All the photos in this report are unfortunately out of focus. I've only selected those 35 out of more than 1000 photos, as images give different information from my more specific words and phrases
I'm just risen from my MC. to take a photo. Immediately, there are a bunch of Inner seems that my visit as travel adventures are exciting and my card on MC.
20 Feb. - The sound of gushing water makes me nervous
I wake up too early, at 5:00 am. I try to sleep on, but must give up. It's still pitch black, the sun first rises 7:00 am.
While I stand brushing my teeth, I hear a violent splashing of water from a small open window over the sink. I can even see the water cascade down.
Damn, I think, now it plunges down and I'm going out on a really long MC. journey to Agra. I look out into the black morning air and can not see any rain. I assume the motel fully open staircase. Out here is the sound of splashing water huge, it sounds as a gushing river. I can not see that it's raining outside in the dark. Sound output is below the top of the stairs, at the entrance to the restaurant, so I run down there. Here I see the water cascade down from the restaurant's roof.
It's probably a water tank on the roof is gone pleats. Up where I live, it may be a water pipe there has burst. After 15 min. stops the sound of gushing water. The idea is probably completely empty now.
I do not think further about how this had happened. I was just relieved that it didn't rain. It appears to be a beautiful sunny day, so hopefully I would get a nice journey to Agra, without too many slippery roads.
I forgot to ask Motel manager about what really was the cause of this waterfall river of water. I was probably not interested as this for me, was one of the more logical events, compared to the many other chaotic, I'm on this journey have experienced that certainly has no logical explanation.
20 Feb. Datia – Agra 260 km.
9:30 am. I was on the way to Agra. Trip went OK without any major experiences, although I drove part of the journey on minor roads. When I was close to the place where my Servas host live, I paid an autorickshaw driver to run ahead and show me the way. Instead of being sent in different directions. The driver also had a hard time finding the place, so I called Dr.Ashok up and the driver could through his explanations identify the address.
My Servas hosts were a doctor couple. Dr.Ashok of 63 years. He is a medical doctor and his wife Dr.Sunita is a gynecologist. They have together since 1980 driven this little Shiromany Hospital with 30 patients.
Behind the hospital building in a large 1 level house with high ceilings, the doctor couple with one of their sons and his wife was living. They are both trained dentists and operates a dental clinic, located right next to the hospital building. In the second half of the big house lives an older brother to Dr.Ashok. He is an architect and had also one of his sons living with his wife and they are both architects.
They have two dogs, one a German Shepherd, the other a Golden Retriever. They violently at me when I arrive and will enter the house. The various family members trying in vain to curb them. The young Golden continues to bark loudly to me, to get me to leave the house. It is impossible to dim and continue to try to block me access the next half hour. All other than me, takes it fairly relaxed, they seem to have become accustomed to the constant barking. Only days after it had completely accepted my presence in the house.
I am told that there is a dinner 9:30 pm. Doctor couple have consultations between the hours. 7-9 pm. Dr. Ashok takes me into his office and I watched his studies of a few patients. Before I leave the consultation, I get him just to check my blood pressure, with his older model of a sphygmomanometers. It could be it was too high, so I should take it easy and not run the last stretch to Delhi on my motorbike.
It is incredibly nice suddenly to be a guest. All interested ask for one, you are served thai and are assigned a lovely guest room with high ceilings. Now I'm not only one of the many tourists on a random guesthouse. Now I'm 'the guest'.
While the doctor couple are doing consultation, I get a little afternoon nap. I wake up with a decent jerk - totally disoriented - where I am. It is the first time my subconscious has not been with me on this trip.
Instead of a quiet Indian family dinner, Dr.Ashok and his son Dr. Aseem ask me to follow them to a kind of ceremony. Only when we in a car is at the goal, they tell me that we was going to an Islamic wedding ceremony. Here dispense the food and drink without alcohol. Dr.Ashok know the father of the groom. It is above party. There are a lot of people, so it must be a large wedding budget.
