Southern India - From Kerala to Chennai

by Theresa Gerritz

We bid adieu to our new friends at the Ayurvedic treatment center. I left two flower hair ornaments with the women who massaged me over four days. Everyone in India loves my barrettes, even the women security guards at the airport who pat you down commented on them. Of course, in India a man could never touch a woman or a woman touch a man. And since women don’t travel much I would always get through security five to ten minutes ahead of Peter.

Now back to Southern India. We drove up into the mountains. The air kept getting cooler and cooler. The vistas were spectacular. We went by banana trees, mangos, and pineapples and little waterfalls began appearing. The roads were narrow but cars and buses managed to pass each other calmly. Animals did not dominate the roadway and set the speed. Pedestrians stayed to the edges of the road. One could travel at over 15 kilometers an hour for the most part.

Our first stop was this incredible Syrian Christian church in Kottayam. The Syrian Christinas of Kerala believe that St. Thomas, one of the apostles of Christ came to Kerala in 52 AD and established 7 churches on its coast. This church is one of the few old churches that still exists in near its original state. The church was built and consecrated in 1579. Kottayam was then ruled by a local raja who invited the brave and hard working Christians to settle down near his fort. To get the right historical perspective it should be remembered that the Cupola of St. Peter’s was consecrated 11 years later in 1590, The Taj Mahal was completed 69 years later in 1648 and Christopher Wren completed St Paul’s in London 131 years later in 1710. (You can see I’m getting influenced by Dr. Pete!) The façade of the church is beautifully done in bas relief. As the church was built during the Portuguese domination of this coast, its style is European with galleries, pillars, cornices and pediments. The capital of the pillars is Corinthian. The pediments have floral decoration. In the center is a niche with a free standing statue of the virgin and child flanked by a group of angels. The façade was incredible. It incorporated symbols from other religions. The serpents you see are from the Hindu tradition. They also appear in the Buddhist tradition. Syrian crosses are much more 3 dimensional and intricate than the traditional Catholic cross. There were beautiful teak carvings and they incorporated peacocks and other animals. There was a special lock for the church doors to keep out the tigers and elephants in ancient times. The Madbaha, which is the holy of holies, or altar, is a piece of art. It has a painted barrel vault built up of carved laterite stones. The eastern wall is painted with various scenes with the virgin mother at its centerpiece. The side walls have paintings depicting various scenes of the passion of the Christ, starting with the last supper, Gadzamane and the arrest and judgment on the northeastern wall, ending with the crucifixion on the south eastern wall. I was impressed even though I was on religious-site overload.

We continued on to Thekkady and were put into this lovely lodge that was on the edge of the forest with beautiful flowers. We washed and then went to see a performance of the Kerala Kalari Centre and saw Kalaipayattu, which, according to the Dance School, is “the oldest form of martial arts- a gift to the modern world and known as the mother of all martial arts. Legend traces the 3000-year-old art form to Sage Parasurama- the master of all martial art forms and credited to be the re-claimer of Kerala from the Arabian Sea. Kalaripayattu originated in ancient South India.”

The dancers (martial artists) were in a pit and we looked down from above. Before every maneuver they bowed to the gods on the altar with the swords, sticks, daggers, spears. We saw how one fights with a shield against a sword, a cloth versus a saber and all other forms of dancing combat. They used tin so at times sparks flew to make it more dramatic in the darkened room. The martial artists were in fantastic shape and it was beautiful to watch their bodies in motion. They also did somersaults through hoops of fire. At one point one of the performers got singed but the show must go on.

After that I went to see the Kathakali show. Like with the martial artists and other dramatic dancers in India, their families have been doing it for generations and the skills are passed down. The makeup for the Kathakali dancing is amazing and takes over an
hour to apply. I watched part of the demonstration of how it was done. Men pose as women and their outfits used hoop-like skirts. In addition there were about a dozen different hand signs that were used to help tell the story. As if this weren’t enough, to the beat of the drums and the music the dancer moves a different part of their face every second in order to show
different emotions.

They enacted part of a moral fable. It was probably from one of the stories of the Hindu
mythology or the Bahagavad Ghita. I could not even stay focused for as long as they could move. It supposedly takes 8 years to master all of the facial
gestures.

In the morning we got up as early as our guide was willing to go in search of tigers.
Walking through the jungle meant wearing canvas leg coverings from the shoe to the knee to keep out leeches. We walked and walked but we never saw tigers. Peter thought, “This guy doesn’t know anything!” I finally asked, “Since we’re not likely to see tigers, can you show us how to see what there is out here?” At this point the quiet guide perked up smiled and let us
know he was an expert ornithologist and started pointing out all the different bird habitats, wherethe monkeys were that Peter affectionately calls “Oh, Ling Ling”! which I think might be the Thai name for monkey, but you’ll have to ask him!

We also came across the most incredible, lacelike fungus or mushroom that I have ever seen in my life. It looked like a giant lantern and the sun shone through it.

As it was time to leave the jungle, our guide was searching for a way out. Peter the fearless explorer probably hurt the guide’s ego when he found the quickest route down to the trail. As we were walking back the guide noticed a leech on my hand. Obviously the leeches are
smart and they know which part of our bodies are fair game. If you have never been leeched you might not know that they first put out an anesthetic so that you don’t feel them. Then they inject something into your body so that the blood does not coagulate. We quickly removed that leech.

A little while later when I was out of the jungle and walking in town, I looked down at my stomach and it was bright red. Somehow a leech had also decided that I was tasty there. I never saw the leech but somehow I must have washed it off in showering. We also went on
a boat ride where we saw lots of elephants, bison, and goat, but by now elephants seemed as common as squirrels or deer—I was much more interested in these beautiful birds - Egyptian geese, larks, wren, warblers, etc..


From Thekkady we went to visit Professor Jacobson’s spice plantation. It was a gorgeous assortment of flowers and spices. The work that goes in to making spices ready for sale is incredible. In many cases each part of the plant has to be individually tied off or harvested. The difference in a day can affect its quality. We got to taste fresh vanilla beans, coco beans, saffron, and so much more. There was something that looked like ginger but wasn’t. We also got to try
this fruit that was a cross between a passionfruit and something else.

