Agra, Delhi and adios, India

  We spent the next 24 hours on trains to Agra, the last such long journey on the phenomenal Indian rail. We arrived in Agra late in the evening, with a hotel reservation in hand, only to find out that our room was relinquished to someone else. Tired and frankly a bit pissed off, we found a decent room at the accommodating Taj Guest House, where the management helped us out with various requests over the course of the next day.

  We started off early enough to avoid much of the crowds (didn't really work out) and visit the focal and most well-known attraction in India, the Taj Mahal. A fine example of architecture, it is in fact a mausoleum, built as a token of love by Shah Jahan for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. Constructed out of white marble, the walls are exquisitely embellished with quotes from the Quran and intricate pietra dura, set with semi-precious stones. The mausoleum houses cenotaphs of both the Shah and Mumtaz, although the actual bodies are interred underneath. Four minarets surround it, with a mosque to the west and an identically replicated building to the east. The design of the structures emphasizes symmetry and clean lines, lending the monument an air of simple beauty. A rectangular reflection pool leads the way from the south, a chief vantage point for Taj Mahal portraits. But the wonder of the building, for me at least, stemmed from the quality of the marble and the image sun rays created while playing on its surface. The blinding whiteness could simply not be captured on camera. Although my bf would disagree, the famous icon brought home the notion that we are truly in India (2.5 months too late, apparently). Agra has more to offer than Taj Mahal, but, tired of constant sightseeing, we took the afternoon off.

Quran quotes

Pietra dura

  Tuesday, our last day in India, passed swimmingly, almost as if the country itself wanted to infirm in us last positive impressions and entice us to come back soon. For the first time ever, our rickshaw driver accepted a regular fare to the train station, without the usual squabbling. While we waited for our train, a young Punjabi Sikh (turban, beard and all, fresh from the religious festival of Kumbha Mela), approached us, simply for the pleasure of a conversation. On the train, we hailed a chai-wallah for a last cup of the exulting liquid, when a gentleman from our compartment paid for the favor. Dreaded New Delhi reminded me a bit of Kolkata, a city like any other, but with extensive public transportation and one of the best thalis (meals) of the trip. Granted, we saw only a minuscule portion, but I think it's been too villainized by many fresh-faced newcomers. We were truly impressed by the new metro and the airport itself, exceeding standards of many in the West. Deprived of some comforts for months, we were like kids in Disneyland, pretendingly perusing the duty – free shops (especially the perfume section :) ).

  I wanted to write a neat little summary of our Indian adventure, but the country is too big for words. Opinions always differ, depending on the perspective, region, people met and circumstances. Like any other place, India offers an eclectic mix of the good and the bad, although often enough they're driven to the extremes. I guess everything depends on your approach, and I think we maintained a pretty healthy one, even if it faltered a bit in the end.

  India definitely tests your patience. Everything runs on a different, slower, schedule, which can especially become frustrating to a Westerner. A person may be helping you, only to break for lunch. Information is inconsistent. Most people will eagerly answer your inquiries, even if they don't know the answer, emphasizing with the characteristic side-to-side head wobble (means “yes, probably”). Best to ask several individuals. A white face always attracts constant staring, its directness invading your personal space. As a woman, I've had to ignore passes made at me, more or less subtle, at times more or less physical. Sex is taboo, so of course it invites curiosity and ridiculous notions of Western women's promiscuity. This is especially apparent on the beaches. I think there's still a long way to go when it comes to women's rights, particularly their execution. You have to scrupulously watch out for scams. In a more benign instance, a hotel issues a bill, the itemized costs are correct, but the math doesn't add up. A mistake, of course. So vigilance is key. There's a crush of humanity and its byproducts: constant traffic, garbage and crap everywhere, cow, long piss walls, wed paan (chewed betel nut) split splatters, slums. The extent of abject poverty is startling – the cripples, begging children and starving animals almost cause you to turn your eyes away in shame, realizing how good you have it.

  And then there is so much good here. India is exotic, colorful and very inviting to its guests. Most people are unbelievably approachable, and simply interested in you and your story, as exotic to them as they are to you. They are ingenious in their use of available resources. Whole families ride a motorcycle, shops sell gasoline from water bottles, and a blanket finds second life as a poncho. Women are always willing to help another woman, as soon as you break the ice with a smile. Their beautiful saris add color to the chaotic streets. The chaos is all-encompassing, non-discriminant of race or religion. Horns, loud music, cow bellows and human shouts fill the air. The people often approach their lives with heightened emotions, which leaves no room for pretense. How refreshing. Each region is diverse, with its own landscapes, cultures and atmospheres: so Varanasi has its ghats and spirituality, Kerala its backwaters and calm, Hampi its ruins and hippie vibe, and Rajasthan its forts and history. The cultural variants are exotic, manifesting themselves in more or less surprising traditions (take week long wedding festivities or use of vultures as a means of dead disposal). It's easy to travel throughout the country – hats off to Indian rail for providing a comprehensive, fully functional transportation for such an immense population. Prices for an acceptable standard of living are not hard on the tourist pockets. The food is delicious, from regional specialties to universal thalis, sauces, curries, naans and, of course, masala chais. There's also food for the soul, ranging from all established religions to various forms of mediation and yoga. What more can you want?

  A change of setting does a body good. It's been real, India. But we will be back.