My First Week In India-D'AGOSTINO FRIENDS AND TAJ MAHAL

Taj Mahal:  I am finding that the local Indians do not know how to work a camera.  My body definitely looks photo-shopped but I promise you that I was actually at the Taj Mahal.

I have arrive safely and have spent a week in the capital of India, Delhi. This country is going to have to clear enough space for one more human being (me) into its already overpopulated country of 1 billion plus people. My first impression of India is one of welcoming people, lovely aromas (and sometimes not so lovely), delicious foods and deserts, rich history, beautiful monuments and an intriguing variety of religious influences.

Humayun's Tomb: A tomb in Delhi of one of the Emperors that ruled in the 1600s.

This stretch of my trip will surely prove to be one of pleasure. My plan is to travel throughout the country for the next month. My itinerary is flexible and I am willing to adjust my plans at any time. Here is my tentative itinerary: Delhi, Agra, Khajuraho (Kama Sutra structures), Varanasi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Udaipur, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Goa and Leh. It will be a challenge to accomplish such terrain in such a short time. I happen to be up to the task knowing that cutting this trip short means accelerating the inevitable reality that awaits me at home.

The Henna Ceremony (a traditional party leading up to a wedding) I attended in Delhi.

 I arrived last Saturday and my time in Delhi has been very enjoyable. I am staying with close family friends, the Puris. Upon arriving at their home, these people that I have never personally met but only heard stories about embraced me with a hug and explained emphatically that we are family and urged me to make myself at home. Later on that evening, the one family member that I knew from many of her visits to Tony and Mayme D’Agostino’s home during holidays, Mandy, arrived in Delhi from New York. It was a pleasant surprise when she arrived, considering I had no idea she was coming to Delhi to visit her family. The generousity and warmth extended to me by the Puris cannot be duplicated.

Saturday night eight of us went out to dinner and became acquainted with each other. Sunday night we also went out to dinner at a tasty Chinese restaurant. The Puris were emphatic that I eat non-Indian food knowing that I will soon have Indian food overload (if that is possible) because many of the places throughout my journey will only serve Indian food. Monday afternoon I accompanied two of the sister, Radhika and Rashmani, to a Henna Ceremony. This is one of a series of 4-5 back-to-back wedding parties culminated by the wedding ceremony. The Henna Ceremony is traditionally a female only gathering but they made an exception. As I arrived at the event venue, the home of the bride's father, I was overtaken in awe. I thought some people in the states through extravagant wedding parties. How wrong I was. This party was one of 5 parties leading up to the wedding and it was nicer than any wedding reception I have attended. The Puris informed me later that this party was relatively modest compared to many they attend. That evening we celebrated Mandy's birthday with 40-50 close friends of the Puris at their home.  Tuesday I attended a wedding reception. Once again, the event was something that is not so easy to describe. I felt like royalty which is ironic considering that I met 10 or so princesses (of different regions throughout the country) as I played the role of Delhi social-light. I tried to convince them that I was the Prince of the Midwest but my clothes, not to mention my unrefined behavior, made it difficult to believe. 

The Puris at Mandy's birthday party:  Radhika, Rashmani, David (Rashmani's husband), Mandy (in yellow), and Mr. and Mrs. Puri.

Mandy and I at her party.

Mrs. Puri and I.

The following two evening I was privileged enough to have dinner with other family friends. On Wednesday evening I had dinner with the Mukarjis and Thursday dinner with the Seghals (none of whom I had met before). Both evening were similar in that I was stuffed with tasty food over conversation about various topics, mainly stories and memories of past experiences with my family members. I was grateful to continue these family connections.

The Seghals at their home.  I am mad that I forgot to get a picture with the Mukarjis.

Agra
This evening I am leaving Agra for ??????.  I must decide in the next hour or so where I want to go to next.  This decision will be made at the train station.

The Taj Mahal was as striking and beautiful as expected.  I met a young guy at the train station when I arrived and we decided to share a room and save some money.  Why was I so willing to share a room with a complete stranger that I had just met....because he a Kansas City native that went to Shawnee Mission Northwest.  After an intense and extensive conversation about KC BBQ, a bond of trust was established. 

The Taj Mahal looks more beautiful without me in the picture.

Closer view of the marble work of the Taj Mahal.

 Today I went to a previously abandoned city, Fatehpur Sikri, that the Emperor built as the capital of his empire in the 1500's, only to move the capital a decade later after facing water shortages (a long line of D'Agostino plumbers could have diagnosed this city's eventual water problems long before moving the capital here).

Rooftop restaurant in Agra.  Not a bad spot to enjoy a beer during the sunset.

 Now I am off to the train station to catch a random train.  I will let you know in a week or so where I ended up and what transpired.

Streets of Fatehpur Sikri, a city abandoned in the 1500's due to water shortages.  Obviously people live their now.

 Until Next Time...