We went back and walked around town we were lucky enough to find some internet that
worked and where Peter could use SKYPE. We also found a wonderful little store with a delightful young man from Kashmir who could speak English. He had beautiful earrings. I bought silver Ganesh earrings. Ganesh is a Hindu elephant god that opens the doors to
prosperity, health, wealth, and other good things. I bought these earrings for Marlene, my cleaning lady of over 20 years because she loves elephants and had just had surgery for breast cancer. I hoped they would do the trick and bring her good luck. Peter bought Jill these
beautiful prayer wheel earrings where the prayer wheels turned. They were inscribed with the Buddhist saying

We also bought a beautiful pashmina scarf for Flavia, who was taking care of the house and welcoming each of the people who paid for the privilege of staying in my attic retreat. I had so much fun staying around while they put the hooks in the earrings. We spent an hour talking about the shopkeeper’s life there and his home in Kashmir. As with most young men he was to be part of an arranged marriage within the next year. It was just so nice to have someone to talk to.

We left Thekkady and had to backtrack a bit to go to an area that in very similar to our own, minus the bay and except the hills are covered with tea plants. At one time the tea plants were owned by the British and they even printed their own scrip with which to pay the workers so that the workers wouldn’t leave. Today they are collectives. Remember Kerala is the only communist elected government in India. They have a 99 percent literacy, rate many more rights and opportunities for women, better roads, cleaner air and water, and much less poverty. They do however have a high unemployment rate and many of the young people go abroad for work.

With the high tech development in neighboring states and cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad more jobs are becoming available in India. In fact, when we traveled up the backwaters in old wooden boats that were propelled by pushing a pole against the bed of the
river we saw many people reading. We also saw home industries, like grass-mat weaving.
We were also told about the magnificent boats they have where a hundred and fifty people row in unison and in the center sits a drummer flanked by two oarsmen who are also singers who keep the time for the movement of the oars. On the smaller boats of twenty five and fifty people, women even compete in their own category. As a cultural aside even though
“football” is widely popular, girls do not play. In fact in India where only about 20 percent of the people drive at all, only about 1 percent of the women
have driving licenses.

In southern India, I saw women driving the motorcycle but in northern India it was 99
percent likely that they were a passenger and very rarely did you see a woman riding a bicycle. In southern India women and girls could ride bicycles but our driver did not let his daughter ride a bike because of safety. That doesn’t stop him from putting his whole family on a motorcycle without helmets!

Besides tea plantations, Munnar is also a honeymoon capital, although Richard Gere had a warrant out for his arrest for kissing one of the Bollywood stars. I did see a couple when I was on an isolated trail near a beautiful lookout hold hands and kiss because they thought they were alone. Although you don’t see men and women touching, you do see men holding
hands and women holding hands. The man at the jewelry store asked us if it were true that two men holding hands in America means they are gay. Munnar had a beautiful park with a fantastic children’s playground. They had a “flying squirrel” and both boys and girls were taking turns. Roller skating was also available but on a surface that I couldn’t do without breaking my neck.
People in southern India and Nepal seem to love their children. Meanwhile I watched the people in the north, especially the poor province of Bahar, being very strict and severe with their children.

Most marriages in India are still arranged so these couples are just getting to know each other. As some of our drivers and guides explained to us, “First I married my wife, and then I grew to love her”.

In Munnar, while Peter was recuperating from his Ayurvedic experience, I went to a beautiful open market with the most delicious produce. In some places in India you can see thirty varieties of bananas. I bought fresh mangoes and grapes for us to feast on when we headed down the mountain the next day.
When we returned to Kochi I went shopping with the driver’s daughter for a new outfit. At first she was shy but then she started speaking English with me. We also picked out an outfit for her brother. In the store there are always three or four clerks to wait on you. Then you go and pay for the outfit and then there is a separate place where you go and pick it up. This way more and more people are employed. You cannot judge it and the extra time it takes by American efficiency standards. We could learn a lot by putting people to work to keep the parks clean, the bathrooms safe, and all the ways that they find to make employment.

That evening I was invited to the driver’s house for dinner. They live in a lovely house of five rooms with glass windows and a paved driveway within a gated compound with relatives as neighbors. They had electricity all the time, but the bathroom was outside (which they prefer). They set out a beautiful meal of at least ten different bowls. But when it came time to eat only one place was set. I was to be the honored guest and eleven people were there to watch me. I took tiny portions and the children eager to serve me kept adding more at my request, a teaspoon at a time. It took me one hour to eat the meal between questions.
The food was terrific and much of it I had never seen at an Indian restaurant. I realized it was really a hard time for his wife to be cooking because two days later a nephew was going to be married and that meant a new woman would be entering the compound. I asked about the cost of dowries for them as middle class people. It would cost the brides family about 8
thousand dollars. They make in a good month about 750 dollars. It would cost the man’s family about 800 dollars to pay for the feast for the 300 guests. In
this area a dowry would probably include a motorcycle whereas with my first driver it would be a bicycle.
I went back to the hotel and described to Peter the dinner. He was so thankful that he had not been able to go. I however enjoyed seeing the women and the home and talking to the young relatives of Peter’s age. If it had been daytime, I could have played badminton in their yard.
The children had computers to use at school but not at home. Internet was quite reasonable. Because of Joshy’s job he had a cell phone. Most phones are cell phones and they have towers in the steepest ravines where we would lose reception. Hotels don’t necessarily have computers, nor do banks. Much of accounting is done by hand with carbon copies.
The next morning Peter and I separated. He went to New Delhi and Thailand, and I went to Chennai (old Madras). I was lucky enough to find a Gulf Airlines office hidden in the terminal with the most delightful man who not only hounded AA so I could get on a plane the next day (being in a heat wave of 114) but made sure I had a realistic itinerary for sightseeing, a good place to stay, and that I would not be overcharged by taxi or auto-rickshaw drivers. They also had a great setup in the center of the parking lot where I could leave baggage overnight. So with a large purse I set off alone for the first time in four weeks to explore the
city.

I luckily got a wonderful older rickshaw driver who, without me asking him to, showed me all of the sights that I had listed as wanting to see. First on my list were the beautiful grounds of the Theosophical Society, which was founded in 1875 in New York. Its primary object is universal brotherhood based on the realization that life in all its diverse forms, human and nonhuman is indivisibly one. Theosophy is the wisdom underlying all religions when
they are stripped of accretions and superstitions. It offers a philosophy that renders life intelligible and demonstrates that justice and love guide the cosmos. Its teachings aid the unfoldment of the latent spiritual nature of the human being without dependence or fear.

The Theosophical Society’s grounds are this incredible park like setting with a wonderful old Banyan tree. The grounds are also called “The Lungs of Chennai” because they are one of the few open spaces. It had in the gardens beautiful Buddhist gardens and a major
temple with symbols from all the religions of the world. It had a great library and this wonderful, peaceful, spiritual feeling. And you see how important trees are, because even thought it was 110, it was pleasant, and felt to be only about 90.

