indian culture are also varied. There are two examples I heard mentioned this week. First, one of us remarked, “India is the country of ‘No,’” referring to the frequency that the word “No” is heard compared to the word “Yes.” When I reflected a little more on this observation, it actually occurred to me that I have picked up on the Hindi word for “No” weeks ago but still haven’t caught on to the word for “Yes.” When negotiating with rick drivers and souvenir shop owners, this is absolutely the case. The same answers in the negative are often heard when we inquire about travel advice. Some of us are frequently warned not to visit certain places, like Old Delhi, because of the chaos and crowds; never to be out after a certain hour; and that we shouldn’t travel to certain destinations. To do otherwise would be crazy! We’re still trying to understand the norms in India but considering these encounters it’s not hard to get the impression that the first answer to everything is no. On the other hand, there have also been situations in which I’ve made an inquiry about one thing or another and the immediate answer given is in the affirmative, but in the follow up nothing happens. Such encounters lead me to believe that India, at least in some instances, can also be the country of “Yes.”

The second example pertains to English as an official language and our estimation of how fluent most Indians are in speaking it. One of us commented that just about everyone in Delhi speaks English very well. I agreed that well-educated circles speak English brilliantly, but my experiences in Delhi paint a slightly different picture. I’ve observed a spectrum of English fluency, and outside the work environment communication is often a struggle. For example, when at a shop or in a restaurant the conversation might flow reasonably well as long as the topic is strictly confined to the context of the menu or the speaker’s shop. Any extra inquiries, and things usually get tricky. Language barriers are especially frequent with rick or taxi drivers whose command of English is generally the most limited. I’ve developed the impression that most Indians actually do not speak English very well and that it’s those whose career or education demands constant English practice who can speak it flawlessly. If this impression is true, then I find it somewhat perplexing to be in a country in which one of the primary official languages is truly spoken by only certain segments of the entire population. I have never encountered that phenomenon before.

One more observation is the difference between the men and women in our group have begun to perceive India. It’s obvious where I’m going with this - safety, particularly harassment, is constantly a more significant concern for women than it is for men. I’m at a point where I feel confident just about anywhere during the day, but when the sun has set, it’s a different story. Last weekend Krista, Danny, Nick and I went to Nainital to escape the heat. We had a fantastic time but when Krista and I split off to find dinner Saturday night, I felt considerably less secure. Nainital is a small vacation town and the streets were packed with pedestrians, most likely looking for a place to eat just like us. Despite the crowds, I was on edge. It’s the fact that we stand out in any crowd, the stares we get, the constant requests to pose for a picture, and the thought that if something actually did happen, no one would know where to look for me. I sometimes criticize myself because I really don’t know what I’m so afraid of. After all, stares really are that bad (as long as it’s just stares). I’m mildly paranoid that my camera or wallet will be stolen but that’s not the end of the world and I hear theft is rather uncommon. Had Nick or Danny been with us, I would have felt better. This shortage of self-confidence and dependence on others frustrates my usual sense of independence. Each of the women in our group has felt the same to some degree or another. For us, going anywhere alone calls for at least some additional precautions. As result, my perceptions of India and my place within it are influenced by stronger sense of trepidation than some of the men in our group.

Through travel recommendations, language barriers, simple inquiries, and safety tips we are each coming up with a different concept of what Indian culture is through the clouded vision of an outsider. The information gathered and filtered internally impacts our ideas on how to travel, what to eat, and what time to come home, whether or not to commute solo, how much to spend for the sake of comfort and safety, the list is unending. In the end, we each take India as it is presented to us and then strive to understand where and how we fit within it. The truth is all of our perceptions are correct to some degree. But I’m getting the impression that it’s impossible to understand the complexity of India without giving consideration to every piece and without admitting that there is so much more we don’t yet understand.

I recently read an old Jain fable that describes the foreigner in India well:

Five blind men wanted to discover what an elephant is like. After being led to the animal, each one approached form a different angle and felt with his hands that part which was within his reach. The man who felt the trunk said the elephant is like a snake. The one who felt the body disagreed and said the elephant is like a great wall. The man who felt the tusks further disagreed, asserting that the elephant is like a spear. The fourth man felt the tail and insisted that the creature is like a rope, and the last man having touched the leg argued that the elephant is like a pillar. They continued to argue, each certain that his own experience was the reality. Finally, a wise man intervened. He told that each man was right but had expressed only part of the truth. A true understanding of the elephant comes after discovering the whole beast as a unity of disparate elements.[1]

All nine of us are like the blind men, and the elephant is India. We sort of fumble about while trying to understand what Indian culture is and how to receive it. Initially, we latch on to one concept and proclaim, “That’s it! I’ve got it now!” That one aspect is enough, for the moment, to inform us how to carry on and how to fit in. Eventually, we realize that it’s not one but innumerable qualities that define a culture, and the cycle of discovery starts all over again. Like an elephant to a blind man, India is complex and baffling. It would take much longer than two months to figure it all out, but the process is a journey and India makes for an incredibly unique experience.

