Travels to Homeland- Part II

Yesterday, I wrote about a state fair held in Delhi's Connaught Place to depict the rural and folk arts of Western India. Those pictures belied the hubbub that is characteristic of the second largest commercial and business center in India built by the British in early 1930s. The following pictures will give a a better idea of how busy and urban the heart of the capital truly is...

Note the traffic and the number of cars that are parked. The Metro now serves this busy area along with other public transportation like buses etc. Parking as I stated in an earlier post is next to impossibleand one has to hand over the car keys to sort of outside valets to find a spot. And you leave your car in neutral gear for them to manoevre around as needed. Next to me is my best friend in Delhi acting crazy. Ours is a lifetime bond where even though we don't talk to each other for years, when we do, we pick up as if there was no gulf due to decades of my absence from India. She is in a sari-the traditional Indian dress which is considered the most dignified Indian attire and I am in a woollen tunic worn with pants that is the traditional dress of women in Kashmir -perfect for Delhi winter and incredibly comfortable. The authentic traditional clothes in India are all handwoven especially the silk and woollen clothes in rich earthy hues with exquisite hand-embroidery. The dot on my friend's forehead is the Bindi about which a lot of folks ask about in US. It is important for a married woman to wear a red bindi as it signifies her wedded state- something like the wedding ring. Marriage is certainly not taken lightly in India which is why you will see many Indian women here in US wearing the all-Western garb but still holding on to the Bindi on their foreheads. Of course, now a bindi is also a fashion statement when it is worn in different colors to match the worn ensemble. However it has deep symbolism in Indian culture. The red powder, called Sindoor, in my friend's parting is even more critical than a Bindi for a woman who is married.

Finally note the guy behind us. He is one who had just parked my friend's car. What I truly found to be a cultural revolution on my first trip was the number of Indian women who were driving-almost equal number as men. When I left, driving was basically left to the men. This to me was indicative of women's increasing independence and awareness of their place in society. A big big change from when I left for US...Above pictures show me standing in front of Indian Government's biggest undertaking to preserve Indian handicrafts- The Central Cottage Industries Emporium. Popularily called "The Cottage", it is anything but with its lavish interior and heavy security to the point-I think-you are not even allowed to take pictures of the inside. It has the largest and most amazing collection of exotic and authentic Indian crafts reflecting 5000 years of heritage made to exacting standards by master craftsmen from all over the country. See for instance behind me, the invaluable statue of the dancing God Shiva known as the "Nataraja,"the most revered God in Hinduism. The dance indicates life's ebb and flow, the circle cosmic energy and the demon at his feet, the triumph over spiritual ignorance. When I go back home, for shopping, I just head over to the air-conditioned one-stop handicraft heaven and get into a buying frenzy grabbing everything from household stuff to traditional Indian clothes for taking back to US. The Cottage is the most popular shopping haunt of foreign tourists who really splurge because you get top quality, but you also pay for it! Prices are very steep. Earlier the dollar used to go a long way in India but no more. It has fallen a lot against the Indian Rupee. You certainly feel the pinch when you get your credit card statements back home in US. Nonetheless, this is my indulgence and as soon as I have recovered from my jet lag- my friends in Delhi know just where to take me.

Stay tuned. The Delhi tour continues...