I also saw the old Catholic church in Mylapore, Chennai, where St. Thomas’s remains were in a crypt in the basement that you could view and where I lit a candle for Marlene and other friends of mine who were sick in hopes that Our Lady of Mylapore would make a miracle.

In Chennai also all of the women wear jasmine in their hair. They dye it to match their saris and the scent is wonderful.

Another highlight the incredible Kappaleeswarar Hindu temple with its intricate paintings and
sculptures that make the painted Victorian ladies of San Francisco look simple by comparison.

The driver also found me a new hotel by the marina where I could walk even at night and see the families frolicking on the seashore and their version of amusement rides for small children. They also sold popcorn, cotton candy, grilled corn, fresh pineapple, coconut milk, and coconut
shells, cucumbers that are prepared like in Mexico with chili and lime and other wonderful concoctions. At this point I decided I now had the necessary resistance and indulged in grilled corn, cucumbers, pineapple, and popcorn.

Some young men talked to me to practice their English and I had a marvelous time. I
even got brave enough to dip my toe in the waters of the Bay of Bengal. I had not been brave enough to have any of my body parts touch the Ganges or the Arabian Sea or any of the lakes and rivers we had traveled on.
I decided it might be fun to go to the rooftop restaurant, but when I arrived there it was hot and smoky and I was the only woman. So I decided a snack in my room reading Peter’s favorite philosopher, Ken Wilbur, was a better alternative.
The next morning at 4:45 the auto-rickshaw driver returned to take me to the airport. It was already at least 90 degrees. I happily boarded the plane for Muscat in Oman. I had a five hour layover in Oman. Then I flew over hours of desert before reaching the skies above Athens
and eventually France to England. I could have kissed the soil to arrive in England and become invisible. That is to say, no one stared at me for being white.

I was greeted at the airport after 24 hours of travel by my former housemate Jordan and his wife Megan. My being a drama queen, the day was not going to end as peacefully as Megan had hoped. She ran me a bath by candlelight, but being that I don’t use candles and I was half asleep, I forgot to blow them out. I slept through all the smoke alarms in the morning. But did
notice some melting on the fiberglass on the bathtub that I did not remember from the night before! I wanted to be a good houseguest and Megan had thought that she should maybe say something to me but she didn’t want to bother me. The moral of the story is trust your
intuition. Especially when you are dealing with me as a houseguest! I’m still waiting for the bill for that. The hidden cost of vacations!

Kochi - The Ayuverdic Hospital - A detox that killed my bowels

... continued from last post

by Peter

After some rest, my mom and I went out to see the Synagogue, the Vasco de Gama Church and the old V.O.C. (Dutch East India Company) building, then we spent the rest of the night at the hotel before leaving for my friend Sheelas' recommended Ayuverdic Hospital. I wanted the real experiance, not some Ayuverdic Spa that westerners normally go to. We drove about 15km south after some morning yoga and the best breakfast of the trip to a large three story complex call MATT India Medical Centre. The people were very nice and the doctor said she could get my moms bowels to move, plus we were prescribed daily yoga and twice daily massages. My mother was even going to get a bonus of clay therapy. I was excited.

Ayuverdic Massage

Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent. The word "Ayurveda" is a tatpurusha compound of the word āyus meaning "life" or "life principle", and the word veda, which refers to a system of "knowledge". Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life". According to Charaka, "life" itself is defined as the "combination of the body, sense organs, mind and soul, the factor responsible for preventing decay and death, which sustains the body over time, and guides the processes of rebirth". According to this perspective, Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "ayus", which includes healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony.

Pizhichil
In this treatment, lukewarm herbal oils are applied all over the body by two to four trained masseurs in a special rhythmic way for about 45 to 60 minutes per day.

Sirovashi
Certain lukewarm herbal oils are poured onto the forehead for 15 to 60 minutes per day


So now to actually explain what getting these treatments our like. (on a side note, my mother got different treatment.) The Sirovashi was very relaxing but the head and face massage that followed was incredibly painful and when I said it hurt they just kept going and said it was good pain. By the third day, I had headaches. In regards to the Pizhichil, you are laid BUTT-ASS naked on a hard wooden board without any padding which for a westerner is not good for my joints. After the first massage, my elbows, wrists, and knee joints were red and raw from being pushed back and forth on the massage table for an hour. However, the muscle knots in my neck and shoulders did improve even if my joints ached. On the third day, my mother was finally given a bottle of "castor oil" which did the trick and she had a bowel movement. I was jealous and boy did I get what I deserved.

The next day, after Yoga I was given the pre-castor oil tonic my mother was given and two bottles of warm pink water. After downing the tonic and 1/2 of one of the pink water bottles, my bowels exploded. My entire insides were released. I could finally understand what it must be like to get Lactulose or a prep for a Colonoscopy; however, this was only the start. After, everything solid came out of hole #2, all my stomach contents came out the other side and I was making oral gastric offerings to the porcelain gods. For the next 32 hours, I continued to expunge any and all substance from both orifices of my body. The doctor gave me more tonics, coconut juice, tea, and nothing worked. I couldn't hold anything down and I was starting to get really dehyrated and starting having mild hallucinations. I told my mom at one point after spending 5 or 6 hours on the floor next to the toilet, I would need an IV. Fortunately, my mother said, " Don't you have some acupuncture treatment you can give yourself. " Thankfully, I did CV-12(Middle heater, stomach Mu point), ST -25 (anti-nausea), CV-7 (lower heater, i.e small and large intestine) and Cv-5( adrengic mu point) later I was able to take sleep for 5-6 hours without needing to go to the bathroom. The next morning we were picked up by Joshy and I was really happy to go. It took me 3 days after that before I stopped the nausea and the constipation; although, I didn't try any more acupuncture which probably would have helped me heal earlier.

Kerela - "Gods Own Country" - not my God

I am back in Fort Cochin on my second to last day in India (Hurrah!). I can only say this trip has not been a vacation. It has been a learning experiance in assumptions, in learning how to ask direct questions, enunciating the english langauge well does not = ability to speak english, and many other lessons. In the coming paragraphs, I will try and recap the ups and downs of our trip through the Indian State of Kerala.

