Birding at Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur

Dianne, here's the list for you. Much of what the park is famous for is missing because water has been diverted for irrigation for farmers. So the wetlands are mainly drylands. All the waterfowl that usually stop off here from Siberia (cranes) and from Africa are elsewhere because there are no wetlands here.

We went out the first evening from 3-6 and saw:
jungle babblers
Rufous tree pie (This was one I caught a picture of at JNU)
Lesser Golden woodpecker
Scops Owl
Coucal
Red vented Bulbul
Bromely starling
While breasted watrhen
White cheeked bulbul
spotted owlette
Rosering parakeet (they are actually all over India)
white throated kingfisher
chip-chip (need to look up the right spelling)
plain plenia (again need to check spelling)
Indian Roller (Blue Jay)
Orange headed ground thrush - well, I saw it, and the guide identified it as a Siberian visitor that is rare, but I couldn't really tell what I saw

Some animals that day were antelope, spotted deer, Indian soft shelled turtle, and a golden jackel (very cool, the last one)

The next day we went from 6:30-9:30am. We didn't see a lot of new ones, but went looking for and found:
a long tailed night jar
dusky hawk owl

Both were amazing. The owl more so because we really went chasing it. We saw a glimpse, then it flew away. We found it again and it flew away. And once more. The parakeets and crows were harrassing it. Then the guide found it again and it just sat there staring at us as we stared back in the glasses. He was incredible - those big yellow eyes.

The Golden Temple Amritsar

Catching up with some pictures of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Thank you Sanjit for making sure we came here.

Look up Jaipur on Google

We are in Pushkar now. a tiny - by Indian standards - town around a lake. Staying in an old house with a roof top patio shaded by a huge tamarind tree. In Jaipur yesterday we decided to cut out Jodhpur - just too much driving. We are also learning to work with our driver. Nishant has said it was our trip and the driver should not be steering us to his guides so he can get a commission. He insisted yesterday we get a guide in Jaipur while I kept saying that it would be dark soon after we arrived and it didn't make sense to pay for half a day. We got to the city palace parking lot at 3:50pm and met the guide. He said the things to see would close at 4:30, but we could photograph from outside. I said, no, we don't need a guide. Joan and I went into the Palace ourselves. Think about there being a city equivalent, say to Vienna, that you had never heard of. Jaipur is an old Moghul city with fantastic buildings lining the streets. Perhaps a mile or two of the same facade in dark pink in a wonderful facade all its own. The palace hinted at an opulence and sophistication equal to any European court. How much we don't know about the parts of the world we dismiss as 'third world.' Later we insisted on stopping the car so we could walk around. We ended up buying some slippers for each of us and a silver necklace and bracelet for Joan.

Birders' Inn, Bharatpur, Rajistan

The day before yesterday was the ride from Delhi to the Taj Mahal. Our driver, Pawan, speaks enough English, that at first meeting, and compared to Sanjay, who works for Nishant, he sounded pretty good. But soon it became clear he is restricted mainly to nouns and adjectives, and not too many of those.

Last night the cell phone somehow didn’t charge right and we weren’t sure what the arrangements were. We were scheduled to stay in Bharaptur where there is a National Park and bird sanctuary. We weren’t sure if Nishant had booked a place or not. Pawan wanted to know – he had to pay a tax for taxis as we changed from Uttar Pradesh state (where Agra is) to Rajistan state where we are now – so he could tell them how many days tax. Anyway, we pulled out our Lonely Planet India and decided to go for Birder’s Inn which sounded nice (“good bathrooms”) and was near the entrance to the park. We found it, they had a charming room, a large garden, and we’re here. Pawan said I should look next door at the Sunbird which was the same price (1200 Rupies - @ $30). I think maybe he could get a commission there or the drivers rooms were better, but the room for us was definitely nicer here. [Later I asked the hotel people and they confirmed they don't pay commissions to drivers, but they do provide a bed and meals.] And I can use their computer. So I’ve downloaded the pictures to my flash drive and I’m waiting for the internet to work again. This afternoon at 3 we have a guide to take us thru part of the park. The park used to be known for Siberian storks, but since the fall of the Soviet Union, hunting bans have not been enforced, and the cranes have stopped arriving. They did say there were some last year again, but not this year. So, Dianne, you’ll have to see them for us when you’re in China in December.

Food: Veg – Non-Veg and Train Food

It is very nice to be in a place with an abundance of vegetarian restaurants, and for Veg to be the choice and then comes “Non-Veg”. Menu from the guest house dining room at J.Nehru University.

