India 2003

16-Oct          lv seattle          Lv 11 pm then 3 am from Vancouver for 13 hr flight to Hong Kong; arr 8 am sat.  first time in new airport.  dim sum lunch.  Decent meals on Cathay Pacific, but seats very cramped.  6 hr layover then 7 hr flight to Mumbai w stop in Bangkok [5 countries, 30 hrs]  

18-Oct SA Mumbai arrive Mumbai 7:35 pm, transfer to Lotus Hotel Mumbai, 7 nights. Collapsed into our room…  

About 45 R / $1 US 

19-Oct SU             Slept till about 9.  Buffet breakfast downstairs – fresh eggs, variety of Indian foods – freshly made dosa masala with chutneys, sambhar.  Took train into city – 2nd class quite an experience.  Crowded even on Sunday but we had seats – some guys always standing in the doorways making it look more cramped than it really is.  Got off at terminus – Churchgate.  Main modern art gallery closed. Jehangir art gallery - modern – several exhibitions -. Trains -- cell phones & soda seller, ..Laptop and old man on train. Show titled “retract” 

Hot, high 90's -- cricket in park, arcades along streets selling clothes – shirts and pants often displayed hanging from banyan trees.  nuts, juice wallahs –fresh orange for 10 R
back to Churchgate and train home for short day.

Little kids on train come up and stand silently with a hand on your knee, waiting for a coin.  Finally give up and move on to next prospect.  Getting off the train reminiscent of Greek ferries –no announcements on train and stops are short, so you have to be ready, but when train stops the crowd outside doesn’t make way, and it’s a grand press to try to get off with all attachments, while new folks are pressing inwards. 

About 1 hr to get into town, less coming back by express.  Cost 35 R to get from hotel to station, but on return rickshaw tried to charge 230, came down to 120, but still way over. 

Lotus Suites – nice studio room, no kitchen though [promised partial].  Big enclosed atrium with disco, but mostly soundproof room.  Sitting in bar after walk, there’s a private party going on – the pool beneath the disco dance floor is filled, and the noise mingles with the blaring music. 

20-Oct MO Took first class tix today – main difference seems to be a slightly better dress code, and somewhat less crowding, but still mostly standees.  Left about 11, returned about 6.  Spent much of the day in taxis – 30-45 minutes, but fare stayed at 40-60 R.  Got off at Mahalaxmi station, riding in with suburban commuters, tiffin wallahs on the platforms already.  Some businessmen don’t start work till 11 or so [stock market].   Following concierge directions, took off the wrong way across the bridge, but happily since we found a large dhobiwallah community.  Then asked directions for Mahalaxmi and inevitably it was ‘straight on then turn’ so once we got going in the right direction we did fine. Extremely hot, moist, high 90’s.    Eventually ended on the shore – looking out across low tide mudflats to the Haji Ali Mosque at the end of a long causeway.  Walked out, past vendor stalls and beggars [who seemed to be fed from a local restaurant].  Inside, a highly decorative shrine – mirrored walls, ceiling.  Pilgrims bring bags of food that are blessed by rubbing them on the catafalque’s shroud then return them.  Several of the older men are brushed with a feather duster.   At nearby Mahalaxmi Temple, similar setups with separate ways for ladies & gents.  Both end up at the shrine featuring 3 deities in an elaborate triptych, gilded and shining.  This time the offerings are given to two bare chested Brahmins, who present the offerings, extract certain items, and then return what’s left to the offerer. 

From here took a taxi to Banganga (tank) Walkeshwar temple – a series of small temples, not particularly  interesting. So found another cab and rode through Malabar Hills to Zaveri Bazaar – some truly amazing moments, as oncoming traffic barely made it by --- trucks, motorbikes, hand carts all trying to make their way thru throngs of pedestrians, while vendors are selling on the sides.  Eventually the driver seems to give up and lets us out with the advice that the jewelry market is ‘straight ahead’, back up a street he can’t navigate.  Turns out to be several turns in addition to straight, but we make our way thru several markets for aluminum, brass and other metals before coming to the silver & gold section.  Browse a bit – then try to find a way out.  Finally just get in a taxi and he proceeds to work his way thru the seemingly impassable streets – quite a show, and a chance to cool down.  All sorts walking by - women in incredibly bright saris, men pulling amazing loads, the occasional cow or goat tethered to a tree, or grazing under a fruit juice stand.  Motorbikes thread their way thru, while others just try to cross the street. Taxis jostle for position. At Mumbai Central, cross thru the large central waiting room – people sitting on the floor everywhere in small groups, carts with large sewn padded packages wait at the other end, but get to the suburban railway area, find a train home and get off, by chance, a stop early at Vile Parle – walking down stairs into a lively fresh produce market.  Grabbed a rickshaw and arrived back at the hotel about 6.  Ate in the room, too tired to go out – ‘Bhuna’ gosht, tender lamb in a red sauce, ‘cottage cheese treat’ [skewers of cheese on a bed of pilaf with orange ginger sauce], mushrooms achari [cooked in aromatic cashew sauce and pickling spices]