May 2nd, 2007 - A night in Bangalore

My mother and I barely escaped the nightmare that was Bangalore. Our delayed flight arrived a little past one in the morning and a nice Sikh IT worker for Oracle named Jaspreet tried to help my mother and I find a safe, clean, hotel near the airport. All the recommended hotels in our Lonely Planet were full and we were left to use of the hotel finding services, which for a nominal fee (500 rupess = $12.00) could alledgedly book a hotel. Now in most countries, when you book a hotel for someone, you make sure the hotel has a room... BUT not in Bangalore. We arrived via Tuk-tuk around 2am and my mother was in bad shape. The fatigue and 10 days of constipation were showing their toll and she was dehydrated. When we got to the hotel, we waited around for 15 minutes patiently while I ascertained that 1) there were no rooms and 2)there was no clean water. Being in an angry state as seems to be the norm for me, I asked, really, demanded someplace to sleep. With our bags in hand, we marched down the street to a sister hotel which had no air conditioning, something else we were promised and had paid for. I decided some sleep was better than none, while my poor mother tried to have a bowel movement and take a shower. On her way out, she slipped owing to the fact the power and water went out, oh and there was not bathmat on a slippy tile floor with multiple levels, hit her tailbone leaving a nice bruise, my acupuncture needles couldn't touch. The next morning we left ASAP after I told the hotel manager that I would pay him half of the expected sum. But, he demanded all of it, we settled on 70%.

May 3rd, 2007 - Arrival in Kochi (aka cochin)

Kochi ( is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city is one of the principal seaports of the country and is located in the district of Ernakulam, about 220 kilometres (137 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. It has an estimated population of 600,000, with an extended metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it the largest urban agglomeration and the second largest city in Kerala after the capital. Since 1102 CE, Kochi was the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin, a princely state which traces its lineage to the Kulasekhara empire. Heralded as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century onwards. Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Cochi. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India. It remained the capital of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa became the capital. The city was later occupied by the Dutch, the Mysore and the British. Kochi was the first princely state to willingly join the Indian Union, when India gained independence in 1947.

Looking down over the tropical lush forests and deltas of Kerala, I saw hope. We landed on time to a nice private airport and were immediatly met by our guide/driver Joshy, a person recommended by my mothers friend, Joan, and necklaces of Jasmine Flowers. The air was clean, their was a breeze and I was looking forward to an Ayuverdic treatment and seeing Malabar, the ol capital of the Spice Trade. We made our way the 40km in a nice new big air conditioned Toyota to the Kochi peninsula neighborhood of Fort Cochin. Fort Cochin is where the Portugese, then Dutch, and finally British traders settled and made their headquarters in the Spice Trades. Vasco de Gama was even originally buried here and the town is definately colonial sitting right on the coastline of the Arabian Sea. Joshy had arranged for us to stay at the luxurious Bruton Boatyard Hotel which is a converted Dutch ship building office with ocenside rooms only. The room was stunning, with a huge bathtube and balcony with dolphins swimming as fishing boats sailed by. I though, where is this India in the North? I left my mom to sleep off Bangalore and went exploring.

The Jews of Kerala

The Malabari Jews formed a prosperous trading community of Kerala, and they controlled a major portion of world wide spice trade. In 1568, the Jews of Kerala constructed the Paradesi Synagogue adjacent to Mattancherry Palace, Cochin, now part of the Indian city of Ernakulam, on land given to them by Paraja, the Raja of Kochi. The original synagogue was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur (Cranganore) when the Jews had a mercantile role in the South Indian region along the Malabar coast now called Kerala. It was later moved to Kochi from Kodungallur. The first synagogue of the Malabari Jews in Cochin was destroyed in the Portuguese persecution of the Malabari Jews and Nasrani people of Kerala in the 1500s. The second synagogue, built under the protection of the Raja of Cochin along with Dutch patronage, is the present synagogue. It is called Paradesi synagogue because it was built with Dutch patronage at a time when Kochi was under Dutch occupation, thus the name paradesi synagogue or "foreign synagogue".

The Return to India - One Last Day in Kathmandu, the Buddhas 2551 Birthday

"India is an amazing country, full of contradictions. It is a place of beauty with warm and generous people on one hand; on the other, millions and millions of its inhabitants live in the worst poverty imaginable."

I awoke this morning dreading the day. I knew today I had to return to India. Coming back here is both intriguing and scary. It is like the first day of starting school in a new grade. India is a great teacher and I do not always want to learn. I am looking forward to Kerala and the South, as well as the opportunity to spend 6 days in one place at one of Kerala's famous Ayuverdic Spas. However, at that moment, I only wanted to stay in bed.

After alot of coaching, my mother finally convinced me to pack up and visit the local Tibetan Temple that was about a 5 minute walk from our hotel. Two days earlier, she had met a Thangka (Scroll) Painter Teacher who had shown her the best Sange Mela (Medicine Buddha) she had seen.

The temple was gorgeous. It had just been painted and refurbished for the coming Full Moon Celebration marking the Buddha's Birthday with new prayer flags, incense, and candles everywhere. There was a throng of people as I made my way to the main alter to do my last proscretions to the Dhamma, Sangha, and Buddha before leaving Nepal. Next to the Stupa square was the Thangka School.

We were immediatly greeted by the teachers brother who showed us the Medicine Buddha. It was stunning and unlike any other we had visited in the last four days of Thangka shopping (about 100 stores in all, 300-400 Medicine Buddha and Medicine Mandala Scrolls). My mother showed her negotiating ability and walked out the door with a delivery to our hotel in an hour with 60% of the asking price. Strong work, mom.

The rest of the morning was spent shopping for a lighweight sleeping bag and raincoat. We only visited about 16 stores for this purchase before finding a Tibetan proprietor who had 500 gram (about 1.1 pound) sleeping bags for $60.00 USD and a Northface Chinese Knock off for $70.00 that would be $300.00 in the US. We then headed to the airport to catch our flight to New Dehli and then on to Kochi, Kerala Province via Bangalore.

Kushinager - The Last Days in India

by Peter

“Yetra nari pujante, gamante sarwa devataha. “ – Where women are worshipped, the gods and goddesses abide.

“Now, another morning has come to timeless India, another day of plowing fields, hauling water, raising children, burning the dead. Beggars sit with bloodshot eyes, matted hair, and gaunt bellies, hands and feet withered and deformed, breathing the oily soot of the streets. They appear crazed, anguished, and despairing, or impartial, proud, and serene, offering the teaching of their existence, asking for generosity.”