---

[1] Gitanjali Kolanad, Culture Shock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette: India 2 (2008).

Shenanigans

Our excursions in Nainital came with quite a few fun and goofy pictures. I thought I'd share some of these along with a few more details of our activities up there:

Breakfast on the veranda outside our hotel. We had a great view of the lake and town below from this point. The best part was we could enjoy the view away form the sound of horns and traffic.

We had originally planned to ride elephants through a national park to see wild tigers but plans didn't work out. We settled for a trip to the zoo instead.

Krista communicating with the monkeys

Behaving like the animals

We took a car ride to the back side of the mountains for some amazing views,

as well as target practice.

A little bit of trail exploring

Conquering and/or discovering India

Boat ride we took around the lake at the end of the day

Weekend Travels - Part 2

Fresh Air

The next big adventure took us north to Nainital in the state of Uttarakhand. The goal was to ride elephants in a nearby tiger reservation park and stay in a cabin up in the Himalayan hills. Cabins, bonfires, tigers, and elephants? Heck yes! But one complication after another showed that no matter how hard we try to force our will on weekend travel plans, over-booked trains, the folly of underestimating distances, and miscommunications in broken English with testy hotel managers demands flexibility when planning.

Trying to book train tickets online has proven impossible. It worked once for the trip to Agra but ever since either the sites refuse to accept foreign credit cards or the site shuts down immediately after clicking "Book Here." It's like the site is taunting me. Travel agents have been recommended to us but they've been more or less unresponsive. At the last minute we found out that the train companies will sometimes reserve a certain number of seats for foreign travelers and this turned out to be the key to getting tickets. Unfortunately, Krista couldn't book with us for so many more complicated reasons than are worth explaining here but it really all comes down to the fact that she has a work visa ... and it's basically cursed. The best she could do was get on a waitlist and hope to be able to make it on the train with us. After pulling a few strings, it she received notification of a confirmed ticket two hours before departure time.

The four of us packed up and left the guesthouse feeling relaxed, ready for a soothing train ride, a weekend kicking back in the mountains. In truth we didn't know for sure if we really had a confirmed hotel, but you gotta celebrate the victories one step at a time. All that mattered at the moment was that we were going to get there. If it turned out the hotel would reject our confirmation, which we were fairly certain it would, then we were willing to bet a travel office in town could help us find a room somewhere else. Being a popular vacation destination for Delhiites, there were bound to be an abundance of hotels. The risk was that we might have to settle for another Hotel Raj.

When we hailed a rick driver, we realized there was a huge chance we destroyed our trip before ever getting out of Delhi. We had anticipated leaving from New Delhi Station but while pointing to the station indicated on the ticket to the rick driver, we realized we actually had to be at Old Delhi Station - at least 30 minutes farther than New Delhi Station. There was a good chance we'd miss the train. As if we couldn't cut things any closer, after passing through one traffic light, the driver stopped for gas as we shouted "No, no, go, go, go!!!!" We bailed out and ran to the next auto rick coming out of the gas station. But of course, he also managed to be the slowest and most cautious rick driver in all of Delhi. Of all times to find the one driver who actually obeys traffic laws. We rode most of the way in silence, each concentrating on the time and anxious for every traffic light to turn green.

We got to Old Delhi Station 10 minutes after our scheduled departure. Hoping there was a chance that the train was running late, we practically threw rupees at the driver and sprinted off to find the platform without looking back. Danny fell over a pile of rubble and nearly took out Nick in the process. Our bags flailed against others in the station - I'm sure we nearly knocked over a couple travelers. Compared to the crowds slowly moving through the station, we must have looked desperate and helpless. Then when we were just about certain that the train had already departed, we found it! I could hardly believe we cut things so close with so many set backs, and still made it on this train. The whole scenario felt like a flashback to fiasco at Newark's airport and the plane to Delhi we almost missed.

After celebrating the victory, we passed out on the beds and woke up several hours later to a very different India. The sun was rising over mountains in the distance, its rays piercing through misty clouds that hid the peaks from view. Between the train and the hills was flat, lush land, populated by tiny rural villages and small farms. The scene was the complete opposite of the cramped urban cities where houses are literally stacked on top of each other and trash is everywhere. Here, everything looked green, fresh, and quiet. We opened one of the side doors of the train and watched the peaceful countryside unfold as the train rolled slowly by. Locals began to emerge from their homes, brushing their teeth in the doorways, cooking breakfast over a fire, or just squatting in their yards while staring at the train. After an hour, the pace of life was starting to pick up: farmers were heading into the fields; mothers were washing children in the yards; stray dogs emerged and began scrounging for food in scattered garbage piles; and a group of teenagers were playing cricket in the open area of a pit used to park lorries. Meanwhile, the mountains were getting closer and curtains of rain formed in the distance.

