I apologize for how long it has taken me to update the blog. During my first two months here, I had a lot more time on my hands, but I recently started a full-time internship with the International Labour Organization (a branch of the United Nations), so managing that on top of intensive Urdu/Hindi study has kept me busy. A lot has happened in the past month, so I will focus on the two most exciting events.
First, there was Diwali, the ‘festival of light’. Diwali is a Hindu festival that was celebrated on October 23rd this year (although the festival lasts five days.) The holiday can mean different things for different people, but it generally symbolizes the power of light over dark. People light lamps/candles (called diyas) to help Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, find her way into their homes. It was a really interesting experience to be here for Diwali, which is one of the two biggest holidays for Hindus (the other being Holi, the festival of colors.) Over a week before October 23, people began setting off firecrackers (which is another source of ‘light’ for the festival.) Although it was amazing to experience this tradition, the fireworks went off all day for about two weeks; the sounds were deafening and they created so much smoke in Delhi that you could barely see in front of you. In fact, during Diwali, the air quality index (AQI) soared from the normal level of around 200 (which is classified as ‘Very Unhealthy’) to 330 (which is classified as ‘Hazardous’ and during which people are advised to avoid going outside.) To put that in perspective, the average AQI for Los Angeles is approximately 60.
First, there was Diwali, the ‘festival of light’. Diwali is a Hindu festival that was celebrated on October 23rd this year (although the festival lasts five days.) The holiday can mean different things for different people, but it generally symbolizes the power of light over dark. People light lamps/candles (called diyas) to help Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, find her way into their homes. It was a really interesting experience to be here for Diwali, which is one of the two biggest holidays for Hindus (the other being Holi, the festival of colors.) Over a week before October 23, people began setting off firecrackers (which is another source of ‘light’ for the festival.) Although it was amazing to experience this tradition, the fireworks went off all day for about two weeks; the sounds were deafening and they created so much smoke in Delhi that you could barely see in front of you. In fact, during Diwali, the air quality index (AQI) soared from the normal level of around 200 (which is classified as ‘Very Unhealthy’) to 330 (which is classified as ‘Hazardous’ and during which people are advised to avoid going outside.) To put that in perspective, the average AQI for Los Angeles is approximately 60.
Regardless of the stress on the environment and the shock of waking up to what sounded like bombs going off outside my house at 6:00 in the morning, it was incredible to witness Diwali and the weeks leading up to it. It felt a lot like Christmas in the United States. People decorated their houses with beautiful, colorful lights and shopping during the weeks before was insanity, as everyone rushed out to buy candles, sweets, and other items for their family and friends. There were melas (fairs) specifically set up for Diwali. I went to two different melas, one was ‘The Diwali Bazaar at The Blind Relief Association.’ It was a giant fair held at a nearby school for the blind, which is one of the most popular attractions in Delhi during the Diwali season. I wandered for over three hours, buying gifts for friends, and still did not cover the entire fair. There was food, clothing, home decorations, incense, jewelry … anything you can imagine. Everyone was in a spirited but somewhat frantic mood … a mood that I really can only compare to what I have witnessed around Christmas time in the U.S. After the first mela, I made my way over to another famous mela in an area called Sunder Nagar. This mela was slightly different, as there were fewer shops and more food stalls, games, and rides. My friends and I contemplated riding on what was absolutely the most terrifying ferris wheel I have seen in my life, but ultimately decided against it (little did we know that we would have another opportunity in Pushkar a few weeks later.)
The day of Diwali is typically for family time, so most of my friends were busy swapping gifts and performing poojas with their families. My language school was closed so I had a fairly relaxing day. Our landlord had asked me and Laura to buy candles and set them on our front stairs for the entire night of Diwali, so we set them up and then sat around the apartment eating delicious mithai (Indian sweets.) At night, I sat on the roof and watched thousands of fireworks going off across the city. I have never seen anything like it. In the U.S. on July 4th, fireworks typically are set off at parks and in stadiums, but in Delhi, families all across the city buy their own fireworks. The result was non-stop fireworks in every direction as far as you could see from 4:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Later that night, I went to a small Diwali party at a nearby guesthouse, where we danced to Bollywood music, lit sparklers, and drew rangoli.
On October 31, about a week after Diwali, my friends and I set off on a bus to the town of Pushkar for the annual camel festival. Pushkar is a town in Rajasthan that is holy for Hindus because there is a lake in the middle of the town, which is said to have been created by the tears of Lord Shiva when he was crying over the death of his wife, Sati.
