Navigating Delhi: My India Travels Part 1

Some people test their mettle camping our or climbing a mountain. My latest personal challenge was India. Three days wandering around Delhi, three in and around Jaipur, and then nine days in Kerala, the lush tropical state at the southwest tip of India. A month after returning and I am still processing what I saw and tried to understand. A real essay may follow but for now, I’m going to incorporate my social media posts from that trip into this blog.

December 25, 2022: They say travel should expand your mind—two days in Delhi and my brain is exploding. In no other place has it hit me that it would take me a lifetime to figure out what is going on. There must be a system embedded in what feels like chaos- the jostling, gridlock, incessant honking, traffic that appears to follow no rules, hawking, movement of people in endless swirls—but my Western brain can’t figure it out. More to come on the markets, the monuments and the ravishing colors. #indiatravel #delhi #chandnichowk #redfort #olddelhi

December 25, 2022: Of course I am drawn to the women of Delhi and their brilliant colors. It’s the opposite of the bird world- the men are all dressed in boring blue and black, while the women all glitter and glow in fuschias and saffrons and lime green and rose and mustard yellows. #indiatravel #delhi #colorsofindia

December 25, 2022: Nothing like travel to challenge your American-centric view of the universe. I was visiting the Red Fort and sat down to rest for a moment. The next thing I know, this family is sending their kids over to take selfies with me! So I invited the moms over too. I may have been the only gray-haired white lady around so I guess I looked pretty exotic. #delhi #indiatravel #redfort

December 26, 2022: In my ignorance, I have viewed the relationship of India to Islam through the lens of current events, or at the latest, the Partition. Muslims ruled northern India for 600 years, until the British showed up. Some of their architectural legacy lives on- the 17th century Mughal Red Fort now being a symbol of Indian independence. The 17th century Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India and the 13th century Qutab Minar complex -the victory tower, mosque and oldest madrassa in India—were built in the 13th century by the Sultanate. I am continually awed by the graceful beauty, elegance and harmony of Islamic architecture. #delhi #indiatravel #redfort #jamamasjid #qutabminar #happytobehere