We pulled into the train station at the base of the mountains, and took a taxi the rest of the way to Nainital. The ride took about another hour but the scenery out the window as we climbed the mountains was so beautiful, I hardly noticed the time. The windy road took us above, below, and though the mist. The clouds moved like a claw over the rainforest's peaks. Every now and then, white-faced gray monkeys scurried across the road. At the sharpest turns were signs warning drivers to reduce their speed and stay awake, but the choice of words were comically ominous. For example, "If you sleep, your family will weep"; "We value your life, not your speed"; and "If you are married to speed, divorce it!" Don't worry, we made it safely to Nainital at the top.

The town surrounds a tiny lake in the hills. From one end looking down to the other, it looks like the world suddenly drops off into infinity. It sounds blissfully peaceful but it's obviously a favorite vacation destination. The streets were busy with pedestrians, taxies were eager to take us to surrounding sights, and most of the hotels were booked. As expected, the other hotel refused to honor our confirmation. Fortunately it didn't take long to find a place to stay. It wasn't the cheapest place, but they offered breakfast, a driver to take us sightseeing, and the decor was really cool. It was an old summer palace decorated with animal skins and a perfect view of lake.

We had hoped to take a gondola to the top of one of the hills to catch a famed glimpse of the Himalayas, but decided to wait for evening since the top was covered in cloud. In the mean time we spent the afternoon driving through he mountains, appreciating other lookout points along the way, as well as a waterfall, and a crazed troop of touts shouting at us to pay for horseback trail rides. Knocking on the windows and chasing the car down the road seemed like an oddly aggressive tactic just for some trail riding. We kindly declined the offer.

Once back at the hotel, we tried again for the gondola ride but found out that they had sold their last ticket for the gondola ride to the top. We could have hiked but the sun was setting and we probably wouldn't be able to see much. So instead, we took a ride on a pink, swan-shaped paddle boat and watched the sun set behind the mountains before finding dinner.

The entire trip was a much needed break from the heat and polluted air of Delhi. The fresh mountain air reinvigorated my motivation to allow India to continue to grow on me, and the regular change in plans reminded me of the enjoyment that can accompany travel when you remain flexible and allow fro spontaneity.

Weekend Travels - Part 1

First Taste of India Travel

The last two weekends have been a whirlwind of travel planning, lessons in travel fiascos, and exciting explorations, all wrapped up with plenty of surprises, shockers, and laughs. India just never ceases to amaze.

Over the June 18 weekend, I traveled with two friends (Krista and Danny) to Agra, just about four hours south of Delhi in the state of Uttar Pradesh. We were supposed to be a group of four, but one of our comrades got hit with a case of food poisoning, also known as "Delhi belly." For me and Krista, this was our first train ride in India and it was a rather curious experience. It's not that the train itself was bad. Our tickets were for beds in the sleeper car so we could catch at least a little rest on the overnight ride to Agra. The unfortunate part was that the car didn't have air conditioning and people would board the train without having any particular seat or bed and just sitting wherever. Basically it seemed like seating assignments on tickets are treated more like suggestions...at least until the police show up.

After about an hour into the journey, three police officers showed up demanding to look at everyone's tickets. I was half asleep when this happened so my memory is a bit hazy but I remember hearing more Hindi than English and feeling utterly confused and uneasy about what was happening. It turns out that their interest seemed to be in protecting us as travelers. They kicked out everyone near us who didn't have a legitimate ticket and then hung around for a few minutes afterwards as if guarding the area. The best part was when one officer told the young man in the bed beneath mine (the one our sick friend would have had) that he had to get out and then helped himself to the vacant bed. I appreciated the security, or even the appearance of it, but I also felt bad for those who were forced to find a different seat on an already crowded train.

We arrived in Agra feeling exhausted, weary, and hungry at about 3:00 in the morning. The hotel we booked had promised a driver would pick us up form the train station, but of course he was nowhere to be found. It only took about three seconds for four random rickshaw drivers to start insisting that they take us to our hotel. (I should mention that this scenario is how it goes almost everywhere we go. And I deliberately use the word "insist" rather than "bargain" because these drivers simply do not back off and don't abide by the word "No!"). One driver reported that his friend had told him to pick us up and take us to our hotel. It sounded pretty suspicious so we asked him to tell us the name of the guests he was supposed to pick up. After about 10 minutes on hold with the hotel, he asked "Danny?" It was as if he billowed "Open Sesame!" It was the magic word that promising a quasi-reliable ride to a coveted bed and pillow. But there was more in store for us.

The driver meandered through some particularly suspicious alleys. I kept anticipating that the next turn would take us back on to a more comfortable main road, but each turn seemed darker and dodgier than the one before. Finally we stopped but the hotel was no where in sight. The driver insisted that it was just up around the corner and we convinced him to walk us to the door. Once inside, I think each of our hearts sank a little. To say the least, it was far from what we had expected and possibly one of the worst accommodations I've ever stayed in. The most awkward, and in retrospect also the funniest part, was when about 5 middle aged men emerged from their rooms all at once as we ascended the stairs. It was if someone tripped the foreigner alarm to announcing our arrival and they had emerged to gawk at the American brigade. When young children started wandering out into the hallways, I felt a little safer. But we double locked the door to our room and threw a suitcase in front just in case. The plan was to wake up early the next morning, so we only got about an hour of sleep. Even if it wasn't a five star hotel, a bed and a pillow was better than none. It's hard to be picky at 3:00 a.m.