“My sense of self is dissolving, as I see my illness reflected in the gaunt faces and sunken eyes around me. I am suffering, yet how much more others must feel the same misery, the same persistent burning in the throat, the same headache, the same twisting of the bowels. In this feverish delirium it is easy to understand the warnings of wise renunciates: from its glamorous heights to its terrifying depths, samsara is a sea of fire and a battlefield of razor-sharp weapons, in which we shall ultimately find nothing but sorrow.”

We came to where Buddha died, and so did a part of me. I hope it is part of the judge. The beauty of this place was telling, from the orange blanket covering the dying reclining buddha to the renovated Ashok Pillar. As for Merit, the number of projects helping to build this poor 1000 person community are numerous. Their is a name for the foundation but I forget exactly what is is. I do remember our guide mentioned establishing a Buddhist University and Medical School with Hospital. The major funders are the Thai and Japanese Governments.

Going For a Ride in the Car

by Teri Gerritz

Most of our trip in India is by private car. Peter and I are the only passengers and at times a guide joins the driver. We sit in the back. We have our place. A driver is your protector, He navigates roads and road conditions that make any obstacle course you’ve played on any simulation or video game look like child’s play that you’d have to play blindfolded with one hand behind your back to have it resemble any fair type of competition, As previously stated everyone and everything “shares” the road from animals with and without attached contraptions to people walking or attached to any use of wheels that were invented in every period of history.

On top of this, anyone who has ever traveled with Peter knows that he likes to use the time for anything but interacting with you or the scenery. On this trip he was watching 16 2hr acupuncture lectures. Ergo I was not to interact with his holiness the doctor. Luckily the driver on our Buddha loop was friendly , contrasting with the army like demeanor or invisibility perhaps due to language of our other drivers. He invited me to sit in the front seat. Of course, I leaped at the opportunity.

He pointed out great sites like the mango tree climbers who make 35-40 trips /day up and down the trees that can be 30ft high. Unfortunately some spaced out macho motorcyclist didn’t observe and banged into us. This was after the previously peaceful wonderful day in Bodhgaya where we were full of monks and spirituality. It was in a village and we were the outsiders, sort of like wearing blue in a red zone, but without guns. Peter agreed to back up the driver if need be. He humbly stated he could take out 17 of them. We agreed with the driver it wasn’t his fault. He had some words with the motorcyclist that we couldn’t understand and got back in the car. No one was hurt and we continued but the motorcyclist pursued us and we got stuck on a bridge together. The motorcyclist came up to the car and started harassing the driver. The driver asked Peter to step out with him and Peter did and stood in true Enforcer form. He thought our driver was at fault , probably out of embarrassment , anger , guilt, fear at having to tell the family he had hurt their motorcycle and if he couldn’t fix it not having the money to do so. Mind you most families feel lucky to own a bike. I’m sure to his way of thinking man in car rich… just like they see us as money cows. Anyway, he pushed the driver slightly and in true fashion Peter gave him that look and said stop. He tried to get into Peter’s space and touched him but Peter let him know in Body Language that he was fearless. Of course the young men from his village were supporting and egging him on. All I could think to do was lock my door, meditate on taking in anger and sending out peacefulness and take a picture. An elder got the young man to get on his bike and we drove away. When it was safe our driver stopped to assess the damage. He had to drive and stop at several village markets before finding glue, screws and a screw driver so he could fix the damaged fender and brake lights while we visited an old brick jail where some king was shackled by chains underground by his power hungry son who probably didn’t want him spending money on temples for the Buddha… Someone has to non-compete with Peter’s knowledge of history and who better than a BS history major from the 60’s like me. We complimented our driver on his great repair job and Peter wrote a dramatic account of the incident and our drivers bravery from the perspective of Dr. Gerritz and American Law.

Meanwhile I fed my voyeurism and natural interest in how people get their needs met by asking questions of the driver, listening, looking and adding facts I learned from guides and the one or two Indian businessmen who would talk to you. I haven’t seen an American since I left Delhi and only saw the one I knew there.(Another story) the other whites have been French and 1 italian and a Canadian. Je comprend mais je parle “franish” a language of my own made up of any word in any form I can remember of either language. The following is a picture of information I got from several days on the “road”

If I were reincarnated as the hindu believe and married to a tour car driver this is what my life might be like. Trust me in India, except maybe in the biggest cities, if you are a woman you want to get married. In most places I was afraid to go out on my own and in Patna, Peter was so glad to have us escorted to the internet place that was at most two blocks away. Now this is in boring reporting form according to the sage but I’m too lazy to change it. To story form. I leave it up to you. It wasn’t part of my dowry.

Our driver and his wife were born in different villages near Varanasi on the Ganges River about 30 years ago to a a family of 4 brothers and 1 sister. . His parents died when he was young and he was raised by an uncle. 1 brother made the move to New Delhi. The rest live in villages near by. He was married, arranged of course, when he was 15 and his wife was of similar age or a year younger and he got his mother’s house. They had their first child about 3 years later. If a women does not produce a child in that time span a man may divorce her.

He learned some English at school for a year or two and then has learned from the tourists he drives around. His whole family reads and writes. He has worked as a car driver for the tour company for five years which he likes and makes it possible for him to only have one job. Note only about 20% of the men and 1% of the women drive. Before that he worked as a truck driver which is a very hard and much poorer paying job. When he works as a driver during tourist season of October thru March he doesn’t have much time with his family. But between June to August he spends much time with them. On the road he can become lonely and sleeps in his car. Last night he had a treat, the driver of the Chinese tourists’ bus who was also from Varanasi but unknown to him. invited him to sleep on the bus. So he not only got companionship but a better place to sleep. They are of course dependent on our tips as well as salary. Yesterday, after the accident , we gave him a 200 rupee bonus for surviving a day that all I saw was accidents for the first time along the road. This because we were mainly in a poor, small, rural areas where they can’t afford road police.