Back in the house's living room, read the gardener high for Dr.Ashok from a book of sacred texts and songs, and they together sang or chanted. The chanting song toned out around midnight and there was quite quiet in the house.
The house is located some distance away from the road so there was quite quiet until I was woken up 4:30 am. of excessive barking just outside my windows. The dogs were regularly continued to bark and growl. At first I thought that it was because they could smell that I was here in their house. When their barking had been going on for a long time, I could not help but open a window and shout 'Shut Up'. It was as they got it, a little after they stopped for a period of time.
The next day I found out that the family had a great bunch of Rhesus monkeys living on their roof. Therefore, they have two dogs to guard. They take turns to growl and bark strongly of monkeys, to keep them from getting into human height where they want into the kitchen. Therefore, all the doors in the house all the time locked from the inside, otherwise the skilled to open the locks. That's why the dogs had been so active all night.
Guest room with 4 m to the ceilings
Shiromany Hospital, which has room for 30 patients
The dogs ensures that Rhesus monkeys are up on the family's roof
21 Feb. Taj Mahal & Agra Fort & Palace
After a pleasant morning session with the newspaper reading family I set out to revisit the Taj Mahal. Again it was a fantastic experience suddenly, to see this chalk-white mausoleum step toward a door opening through the dark circle, hovering on the horizon, as a perfect zen picture. Again through photographed I Taj Mahal from all possible angles, even though I had done this when I was here in 2011.
Afterwards I went over to Agra Fort & Palace. Also an incredible visual experience, which I also made a point of getting properly photographed. - I did about 1000 photos during the 3-hour visit.
In the morning the two brothers sit and read newspapers. 2 in Hindi and 2 in English. Since Dr.Sunita addition, she reads too newspaper, so there is absolutely silent. I sit and write on my computer. Morning thai, with slightly sweet bread
Dr.Ashok/Broderen/Dr.Aseem
The camera received its deathblow in the Temple in Datia
When I lost my camera in the Temple in Datia 19 Feb. was actually fatal blow and I was not aware of it. The lenses could slip in and out, but that is not the same as they slide exactly. So I must have been a little too harsh in my attempt to save it. On the camera's small screen, I could not see that most photo was blurry.
Firsta few days later in Delhi, when I went to my computer to view and edit the images I have downloaded the last few days, I discover all the images are out of focus but a few.
Fortunately, there were a few pictures of the family doctor, I could use in this report. If you want to see more and better pictures of the Taj Mahal, you must look my Blog Report 'MC.India / AGRA / DELHI TRAVEL 2011 no.9'
Unfortunately I have no pictures of Agra Fort & Palace. It's a huge downer not had these photos in my report. But I am in a way glad that I did not know it when I stood in front of the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort & Palace. I would have felt it as a huge downer not being able to photograph.
Without the camera I would had seen and experienced these buildings in a different way. As a photographer you thinking all the time about how best to identify, find the interesting angles and framing what you see. It is clearly something focus from simply being and see it standing in front.
On the way from Agra to Delhi I stopped at a small village to take some pictures. Camera lenses refused now totally to slide automatically. The lenses had the last few days running a little rough. So now it was obvious that the camera's computer brain now had been damaged.
Fortunately, I had decided that I did not have the energy to be a tourist more on this trip, although it would be 3 third time I did not see the Red Fort in Delhi.
Dr. Ashok & his gardener
Dr. Ashok is very proud of his flowers
Gandhi
Grandfather
Father Dr.Ashok
Son Dr.Aseem
An active busy family
I'm back with the family and enjoy alone with Dr.Ashok 3:30 pm. a wonderful lunch consisting of many small dishes. It is a very hectic work program everyone in the family has. Therefore, they have also domestic worker who takes care of all the practical things like cleaning, cooking and shopping. Some traders came directly to the door by bicycle, to sell some of their vegetables.
In addition to the many house helps and gardener pops up staff from the hospital, as it is located right next door. In order to give a message or to get some medicine that was in the closet in my room. So it's a busy house filled with activity.