Needless to say, we checked out immediately after we woke up. That was the first lesson in Indian hotel reservations - book early and consider that there may be a good reason why the price is so attractively cheap. Also, photographs online may be deceiving and a voice speaking clear English when making reservations is not necessarily indicative of quality. If you're ever visit Agra, don't stay at the Hotel Raj.

The Jewel of India

At sunrise we back tracked through the side streets we had driven the night before - by day light they were far less intimidating - and made our way toward India's most celebrated monument, the Taj Mahal. This architectural wonder is said to be a tribute to beauty and love. It's considered to be the jewel of India, and the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore described it as "a teardrop on the cheek of time."

Shah Jahan was emperor of the Mughal Empire at the time and it was one of India’s most prosperous ages. The extent of his wealth was immense and he used it to develop the empire’s architectural reputation, as well as the usual territory expansion. At the age for 15 he married his favorite and beloved wife whom he dubbed Mumtaz Mahal – “Jewel of the Palace.” Accounts of Mumtaz describe her as devoted wife and loving mother. She had 14 children but died shortly after giving birth to the last. Devastated and heartbroken, Shah Jahan commissioned Persian architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri to build the elaborate mausoleum for her tomb. After 17 years, the Taj

Mahal was completed in 1648.

Should guilty seek asylum here,


Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.


Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,


All his past sins are to be washed away.


The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;


And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.


In this world this edifice has been made;


To display thereby the creator's glory.

- Shah Jahan

The Taj Mahal is made almost entirely of marble imported from Rajastan. It's decorated with semi-precious and precious jewels inlaid in the marble. The gems include turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire from Sri Lanka, carnelian from Arabia, and jade from China to create the delicate floral artwork that adorns both the interior and exterior walls. Onyx imported from Punjab was used to create the calligraphic passages of the Koran transcribed on the doorways. The exterior inscriptions profess warnings of judgment while the interior expresses passages of love and peace.

Detail of inlaid jewels

Detail of calligraphic passages from the Koran

View from the base of Taj Mahal

The expense of the Taj Mahal, and Shah Jahan’s other undertakings, eventually bankrupted the Empire and his third son Aurangzeb seized the opportunity to imprison his father and take over the thrown. He died in prison and was later buried next to Mumtaz in the Taj Mahal.

Foreigners and Indians have traveled to the see the epic mausoleum ever since to be baffled by it’s extravagance and enchanted with the story behind it. For my own part, I saw the Taj Mahal early in the morning, before the crowds showed up to disturb the peace and before the sun could the fragrant gardens. Over the course of just a couple of hours, the façade changed from pearly white to ivory to gold with the rising sun. It was beautiful, like something out of an ancient fairytale. But to me, there’s something a little hollow about a structure of such magnificence in which no life ever lived. True, it has the legend of a love story behind it, but no one actually lived there. There are countless stories and legends that can be told about one lifetime, and a structure that housed the life throughout is somehow much more fascinating to me than a monument built to house only a departed king and queen. No matter how intricate or grand, a home intrigues me more than a tomb. Thus, I found the next sight much more fascinating.

Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehput Sikri used to be nothing more than the home of a Muslim holy man on a giant lake prone to droughts. But Shah Jahan’s grandfather, Akbar the Great, felt a significant need to move the capital from Delhi to this middle-of-nowhere town outside of Agra. He did so to honor that holy man.

Fatehpur Sikri Palace

Akbar had three wives – one Christian, one Hindu, and one Muslim – but none of them gave birth to a son. He sought the wisdom of the holy man living in Fatehpur Sikri. The Muslim holy man blessed the Hindu wife and she finally had a son. As a result, Akbar decided to move the capital of the empire near the holy man. Thus Fatephur Sikri became the home of Akbar’s palace, mosque, and the burial sight of the holy man. Akbar’s decision was motivated by what he believed to be a miracle, but he wasn’t much of a careful planner. Fatehpur Sikri was vulnerable to droughts and lacked a reliable source of clean water. He was eventually forced to return the capital to Delhi.

View of the landscape surrounding the palace

Still, the accounts of the palace portray a fanciful lifestyle of the king and his court where decorated elephants executed criminals, women were pawns in life-size board games in the courtyard, members of court also provided musical entertainment, water for the royals was imported from the sacred Ganges River, and the religions of all three wives were embraced and celebrated (although the Hindu wife was the obvious favorite for having the son – she by far had the biggest living quarters).

