Munnar, India [Post #10, Day 65]

Mother India, you have given me an experience of a lifetime. I can't express in a single post all of the amazing things I have experienced in India over this past month (and I wasn’t able to post more because I was expending just about all of my energy on a daily basis just living India!). I will try to capture some of the key aspects of my experience in this post.

I started in Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan in northern India. From the moment I stepped over the threshold of the hostel entrance into the street on that first morning in Jaipur I was immediately thrust into a whole different and captivating world. Any residual sleepiness was forced away as I was jolted into full alertness as a necessity to dodge beeping tuk-tuks and motorcycles. There were interesting things happening all around, people going about their different daily activities, it was the first time I saw cows walking down the street as though they were people going for a morning stroll, with traffic curving around them. In a matter of a few hours I saw not only cows, but also dogs, monkeys (who were teasing the dogs from rooftops), goats, camels, and elephants. I heard “Hello my friend!” from many directions, from tuk-tuk drivers, shop and food stall owners, and passersby. I stayed at Madpackers Jaipur hostel which was run by an awesome group of young people who treated me with a genuine kindness and welcoming nature that I would come to know everywhere I visited in India. Something Arbaj at the front desk said to me after I asked if it would be possible to extend my stay an additional night still sticks with me, he said, “My friend, in India anything is possible”. With the help of the hostel staff and my great friends and guides-from-a-distance, Vikram and Anamitra in Australia, I saw many amazing places in Jaipur. A highlight was the Fag Utsav festival at Govind Devji Temple. Rishika and Apoorva led our group from the hostel on my first evening, when we reached the temple we removed our shoes and entered the grounds where there was beautiful music and prayer singing. As the evening progressed, more and more people arrived at the temple and the singing became more powerful, increasing in volume and intensity. The main event was the throwing of flower petals into the air as impassioned clapping and singing from the packed crowd reverberated around the temple, it was an enchanting moment. I had my first introduction to amazing north Indian vegetarian food (in India that is). The Rajasthani thali was my favorite, like an Indian version of a sampler platter, and I love sampler platters! The flavors were so pronounced and unique. And the sweets! So many delicious sweets, elaborate concoctions of milk, sugar, nuts, and spices I had never seen or eaten anything like before. Another highlight in Jaipur was watching the sunset from Nahargarh Fort. As I walked up to the fort I had an amazing view of the sprawling buildings of the Pink City, and spotted kids playing cricket on the rooftops. I had requests for selfies and photos with many people I passed by, they were all friendly and I was happy to oblige. For each of the three days I spent in Jaipur, as I went to bed at night and when I woke up in the morning I could sense the powerful energy outside as though it were tangible, people talking, yelling, laughing, horns honking, kids playing late into the night (isn’t it past their bedtime??).

A view of Jaipur from my walk up to Fort Nahargarh.

Rajasthani thali, yes I ate the whole thing!

After an amazing first few days in Jaipur, I took the bus to Sikar to visit Vikram’s family, who very kindly offered to host me at their home. From the moment Vikram’s father picked me up, to the moment I stepped on the bus the next evening to head to Dharamshala, I felt I had lived about two weeks’ worth of experiences packed into two days! And I can’t thank Vikram’s family enough for the wonderful experience they gave me. Our first stop was to meet and speak with the bright and happy students of the Seth Shree Harinarayan Khetan Mahatma Gandhi Government School. It is an English Medium school (meaning lessons are taught in English with English textbooks) so they were happy to have me as a native English speaker, and received me as an honored guest. I was unprepared but did my best to answer the students’ and teachers’ questions, speaking about my experience as a civil engineer studying and working in the U.S. and Australia. In a special moment, Vikram’s father gifted me with a traditional Safa (Rajasthani head turban), placing it on my head, and I was given a ceremonial string bracelet and red forehead marking. After the school visit, we attended not one but three Indian weddings where I had incredible food (and I learned to eat the sweets first, so as to fill up on those before progressing to the rest of the meal!), many cups of deliciously sweet and milky chai (tea), I danced, learned some local Hindi phrases (Ram Ram Sa!), talked with many people, and made many friends. And all of this was in one single day! Vikram’s wife Manju’s family kindly hosted me and gave me a wonderful tour of Chitawa the next day, I saw farms and learned how onions and wheat are grown and harvested. I had more delicious food. Manju’s father kindly gifted me a set of traditional dhoti kurta clothes from his clothing store. For my whole time in Sikar I was treated as an honored guest, it was the ultimate form of hospitality. I was a bit out of my comfort zone with all the attention at times, but everyone was so kind and happy to show me all the wonderful things in Sikar that I was humbled and happy to be their guest and take in all the wonderful experiences.