As Servas guest you receive food the first night, but is so committed to cook the other night. In this family, with their many domestic workers, it will be a little difficult, because I make them unemployed and they will not be able to understand my action. I also feel that the family did not think in that way or know about Servas rules.
I run in place in town to find a store that makes Indian delicacy Sweet. I buy 1 kg. as a gift to the family. I have not much profit to take on the task of making dinner so I buy me this way for a little freedom.
Through his son's mobile phone, I can go on the internet when he is in the house and not busy at his dental clinic. I sit and enjoy the peace and quiet when everyone in the family is busy.
The time now is 10 pm. I wonder if they are going to eat dinner. The house helps have been cooking a long time ago and gone. The last hour I have heard Dr.Ashok and gardener sit and sing and chanted together. I walk into the living room and ask Dr.Ashok when there is dinner. I just had to take it easy. - So I go into my room and waiting half an hr. more and show me again in the doorway and he repeats: 'I just had to take it easy'. First 11pm. I finally get told that there is dinner.
This ignorance of what to do or why at all waiting, I've been out too many times here in India. Dr.Ashok have no need to tell me why we are waiting for dinner. I therefore ask no more, but awaits as the nice guest I am. Last night, I didn't knew where we was going before I suddenly was in the middle of an Islamic wedding ceremony. If I had been told wherer we were going, I had a chance to speak out in a democratic way, which I'm used to from the more democratic Danish culture. In a class society as the Indian, there is no possibility of opting out. Culturally, you are taught to obey and follow orders without justification.
The wife and daughter in law has been to an opening of an Arts and Crafts Fair which was supported by the state. They are only just now come in the door, so the dinner has been postponed. They talk very enthusiastically about this big beautiful exhibition, which is supported by the state. The type of action should there be more of seem, given that India has so many talented imaginative craftsman.
During dinner, we talked about the political structure in Denmark and India and talked about the global situation.
It was incredibly nice to feel the positive activity, presence and care that was between the two generations in the two large families. Where family and work should go into a larger whole. This natural context is worth gold.
Dr.Ashok and his brother and several others have a joint prayer session every morning and most evenings. In this way, they help to strengthen their unity and their own faith. Son is a little less up in these prayer sessions.
The son had a hard time understanding that there are very few families in Denmark, living together for 2 generations. In Denmark, the state over the last 60 years, taken over many of the family's financial liabilities, which applies to all the social aspects. Support for education, medical care, childcare, support for single parents and the elderly and many other social services. It is no more the family who has the obligation. This means that older people can fend for themselves and their young can afford to be master in its own house. The backside of this is of course that some families slowly dissolved as there is no longer any direct moral obligation to take care of each other.
Taj Mahal is like a dream that comes in one meeting, and it manifests itself in a mirage in the hazy sunshine. This chalk-white image vibrate like a Zen image on your retina. It is truly breathtaking to revisit the Taj Mahal, which I saw for the first time on my journey MC.Rajasthan the 2011th - At the time, I was blinded by the white marble, which reflect the sunlight as it emerges from one, through the door opening dark circle, hovering on the horizon, as a perfect picture of a dream castle from 1001 Nights.
It was built 1632-1647 by emperor Shan Jahan as a memorial to his wife Mumtaz Mahal, which means 'palace light' who died in childbirth the 1631Shan Jahan had a desire to build a similar Taj Mahal on the other side of the river. It just had to be black. It never came to fruition when he died.The architect Ustad Ahmad, got right hands cut off since Taj Mahal was completed. This should prevent that he built a similar.
This little hazxy day got Taj Mahal to vibrate as carved in the finest white ivory, these little blurry images due to camera, is actually to give it a gloss as it slowly comes clearer and clearer in your mind .
The central part of the mausoleum is surrounded by four identical minarets, built with a slope outwards so that in the event of an earthquake they will fall away from the tomb.