Akbar's Hindu wife's palace from within her courtyard

Courtyard in front of "Elephant Gate," near the Mosque

After spending the entire afternoon enjoying the history and legends our hired guide shared with us about Akbar, his wives, and Fatehpur Sikri, we returned to Agra and upgraded ourselves from Hotel Raj to a location with good, clean beds, a clean bathroom, a shower, breakfast, and a pool. We spoiled ourselves but after less than 3 hours of sleep the night before and a full day sightseeing in 110 degree weather, we felt the decision was easily rationalized.

Updates and Frustrations

Internship happenings

Visit to the Delhi High Court: We went with one of the attorneys at Koura who was able to explain to us the procedures, the background on some of the arguments, and the prestigious distinction of Special Advocates. We had the chance to listen to one of these Special Advocates argue his case before the judge. Although he did not prevail, it was a very interesting case concerning the production of license plates throughout the country. It was hard to catch all of the issues, but I was impressed with his argument and could easily see why he had been given such a distinguished title.

This week we received a second assignment in addition to the continuing university regulations project. We’ve been asked to research the potential causes of action for a copyright infringement case in which the interior architectural designs in modern homes have been misleadingly advertised as the work of another architect. Our research generally falls under India’s Design Act, Copyright Act, and the Indian Penal Code. The facts of the case are rather unique and have led us to start researching “reverse passing off” as possible cause of action, one that is rather new to Indian law. It's described as an instance in which someone represents the product of the true author as his own work. It has only been cited in a couple of cases in the court of Mumbai, each of which almost entirely relied on a handful of British cases. Also interesting, the Copyright Act does not require to the author to register their product in order to be protected from infringement. The Indian Penal Code may also permit criminal charges under its section on Cheating. Prior to this assignment, I had hardly any interest in intellectual property. But researching the options for this client and discovering that a new cause of action may be developing in India has broadened my appreciation for IP law and recognize the significance of an infringement on those property rights.

Although I haven’t made the switch to NovusPro yet, I’m beginning to get a better idea of the whole spectrum of experience I will have gained by the end of this internship – namely, exposure to both Indian law as well as American law. In the upcoming week, I’m looking forward to wrapping up our projects at Koura & Co with the objective of providing Angeli with a product that needs minimal revisions. While preparing for the switch to Novus Pro, I want to leave Koura having provided Angeli with the results she was looking for from us. Moreover, I want to leave knowing that I have established a relationship with the members of the firm that will last through the rest of law school and after.

Personal analysis of culture shock and entering the stage of frustration

At the outset of most of my travel experiences, everything is fantastically new and exciting. All the differences observed, even the most insignificant and minute, are placed under a magnifying glass, and the conclusions reached are usually fascinating but oversimplified. That lasts about a week before some of the sharpest differences become irritating. What was remarkable the week before becomes a constant hurdle. Frustration mounts and suddenly, I find myself longing for a break from what feels like complete madness. I tried to fight it for a few days, but I’ve now accepted that I’ve entered the frustrated stage of culture shock.

To be completely honest, I half expected to be immune to the effects of culture shock. To an extent I believed that the summation of all other travel experiences would immunize me against feelings of disorientation, discomfort, and the lack of confidence no matter where I might ever find myself in the world. I had deceived myself into thinking that the more I traveled, sought opportunities to explore, embraced differences, and challenged myself, I could eliminate culture shock as a factor worthy of consideration when living abroad. Admittedly, that expectation carries a tinge of arrogance and a false sense of invincibility with it. It seems that the ego never wants to admit that confidence and control in a certain location simply does not transfer seamlessly from destination to the next.

The sensation is all too familiar. I remember experiencing the exact same sentiments at one point when I was living in Chile. It’s never been that I dislike the country or the culture; it’s that I can’t stand feeling that loss of self-confidence experienced when the simplest daily tasks are complicated by unfamiliarity. Here in Delhi my frustrations have manifested as irritation with the fact that I never really know where I am in the city or where I’m going; the uncertainty I feel in my communication with taxi or rickshaw drivers; the sense that because I stand out, I’m an easy target for a scam; the worry that I could blindly walk into a risky situation and never see it coming; and the sensation I haven’t learned who I can and cannot trust. (Of course, communication and interactions with those at Koura, Novus Pro, and the guesthouse are entirely exempt from this)

I’m coming to terms once again with the notion that confidence is not something you carry with you like a passport. It’s not something kept in your pocket, you can’t pack it in your luggage, when it begins to waver it’s hard to fake it, and, though I still believe that accepting and facing these challenges teach a traveler how to excel in each new foreign encounter, it remains a frustrating lesson until the feeling passes. In my case, it hasn’t yet and that is driving me nuts.

After about a week and a half of diving in head first into India – embracing the food, the crowds, the noises, the smells, and enjoying every precious conversation with those I work with at Koura – I started to recognize that I needed take a step back or risk India exposure overload. I tried to fight it, but eventually I completely cracked and bought McDonald’s for dinner and went to DLF Mall to watch X-Men. After allowing myself to feel like an American for a moment, I’ve gradually started refocusing on embracing India. Fortunately, I’ve learned how to find the resolution to getting over this sort of frustration – knowing and respecting one’s limits while tackling at least one small but important challenge each day…but remembering to also remain patient throughout. This is the goal I have set for myself this week. I know very well that once the frustrated stage passes, the excitement and appreciation will return more brilliantly than before.

