A car-to-car flower seller in Delhi
© Meredith Mullins

Travel Inspiration from Northern India

I expected sensory overload . . . and India delivered.

• Bright colors warmed by the sun
• Labyrinthine bazaars, far more organized than first glance implies
• Horn blasts and shrill shouts from streets crowded with cars, rickshaws, animals, cycles, and carts
• Spices that pervade the body—smell, taste, and touch
• Dust and wood-fire smoke permeating air and clothes
• Mounds of golden flowers—in markets and on shrines to the gods
• People living their lives in the open—in the streets, on rooftops, in alleys, in unwalled shops, or in just about any open space

Up on the roof . . . in Old Delhi
© Meredith Mullins

What I did not expect was the depth of hospitality or the pride of place that I experienced from the people of India.

Hospitality at the Jaipur flower market
© Meredith Mullins

This was my maiden voyage. A toe-in-the-water trip that lasted only a few weeks. But the richness of the cultural encounters made the days feel like a lifetime. I received travel inspiration of the most colorful kind . . . and five first-impression OIC Moments.

The Taj Mahal. A palace beyond words.
© Meredith Mullins

Inspiration from the Palaces

India is a land rich in history, architecture, and more than its fair share of palaces from many empires.

The Taj Mahal, of course, is the centerpiece. This Agra palace is said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

At sunrise and sunset, the white marble seems to take on the soul of the sun, and the inlaid stones shimmer with light and color. From every angle, it seems to calm the spirit.

Sunrise at the Taj Mahal
© Meredith Mullins

There are many more palaces with beautiful workmanship—especially the Agra Fort, the Samode Palace near Jaipur, the Amber Fort in Jaipur, and the City Palace in Udaipur.

Inlaid work at the Agra Fort, across the river from the Taj Mahal
© Meredith Mullins

I loved them all, particularly those that provided a more private viewing.

You may never have the Taj Mahal to yourself (except perhaps during a full moon night when they limit the number of visitors), but you can be alone in the Samode palace, time traveling into an opulent 18th century palatial life.

The resplendent Samode Palace near Jaipur
© Meredith Mullins

Lessons from the Temples

Religion plays a major role in Indian culture: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Judaism. The diverse religions and ethnic groups have a long history—of conflicts and tolerance, as would be expected.

The communal meal at the Sikh langar in Delhi. Everyone is welcome.
© Meredith Mullins

The Sikh places of worship (gurdwaras) are havens that welcome all faiths. Each temple has a langar, or free food kitchen, which serves a simple meal to anyone who wants or needs nourishment. People of all backgrounds and faiths, men and women, sit together in the communal hall.

Helpers donate their time to prepare the meals, and visitors offer a contribution if possible to ensure the continuation of this service.

There is no shortage of donation money at the Sikh Temple in Delhi.
© Meredith Mullins

Encounters with Markets and Masters

The markets and bazaars are bustling and bursting—from the block-printed textiles to bundles of bangles, from silks to pashmina, from handmade paper to handcut gems, from miniature paintings to delicate embroidery. The artisans and craftspeople of India are alive and well.

A master of textile block printing in Jaipur
© Meredith Mullins

It is said in India that the skill of the hand is a sacred gift, and so the masters continue their hand work as long as their eyes and limbs are able. They then pass the trade to the next generation. A tradition that, hopefully, will continue for a long time to come.

The art of chikan embroidery . . . and self-reliance
© Meredith Mullins

Cooperatives are also vibrant, such as SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association), with goals to encourage self-reliance through work opportunities and to provide protection for workers, including work security, food security, and social security.

The SEWA women’s cooperative in Lucknow
© Meredith Mullins

A Multitude of Rides

As in any populous Asian country, the number of transportation modes is mind-boggling. The streets are teeming, and the art of wending and weaving is critical to surviving.

The streets of Old Delhi
© Meredith Mullins

Cycle and auto rickshaws, open-air taxis, camels, elephants, meandering cows, bicycles, motorbikes, horses, wagons, cars, minivans, buses, street dogs, and purposeful people vie for road space.

It is a culture of beeping horns (to keep everyone aware of each other’s presence), but, interestingly, little road rage.

Making way for the elephant
© Meredith Mullins

I am still in awe of the muscled cycle rickshaw drivers who pedaled us uphill for several kilometers in the heat of the day for only 50 rupees (80 cents).

A Photographer’s Paradise

As someone who has photographed in many countries and received a variety of responses (including polite and not-so-polite rejections), I anticipated the usual challenges of photographing the people in this colorful country.

An alley in Old Delhi
© Meredith Mullins

The biggest surprise and, for me, the most rewarding “Oh, I see” Moment was the generosity of everyone in allowing themselves to be photographed.

For the Indian people, photography wasn’t at all a stealing of souls, but a sharing of souls. I was greeted only by smiles. And never, not even once, did someone refuse to be photographed.

Sweeper at the Amber Fort in Jaipur.
© Meredith Mullins

Oh, I See Many More Cultural Encounters To Come

A few weeks in India is perfect as an introduction. It becomes quickly obvious that there is much more to this complex country.

My first impressions may or may not hold true once I go deeper into the culture.

What is true is that this journey provided travel inspiration of the best kind and extended an open invitation for more cultural encounters in this diverse, proud, bustling, and colorful country.

Namaste.

The next generation of India
© Meredith Mullins

To get your Northern India/Rajasthan bearings, take a look at this map.

Thank you to Delicious Connections and Kipling India Travel for the organization of our visit. And special thanks to my fellow travelers for making the journey so memorable.

Comment on this post, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.