“Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.” (Jawaharlal Nehru)
A visit to India provides a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and tastes, that bring about a change in one’s overall sensory experiences. There are stories upon stories about India that abound everywhere – some good, some bad. Like many other countries all over the world, India has great poverty and great wealth. What is very evident on a visit to India is extremes. You can be appalled, in awe, and frustrated, in the very same hour of the same day. There are high moments and low ones as well. Scenes and scenery change rapidly. It’s all part of what’s amazing and incredible about India.
The Indian movie industry is bigger than Hollywood and many Indians are influenced in their style of dress by what their favorite movie stars are wearing. Saris and lehengas come in all colors, designs, and styles and there is something to suit everyone’s taste. I bought a nice lehenga to wear for the wedding I attended in Chandigar.
Jal Mahal ~ (meaning “Water Palace”) is located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. Rajput and Mughal Architecture with Bengali style elements. It was built by Sawai Jai Singh II as a pleasure palace for royal Jaipurites and their friends.The Hawa Mahal is in Jaipur – known as the Pink City. It is five stories and was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. He built it to be a safe place for the royal women to watch royal processions and other happenings in the market below without having to be seen – looking through tiny windows. There are 953 latticed windows known there as jharokas. The building was designed so as to allow cool breezes to circulate through its interiors. It is a sandstone structure and is very beautiful.Fatehpuh Sikri is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built by Akbar in 1571 and the city is carved entirely from red sandstone. There are Persian design elements, as well as Hindu and Jain. Akbar was a Mughal emperor who didn’t have a male heir and he went to visit a Sufi saint, who gave him a blessing which resulted in the birth of a son the following year. He established the city in 1570 in honour of the saint but it was only inhabited for 14 years. Rumour has it that it could not be used after that due to water shortages.Agra Fort is one of the area’s 7 World Heritage Sites. It’s really a fortified palace, with royal apartments, mosques, assembly halls, and a dungeon. Our driver told us that Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife) was imprisoned here by his own son toward the end of his life. He told us that he had an excellent view of the Taj Mahal from the tower he lived in at the Fort and died there.These are some of the animals I saw in India. I also saw monkeys at the Taj Mahal but they were very swift and I wasn’t able to get a picture. There was also a snake charmer I saw at a roadside stop. Many stray dogs wander around but I didn’t take any pictures of those. In this collage, the background is the Amber Palace.The Taj Mahal is India’s most famous monument. It is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture and is a monument to love. It is in Agra and was built by Shajahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz. It was designed by the Persian architect, Ustad Isa. There is a beautiful garden which features a symettrical layout of fountains and green areas, including a long reflecting pool.Architectural Details in IndiaBuilding behind Taj Mahal – Mehman Khana (guesthouse)Central Delhi’s India Gate (War Memorial Arch). It takes on a party-like atmosphere in the evening and families gather to enjoy the grounds and have ice-cream and other treats. Also Parliament Building image.Advertising in India (English & Hindi)Golden Temple – Harmandir Sahib is a prominent Sikh Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab. Sri Harmandir Sahib is considered holy by Sikhs. The most holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib, is always present inside the Gurdwara. Its construction was mainly intended to build a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to come and worship God equally. Sri Harmandir Sahib is considered holy by Sikhs.
These beautiful sculptures were at a roadside stop we made for tea. They were colorful and gave a good idea of another aspect of the culture.Indian food is very spicy and delicious as well. Various types of curries are popular – some vegetarian and some with meat. Some very common Indian spices are tumeric, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, tamarind paste. cinnamon, cardamon, and red chili powder or fresh chilis. “Masala” is the Hindi word for “spice.” When many different spices, herbs, and other condiments are mixed together, it is also called “masala.” Popular Indian dishes are Biryani, Butter Chicken, Vindaloo, Rogan Josh, Tandoori Chicken, Palak Paneer, Chole-Bhature (chick-peas), Naan, and Samosas. There are many tasty sweet treats such as Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, Rasmalai, Burfi, Kulfi, and Ladoo. Lassi is a popular Indian drink. Chai masala tea is very popular too. There are many wonderful dishes to sample and everything from roadside stands to the finest of restaurants.Fresh flowers are used in decorating for an Indian wedding. I have never seen such beautiful and exquisite decorating aywhere else in the world. The pictures speak for themselves. The last picture with the yellow flowers was the wedding cake and it was very beautiful.There was a lot of music, dancing, and merriment at the pre-wedding party. Lots more ladies than men were on the dance floor. A good time was had by all.The actual wedding day was the grand finale. The wedding was kept at a big hall and there were many guests there, lots of food and drink, music and dancing, and drumming. It was a wonderful experience to attend such a glamorous affair.Shopping in India is fun. There are all kinds of souvenirs that you might want to bring back with you. Indian rugs and jewelry as well as nice saris and lenghas are popular shopping items. Bargaining is the norm. There are many bazaars and markets as well as government emporiums. Hawkers are everywhere too. I bought some nice cushion covers, Jaipur earrings, an Indian style necklace, silk scarves, and some beautiful bedspreads. You are sure to find whatever you want as India is a mecca for shopping
India was a fascinating and mystical journey that I experienced.
The Indian movie industry is bigger than Hollywood and many Indians are influenced in their style of dress by what their favorite movie stars are wearing. Saris and lehengas come in all colors, designs, and styles and there is something to suit everyone’s taste. I bought a nice lehenga to wear for the wedding I attended in Chandigar.