A few favorites of India so far

I’ve said a lot about what has been frustrating me lately, but there is so much I’m loving about India and Delhi. To name a few:

• In general, Indians so generous and always willing to help. The staff at Novus Pro have offered to help with absolutely anything we may need, even before we had officially met any of them. The lawyers at Koura have been so generous to let us work for them and have given countless points of advice regarding travels, foods, and sightseeing in Delhi. I’ve also observed Indian generosity extends to complete strangers. So often, we’ve obviously looked a little confused or lost through the course of our explorations in Delhi. Strangers will come up to point us in the right direction or help communicate with a rickshaw driver.
• Friendliness. Already we have made friends with other Indian interns or younger lawyers at our respective firms. They’ve invited us to join them for dinner, meet their friends, go to a movie, etc. Our conversations have covered everything from travel within India, to economics, to politics, and religion. Interestingly, they’re nearly all of these topics are often considered taboo for our culture. But here, the conversation has unfolded into some of the most enjoyable and enlightening discussions I’ve had in a long while. Our friends have made all of us feel so welcome and their company has been exceptional.
• Sightseeing. Between Delhi and now Agra, exploring has been jumbled with moments of awe, frustration, and bewilderment, but also profoundly influenced my appreciation for Delhi and India’s history and modern culture. I’ve learned a tremendous amount about in a very short period. In some ways, the biggest learning experience is gained through the process of getting there. The rewards form these excursions are tremendous both for the sake of learning about India as well as for understanding how to adapt to the country.

Comparing Indian States and Territories with Countries

I saw this article on The Economist this morning. It gives an interesting comparison of India's states' economies/populations to those of other countries. Some of the comparisons are rather surprising and they also reveal some of the growth disparities from one state to the next.

Here's the link.

Exploring Delhi

By the time the first weekend in India approached, I had done virtually no sightseeing in Delhi yet. We had little time for it between arriving, getting settled, and starting work. There was an awkwardness I felt about commuting to and from work everyday in a city I hardly new. It's like arriving as a guest at a stranger's house party and waiting too long to introduce yourself to the host. A proper introduction to Delhi was long overdue and I spent that whole weekend taking in as much as I could. Here are a few pictures of the sights:

We started off with Humayan's tomb. Humayan was part of the Mughal dynasty and ruled from Delhi during the early part of the 16th century. When he died, his wife commissioned the tomb to be built. It was finished in just nine years.

Approaching Humayan's Tomb

Afterwards we moved on to Old Delhi - one of the oldest parts of the city and also one of the most chaotic. There are several different houses of worship all on the same street or just a block away - a Sikh temple, a Hindu/Jain temple, a Baptist church, and the largest mosque in India. Along the main street is a wide avenue known as Chandni Chawk (which means moonlit market), one of the largest markets in Delhi. When the capital of the Mughal empire was alive and well, there used to be a canal running through Chandni Chawk as part of the water supply scheme. Now the area is thronged with rickshaws, hawkers, and crowds. In the stifling heat, the spicy smell of incense and the pungent smell of urine were mixed with exhaust in the stifling heat. The cars in the street honked at each other incessantly as they competed for that slight spare inch of pavement to pass each other. We were surrounded by temples, apartments stacked above shops, and a massive crowd that moved at a snail's pace down the sidewalk. It was remarkably exciting for about 10 minutes before the assault on the senses began to feel a little overwhelming.

Chandni Chawk

At the east end of the market, the street runs directly into the Red Fort, also called Lal Qila. The huge 17th century fort was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the same ruler who built the Taj Mahal. It became the palace of the emperor when he relocated the capital from Agra to Delhi (at the time Delhi was called Shajahanabad). In 1857 the fort fell into the hands of the British and that was more or less the end of the Mughal empire.

Outside the main gate to the Red Fort

Earlier in the week we had made a quick night trip down to the Red Fort to see the "sound and lights" show. At 9:00 in the evening, a portentous narrative of the history of the Mughal empire, Delhi, and the Red Fort is played through loudspeakers while colored spotlights on the structures add dramatic effect.

Inside the Red Fort during the "Sound and Lights" show

After seeing the Red Fort by day, we took a quick ride in a bicycle rickshaw to see Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. We arrived moments after sunset and therefore we were not allowed in. There were even further limitations on the hours that women are permitted to enter. I was mildly disappointed that I wasn't able to go in. I was curious just to see what's on the other side. On the other hand, it's probably just as well that we didn't. The restrictions against both tourists and women sends a pretty clear message that I'm not really welcome in their place of worship. Nonetheless, the stature of this mosque was quite impressive and I'm glad I at least got the chance to walk up to the doorsteps.

