Barb's Day in Delhi

Barb's Day in Delhi
Back in Delhi, we are staying in the comfortable upstairs guest suite of the parents of Woodstock colleague Shikha Mehta -- the newest French teacher. As Coleman was under the weather with tummy troubles again, Jeff stayed with him and I ventured out to see some sights with Chris. We were driven in Shihka's car by a friend of the family who knew the city well. First on our list of "must-sees" was the Sacred Heart Cathredral near the YWCA where we stayed last time we were in Delhi. We lucked into arriving just in time for the 11:30 mass in English - the church was packed so we stood in the back. Both of us marveled at our ease in participating in this Catholic service in the heart of India - the Apostle's Creed, Lord's Prayer, responses, passing of the peace, the call to Communion, the praise hymns - all comfortingly familar.

We then moved on to the nearby Free Church, a Church of North India congregation. The sign outside announced that we had just missed the English service, but we wondered how they heard the service while a BJP (political party) protester blasted out his amplified message across the street. Imagine our surprise when we entered the Free Church grounds to join the congregation already enjoying coffee hour to find that they were silent - all signing to each other! Guess this hearing impaired congregation didn't mind the protester!

Next, we drove to the other end of Dehi to the ISKCON Temple, a modern temple complex built by the Hare Krishnas. What a lively group we met in the worship hall, with chanting and dancing, giving offerings to the gold and jeweled deities in each of several gold shuttered windows. We declined an invitation to join chanters in the outdoor labyrinth area, but went straight to the temple restaurant, with the reputation of one of the best vegetarian meals in Delhi. Alas, it was closed due to a private wedding function, so we settled for a quick veg puff and pizza slice from the canteen. I was curious about the religion that spawned such a place as this, so I dragged Chris to the sound and light show - our driver who had joined in the singing and dancing in the worship hall came willingly. Billed as the "Bhagavad-Gita Experience," it promised to "revolutionize your understanding of life, the universe, and yourself." It was a half hour of indoctrination, but rather well done - not Disney's animatronics, but interesting enough. We came away understanding the Hare Krishnas a little more, and appreciating our religion a litte better. I did receive one gift of insight from the experience - part of the Hare Krishna religion that is similar to Christianity is the understanding that the body is temporal, the soul eternal. I recently received news about the accidental death of the oldest son of dear friends in Ossining - the reminder that the spirit of this young man will live eternally was comforting.

The Lotus Temple was a short drive away - the Baha'i house of worship. Built in the the shape of a lotus blossom, it was surrounded by nine pools and beautiful gardens. The interior was moving in its simplicity. There was no program, only those who came to meditate and pray or observe. Plans for the ample acreage include schools, hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the poor and aged. Though based on teachings of the Bab ("Gate") and his followers, the faith promotes itself as an institution "inviting peoples of all religions and races to worship the Creator of the Universe and to express the love between God and man." We left there feeling at peace, having enjoyed the beauty of the surroundings and the calm of the guides (some of whom spoke in recognizable American English and very good Hindi!)

Our last stop of the day was Qutb Minar. At the ticket counter, I showed my passport and working papers to pay the ticket price for locals, not the inflated rate for foreign tourists (guess I have finally arrived!) The tower of the Minar, typically used to call the faithful to prayer, stands an amazing 73 meters tall in a complex of Islamic ruins dating back to the 1100's. Chris and I wandered the grounds as the sunset light cast long shadows through the mosques and tombs - the perfect ending to the perfect day. India has done a commendable job at preserving its architectural and historical treasures.