Go to my blog: MC.India / Agra / Travel 2011 no. 9
To see more photos of Taj Mahal
22 Feb. Agra – Delhi 396 km.
9:00 am. I am ready to move on to the final stretch towards Delhi. It's a bit sad to say goodbye especially to Dr.Ashok and son, those in the family I've talked with most. These two days have gone incredibly fast. But today it easier for those of us who have access to the electronic media to continue a dialogue.
I chose to drive via the city Aligarh to Delhi. On the map, I could see that there were some alternative minor roads, I could run off. On the map it looks easy, but as I said, there are many roads that lead to Delhi.
When I saw a huge cloud of swirling sand in the sunlight in front of me, I know that now I had to slow down, for now there was again a sand hole part of the road. At least half of the journey to Delhi, was the kind of dry bumpy road segments. Every time I say to myself, now it can not be worse and it got worse.
I find it hard to explain why at one point I drove 30 km. in the wrong direction. I had asked people again and got different answers. 30 + 30 km. return = 60 km. Moreover, I had chosen a route that is about. 70 km. longer than the direct. So it was = 130 km. extra, a long, tough 'drive'.
When I got to the big neighbor city Ghaziabad 20 km from Delhi's city center, I experienced density and the amount of road closer than before. Now it was dark. My near beam was not working, so I was forced to use distance beam, therefore I could not see any holes in the road in front of me. Although I now ran on a very busy city road, there were occasional bad holes. The worst was probably when I was blinded during periods of all the cars which used the distance beam, so I could not see where I was running.
At such a distance as today, a GPS had helped me a lot. Especially to find the right approach roads into the center of Delhi and around the city. I asked so many human, but they could not even put their finger on my city map and say here we are.
I have spent so much time asking and trying different exit routes before I managed to find the right slip road to cross the river and get into the center of Delhi. The time now is 9 pm. Now I have been traveling for 12 hours. I'm surprised that my left knee is OK, although earlier in the day began to cause some problems.
I'll call Servas host here in Delhi, which has offered me that I can stay with him. He's Yoga / meditation teacher of 78 years. He live 10 km. from the center, close to the temple Chhatapur. Unfortunately, he did not answer my phone calls. Housing around the temple is huge and nobody knows Yoga Centre or the person. It seems that I have the wrong address. I got otherwise Dr.Ashok to speak with the Yoga Teacher and note down the address. After a few hours searching in the area, I give up. He still did not answer my calls. Incredibly annoying.
Motorcycle area Karol Bagh
I decide to drive to the Karol Bagh area, where I have rented my Royal Enfield and find a hotel.
I come again to drive around in the big government & diplomatic district center in Delhi, as there are roads that are blocked here at night. There is not a soul on the boulevards I can ask for directions. I try to follow the signs showing towards Karol Bagh, but several times I end up in the same places.
Finally I managed to get to the keys areas of the city I know and from there, I found to Karol Bagh motorcycle neighborhood. The first hotel I have in mind, where I usually eat at their restaurant, I think is too expensive.
The time now is 1 am. so all streets are a little deserted, a few places there are some homeless individual is awake and talking together otherwise it is most groups of stray dogs barking. Some of the dogs pursuing a person on a scooter and tries to bite him. Fortunately, my motorbike. large and noisy, so they do not exhibit the same attack like to me.
The dogs are well aware that here at night, it is those who are in the majority, therefore dry the attack, by day, the people who are in the majority and then sleeping dogs mostly.
This night's scenario of empty streets, dilapidated buildings, metal shutters, street lamps that reflect the emptiness, heaps of waste each homeless trying to find a bed for the night, stray dogs and a few lit facades and hotels, are a reflection of the political reality .
The same inconsolable reality of decay I met back in 1970 in New York City in the district of East Village when I'm in the middle of the night went to the infamous street 'Bowery' where many homeless people lived. Here I experienced for the first time the human waste, the back of liberalism and capitalism. Now the 'Bowery' involvement by the middle class and the garbage is moved further out.