21-Oct TU   

Track life - workers spread out along tracks, none particularly busy.  Shanties -- wherever possible flats adjacent to tracks planted w vegetable gardens. Coconut palms, banana trees, others fill in. Backs of shanties line the tracks, often with a slow but fetid stream in the ditch between, yet see people doing morning ablutions or even collecting water to bring into their homes. On train someone always catching breeze at open doors - others doing business on mobile phones

Prince of Wales Museum – entrance fee 300 R for foreigners; includes good audio program.  Sculpture - yaksha

Mahishasuramaradini: goddess killing bull; Vishnu, brahma, uma-maheshvara, sasdashiva, ganesha; exquisite carved ivory jewelry boxes, Assyrian bas relief - griffin, miniature paintings, weapons - Akbar's swords and shield,

Akbar's armor, Shivaji and sword-gauntlet, daggers – some with integral shields, others with clutch handles.

Observing cases of traditional jewelry while watching women pass by w same pieces - styles from around India 

Taxi to Crawford Market - farther than we thought. Walked into Badshah for water but the ice cream sodas -faloodas looked good. Layers of rose water tapioca, ice cream  

Got to market immediately picked up by tout -'official policy' took us around, tried to sell spices  - king marsala looked good but expensive at 300 / 100g   

Audrey took Ladies car on return

22-Oct WE Boat for Elephanta Island with early Siva caves.   We opted for the deluxe boat 100 but  can’t tell difference from other except  for the 20 R difference in fares.  Tankers, dredges, small wooden dhows crawl by.  Water very calm.  No photography allowed on the boat. Harbor has navy torpedo boats, missile frigates and helicopter aircraft carrier - possibly harriers   -large upthrusting curved prow superstructure on one side of bow,

Elephanta Island appears out of the haze - only about 90 today w sea breezes, .  Fishing boats are anchored near shore, left high when tide ebbs; workers waist deep in water now, scrubbing the sides and bottoms.

On train penalty for false stop is 1000 R or 1 year jail -- like fares 9 R for second class but 78 for first

Lunch -masala dosa, cheese onion uttappam - 50 R

Entrance fee 250 for foreigners, 10Rfor locals.   Caves interesting, good sculptures; main interest is the scale of the excavations.

On return Audrey gets in the Ladies car again, as train was already starting to pull away,  I pushed into nearest open door, only to realize it was second class. Luckily it was an express - counted over 250 people in that one car, 50 in the central standing section alone, several hanging out the door and just grabbing the overhang.  Finally squirmed to a place near seats so I only had 3 people pressing right against me.  Hoped I remembered the sequence of stations [at one station, just heard “Dadar! Dadar! Dadar!…” but usually couldn’t see the station signs.]  As we approached Andheri, I started to make my move back into the press – no way anyone could have fallen.  At the station it was a rugby scrum, the first wave surged off the train; I almost made it, but then got hit with the counterattack from incoming patrons.  A few more pushes and I squirted onto the platform, arms flailing behind me, camera case still attached.

23-Oct TH

Headed north today to try Kanderi Caves.  Got on express north to Borovili. Leaving train at last station, told to hold back --here the crush comes first as commuters jostle for space then we can walk off. Another short rickshaw ride [Audrey’s starting to think of excuses t o] get more rickshaw rides as they’re one the most interesting aspects.  At the gate to the NP| we’re told no rickshaws are allowed in [though later we see some] but they just happen to have a private car available for 900 R!  Two other Indians [and her Luxembourgian husband] show up and get much the same response.  Finally we decide against the 8 km walk to the caves, though it is only 90 today.  Walk around for awhile, then wind up at the lion safari bus --\ 30 R, pass thru Jurassic Park like double gates, up & down winding one lane road, then spot a white tiger that stretches for us.  Next set of gates, we find a pride of 5-6 lions asleep in the road, well positioned to allow tourist snapshots before the bus hustles them off the road.  Stop for some cheese pakoras and drinks then head back to the hotel via rickshaw/train.

Rita & Jeanne arrive 

Were at airport about 7:15 but they didn’t make it out till almost 9. We got out at our hotel and they had 1 1/2 hr into their hotel.  They stayed at Hotel Heritage closer in town.  Nice hotel, good breakfasts.