Every year in October/November, thousands of people come to Pushkar to sell and buy camels, horses, and cows. During this time, the town becomes a huge tourist attraction AKA chaos. In addition to the livestock trading, there is a big fair set up with rides and games, and there is a stadium where competitions are held. For example, there is a “Best Moustache” contest (because Rajasthani men are known for having incredible moustaches) and some sort of a beauty pageant, among others. I was able to witness the “Camel Dancing” competition, which involved about twenty camels taking turns to jump around to drums for a few minutes (although the owners seemed to be more excited about dancing than the camels.)
The day of Diwali is typically for family time, so most of my friends were busy swapping gifts and performing poojas with their families. My language school was closed so I had a fairly relaxing day. Our landlord had asked me and Laura to buy candles and set them on our front stairs for the entire night of Diwali, so we set them up and then sat around the apartment eating delicious mithai (Indian sweets.) At night, I sat on the roof and watched thousands of fireworks going off across the city. I have never seen anything like it. In the U.S. on July 4th, fireworks typically are set off at parks and in stadiums, but in Delhi, families all across the city buy their own fireworks. The result was non-stop fireworks in every direction as far as you could see from 4:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Later that night, I went to a small Diwali party at a nearby guesthouse, where we danced to Bollywood music, lit sparklers, and drew rangoli.
On October 31, about a week after Diwali, my friends and I set off on a bus to the town of Pushkar for the annual camel festival. Pushkar is a town in Rajasthan that is holy for Hindus because there is a lake in the middle of the town, which is said to have been created by the tears of Lord Shiva when he was crying over the death of his wife, Sati.
Every year in October/November, thousands of people come to Pushkar to sell and buy camels, horses, and cows. During this time, the town becomes a huge tourist attraction AKA chaos. In addition to the livestock trading, there is a big fair set up with rides and games, and there is a stadium where competitions are held. For example, there is a “Best Moustache” contest (because Rajasthani men are known for having incredible moustaches) and some sort of a beauty pageant, among others. I was able to witness the “Camel Dancing” competition, which involved about twenty camels taking turns to jump around to drums for a few minutes (although the owners seemed to be more excited about dancing than the camels.)
Simply walking around the grounds was incredible, as there were approximately 20,000 camels there this year (apparently this was a smaller number than usual, as there are typically around 50,000 camels.) My friends and I finally had our opportunity to go on a terrifying ferris wheel ride. I have never been one to be afraid of theme park rides, but this ferris wheel had no doors (the compartments were wide open) and it went about four times as fast as a ferris wheel in the U.S. goes. But my friends and I paid our 20 Rupees (about $0.30) and went on this ‘wheel of death.’
Little did I know when I referred to the ferris wheel as the ‘wheel of death’ that at fairs in India, there is actually something called the Wheel of Death. I can barely begin to describe this experience, so I implore you to reference the YouTube link I have pasted below (watch the whole video for the full effect.) Essentially, there is a cylindrical wooden structure, and the audience sits at the top. Then motorcycles and cars use speed to pull them up the wall so they are riding perpendicular to the ground, around and around this cylinder. During the shows I saw, there were three cars and two motorcycles going at one time, all going at least 60 MPH. If that wasn't frightening enough, the performers will sit on top of the window and grab rupees that audience members hold out for them. The Wheel of Death was, without a doubt, the most fascinating yet terrifying thing I have witnessed in India so far.
Little did I know when I referred to the ferris wheel as the ‘wheel of death’ that at fairs in India, there is actually something called the Wheel of Death. I can barely begin to describe this experience, so I implore you to reference the YouTube link I have pasted below (watch the whole video for the full effect.) Essentially, there is a cylindrical wooden structure, and the audience sits at the top. Then motorcycles and cars use speed to pull them up the wall so they are riding perpendicular to the ground, around and around this cylinder. During the shows I saw, there were three cars and two motorcycles going at one time, all going at least 60 MPH. If that wasn't frightening enough, the performers will sit on top of the window and grab rupees that audience members hold out for them. The Wheel of Death was, without a doubt, the most fascinating yet terrifying thing I have witnessed in India so far.
Upon returning to Delhi, I have been very busy with work and language study. My language grant is coming to an end next week, so I will officially begin my research on November 24 (although I have technically begun early with my internship with the ILO.) Urdu is going really well, and I have now learned the Hindi script too. I am feeling confident with both languages, and I have actually been asked by my language school to begin teaching basic Hindi and Urdu classes beginning in January, which I am really looking forward to. I will be posting a blog post regarding my research soon, as my concept of what I want to research has changed during my three months here. I would love to hear input or suggestions that anyone reading my blog may have. Until next time!