I have been traveling for 16 hours and driven 396 km
In my attempts to get to Delhi and find Servas host and Karol Bagh area, I've probably run 60 km. as the distances in Delhi are as large as the distances between rich and poor. The direct distance from Agra to Delhi is approx. 200 km. Add in +70 km. deliberate detour, +60 km. errors driving, +60 km. quest in Delhi = 390 km. I feel that I am on this last run, has been a little beside myself.
I managed to find a good hotel in the area. But now it was 1 am. My body was very tired, after performing this physical and emotional tour de force. I had been traveling for over 16 hours.
My body was so tired that I had a hard time keeping balance when I went up to the hotel drive. I had to concentrate me, as someone who has been drinking a little too much, to go straight and keep your balance after all the hours sitting on MC.
In the mirror I can see that I have been through many sand clouds. It is the first drive on this entire journey, where I can see that it has been a tiring drive. The effort created deep furrow in my face full of dirt.
23 Feb. Farewell to my companion - Royal Enfield Bullet 500 cc
At noon I run down to Lalli Mobike to deliver MC. I have been very pleased with the lease and of the Royal Enfield 's driving skills. The electrical problems I've had on the trip due to normal. wear and rest my two small crashes.
While checking MC. for damage and spare parts I got along for the ride, to complete the final accounting, I'm gone at an internet cafe.
After a few hours I'm back on Lalli Mobike workshop and now accounts made up the full details of the MC. state is made up of rupees. He pays a portion of the electrical replacements I have had to pay for. All in all a very fair deal with lots of papers and calculations which reassures the one. As a last gesture I get handed a black cap with embroidered Royal Enfield emblem. Now I am symbolically become a part of the brotherhood.
-India seems to me, as a very culturally rich country (- tolerant) that can accommodate so many contradictions that can live side by side
Dear Bjarne on 27.1.2013
Your photos, so beautiful and what a decay, it shines out of them all.
Imagine the day when India will once again be able to afford to take care of its immense cultural heritage.
What beauty are we talking about!
I read your considerations with great interest - please keep doing - but one of them drops me in the chest, see for yourself the quote below.
You talk about India as a tolerant place. But the international newspapers and media is exactly in these weeks filled with terrible stories of gang rape of the most brutal kind, and an India where female children in the fetus or just after birth killed, because it is about boys, men, as 'one' think can feed one as old. Therefore, there is a huge surplus of men, no women are causing the poor to commit gang rapes galore - and killing the women they attack. Contempt for women and the sexual harassment and criminal behavior goes to the top. The rich do not fear the police or courts, as also treats the female victims with contempt.
Say one more time that it is a tolerant country! Seen through the media, India is an incredibly intolerant country, yes!
Ok, I am with the fact that there are tolerant people, but as a society it is a catastrophe that women are treated in this way.
All this violence, all this non-redeemed desires, all the misery - and paradoxes: tolerance and beauty.
It is a relief that an increasing number of Indian women mass demonstrates to changed conditions.
Loving greetings
Svend Erik
My analytical friend Svend Erik is clearly right that tolerance is not the right word to use in this context. I promised him that in my next report would try to formulate what I meant by what I wrote. But first now I answer.
My quote from MC.India / Uttar Pradesh / Delhi 1 :
- India seems to me, as a very tolerant country that can accommodate many different contradictions that can live side by side. They have developed a political culture that provides space, so the most extreme spiritual people can unfold maximum, and where the liberal extremely rich people maximum opportunities to exploit the gullible and uneducated masses economically and keep them in poverty.
- First now have I had the energy to think through my political thoughts on India's open culture pattern for me to see, has become more and more airy castles in working further and further away from its very basic ethical foundation. A foundation to 'accommodate' such a large variety of cultures, languages and faiths have had to incorporate a much larger cultural and political latitude than most other countries.