He feels comfortable in his house made of grass which is in many ways more breathable than brick and I think prettier looking. He repairs it about every two years. In a really bad monsoon it will leak a little. His wife can cook inside and they have an inside well that goes down 85 feet. He has two rooms; one for sleeping and one for the rest of the family activities. The bathroom is outside of the house. I do not know if it is just for his family or shared. They use kerosene for their lighting. There seems to be a shared electricity pole from which he takes 1 wire and pays about 300 rupees a month(Divide by 42 to get dollars; hint form retired math loving teacher). They can use it for a few hours a day. They have a black and white TV. His children who he buys treats for when on the road aged 12, 10, and 8 , are two boys and a girl, and he will not have more children because it is too expensive, watch cartoons. He can afford to send them to convent school for 300 rupee a month. These schools are better and have smaller classes. As a family they go to the movies every 2-3 months. Family movies are several hours long and are shown 4 times each day in 3 hour blocks. They usually will see the same show twice and then talk about it for quite a while afterwards. He owns a bicycle. If the family wants to go into the city or visit family at another village they take the bus. I am not sure if it is a bus where they can sit together or one where the men climb on top and the women and children ride inside.
His wife owns 3 sari’s; two for daily wear and a finer one for festivals, celebrations. Daily saris need to be replaced yearly and a fine one will last 5-6 years. They are Hindu and he only likes Indian food. He does not drink and said that is done mainly by foolish young men and people in the cities. He doesn’t play cards like I have sen the men doing in shops along the road but he does buy a lottery ticket. As a child he was too busy to play stick ball and other games. He is small in stature very soft spoken and outgoing and judging by his teeth perhaps chews in private. He is very protective of us. He helped us walk to the internet café in Patna. To drive here you have to be very clever and alert. He knows how to fix things when they are broken. They have a small pet dog and a parrot. They have a small garden with a few flowers, herbs, and vegetables but his wife goes to market daily and has the people she buys from. She is a homemaker.

He has a good life and has done well for himself. He is in this band that does better than the farmers but is not quite the new middle class. Because he works for the travel company he has a cell phone of his own to use. The car he returns to them when he is not driving for them.

I find it all beautiful but am ready to return with this knowledge to my current reincarnation and be thankful for the time, place and culture that I live in. I will however revisit my possessions and downsize and share with others.

Rajgir, Nalanda - Remnants of a Buddhist Empire in India

by Peter

We left wonderful, magnificent Bodhgaya this morning to visit the holy sites of Rajgir and Nalanda. Our first stop for the day was the hilltop of Rajgir to a Japanese Peace Pagoda and caves that duirng the lifetime of the Buddha.

Rajgir is encircled by five holy hills. It lies at a distance of approximately 34 km from the city of Bodhgaya. The name of the town is derived from the words 'Raj Griha', meaning 'the abode of the king'. During the lifetime of Buddha, Rajgir served as the capital city of the Magadh Empire. The city hosted Buddha during the reign of rule of Bimbisara who was overwhelmed, along with many citizens, by the charm and grace of Lord Buddha. Here the two rock-cut caves were the favourite retreats of the Buddha and it was on this hill that he preached two of his most famous sermons.

Built on a hallowed site where the Buddha had often stayed, Nalanda is one of the world's oldest living cities. The Buddhist University of Nalanda, once the most prestigious center of learning in Asia, was built here. The evocative ruins of its monasteries and temples still convey a vivid impression of the serene and ordered life of contemplation and learning that prevailed here. Nalanda is located 14 kms. from Rajgir.It is well known as the ancient centre of learning which has the remains of the great Nalanda University and several monasteries and temples. Both Lord Buddha and Mahavira visited this place and it remained a renowned learning centre till 12th century when Muslims raiders destroyed it. Kings of Gupta, Kushan and Palva dynasties were the chief patrons of the centre, who built several monasteries and temples. The famous Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang studied here and his documents provide details about the university. Ayuverdic and Tibetan Medicine can also trace part of their roots here. In fact, most of the Ayuverdic practiced today was developed at Nalanda.

On an interesting side note, Nalanda was a flourishing University by 1st Century BCE. It is wispered that men from the west came and studied here. I can think a pretty well known Hebrew who lived in that time and was said to have traveled east. Comment on who I am thinking of.

Bodhgaya, Vaishali, Kesariya - April 22nd

Bodhgaya

“Crimson Lotuses float in translucent ponds, and pilgrams from the four corners of the world pray in the shade of the venerable Bodhi tree. They have come with restless minds, peaceful minds, exhausted bodies, euphoric bodies, karma-ripening bodies, to the listen to the Dharma [teaching] and be uplifted by its compassion. Tibetans call Bodhgaya DORJE DEN [the diamond seat in the navel of the world]. They say it is where every Buddha of the past has become enlightened, and every Buddha of the future will, for it is the only place on earth that can withstand the power of such an awakening. The garden around the sacred Bodhi tree is filled with images of Sakyamuni, the Budha of this eon, standing, meditating, teaching, reclining, carved in stone, cast in metal, and painted on cloth. Inside the Mahabodhi Temple, faithful from around the world showere his golden feet with flowers, find happiness gazing upon his beatific smile, and add their prayers to the echoes of the ages.”

Bodhgaya is the most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in the world. The original Bodhi tree’s descendant, whose roots happily clutch the same soil as its celebrated ancestor, is the site where Buddha attained enlightenment. Thankfully, before Emperor Ashoka;s wife murdered the original Bodhi Tree, a sapling from it was carried to Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, by Sanghamitta (Ashoka’s daughter). That tree continues to flourish and from which, in turn, a cutting was carried back to Bodhgaya and planted where the original had stood. The red sandstone slab under it was placed by Ashoka, and marks the spot of Buddha’s enlightenment –it’s referred to as the Vajrasan (Diamond Throne).On the surface, nothing remains here from 26 centuries ago, when Prince Siddharta Gautama transformed himself into the enlightened one under the Bodhi tree; however, the sweetly palpable atmosphere remains. The true working Buddhist centre is a small leaf-laden town. Most large countries with a Buddhist population have a temple leading to an intriguing display of architecture. Thus, the Thai Wat is brightly coloured, just as in Thailand. The Tibetan Karmal Temple and Namgyal Monastery each contain sizeable prayer wheels and the Indosan Nipponji Temple is donned with a Japanese pagoda roof. Next to the Japanese temple, lies the 25m-high Great Buddha Statue, unveiled by H.H. the Dalai Lama in 1989. Adjacent to the spot where Buddha formulated his philosophy of life, rises the magnificent Mahabodhi Temple, a world heritage site. The Mahabodhi Temple was constructed in the 6th Century CE atop the site of the temple erected by Emperor Ashoka almost 800 years earlier. After being razed by 11th-century Muslim invasions, the temple underwent major restorations, the last occurring in 1882. Topped by a 50m pyramidal spire, the ornate structure houses a large gilded image of Buddha. Amazingly, four of the original sculpted stone railings surrounding the temple, dating from the Sunga period (184-172 BCE), have survived among the replicas.

Kesariya

Rising 10 stories out of earth, where the dying Buddha donated his begging bowl, is an enthralling juxtaposition of history and nature. Each year archaeologists continue to remove nature’s lush, forested veil, revealing what’s likely the world’s 2nd-tallest Buddhist Stupa, which dates to the Pala period (6th Century CE). From above, the nine uniquely shaped terraces (seven currently exposed) form a gargantuan Buddhist Tantric Mandala diagram with a circumference of 425m.