24-Oct FR              Bombay tour -- After breakfast proceed for a half day city tour of Mumbai visiting Crawford market, Kamla Nehru park, Hanging gardens situated on the slopes of Malabar hill offering a panoramic view of Marine Drive and Chawpatty beach, Mani Bhawan [- Gandhi’s house -dioramas photos], Gateway of India 

Adishwar, Jain temple

25-Oct Mumbai --> Surat train for  Surat [SAURASHTRA EXP 07:55 / 14:00]"

Dropped off at Mumbai Central with plenty of time, got a porter who shepherded us to our seats on the train.   Car is a 6 passenger, reasonably roomy with drop down seats in the back.  Good air conditioning.

On board met an ENT surgeon coming back with his family from holiday in Kerala . started talking about guidebooks and travel.  Arrived about 2 - Mr. Singh met us [porters 300R]

After decent lunch at Copper Chimney -food good but unmemorable – needs more spicing. 

At 4 took drive thru textile markets, then 10 k out to beach -wide muddy tidal flats, bedraggled camel and pony rides. Women at well getting evening water.

26-Oct  Surat ---> Vadodara visit champener / vadodara 175 kms/ 03.5 hrs

Vadodara (till recently known by its anglicized name, Baroda) is a city of beautiful gardens, magnificent palaces and many institutions of learning of international repute. Embroidery with gold, silver and silk thread, gold and silver ornaments, engraving on ebony, sandalwood and other wood and lacquer work (which is made at world famous Sankheda) are the traditional handicrafts of the area.

7         Am breakfast leave at 8"

On the road: Small herds of cows strolling, occasional camel grazing acacia, trucks covered with divali garlands, water buffalo herds, animals in sheds mixed w family huts                                                                                                                                                                           

Pavagadh -- old fort, multi levels circling the hill which rises quickly from the flat river valleys.. Sunday is also New year's day -many folks walking up the hill in their new clothes.  Rickshaws and jeeps crammed and then add more. Lunch at the hotel near the lift up the final palisade. [it collapsed last year killing several so not currently functioning.]

Thali - excellent soup coconut- dal, okra, alu, semolina sweet, pickle 40 R

Kala Pattarh restaurant at hotel Revival in Vadodara. Wait staff in chaos - our ordering mostly starters didn't help. Each order given twice  -  to two different waiters. Kebabs came before soup, then they took plates and forks but brought other courses. Waiters proceeded to share the food among everyone, even though we told them who'd ordered what. Our tiny servings were dwarfed on the huge plates that belatedly arrived, staff now falling over each other. Dessert order taken twice, long wait, then suddenly delivered by four waiters.  Had to search for waiter to get coffee and tea; But when it came, waiter hovered for payment. Confusion just as prevalent at other tables. Nice rooftop setting watching fireworks as Divali enters second night.

   27-Oct    Vadodara --> Palitana   Palitana temples   300 kms/ 5 hrs

Stopped at a small village to take pictures of the houses; once we showed them the digital images, I was taken on a tour, showing off their livestock - wanting pix taken w their bullocks.

Raberi people – mostly nomadic, red turbans, seen with flocks along the road

Elephant encountered slowly walking down the road [to a temple?].  Took pix, then the sadhu steering asked for baksheesh. I offered a 10R note which the elephant gently picked up with her trunk, then handed it to the driver.

Salt flats and mining – lots of birds –egrets, heron, stilt,  lapwing, cormorant, many tiny sandpiper - like , grebe

Cooled down nicely bv five

Mongoose at roadside, several times, usually just a glimpse.

Shortly after leaving downtown Palitana, started taking pictures from the car of women working at a dung pile, [686-694] then invited in for closer look, once I started showing the results, mobbed by little kids with dung encrusted hands trying to see the camera.

Arrived at Vijay Vilas Heritage Hotel, about 2:30 – lovely restored old house – only 3 rooms at present, business’s been bad last 3 years starting with the earthquake.  Lower floor all that’s ready.  Good lunch – corn soup, dal – bhat, Alu Gujarati [recipe] followed by excellent guava pudding. The Vijay Vilas palace was build in 1906 AD by Yuvraj Vijay Sinhji of Palithana, a member of the same Gohil Rajput clan as the Maharajahs of Bhavnagar. The palace was used as a country retreat, being splendidly located in the hills with great views of the Shetrunjaya hill and historic Palitana. The palace is set in 6 acres of grounds, with 7 cottages, tennis courts, stables and garages.

Visit lower temples briefly at sunset

Excellent dinner – corn soup, khadi, chicken. in spicy red gravy [“medium spicy”], bindi [okra], basmati rice, chapattis; bida [like barfi, milk based sweet].  Owner is great granddaughter of original builder, started thinking about hotel conversion in 1998.