My visit to the English Medium school in Sikar.

Next, I was off to Dharamshala to watch the India versus England Test cricket match at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium, known to be one of the most scenic cricket stadiums in the world. To get there I took a bus from Sikar, then an overnight train to Delhi during which I got about a one-hour night’s sleep, then a 5:45 am motorcycle taxi ride clutching an extra backpack in one hand while holding onto the seat frame with the other in my tired state for the 40-minute ride to the bus station, then caught the bus to Dharamshala with about ten seconds to spare after running around frantically trying to find the right bus. This is something that happened many times, where things just seemed to come together as if by magic. Actually I found this for many things in India, I couldn’t imagine how some things would happen, how they were even possible (like a cow casually standing in the middle of a roundabout with cars circling all around), and yet they were, or worked, or came together in the end. It was often hard to make definite plans, but things always worked out in one way or another. Every bus ride I have been on has felt like the Knight Bus from Harry Potter, hurtling down the road, musical horn blasting, picking up and dropping off passengers in seemingly completely random places. When I reached my hotel in Dharamshala there was just one other person in the large dorm room, and he happened to be a fellow cricket fan there to attend the match, we made the plan to attend the cricket match together the next day. Soumo and I became best pals for the rest of my time in Dharamshala. We enjoyed two days of watching the cricket match in the beautiful stadium in the foothills of the Himalayas, which India won convincingly. It was very cold at night, with harsh, hot sun during the day, making sitting and watching a day of cricket quite tiring. Dharamshala was a totally unique place with steep winding narrow roads (I don’t know how our taxis managed to whiz around without having collisions), and buildings of different shapes and sizes built into the slopes, I couldn’t get a handle on the layout of the city and even with Google Maps found it difficult to understand and navigate. After the cricket match ended, we visited McLeod Ganj where the Dalai Lama resides which was a peaceful and special place. The next day, Soumo and I set out to do the Triund Trek, with an overnight camp at the peak, but I think all the nonstop activity from the moment I had arrived in India to that point finally caught up with me and I was too physically and mentally exhausted to complete it. I went back to our hotel and got some needed rest. There was a beautiful Buddhist monastery next door to our hotel, at certain times during the day I could hear instruments and a low chanting sound emanating from inside. I ventured over and as I was looking around outside (not entirely sure if I was allowed to be there) a monk opened the doors of the monastery and allowed me to go inside. It was a special experience getting to go inside, vibrantly colored murals covered the walls and there were elaborate decorations and furniture all around. The monk who let me in began blowing a shell horn, with a breathing technique which allowed him to make a continuous, constant tone for several minutes as he steadily walked back and forth across the entrance to the monastery. Upon hearing the horn, monks began filing in and I got to witness firsthand their prayer chanting and instruments (drums, horns, and chimes), it was amazing. In addition to these experiences, Soumo and I bonded over the challenges of PhD life. Soumo is currently working to complete his thesis in literary studies. Wishing you all the best Soumo!

India versus England Test cricket match at HPCA Stadium in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Next up on my schedule was a trip to Hyderabad in the state of Telangana to complete my 10-day Vipassana Meditation course. On the overnight bus from Dharamshala to Delhi, before catching my flight to Hyderabad, I had a bit of a number two incident. I really had to go and was able to hold on until we stopped for a short break. I hurried off the bus searching for a bathroom. I couldn’t find one and the situation quickly became very urgent. I decided to make a run for it, in search of a dark place away from any people. I found a spot along the side of an abandoned building, and didn’t quite rip off my shoes, pants, and underwear in time, but got them off soon enough to avoid a huge mess. As I squatted I sensed some movement coming towards me out of the darkness. As it got closer I realized it was a big black bull. I started to get my guard up because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but the bull just ambled on past me, I still remember the sound of his hooves cracking some broken glass as he stepped on it, indicating his massive weight. After a tired airplane ride from Delhi and two attempts at an Uber trip from the airport because the first one was a scam, I arrived at my hotel in Hyderabad. It was very warm and I was feeling exhausted and a bit under the weather. I was stressed about the upcoming Vipassana course. I was expecting my PhD thesis examiners’ reports to come back any day. Grandma was recovering in the hospital. It was not a good time for me to be shut off from the world for 10 days. So I made the decision to postpone the course. Thank you Mom for being there for me to talk to and help me make the right decision! My highlight from Hyderabad was a deliciously flavorful chicken biriyani I had for dinner, a dish which Hyderabad is known for. After cancelling my Vipassana course, I headed back to the airport to venture further south to the state of Kerala. I was recommended a place in Kerala called Munnar by one of the German friends I made in my hostel dorm in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