And US airlines could learn a thing or two from the Indian Railway. As soon as the train moved, they were serving snacks, including a pot of hot – underline hot – tea for each passenger. Then there were newspapers for everyone. Bottled water. A choice of Veg or Non-Veg meal that was also really hot when they served it. Several separate curries and rice and chapatis. Good food. And promptly cleared up

More notes on the Taj

I tried to take a good picture of the Taj that wasn't the same one everyone else takes. These are the tiles in front of the entrance to the tomb at the Taj.

Our guide, Gyanesh, speaks good English and knows lots of facts about the Taj. Most of what I say about the Taj that I didn’t witness directly myself, comes from him.

We drove to a parking lot where we had to switch to an electric cart. No motor vehicles are allowed within about 3 km of the Taj to protect it from pollution. Given the thickness of the air – and clearly some of that is fog and fog residue, but the smoky smell suggests it is much more than fog – this no cars zone is probably just symbolic. Besides, some motorcycles and other vehicles did go thru. We also had a choice of horse or camel carriage. Then we got out and walked the rest of the way. 750 Rupees each for foreigners (about $7.50). Gyanesh got our tickets, then we went thru the security line. Men in one line, women in another that is screened off. No food allowed, just a water bottle, camera. This is part security, part keeping the grounds clean.

Then you walk across a long area with Taj like architecture in sandstone. Then you get to the large arch – Gyanesh stops to explain the absolute symmetry, the mathematical nature of how the Taj was built, how the Arabic script was carefully calculated for perspective so it all looks exactly the same size, etc. There was something about 16 points of something and 53 of another and that matches the year it was completed – 1653. I asked why they would be working on the Christian calendar, since this was created by Muslims, and he mumbled some answer. He insisted in taking our picture here.

Finally we got to look through the huge arch for our first glimpses of the Taj. Wah! (fourth tone) as they would say in Mandarin. Just that first glimpse already said this was far more spectacular than the pictures could hint at.



Despite the fact that we were sharing the grounds with about 25,000 other people, many of whom were taking the same cutesy pose (body arched, hand down as though it were holding the taj in pinched thumb and forefinger) it didn’t matter. The taj overwhelmed it all. Even though the sky wasn’t quite blue – though it got close by 5pm), everything else was on such a grand splendor, the grounds so magnificent... yeah, I know this sounds like hype, but this was incredible. The taj and all the spaces around it really are special. Going inside to see the tomb got a bit tight. A fair amount of – not pushing - but people behind us wanted in and we knew it. Mostly Indians but many tourists. You have to take off your shoes before going in to see the tomb. And although it clearly says no photography inside, there were many flashes.

Eventually we got back to Gyanesh who was waiting for us. “I want my clients to have time to privately explore the grounds without feeling any pressure from me.” He went on to explain more, I was watching the bird nearby – a Hoopoe –
the most interesting looking bird in our old Hong Kong bird book, which I’d always wanted to see, but never have.

Later we had to stop at the government emporium to see the rug makers and then the tile makers. The tile inlay in the Taj is unique in the world, except for the Agra fort nearby that was built 30 years earlier. The story I’d heard before was that after the Taj was completed, the artisans’ hands were chopped off so no one else could have such beautiful tile. Sort of puts a damper on the great love story the Taj is supposed to represent. So when Gyanesh is explaining that the workers here are the descendents of the tile makers and make the inlay the same way as the Taj artisans did, and use the same glue that is “not available in the market” I had to ask how they could know to do this if all the hands were cut off. “Well, that is just a story. Actually, they only had to promise not to do any work like this again.”

We resisted all the sales politely, but did manage to pay way too much for a Taj Mahal replica that Joan had promised a friend. Oh well. Then back to the hotel where Gyanesh charmingly shook us down for more money “Pay what you will, I do not get paid for this. Normally it should be so much for half day, 650 Rupees for whole day, this was more than half day....” OK, we really don’t know the rules here and thought this was covered by the car hire.... And afterward realized, watching Pawan’s eyes as we handed over the money, that we were taken again.

The hotel was a nice one, like Amritsar, and the price very reasonable (2500 Rupees - @ $60) for basically a Western high rise hotel with breakfast, but Indian decor.

Joan is getting used to things much more, but it was a little dicey when we got back from Amritsar and we couldn’t find Sanjay or Pawan waiting for us. The crush of people


OK, OK, here's the picture you all expect to see.

Indian Reactions to the US Elections

The conference was at JNU - known as a leftist university - so everyone there was pleased. The former Pakistani Supreme Court Chief Justice wondered whether maybe it would change Pakistani politics for the better.

