OSSN’s Trip to ‘Incredible India’
by Margie Weidert

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Mumtaz Mahal, his wife, gave birth to four sons and three daughters. Unfortunately, the third son was very power hungry and evil, and he had his father put in jail before the Taj Mahal was completed. He also had two of his brothers, whom he considered a threat, skinned alive. When his father died, he relented and agreed to have him buried in the Taj Mahal next to his mother.

One of the first things that is most evident while traveling in India are the poor living conditions within the cities and the countryside. The roads are shared by camels pulling carts, elephants on the side of the road, goats, dogs, public buses overcrowded with people (some even sitting on the roofs), people on bicycles carrying huge loads that defy gravity (no bicycle lanes here), “tuck-tucks” (small electric vehicles carrying two passengers), women in colorful saris balancing huge baskets and pots and bundles of twigs held together with cloth on their heads, big buses like ours, and the ever-present sacred cows and water buffalos. To kill a cow or buffalo would be extremely bad karma. All traffic stopped in Delhi as a Mommy, Daddy, and three baby cows walked across four lanes of traffic, appearing as if they stopped at the red light, and continued on the green.

But, even in the poorest of villages, the women working in the fields wore colorful saris, and the children waved and smiled at us. We saw a woman with a huge basket collecting cow dung from the streets, knowing that she would be taking it back to her village where it is mixed with straw and water. Rounds formed from this mixture are dried in the sun, then used as roofs for huts. When completed, it looks like a gingerbread house with all the layers.

We visited a sari factory in Jaipur. A huge room holds stacks of various colors and patterns of seven-foot-long silk material lengths. After I was measured in the afternoon, my turquoise, silver, and purple tunic, pants, and scarf appeared at the hotel the next day for a cost of $110.

Another highlight was participating in an elephant polo match in Jaipur. After demonstrating how to play, the organizers asked for volunteers. Of course, I jumped to the occasion. The elephant kneels, a tall ladder is propped on his side to climb on, and once positioned, you grab on a rope for balancing behind the trainer. The mallet is very long and flexible and not that easy to control. My competitive spirit kicked in, and I made a goal while managing not to fall off!

India has many incredible, rewarding, and beautiful sights. Besides the Taj Mahal in Agra, my favorites were visiting the City Palace in Udaipur, Humayuns Tomb in Delhi, and the Amber Fort in Jaipur – all with interesting stories of history and its inhabitants.

For me, it’s the people I encounter that touch my heart the most when I travel. I found the Indian people to have a genuine warmth, pride in their country, and a sincere desire to welcome her visitors. In the countryside, the women washing their clothes in the rivers or the men and children bathing together would stop what they were doing to look and wave at us, just as we were looking and waving at them. While visiting the Sas Bahu temple in the countryside, a family of seven was walking down a path. Each of the women, even the young girls, was dressed in colorful saris. I asked permission to take their picture and, as I was walking down the hill to meet the group, the youngest girl shyly tugged on my shirt and asked for money. I gave her 40 Rupees, which amounts to about $1. She giggled and waved to me as if I had given her a million dollars.

I always have a great respect for the religions of the country in which I travel. In India, 82 percent of the population is Hindu and 13 percent are Muslims, with a minority group of Jews and Christians. It was an honor to visit several of their temples, always having to remove our socks or shoes before entering. At the Eklingji temple near Udaipur, rows of women were sitting at the entrance, encouraging you to buy their beautiful homemade garlands of fragrant flowers or huge lotus flowers (the symbol of purity) as an offering once inside. In the temple people were meditating, reading, or praying to one of several gods inside.

We stayed at a five-star Taj resort in Delhi, as well as the Hilton Trident Hotels in Agra, Jaipur, and Udaipur. As we approached each hotel, we were warmly greeted by men in tunics with turbans on their heads, gently bowing to us with their hands held together in a praying position. Once inside, we were greeted by an Aarti Ceremony with women dressed in fancy saris, holding bowls of red powder. They dipped a finger in the bowl, and placed a red dot on our forehead and a garland of marigolds around our necks.

Eastbound Tours, located in India, were our incredible suppliers for the trip. Their staff was professional, caring, and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend their services for your clients, knowing that they will be well taken care of, and return with as many wonderful memories as I did!

Margie Weidert – an OSSN member who owns the Travel Shoppe in Xxxx, Xx. – submitted this article about her experiences during the 2007 OSSN International Conference in India.