At the doorsteps of Jama Masjid in Old Delhi

After Jama Masjid, we went back through the long, crowded bazaar. On the way up I felt overwhelmed by the crowds and just kept my head down to avoid the awkward stares we constantly get. I was also feeling a little paranoid that my camera or wallet might be easily snatched away. But on the way back I was feeling a little more confident and took the chance to take in all that was going on around me. Everything I saw in the next 5 minutes was both enlightening and horrifying. Everyone knows large portions of India's population are desperately poor. But when you see, hear, and smell it...well, I'm not sure I have the words to express the cycle of shock, discomfort, and guilt that replayed every few steps and with greater intensity. Malnourished children reach for your hand, asking for money and the other hand they raise to their in a gesture expressing hunger. Old women sit behind a cloth displaying trinkets for sale, but their faces are expressionless, their bodies are extremely thin, and their gaze is fixed on nothing. (Actually who knows how old they really are? They look 70 but could be only 40). Old men without arms, legs, or otherwise crippled do the same. Every now and then there's a frail, young woman with one hand stretched out for donations and the other cradling a tiny and terribly thin infant. And then there's the adolescent boys who are lucky enough to have all their limbs and no children. They are the ones who appear most alive, but the look on their faces still reveals plenty of hardships. At the end of the bazaar I had reached a breaking point. I wanted to put money and food in every outstretched hand but knew that the moment I did I'd have 20 children swarming around me and my friends. I felt furious that offering a little bit of money could put me and my friends at risk. I felt helpless to help them.

View of the market from the steps of Jama Masjid

We were with an Indian friend who was acting as our tour guide for the day and he must have seen the look on my face because he asked why I bothered to take in what we were passing by. He emphasized that it's best not to look, just ignore it. In a way he has a point. If you don't want to feel emotionally overwhelmed, keep your gaze focused on the ground in front of you. But then I also worry about the head-in-the-sand effect. I want to see it and want to take it in because I want to understand the extent of it. It would be naive to believe I can fix it and self-righteous to judge him for his advice. But looking away from all of it is not something could feel comfortable doing.

Although we had been rejected form the mosque, we did get the chance to observe another religion's prayer service. On the way back through Chandni Chawk, our friend took us to the Sikh temple in Old Delhi. He more or less described himself as a non-practicing Sikh but was familiar enough to explain the general beliefs, the meaning behind the prayers and some of the practices during the service we watched. Before entering I had to cover my head in a scarf, remove my shoes, and wash my feet in a pool at the base of the steps before entering the temple. Even with his narration during the prayers, I hardly knew what was going on or being said, but what I really appreciated was the concept of washing my feet before entering and after leaving the temple. It seemed to function as a reminder to worshipers that they have just entered or just left a holy place.

Sikh Temple in Chandni Chawk

The whirlwind tour of Delhi ended in front of India Gate. It's a massive arch (curiously similar to Napoleon's Arc de Triumph) built by the British to commemorate the soldiers of the British Indian Army who died serving the British Indian Empire. In the center is an eternal flame, guarded by a military officer, that burns above India's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Every night, the monument is illuminated by floodlights and families flock to the surrounding open park to eat ice cream, play cricket, and otherwise just hang out.

India Gate

The internship thus far

It’s nothing short of fascinatingly discombobulating being in New Delhi. In all my travels, I’ve never been in place quite like this before. Just the sheer number of people; the constant crowds; the smells of food, incense, and exhaust all in the air at once; it’s been both thrilling and daunting at the same time. By the end of last week, I was feeling frustrated by a nagging sense of discomfort. In part I knew it was because Ihadn’t yet taken the time to properly explore, get acclimated, learn to navigate the rickshaws, taxis, and metro. I was finally able to do all that over the weekend, but first, it was necessary to focus on the real reason I’m here in Delhi – the internship.

As I mentioned last week, I’m interning at Koura & Company for the first three weeks along with one other student. Last Monday was our first day at the firm. It was somewhat surprising to walk into the office and not see a single attorney at 11:00 am. Since it’s summer, vacation season, and hot as an oven in Delhi, the work pace is somewhat slower (or so I’ve been told; though the traffic is still pretty intense). Since the courts also shut down for the month of June, the slower pace seems to have been particularly true in the legal profession.

Shortly after arriving at the firm, we were drinking coffee and tea with Angeli Dayal, one of the attorneys and our supervisor, discussing how our time in Delhi has been so far and getting an introduction to the Firm and its various practice areas. Angeli explained that the majority of her work is in real estate and property law. Both her husband and her father are partners at Koura & Co. and many of their major clients are in the oil and gas industry. Other attorneys in the office specialize in franchises, government contracts, foreign investment, labor services, and banking and finance. In total there are 9 lawyers and 3 partners. With a combination of government and business legal work, I’m very excited to be interning here this summer.Not long after the introduction, we received our first assignment. I was really looking forward to diving right into the internship and putting the first year of legal education into practice, so it was great that she already had project in mind. One of Angeli’s corporate clients has set aside a large trust for the purposes of establishing universities and making higher education more accessible, particularly to students in the rural areas of the State of Uttar Pradesh. In order to build these universities, the organization must first gain the State’s approval, attained by a legislative act endorsing the proposal. The act outlines certain requirements that must be met for final approval, including the submission of the proposed university’s statutes andordinances. Angeli has already completed this requirement on behalf of her client, and they are now pending final approval from the State. The only piece left to complete for her client is a draft of the internal regulations for the university. These do not have to be reviewed or approved by the State. They are strictly for the proposed university’s internal use, but the objective is to provide the university with all the guidelines it needs to start operating right away. My assignment is to work on drafting these regulations for the university.