The Indian CNN focused on how it would affect the US-Indian Nuclear treaty and they also highlighted the Indian-Americans who ran for Congress and state legislatures.

The Taj

You've all seen so many pictures of the Taj Mahal what can I add to those images? All I can say is that despite everything, seeing the Taj Mahal through the gate of the old wall was breathtaking. It is huge and it is otherworldly. It was the Taj I'd seen in pictures all my life, and it was something new and wondrous. Actually, I do have some pics and I'll see if I can download them quickly for you.

Driving from Delhi we saw our first camels - pulling carts. I really have no idea what to make of India. I see lots of things, but I have no idea of what they mean. It is hard to keep objective and describe what I see without slipping into words - like poverty, dirty, spiritual - that are interpreting what we see. I look at people on the side of the road, guys peeing in the bushes or washing under a water spout, or with a wife and two kids on his motorcycle, and I wonder who they are, what they think. Obviously they take everything that is amazing to me for granted. But obviously they are thinking human beings just like me. What does the world look like from inside their bodies?

I'll try to add pictures soon.

The Golden Temple

We gave up on the idea of going to the Golden Temple at 4 am to see the Book procession. That turned out to be fine and we got to sleep in a bit. We were at the Temple at 8:30am. You come into the complex, check in your shoes and socks, (Yeah, I got to go barefoot!) and then walk through the water pools (running water to clean your feet). Then up the stairs to this magical view of the temple shimmering in the middle of the water. I'm having trouble loading pictures onto blogger or you'd see it. We walked around the temple first, then along the causeway out to the temple. The place is full of people in all manner of beautiful and/or interesting types of clothing. Men strip down to their shorts and bathe in the pool. Women have a more private bathing area. This is the Vatican of the Sikh world. Built about 400 years ago it is a beautiful and spiritual place. The chanting inside the temple is broadcast throughout. You watch Sikhs enter and a look of joy comes over some of them as they then prostrate themselves toward the temple. We were there early enough that it wasn't too crowded going into the temple. No pictures allowed there. In here is the holy Book of the Sikh world. Beautiful carpets, the walls intricately painted, the rhythym of the chanting, pilgrims meditating. There is such a spiritual and calming sense here. Someone gives me a round sweet. Someone else mimics sticking it in my mouth. Another asks if we have gone upstairs. We follow the winding stairs to another room with a man reading a huge book. Views from between the golden 'knobs' surrounding the roof of the temple.

A really special place. Our short stay in Amritsar has been fantastic. Then after circling (squaring would be more accurate) the temple again, we eventually decided we needed to move on. We stopped in a book store and bought a couple of books and some CDs of the chanting, retrieved our shoes and wandered out into the world again. By the way, when I pulled out my map of Amritsar to ask the man at the book store directions, he said, Put away the maps. Maps are useless in India. One gains spiritual enrichment by helping others find their way.

The world. Bike rickshaws, motorcycles, horse drawn carriages, shops selling all sorts of Sikh related paraphnalia, people squeezing between the vehicles, horns honking... up the street and into another oasis - at least today. This is the Jailliawalla Bawg, were the British massacred about 1000 Indians. If you saw the movie Gandhi, you saw the Indians protesting in the park while the British came in through the only entrance and set up their guns. Today it is a lush green park full of school kids visiting the various memorials to the dead.

We stopped in a cyber cafe and got all my pictures downloaded to a CD and then into a restaurant for a delicious lunch.

Conference, Pakistan border event

I posted pictures of the conference, but haven't really talked about the substance. I'm still processing and will talk about it soon. I was extremely impressed at the number of very articulare (particularly) women speakers who are working on many projects to improve the lives of people in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The stats are horrendous - 300 million, the equivalent of the US, are in severe poverty. But people are working to improve things. As I say, more when I've digested everything a little more.


We took the train to Amritsar today - we're going to see the Golden Temple for real tomorrow. But today we took a taxi to the Pakistan/India border to see the evening flag lowering at the Wagah border ceremony. On both sides of the border, bleachers fill up with maybe 2000-3000 people on each side.
The crowd is cheering the Indian side here



This shows the gate between India and Pakistan. This is a friendly, football game rally like event. Cheers, high stepping soldiers, music. Too bad this sort of positive interaction between India and Pakistan isn't all over CNN to remind the world that 'enemies' can have fun with and respect each other. One fun part is about five or six people from the crowd get to run with the Indian flag down to the gate, wave it, and run back. Pictures coming soon to illustrate, I hope.


Here we can see the Pakistani flag being lowered way off across the border.

This computer is taking way too long to download the pics and someone is waiting, so more later.