Because of this cultural diversity, with 61% illiterate, politicians have a hard time getting through with their message and get citizens to abide by the laws that are adopted. Each Inner do not know what is the law more as the political system does not in practice have resources be allocated for that pursue those who break the laws. The chaos one experiences in the big city traffic, is certainly a very good picture of how things go its in all other areas in India.
It is difficult for individuals to create clear context, especially since this diversity just grows and grows and becomes more and more extreme and completely free of political control. So I think the Indian political system at a Time of breaking down, as it can no longer control the extreme contradictions in society. The religious tensions brewing already heavily.
- India seems to me, as a very culturally rich country that can accommodate so many contradictions that can live side by side. (How I should have expressed myself in Report no. 1 and not used the word 'tolerant').
The Danish culture is very homogeneous, with a very small range of cultures and faiths. We are a small rich country economically and socially, where everyone has a school and a functioning democracy where politicians are heard and laws respected. But do we have a special cultural, tolerant and comprehensive country.
My third MC. India journey
With this third MC. India journey , which I have called my Holy journey, I have even sought challenges, visit and participate in the world's largest sacred manifestation Kumb Mela, where over 70 million. Inner over a period of a few months involved - and to travel around the most densely populated and poorest state of Uttar Pradesh with 200 million. pop. I suffer namely the little claustrophobia when it comes to large gatherings of people.
First after 3 weeks I found a rhythm against the Indian culture this time where all my senses were up in the red zone. Where my mind had ups and downs in a state with 4 times as many people as in Rajasthan, which I last visited. The whole time I thought I had seen the worst, but then it got worse.
I had tried this total bombardment of sensory input a few times before so I know that there were so many oases here in India. Peaceful places where not all senses are bombarded by noisy impression at once. So it was important to identify these oases where one's mind on a refined exotic way will be seduced by the Indian beauty and aesthetics. The last 3 weeks of this journey, I was lucky enough to visit several of these places.
If I before my trip had contacted some of the people I know who have traveled in the Indian areas I visited, I might have avoided some of the desolate cities I visited in the beginning of my journey.
Cultural views
Dear Bjarne
Thank you for your reports from your amazing journey. It is incredibly exciting to read about all your impressions and experiences, and your photos are - as always - very very beautiful and precise narrative. It is significant that in a continent like India with such limited resources is able to keep such a high ideological and aesthetic level - and disheartening to compare with our own very poor state of what concern beauty, aesthetics and philosophy. The fine arts are to a great extent a neglected discipline in Denmark. Although we believe something different about ourselves. We believe that Bauhaus and asceticism and straight lines and Arne Jacobsen is the direct path to Paradise. I doubt it.
loving greetings
Franz
Dear Franz, - thanks for your thoughts. I'm glad you like my pictures. The image overturning you when you walk around the city. Currently I am in Datia. I enjoy life.
In Denmark and other Western countries life is becoming more and more materialized, so we don't try to understand life, but try to control it. Therefore, we try to simplify the diversity and throws all the nuances overboard. What I have done over the years in my art, with dramatization of contradictions, so all the nuances of life's drama is staged between the extremes. I think the cultural Indian diversity, is losing strength, quality and direction, as it is difficult to hold together the basic ethical, unique and cultural currents. - Diversity is becoming too much and have lost the ethical unifying force, and is now only primary currents in all directions. - Let's talk more about this giant elephant when I return.
Bjarne
Dr.Ashok family altar
This was my 5 MC. journey. With this final report I can completely escape.
I can already feel the turmoil to come out on my next journey. I feel I'm on a kind of odyssey, to find myself in meeting other people.
In so many years, I buried myself in the contemplation of my own artistic expression to get to the core, in a sort of inner monologue. Now I feel that I need to find myself as a person in an outer dialogue with people of other cultures.
AUM
Bjarne v.H.H.Solberg
Artist
&
Scenographer
BvHHS@email.DK
www.BvHHS.com
+45 30230036
Artist
&
Scenographer
BvHHS@email.DK
www.BvHHS.com
+45 30230036
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