So far we’ve reviewed all the background information, the statutes and ordinances, (which are still pending final approval), and finally started a bit of drafting as of the end of last week. I have to admit that the assignment is more challenging than I originally anticipated. I’ve had experience drafting internal policies and procedures for a company before, and while that background is undoubtedly useful for this assignment, I initially assumed my previous work experiences would have prepared me to start writing a draft much earlier. It was an oversight of the blatantly obvious – I’ve never drafted the governing rules for a university,and clearly have no knowledge of the laws and norms for universities in Uttar Pradesh. Despite the challenge, it’s exciting work. I find it rewarding that at least in a very small way I’m helping generate education and employment opportunities for future students in this country.

Early this week, Angeli told us that we likely start a second assignment concerning a copyright infringement case that just came up. It sounds like we’ll be exposed to a rather diverse spectrum of work at Koura. I’m looking forward to this next project and observing some of the different approaches to copyrights in India vis-à-vis the United States.

List of companies also in the building. Koura & Co. listed on the third floor.

View of the outside of the office building

Article on Gurgaon, India

This article discusses a small but excellent sample of the dichotomy between India's rapid economic growth and lagging infrastructure. The city discussed, Gorgaon, is a new business district just outside of New Delhi. I will be starting the second half of my internship in this area in just a couple of weeks. http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=800845

First Impressions

New Delhi greeted the deplaning passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport with a wall of heat and the pungent scent of pollution in the air. I arrived with seven out of eight of my fellow Indiana law students (our one unfortunate comrade wasn't booked on the connecting flight and would meet us the following day). It had been a chaotic and exhausting trip to New Delhi. In fact it was a miracle all of us plus our luggage actually arrived together. Weather delays caused us to narrowly make our connection – with only 5 minutes before our connection was scheduled to take off, we sprinted off the plane from Indianapolis, managed to catch the shuttle from one concourse to the other, and then ran to the opposite end to make it just before they shut the doors. As we left the cool airport into the heat, we noticed an Indian man holding a “Welcome Indiana University” sign. He and three other drivers were there to pick us up and transport us to our accommodations in the Anand Niketan district near Delhi University. One would think the chaos was over after arrival, but there was still one more obstacle between me and a soft pillow – New Delhi’s traffic.

My first impression of the city can really be summed up in that whirlwind night ride from the airport to the guesthouse. Three observations were the most discernible:

1. The polluted haze hovering over the city looked heavier than any I’d ever seen before. Obviously, that shouldn’t a big surprise in the largest city in the country with the world’s second largest population. But seeing the city lights sheltered by the smog, illuminating the ground and the sky with a dense gold glow; inhaling the acrid air; and almost feeling it building up over every inch of exposed skin amounted to a level of pollution I found particularly noteworthy.

2. Where there’s smog that thick, there must be some serious traffic issues . . . . But again, it’s to be expected India. Anyone would anticipate roads jammed bumper-to-bumper with cars, right? I also expected to see standard traffic laws regarded as mere suggestions in India. While scooting along the highway and analyzing those expectations, I was reminded that it’s one thing to hypothesize and quite another to be in the thick of it.
In the endless caravan along New Delhi’s roads, cars seem to leave a following distance of less than 2 feet. It looks impossible to change lanes but it’s accomplished by casually driving over the lane divider while honking and flashing your lights until you get your way. Shockingly, it takes almost no time at all to make the switch, and somehow it’s done without ever once checking over your shoulder to see what’s in your blindspot (I have yet to see a driver do this). I guess the assumption is, Why bother? There will always be someone there in a city this crowded!

3. Construction, slums, apartments, slums, businesses, slums. Repeat. This was the general scene looking out the window as the driver whizzed through the city from the airport to the guesthouse. Reruns of the same spectacle have been played ever since. It’s ironic that amid so much foreign investment, such dynamic economic growth, and what looks like enough construction projects in Delhi to employ a multitude, extreme poverty is still able to thrive so pervasively. Once I've spent more time exploring the city, I imagine I'll have more comments on this subject.

After a weekend of settling into the guesthouse, catching up on sleep, and setting up cell phones, the real purpose of this trip started Monday. I'm working for a small boutique law firm, Koura & Co. for three weeks, and then I'll switch to Novus Pro, a legal services company that specializes in document review and analysis for law firms and corporations. The internship has barely started but I'm enjoying the projects and eager to start exploring the city.