Vaishali

In the 6th century BCE, Vaishali was home to one of the world’s first democratic republics. It’s also where Lord Mahavira, the 24th and final Jain tirthankar, was born and raised. Buddha preached his last sermon here, where today the ruins of the Kolhua Complex lay. Most remarkable is the noble lion atop the 2300-year-old Ashoka pillar. There is also a gleaming Japanese Peace Pagoda next to a Lotus pond.

Varanasi

Varanasi

The city of Shiva, is one of the holiest Hindu cities in India. Hindu pilgrams come wash away all their sins in the Ganges. Varanasi was previously called Benares and Kashi (City of Life) and has always been an auspicious place to die, since expiring here offers moksha – liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The city is in the beating heart of the Hindu universe, a crossing place between the physical and spiritual worlds, and the Ganges is viewed as a river of salvation, an everlasting, ever flowing symbol of hope to past, present, and future generations. The magical and sometimes overwhelming city is where the most intimate rituals of life and death take place in public on the city’s famous ghats. Varanasi has been a centre of learning and civilization for over 3000 years, and claims to be one of the oldest cities in the world. Mark Twain wrote that ‘Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.’ Its history dates back to 1400 BCE, but it was around 8th Century CE that Varanasi rose in prominence when Shankaracharya,a reformer of Hinduism, established Shiva worship as the principal sect. The Muslim Afghans destroyed Varanasi around 1300 CE, after laying waste to nearby Sarnath, but the fanatical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was the most destructive, looting and destroying almost all of the temples. The old city of Varanasi may look antique, but few buildings are more than a couple hundred years old.

Ghats

Varanasi’s principal attraction is the long string of ghats that line the western bank of the Ganges. Most are used for bathing, but there are several ‘burning ghats’ where bodies are cremated in public. Around 80 ghats border the river. The ghats extend from Assi Ghat, s near the university, northwards to Raj Ghat, near the road and rail bridge. It’s a unique, world class ‘people-watching’ walk as you mingle with the fascinating mixture of people who come to the Ganges not only for a ritual bath but also to wash clothes, do Yoga, offer blessings, sell flowers, get a shave, improve their karma by giving to beggers, or simply loiter.

"With Mr. Singh, our local guide, we gathered together our flower offering and cremations remains to make our own offering to the river Ganges. With the sun rising, I think Grandmother Isle would have been happy to know both the mother Ganges and Surya, the sun god, recieved her."

Benares Hindu University

Varanasi has long been a centre of learning and that continues today at the large and well-regarded Benares Hindu University, which was established in 1917. Founded by nationalist Pandi Malaviya as a centre for education, Indian art, music, culture, philosophy, and Sankrit, it now offers courses in just about every single subject and has 14,000 students including 2,000 foreigners. The New Vishwanath Temple, unlike most temples in Varanasi, is open to all, irrespective of caste or religion.

Sarnath - The Buddhas First Sermon

Sarnath – April 19th, 2007
By Peter

Buddha came to Sarnath, 10km northeast of Varanasi, to preach his message of the middle way to nirvana after he achieved enlightenment at Bodhgaya. He gave his famous first sermon here to a handful of followers in a deer park which has recently been recreated. The Buddha is said to have been the king of deers in that Sarnath Park in one of his past lives. In the 3rd Century BCE, the India King Ashoka had magnificent stupas and monasteries erected as well as an engraved pillar. When Xuan Zang, a Chinese traveler, visited by in 640 CE, Sarnath had a 100m-high stupa and 1500 monks living in over 100 monasteries. However, soon after, Buddhism in India, went into decline, and when the Muslim invaders invaded in the 12th Century CE, they destroyed and desecrated the city’s buildings. The city was lost for almost a millennium until in 1835 CE, British Archaeologists started excavations and Sarnath was rediscovered. A revival has been set in motion starting in the 1950s among intellectuals disillusioned with the caste system. The number of followers has been further increased with the influx of Tibetan Refugees and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Now set in a peaceful park, surrounded by Buddhist temples from Tibet, China, Thailand, Japan, Burma, and Sri Lanka, are the monastery remains an the impressive 34m Dhanekh Stupa, which marks the spot where the Buddha preached his first sermon. The floral and geometric carving dates back to the 5th Century CE, but some of the brickwork is thought to be even older at around 200 BCE. Emperor Ashoka is said to have meditated in the main shrine, but only its foundation has survived. The famous four-lion standard that used to be on top of the nearby Ashoka pillar is seen at the nearby Archaeological Museum.

An Enlightened Emperor

Apart from the Mughals and then the British many centuries later, no other power controlled more Indian territory than the Mauryan Empire. It is therefore fitting that is provided India with one of its most significant historical figures.
Emperor Ashoka’s rule was characterized by a period of flourishing art and sculpture, while his reputation as a philosopher-king was enhanced by the rock-hewn edicts he used to both instruct his people and delineate the enormous span of his territory.
Ashoka’s reign also represented an undoubted historical high point for Buddhism. He embraced the religion in 262 BCE, declaring it the state religion and cutting a radical swathe through the spiritual and social body of Hinduism. The extant highlights of Ashokan Buddhism are visible in Sarnath (on the spot where Buddha delivered his first sermon expounding the Noble Eightfold Path, or Middle Way to Enlightenment). Ashoka also sent missions abroad, and he is revered in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) because he sent his son and daughter to carry Buddhism to the island.
The long shadow this emperor of the 3rd century BCE still casts over India is evident from the fact that Ashoka’s standard, which topped many pillars, is now the seal of the modern-day India and its national emblem, chosen to reaffirm the ancient commitment to peace and goodwill.
Our guide for this adventure Singh, was a retired assistant professor of philosophy who started out solely interested in Western philosophy but after meeting an enlightened Yogi, started to look back at his own Eastern Philosophy. Up until this point, I was very impressed with most of our guides, but Singh blew then out of the water. Whether discussing Descartes to Ashokas rule, Singh had an excellent grasp of it all. His current books to read are Ken Wilbers, a Brief History of Everything, and Stephen Hawking, the History of the Universe. From the Park, we made ourselves to the Sri Lankan Monastery to see the descendent of the Bodhi tree which was sent with Ashokas daughter in the 3rd Century brought back to sit close to where Buddha was enlightened. While meditating on Metta (loving kindness) for loved ones who have died in my lifetime, I was beset with uncontrollable tears. My whole body shook in a way that I had not experienced since my time at Wat Pa Nana Chat in Thailand.
Sarnath Park and its museum may not have been as large as the Mughal Forts and Palaces, but to gaze upon the 2300 year old pillar standard, still intact, after its religious centers had moved East and South almost 1000 years ago speaks of its power. It makes me think of how the Dalai Lama says he does not hate the Chinese even though he was exiled out of Tibet. In the end, I believe it is the intention of every Bodhisattva to help others reach closer to enlightenment. The Dalai Lama might not have known that his exile would help to reignite the flame of Buddhism in India and China while also helping Buddhism spread west to Europe and the New World, but he continued his ethical path and look what flowered.
I think the final laugh really will be on the Chinese Government for trying to subjugate a people with different beliefs because there has been a resurrection of Buddhism in China, and with a growing middle class, the Maoist Centralized Communist Government will see its fall just as the Mughals saw their empire crumble for subjugating the non-muslims. I just hope that the Mara (trickster deity) inspired materialism that causes so much suffering in the United States with its premise that material possessions bring happiness, casts little influence on the emerging new Republic of China. In the end truth prevails as the pillar states. For our future, may we all cultivate a better Sangka (community) by accepting that we are all Buddhas, but just have different Dhammas (paths).

