Indian Marriages (some explanatory notes first!)

I believe it was when I read Chetan Bhagat's "2 States" (a book based on the story of his marriage) that I have truly been interested to learn more about Indian marriages. Coming from a place where the so- called "love marriages" (though we never called it like this) is the norm, the idea of "arranged marriages" in India seemed an almost alien concept to me.

Fully booked

To say that my train to Kolkata from Mumbai has many passengers is the understatement of the century. Well, at least that is the case on the sleeper class bogie of Gitanjali Express that I am in.

I should have known it this morning by the very very long line of the passengers queued for the second class carriage or the general or the unreserved class. This was not the first time I saw the line moving and this morning's was indeed longer and more frantic than before.

SRO at night time

Of course, the Gitanjali Express is not dubbed super fast for nothing. It only takes 30 hours to reach Kolkata from Mumbai. Other trains I have checked that matches my schedule range between 32-36 hours of journey from Mumbai in the West to Kolkata in the East. (The hours of course not include the delays which happen with trains often.) I believe this is the reason why there are a lot of passengers in the Gitanjali. It's the Durga Puja season or the Duhserra (Dasara) festival which is widely celebrated in West Bengal, the state of Kolkata, an everyone wants to make it home.

Lost ticket scare

This morning, I was losing my mind as I frantically searched for my train tickets for the East India vacay! How can someone lose five tickets being showed off at Skype just two nights before?! The answer: forgetfulness blamed on stress and lack of sleep!

Ok, ok. Erase the stress part. My stress levels, I believe, is gradually going down as I have completed most of my tasks for YUVA Urban and for VSO and I have already secured my tickets for the five inter-state trains spanning thousands of kilometers and tens of hours on a non-ac sleeper class triple bunk. As Amanda commented on the Indian Rail system, "I'm just so amazed that it works!"

I sooooo love bus commuting

Three hours after I left the centre, I am still sitting on a bus, traveling. In days like this, I miss the overcrowded and dilapidated killer buses ruling EDSA in Metro Manila. For the simple reason that they are available in multitudes, almost 24/7.

It was the first time that I have taken an AC bus from Kharghar to, well at least I though I was heading to, Dadar. After almost an hour's waiting at the train station for the CST-bound train that never arrived, I decided to catch the bus. I actually wanted to take the Thane-bound train then catch a fast rain to Dadar but was advised by colleagues not to do so.

The Agra Fort and Taj Mahal on Video

9 September 2012

It's really about Agra Fort and Taj Mahal. This sounds like "World's Funniest Home Video" to me but how else can I put it? :)

Here are some clips I took during my trip to Delhi and then to Agra and Taj Mahal. The playlist includes videos from Agra Fort, blog yet to be written, and several videos of Taj Mahal from the entrance to a bit of a close-up. Enjoy!

The Taj Mahal - Finally!

9 September 2012

Before coming to India, I only know a few things about this sub-continent and what stands out among these is the Taj Mahal. I barely know the story about Taj Mahal before I came here, only that it is a must-see monument, one of the seven wonders of the world.

Oh hello there!

Bodh Gaya: the journey to Nirvana

30 September 2012

Ok. Actually, I just can't think of an apt title at this moment that I am writing this. Hahaha :) But, yeah, you can pretty much say that this post indeed is about the journey of Buddha, not necessarily into Nirvana but in the achievement of enlightenment. Also, this will be about the journey of me, Juls and Amanda as we tried to understand what Buddhism is and how it has began here in India.

my favorite of the snaps at Bodh Gaya:
the "pilgrims" with the Giant Buddha