North India #1

India has the second largest population in the world. The Ganges River flows through the city of Varanasi. The ganges at varanasi has been a crucial point for art and culture. Pilgrims come to varanasi to bathe in the ghats at varanasi. The bodies are brought down to the banks of the river for burning at the funeral service. Many old people come to Varanasi to spend their last days near the banks of the river in preparation for death. Many holy sadhus live by the river and grow their hair very long, some of them past their toes.

Away from the river bank the back streets are the same as most Indian cities. You can get betel nut to chew with a blend of lime paste and secret spices. It rots teeth, however, so beware of chewing it because it makes your teeth go red. Bodies go past in the streets on their way to be burnt. Get a lassi that is made from yoghurt and sugar. The british created a great rail system in India and is the best way to travel around India. Allow plenty of time to catch a train in India because the train stations are large, crowded and chaotic. A fourteen hour trip will take you from Varanasi to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal.

Motorised rickshaws are a good way to get around Agra and the rickshaw driver can double as a tour guide if you are lucky. The Taj Mahal is said to be the most extravagant monument built for love and took twenty years to build. The walls in some places are adorned with semi-precious stones. The Taj Mahal was built during the time of the Moghul rulers.

Mathura holds a festival to celebrate the birth of Krishna. Krishna was the incarnation of Vishnu and is very popular with the poor people of India. At night the streets come alive with painting and at midnight the processsions start off the big celebration of the birth of Krishna. In the temple, gongs are struck loudly and the holy fire, or puja is brought out for the people to touch. Krishna gave the indian people the Bhagavad Gita, the bible for the Hindu people of India. Karma determines what will happen to you tomorrow based on your actions for today.

Delhi is an old city and is divided into the old and new cities. Between the old and new cities you will find heaps of cheap travellers hotels for a few hundred rupees. Make precautions with what you eat or you may get Delhi Belly. At the markets you can get material for a garment and get a tailor to make it up for you in a couple of hours. There are cheap places to eat all around cheap hotels. Dahl is a favourite with chapattis and or rice. Eat the Indian foods because the spices are natural preservatives.

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