We are now in the mountain town of Dharamsala in the Himachal Pradesh Province of India after a 6 and a half hour bus ride (that was only supposed to take 4 hours), a night train, two days in Amritsar, and an extremely nauseating van ride up the foothills of the Himalayas.
Amritsar.
Amritsar is the capital of the Punjab State of India. It is also noticeably a much wealthier state than Uttar Pradesh, with better wealth distribution for the people. At every corner, you are not bombarded by entrepreneurs and the prices of goods aren't intensely inflated for foreigners. Even the public bathrooms are free, providing clean floors, toilet paper, automated sinks, and even the luxury of hand soap! The Punjab State is the origin of the newest major religion of the world: Sikhism. Amritsar is the Mecca for Sikhism pertaining the beautiful Golden Temple. It is free for entry, free for bag checks, and there is even a free kitchen (paralleling the concept of a soup kitchen). You'd never believe all of these amenities to be free in India. The first day we were there, we paired off for a scavenger hunt for information on Sikhism. Morgan and I were paired and we were off on our quest for knowledge. After an exploration of the Golden Temple,. we met this boy, Jaswinder, who showed us around to all of the major important spots in Amritsar. Strangely, the boy ended up expecting money from us (which was not what we agreed on from the beginning). Oh... the language barriers of traveling creates such awkward moments....
Sikhism is a peculiar religion. It is based on the teachings of 10 gurus. Martyrdom is the highest honor one can have. At an early age, Guru Nanak Dev rejected the materialism of Hinduism and started his own new religion that included all beings for a personal connection with God. One can describe Sikhism as a mixture of Hinduism, Islam, and a little bit of Martin Luther's Protestantism. It is a religion based on the ideals that everyone can have a part of God. However, during the British raj of India's colonial period, the religion took a dark turn. Because the Sikh rulers were a minority, there was much persecution of Sikhs during this time by Hindus and Muslims. One could describe is like the Salem Witch Hunt. Because of this, Sikhs took up arms and abandoned their quest for peace and defended their land. This legacy of martyrdom is still seen today: every Sikh man still carries a knife or sword for protection. Every night at the Golden Temple, the Guru Granth Sahib is put to bed (it is the book of Sikhism, almost like the bible for Christianity) and it is a beautiful ceremony. The energy of the temple is disturbingly peaceful while the priest (of some sort) sings the verse of a random page. The Guru is wrapped in ten blankets signifying the ten gurus of before. Afterward, the Guru is carried on a golden throne to the bed where Sikhs from all over the world watch and sing. The intensity of religion in India is beautiful and quite intense.
The next day we went to the border closing ceremony. Every night, a crowd rallies to watch officers in elaborate outfits do high kicks, lower the flags of Pakistan and India, and close the fence that separates the warring countries. An image one can describe it as is as close to a football game as possible. It is extremely anticlimactic. The energy of the crowd cheers with intense patriotism. I asked a group of barley, muscular Indian men sitting next to me yelling why they were yelling and the answer was, "Because we love India. It is not that we hate Pakistan but we must show support for India". The Pakistan side of the fence is separated by gender, therefore the women of India show off their liberation by dancing on the street. This peacock show of patriotism seems to be intensifying the relations between Pakistan and India. Will peace ever be resolved?
Dharamsala.
The mountainous town of Dharamsala is cold and crisp: like a Bellingham winter day. The smell of fresh air and sight of coniferous trees is nostalgic. Upon entrance yesterday, I was stunned by an extremely nauseating car ride up mountainous regions but the fresh air quickly revived the group. At this altitude, we are above the clout of smog and it feels great. Dharamsala is the home of the much-revered Dalai Lama and generations of Tibetan refugees in exile. Because of the fame of the Dalai Lama, Dharamsala attracts much tourism, making it a western hub in the bottom of the Himalayas. Here, you can find internet at every corner, western toilets, Italian food, hot showers, and all of the comforts of home. It is strange to be this comfortable in India. Tibetans have gained much from Western aid and the signs are everywhere: with NGOs at every corner.. In comparison to the Karen refugees of Noh Bo, Tibetans have really established their cause. I am excited to work with these people.
This morning was not a good morning. I had a minor case of food poisoning which left me nauseous and vomiting. After an entire day's rest, I have recovered to some degree. However, Charlie insistence on me staying inactive left me bored while the group enjoyed a beautiful hike to some waterfalls. This sickness won't be the end for me. I will survive.
