Life after Death

For those of you visiting for the first time...start at the bottom (yo) !!!

Over and Out

End of the road, folks. It's been an intense but good trip, and I really enjoyed sharing it with all of you. Thanks for tuning in, and I hope you liked the pics. Also, special thanks to my Aunt and Uncle for their hospitality, and my cousins Tanveer and Gurinder for driving me around everywhere and for the unlimited internet access!

Off to the airport in a few hours. On the ground in Chicago Saturday morning. So...who's up for a beer this weekend?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a great holiday y'all. Be safe, and eat well. Best wishes to you and your families.
I've got one more day here, and I'm looking forward to getting back home!

Broken Chappal

The day before my flight back...I guess this is a good sign that it's time to go home!

Annual Fair

Went to check out a trade fair today in central Delhi. Happens once a year and draws crowds, vendors, and performance artists from all over the country.

Wildlife

Two shots taken within 5 minutes of each other in the middle of Delhi. The place is a zoo.

Guru's Home

Back in Delhi, here's some pics from the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara (Sikh Temple). This is the most prominent gurudwara in Delhi and commemorates the visit of one of the ten Sikh gurus to Delhi in 1664.

For those of you who are further interested in Sikh history and current affairs, I'd recommend checking out the following websites.

www.sikhnet.com
www.sikhcoalition.org
www.unitedsikhs.org

Commitment

The groom ties a sacred thread onto the bride's hand.

To the Nines

Me, mum and dad walking up to the marriage hall.

Get'n Hitched

The next morning, on the way to the wedding. This is called the Barrat. The groom and family arrive in a decorated car (used to be on a horse in the olden days), with a band playing bhangra drum beats and lots of people dancing around. They are then received by the bride's family (called the Milni, or meeting). Incidentally, there's a lot of money being thrown around at Indian weddings. The lady in the orange with her hand up in the air in the first pic is throwing coins onto the car as it leaves. So much for rice.

The Night Before

Finally...here's some wedding pics.
As some of you already know, Indian weddings are a long, drawn-out affair with multiple days of ceremonies. These pics are from the night before the wedding at what's called the Ladies Sangeet. Basically, all the women get together and sing traditional wedding songs, act out skits, dance, and just goof off. These are of my mom and sis jumping in. The last one is of a little plam-reading skit some of the ladies were doing.

Henna'd hand

My sister's hand as she gets ready for the wedding.

Little one

A maid we know came by to help clean up the place a bit. She had this little one with her.

Generations

Me and dad in my grandfather's courtyard.

Grandfather's Trees

Some pics of the back garden. My grandfather planted all of these trees. We had mango trees, guava trees, papaya trees and a bunch of different vegetables all over. Sitting near the entry gate was a hand-operated water pump. Memories.

Pics from my Grandfather's House

One of the things we needed to do on this trip is visit my grandfather's house. Both of my grandparents have passed away and the house has been empty and in disrepair for the last year. My dad grew up here, my mom lived here once they were married and I stayed here during most of my visits to India. If I flip through the pics of this house over the last 3 decades, I can see all the changes it's been through. There's not much to see anymore, so the pics above are supposed to caputre what's left of a once lively environment.

Yer's Truly

Indian Peapod

India's version of groceries delivered to your house. This is actually one of my fondest memories from my childhood visits (and some of my earliest). Sabzi Wallas (vegetable vendors) would shout out "fresh vegetables!" as they rode through the neighborhood. People would come out and buy what they needed for that day. Gives new (or perhaps original) meaning to "fresh and local". Obviously it still happens today and is an intrinsic part of Indian culture.

Pics from the Sticks

FYI, the people in the top pic are packed onto a rag-tag transport vehicle. I had to snap that one pretty fast, so I was stuck with what I got.

What seems to be the problem officer?

Once you enter the small towns of Punjab, the landscape definitely changes. Just like in the states, it's not just the physical landscape but the vibe and attitude of the people, as well. Basically anything goes. Here's an example.