So I flew from Hyderabad to Kochi, Kerala. It was still warm in Kochi but it felt a little calmer, a few steps lower on the intensity-scale, compared to the previous places I’d been which was a welcome relief. I attended a Kerala Blasters FC soccer match on the first night and had my first introduction to delicious South Indian food, trying a tasty dosa. After a couple days in Kochi I was off to Munnar. As the bus approached Munnar, I had my first glimpse of the vast and beautiful green hills covered in tea farms. I reached Munnar and checked into my hotel, staying in a private room which gave me the chance to finally spread out a bit and relax. The temperature was cooler, with a pleasant breeze. I decided this was the place to drop anchor and get the rest I needed. I have been here in Munnar for 12 days now and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I’ve been having fun trying all the delicious foods (my favorite breakfast is appam with kadala curry), having relaxing walks along the many paths through the tea hills, and enjoying pretty sunsets. I did the Meesapulimala Trek which provided stunning views and during which I made some great new friends. I have been able to start preparing for my oral examination (called the “viva voce”). Now is my last night in Munnar, I watched the sunset from my favorite spot in the hills. I still have the upcoming week left in India, I plan to check out the backwaters area of Alappuzha, then stay my last night at my friends’ home in Kochi (who I met on the Meesapulimala Trek). Then I head back to Perth to complete my viva voce, as one of the final steps on the way to earning my PhD. I’m really looking forward to seeing my sister and friends again, and just being back in beautiful Perth in general.

My favorite spot to watch the sunset in the tea farm covered hills of Munnar.

Meesapulimala trekking friends.

A view from Meesapulimala Peak in the Western Ghats mountain range, the second highest point in southern India.

As I reflect on my time (and I will do much more reflecting as time goes on I’m sure), I feel that India has fully embraced me, and I have done my best to return that embrace as much as I can. India has given me so much, introducing me to things never before experienced, it has challenged me, and at times exhausted me, but I have felt the love of India. It has demanded a lot of my energy, as an introverted person, it can be tiring with limited personal space at times, but when people say hello and are interested to talk to me as a foreigner, I am always happy to talk to them and tell them about my background and experiences, and how I have greatly enjoyed my time in India. My friend Noot told me a quote from traveler James May, who said about his trip to India, “You've got to just allow India to beat you up a bit. Don't fight it. It's part of the fun”. I think that’s true! But I never felt unsafe or in danger. Apart from my overnight bus incident, I didn’t have any other major stomach-related issues.

And as a wrap up to this post I want to give a shoutout and thank you to all the amazing friends I made while in India, both locals and fellow travelers alike – Arbaj, Rishika, Apoorva, Max and James, Harry, Stef, Yann, Dane, Jade, Sakshi, Levon, Faizan, Aman, S.K., Sandesh, Om, Chandri Devi, Keshar, Sohani Devi, Sunita, Kishore, Gita, Sitaram, Bhagchand, Kapil, Suresh, Shivkaran, Durga Devi, Gopal, Nishu, Soumo, Jacob, Shyam, Rajan, Ranjith, Selvaraj, Saju, Veena, Vishnu, Abhiram, Abhinav, Biju, Vinayakan, Rajalakshmi, Shanu, Sheron, Sooraj, Thankachan, Brendan, Bill, Shashank, Akshay, Sharil, Vasudev, Joby, Basil, and all the others I met along the way, thank you!

Thank you Mother India ❤️

Some more photos from my time in India are in my album here.