J.
Amritsar.
Amritsar is the capital of the Punjab State of India. It is also noticeably a much wealthier state than Uttar Pradesh, with better wealth distribution for the people. At every corner, you are not bombarded by entrepreneurs and the prices of goods aren't intensely inflated for foreigners. Even the public bathrooms are free, providing clean floors, toilet paper, automated sinks, and even the luxury of hand soap! The Punjab State is the origin of the newest major religion of the world: Sikhism. Amritsar is the Mecca for Sikhism pertaining the beautiful Golden Temple. It is free for entry, free for bag checks, and there is even a free kitchen (paralleling the concept of a soup kitchen). You'd never believe all of these amenities to be free in India. The first day we were there, we paired off for a scavenger hunt for information on Sikhism. Morgan and I were paired and we were off on our quest for knowledge. After an exploration of the Golden Temple,. we met this boy, Jaswinder, who showed us around to all of the major important spots in Amritsar. Strangely, the boy ended up expecting money from us (which was not what we agreed on from the beginning). Oh... the language barriers of traveling creates such awkward moments....
Sikhism is a peculiar religion. It is based on the teachings of 10 gurus. Martyrdom is the highest honor one can have. At an early age, Guru Nanak Dev rejected the materialism of Hinduism and started his own new religion that included all beings for a personal connection with God. One can describe Sikhism as a mixture of Hinduism, Islam, and a little bit of Martin Luther's Protestantism. It is a religion based on the ideals that everyone can have a part of God. However, during the British raj of India's colonial period, the religion took a dark turn. Because the Sikh rulers were a minority, there was much persecution of Sikhs during this time by Hindus and Muslims. One could describe is like the Salem Witch Hunt. Because of this, Sikhs took up arms and abandoned their quest for peace and defended their land. This legacy of martyrdom is still seen today: every Sikh man still carries a knife or sword for protection. Every night at the Golden Temple, the Guru Granth Sahib is put to bed (it is the book of Sikhism, almost like the bible for Christianity) and it is a beautiful ceremony. The energy of the temple is disturbingly peaceful while the priest (of some sort) sings the verse of a random page. The Guru is wrapped in ten blankets signifying the ten gurus of before. Afterward, the Guru is carried on a golden throne to the bed where Sikhs from all over the world watch and sing. The intensity of religion in India is beautiful and quite intense.
The next day we went to the border closing ceremony. Every night, a crowd rallies to watch officers in elaborate outfits do high kicks, lower the flags of Pakistan and India, and close the fence that separates the warring countries. An image one can describe it as is as close to a football game as possible. It is extremely anticlimactic. The energy of the crowd cheers with intense patriotism. I asked a group of barley, muscular Indian men sitting next to me yelling why they were yelling and the answer was, "Because we love India. It is not that we hate Pakistan but we must show support for India". The Pakistan side of the fence is separated by gender, therefore the women of India show off their liberation by dancing on the street. This peacock show of patriotism seems to be intensifying the relations between Pakistan and India. Will peace ever be resolved?
Dharamsala.
The mountainous town of Dharamsala is cold and crisp: like a Bellingham winter day. The smell of fresh air and sight of coniferous trees is nostalgic. Upon entrance yesterday, I was stunned by an extremely nauseating car ride up mountainous regions but the fresh air quickly revived the group. At this altitude, we are above the clout of smog and it feels great. Dharamsala is the home of the much-revered Dalai Lama and generations of Tibetan refugees in exile. Because of the fame of the Dalai Lama, Dharamsala attracts much tourism, making it a western hub in the bottom of the Himalayas. Here, you can find internet at every corner, western toilets, Italian food, hot showers, and all of the comforts of home. It is strange to be this comfortable in India. Tibetans have gained much from Western aid and the signs are everywhere: with NGOs at every corner.. In comparison to the Karen refugees of Noh Bo, Tibetans have really established their cause. I am excited to work with these people.
This morning was not a good morning. I had a minor case of food poisoning which left me nauseous and vomiting. After an entire day's rest, I have recovered to some degree. However, Charlie insistence on me staying inactive left me bored while the group enjoyed a beautiful hike to some waterfalls. This sickness won't be the end for me. I will survive.
J.
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