The Buddhist Circuit

Buddhism in India

Buddhism arose in the 6th Century BCE as a reaction against the strictures of Brahminical Hinduism. The Buddha (Awakened One) is believed to have lived from about 563 to 483 BCE. Formerly a prince (Siddhartha Gautama), the Buddha, at the age of 29, embarked on a quest for emancipation from the world of suffering. He achieved nirvana (the state of full awareness) at Bodhgaya at the age of 35. Critical of the caste system and the unthinking worship of gods, the Buddha urged his disciples to seek truth within their own experiences. Buddha taught that existence is based on:

Four Noble Truths –
1) Life is rooted in suffering;
2) Suffering is caused by craving worldly things;
3) One can find release from suffering by eliminating craving;
4) Way to eliminate craving is by following the Noble Eightfold Path.

Noble Eightfold Path –
1) Right understanding
2) Right intention
3) Right speech
4) Right action
5) Right livelihood
6) Right Effort
7) Right Awarness
8) Right Concentration

By successfully complying with these one can attain Nirvana.

The Buddhist Circuit

The Buddhist (or Lotus) Circuit is a pilgrams trail that follows in the footsteps of Lord Buddha, wending its way primarily through the province of Bihar, where Buddha spent most of his time.
In Bodhgaya, the most sacred of all Buddist sites, lies Mahabodhi Temple, next to the very spot Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became the Buddha more than 2500 years ago which also houses a Bodhi tree descended from the original tree Buddha sat under. Next, Sarnath, near Varanasi, is where Buddha first preached his message after achieving enlightenment. Rajgir, Venevamas, and Sapti Pari Cave were where Buddha spent much of his life. Along the way, stop at the ancient philosophical center of learning Nalanda. Then, head northwest to Patna to glimpse sculptures from Buddhist sites at Patna Musuem. North to Kushinagar,the location of Buddha’s death, before crossing the border into Nepal. Finally, to Lumpini, the place of the Buddha’s’ death.

The Mughals - A Dead Empire

The Mughals

The Mughal Empire was massive and covered, at its height, almost the entire subcontinent. Its significance, however, laid not only its size. Mughal emperors presided over a golden age of arts and literature in India and built some of the more famous Indian architecture still standing today. In particular, Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal that ranks as one of the wonders of the world.
The founder of the Mughal line was Babur, whom allegedly was a descendent of both Genghis Khan (a great sacker) and Tamerline (a great sacker and desecrater of non-Muslim religions and their people). In 1525 CE, armed with this almost mythological lineage (umm sounds like the Virgils claim in the Aeneid that Romans are the descendents of Troy), he marched into Punjab from his capital of Kabul, Afghanistan. With technological superiority (firearms), and consummate skill in simultaneously employing artillery (cannons) and cavalry (horseback), Babur defeated the numerically superior armies of the Sultan of Delhi at the Battle of Paniput in 1526 CE.

Despite this initial success, Babur’s son, Humayun was defeated by a powerful ruler of eastern India, Sher Shah, in 1539 and forced to withdraw to Iran. Following Sher Shah’s death in 1545, Humayun returned to claim his kingdom, eventually conquering Delhi in 1555. He died the following year and was succeeded by his young son Akbar whom, during his 49-year reign, managed to extend and consolidate his empire until he ruled over a mammoth area.




True to his name, Akbar (Great One in Arabic), was probably the greatest of the Mughals, for he not only had the military ability required of a ruler at that time, but he was also a just and wise man of culture. He saw, as previous Muslim rulers had not, that the number of Hindus in India was too great to subjugate. Although Akbar was no saint – rumours of massacres of Hindus still tarnish his legacy – he remains known for integrating Hindus into his empire and using them as advisers, generals, and administrators. Akbar also had a deep interest in spiritual matters and spent many hours in discussion with religious experts of the worlds major religions of the day.


Jehinger ascended to the throne following Akbar’s death. Despite several challenges to the authority of Jehangir himself, the empire remained more or less intact. In periods of stability, Jehangir took the opportunity to spend time in his beloved Kashmir, eventually dying on route in 1627 CE. He was succeeded by his son, Shah Jahan, who secured his position as emperor by executing all male relatives who stood in his way. During his reign, some of the most vivid, permanent, and costly reminders of Mughal influence were contructed. In addition to the Taj Majal, he also oversaw the contruction of the Red Fort in Delhi and converted Agra Fort into a palace that would later become his prison for his decadence and depletion of the Mughal Empire Treasury (can a certain village idiot have the same thing done, please …).


The last of the great Mughals, Aurangzeb, the youngest son, imprisoned his father (Shah Jahan) and succeeded to the throne after a two-year struggle against his brothers who by right of Primogeniture were set to inherit the kingdom. Aurangzeb, with a much depleted treasury, devoted his remaining resources to extending the empires boundaries, and fell into the same trap another previous Muslim ruler had done earlier. He, too, tried moving his capital south and imposed heavy taxes to fund his military. A combination of decaying court life and religious intolerance weakened the Mughal grip (sounds like a certain Empire of today).The empires fortunes began a descent with Delhi being sacked by another Muslim, Persia’s Nadir Shah in 1739. Then continued with a joint British-Bengali invasion led with Bengals greater numbers and Britain superior firearms.