Kama Sutra...Did I get your attention?

Our visit to Varanasi came to close and it was time to catch a short flight to Khajuraho. Khajuraho is a very small city, only about 20,000 people so the pace of life was very different. As soon as we arrived at the airport we knew we were in a different India.

Khajuraho is famous for temples with explicit carvings from the Kama Sutra. The temples are amazing. There are also several Jain temples as well. The art is not erotic but rather part of the world view in Hindu tradition of the necessity to have a fulfilling sexual relationship for both husband and wife. Some of the carvings also depict what are deemed to be depraved acts like beastiality and show the disgust of others to these acts.

After visiting the temple we returned to our beautiful hotel, the Hotel Chandela. We enjoyed massages. 1000 Rupees for a 1 hour full body massage: that's about $17! When we were getting to our room they were also preparing a room across the hall for a honeymoon. It was absolutely gorgeous! Khajuraho was the quiet calm we needed in the middle of our trip.

Varanasi and Sarnath...the wheel of Dharma has been set in motion. (Updated)

Yesterday and today we have explored two of the most sacred places I have ever been; the Ganges river and Deer Park.

Before sunset we went by boat to the burning ghats where they cremate the dead. It is considered insensitive to photograph the cremations so our pictures are from a distance. We saw people bring their loved ones to the river and dowsing their shrouded bodies before the cremation begins. We saw bodies in the process of being cremated under the piles of wood. We saw the end of the ceremony when the chief mourner, dressed in white with his shaven head, dispose of the skull by throwing it into the water. And finally the pouring of water onto the remaining ash and walking away from the banks of the Ganges without looking back. No, there is no overwhelming smell. It is a chaotic yet peaceful environment. Truly something that can only be fully experienced first hand. After the boat we went on shore to watch the evening ceremony of the Hindu priests. And then when the fire ceremony ended we braved the crowded streets to get back to our car and back to our hotel. The entire evening was an experience I will never forget.

In the morning it only got better!

This morning we left our hotel at 5am to head down to the ghats again for sunrise. Our guide Shahshank secured a boat with the same oarsman as the night before. We went south to the Raja Ghat where we pulled up to the steps and stripped down so we could bathe in the sacred river. According to Hindu beliefs bathing in the Ganges removes all sins and bad Karma. We went in to the water and watched the sun rise.

After heading back down toward the burning ghats again we disembarked and walked through the narrow lanes of Varanasi to see the many Hindu shrines and temples. The main temple is under heavy security and cameras and non-Hindus are not allowed inside. We enjoyed some chai and purchased some incense and then headed back to our hotel for breakfast... All before 7:30am!

Our next destination of the day was Sarnath where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, preached his first sermon to the first 5 members of the Sangha, or community. Around 250bc the emperor of India Ashoka built the stupa that still stands today. Much of the complex is in ruins and is now undergoing archeological study after being destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. 

Next to Deer Park was an Archeological Museum, but again no cameras allowed. They had many early carvings of the Buddha and also the capital of Ashoka's pillar that is now the symbol of the country and appears on every denomination of Rupee note. Additionally, there are pieces of land around Deer Park that have been given to Buddhist communities from other countries to commemorate this place. Thailand just finished erecting a giant statute of the Buddha 2 years ago that is very impressive.

On the way back home to our hotel we stopped at a silk weaving co-op and had more chai and Lassi. The Lassi was amazing! When we got back to the hotel we enjoyed the pool and 99° degree heat. After dinner when we returned to our hotel we got to get a glimpse of a Hindu wedding ceremony being held on the grounds of our hotel. What a day!

Lessons learned from Harry...our tour guide, not my son.

Harry was our guide in Delhi which was 7 times the capital of India. Harry was outstanding, but even better when he began to open up about himself, his own ideas, and his own spirituality. First off, I would describe Harry as spiritual,as I believe he would as well. He seems like a man seeking spiritual knowledge, but not Oprah spiritual, truly Indian spiritual. He wears a Lord Buddha necklace, speaks freely about Sufi mystics, and is interested in finding out more about the god "Lord Jesus" who he thinks may have been buried in Kashmir (I've actually heard about this theory myself). He leads foreigners on spiritual tours of India and was very excited to know that we were heading to both Varanasi and Sarnath. He gave us tips on meditation in Sarnath, he has spent time with the Dalai Lama and explained that the next Lama is already known. He joked about Osho, and told me to Google him. However, beyond all his spiritual knowledge and interest he really knows his history! He thinks the Congress Party will lose the current election. He is also more concerned about the relationship between India and China than he is about the conflicts with Pakistan. He went as far as to say if there is a World War III it will be in Kashmir. But not between India and Pakistan, but between India and China. Intriguing! So I guess that is the relationship to watch and pay close attention to in the future. I'll add contact info for Harry's website later.

Today it is off to Varanasi and the sacred Ganges River, oh and happy Easter!

Dehli is delightful!

We had a great day in Delhi. We saw 4 UNESCO World Heritage sights. We had a private guide and driver the entire day taking us from place to place. For lunch we had street food; lentils, paneer and naan. It was awesome! Lots of pictures are on our other camera so I'll load some of them up later. For now here are a few from Chodni Chowk and Qutab Minar.

We are in India... Where are all the people?

We got in on time, went through customs and were greeted by our guide as planned. We picked up our luggage and exchanged money and went out to our waiting car. Things were a little chaotic outside the airport but I've seen worse at O'Hare! So off we went through the city around 12:30am. Streets were quiet. Many of them were blockaded by what looks like impromptu road blocks set up by the police. We went around the blockades and drove through the diplomatic area of town and passed the government offices and residence of the President. We passed a wedding on the way and our guide said he'll look into whether we can crash a wedding while we're here. that would be awesome! We were assisted with check in at our  hotel The Lalit in Delhi which is beautiful. I'll post a few pictures of it here with this post. I hardly slept I'm so excited to be here. Today we tour Delhi, both New and Old. I'll try to post during the day some pictures from around the city. By the way for those at home let me tell you, tomorrow is awesome!

Exit row luxury!

Exit rows with crazy amounts of leg room make for happy travelers. Now if the offer me free beer I'll be set! 8 hours to India.

Half way...time for a beer break!

The flight to Munich was uneventful. I thought it was odd to eat beef on the plane on the way to India, but I guess most of the people on the plane were ending their travels in Germany. United international is awful by the way. I feel sorry for those who bought a Lufthansa ticket and expected that quality of service. It is Lufthansa the rest of the way and back for us, except for the internal travel in India which ought to be a real treat. I think we have the exit row to India. Lucky us! See you in India!