Kate has kindly let me take over the blog for this entry as it is about our visit to the Punjab. The land of the Sikhs. As many of you will know, I am a big fan of our turban wearing friends and so was particularly looking forward to this part of the trip!
We were due to fly from Delhi to Amritsar at 5:00AM. So we dutifully arrived at 3.30 to check in at the airport. Of course, with this being India the flight didn't leave until 10.00. So I decided that I would use the time to discover more about Sikhism from one of the scores of Sikhs that were also delayed. Arvinder Singh was the lucky oracle of information I chose to learn from. Here is a brief extract from our exchanges-
AS- India cannot manage itself. Look at this flight. We cannot do it. We do not deserve democracy. We do not take the responsibility seriously enough.
JB- OK, but what do you think would be better?
AS- A good dictator.......... like Hitler.
So my attempts to be culturally aware were quickly smashed into a fascist brick wall.
We eventually arrived in Amritsar. Home of the Golden Temple. It is to Sikhs what Mecca is to Muslims (although Kate the 'theologian' thought it was a Hindu temple). I presume (as I imagined the same) that a site of such sacred stature conjures up images of quiet meditation and serenity.
Well you are wrong. So very wrong. The Golden Temple is a free for all. Indians aren't great at queuing at the best of times but the dining hall (where, in fairness, anyone can eat for free) and the temple itself are Hillsborough style disasters waiting to happen. Indeed, I am sure that much like football, it will take such an accident for the authorities to take the problem seriously and clamp down on the hooligan element (which in the case of the Sikhs seems to consist mainly of five foot elderly ladies).
Many of you will know of the Golden Temple from the controversial 'Operation Blue Star' when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the army to storm the Temple to flush out Sikh separatists. An action that ultimately led to her being gunned down by her own Sikh bodyguards (she didn't seem to think that one through). It is however, a spectacular place to visit and well worth a trip (I should take a moment to mention Kate didn't enjoy the accommodation dormitory for pilgrims and visitors. A hotel is advisable unless you like sharing with strange Australians who make friends with the spear wielding Sikh security staff by referring to the sacred pool surrounding their holy Temple as 'that huge pond')
The other activity of note near Amritsar is the daily ceremony that occurs for the closing of the India-Pakistan border crossing. It takes a while to get to the border and security is understandably tight. As with everywhere in India, we were separated into male and female lines for being searched. This made me worried about losing Kate in the large crowd. However, being a good seven inches taller than the average Indian you see her angry head being pushed around by the tiny grannies and take comfort in the fact she is safe and never likely to be lost.
The ceremony itself is hilarious. Think grandstands of chanting Indians and Pakistanis with flags and easily excited comperes to get them going, two nuclear military powers that hate and hate nothing more than losing face in front of the other, a shouting competition between two sergeant majors and goose stepping straight out of Python's ministry of silly walks and you get some idea of what it's like. I wanted to get involved with the rivalry and patriotism and start some chants I thought the Indian's would take to. 'It's all gone quiet in Pakistan' was a non-starter and Kate barred me from my other two chants of 'You're Shi'ite and you know you are' and for the female contingent of the Pakistani crowd 'get your face out for the lads!' (Kate described both as crude, brash and culturally insensitive'. Can't think why?). So alas, I had little effect on the boring if loud chants from the Indian side!
Anyway we are now in the peace and cool of McLeod Ganj in Himachal Pradesh. I feel like a member of the East India company retreating to a hill station to get away from the heat and all those who tried to crush us in the Punjab. I will let Kate amuse you with the details of out trip here and what we get up to.
Thanks for reading!
(the below YouTube clip gives you a taste of the border ceremony)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
We were due to fly from Delhi to Amritsar at 5:00AM. So we dutifully arrived at 3.30 to check in at the airport. Of course, with this being India the flight didn't leave until 10.00. So I decided that I would use the time to discover more about Sikhism from one of the scores of Sikhs that were also delayed. Arvinder Singh was the lucky oracle of information I chose to learn from. Here is a brief extract from our exchanges-
AS- India cannot manage itself. Look at this flight. We cannot do it. We do not deserve democracy. We do not take the responsibility seriously enough.
JB- OK, but what do you think would be better?
AS- A good dictator.......... like Hitler.
So my attempts to be culturally aware were quickly smashed into a fascist brick wall.
We eventually arrived in Amritsar. Home of the Golden Temple. It is to Sikhs what Mecca is to Muslims (although Kate the 'theologian' thought it was a Hindu temple). I presume (as I imagined the same) that a site of such sacred stature conjures up images of quiet meditation and serenity.
Well you are wrong. So very wrong. The Golden Temple is a free for all. Indians aren't great at queuing at the best of times but the dining hall (where, in fairness, anyone can eat for free) and the temple itself are Hillsborough style disasters waiting to happen. Indeed, I am sure that much like football, it will take such an accident for the authorities to take the problem seriously and clamp down on the hooligan element (which in the case of the Sikhs seems to consist mainly of five foot elderly ladies).
Many of you will know of the Golden Temple from the controversial 'Operation Blue Star' when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the army to storm the Temple to flush out Sikh separatists. An action that ultimately led to her being gunned down by her own Sikh bodyguards (she didn't seem to think that one through). It is however, a spectacular place to visit and well worth a trip (I should take a moment to mention Kate didn't enjoy the accommodation dormitory for pilgrims and visitors. A hotel is advisable unless you like sharing with strange Australians who make friends with the spear wielding Sikh security staff by referring to the sacred pool surrounding their holy Temple as 'that huge pond')
The other activity of note near Amritsar is the daily ceremony that occurs for the closing of the India-Pakistan border crossing. It takes a while to get to the border and security is understandably tight. As with everywhere in India, we were separated into male and female lines for being searched. This made me worried about losing Kate in the large crowd. However, being a good seven inches taller than the average Indian you see her angry head being pushed around by the tiny grannies and take comfort in the fact she is safe and never likely to be lost.
The ceremony itself is hilarious. Think grandstands of chanting Indians and Pakistanis with flags and easily excited comperes to get them going, two nuclear military powers that hate and hate nothing more than losing face in front of the other, a shouting competition between two sergeant majors and goose stepping straight out of Python's ministry of silly walks and you get some idea of what it's like. I wanted to get involved with the rivalry and patriotism and start some chants I thought the Indian's would take to. 'It's all gone quiet in Pakistan' was a non-starter and Kate barred me from my other two chants of 'You're Shi'ite and you know you are' and for the female contingent of the Pakistani crowd 'get your face out for the lads!' (Kate described both as crude, brash and culturally insensitive'. Can't think why?). So alas, I had little effect on the boring if loud chants from the Indian side!
Anyway we are now in the peace and cool of McLeod Ganj in Himachal Pradesh. I feel like a member of the East India company retreating to a hill station to get away from the heat and all those who tried to crush us in the Punjab. I will let Kate amuse you with the details of out trip here and what we get up to.
Thanks for reading!
(the below YouTube clip gives you a taste of the border ceremony)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Bloody Brilliant Joel. You're Shi'ite and you know you are is Pure Bloody Genius. More please.
ReplyDeleteAbu Hamster applauds your chutzpah and says can he have your nuts.
ReplyDelete