Overwhelmed by India

Delhi Day 1

The day started with a 5:30 a.m. arrival in India at Delhi International Airport. A beautiful state-of-the-art airport, sorely lacking in state-of-the-art service. This easy-does-it approach resulted in a 3-hour wait to clear customs, followed by an all-out assault by gypsy cabbies as we ran the gauntlet from the chaotic airport exit doors to the “Official Cab Stand.” We paid and climbed into an “Official” Cab that can only be described as a cross between a Yugo and a Pacer – if you’re too young, just think of full-sized matchbox cars.

I knew to expect erratic driving conditions, but in my wildest dreams, I never considered the life-threatening experience that is Delhi morning traffic. It’s like being on a carnival ride with no safety features and signs that read “serious injury expected.” This, coupled with the fact our cab driver was either hustling us or didn’t know his way around his own kitchen, extended our 25-minute drive to 2 hours. We wasted no time after a shower and a brief nap in getting right back out there.

Lotus Temple

We hailed and boarded a tuk-tuk (a motorized rickshaw), which, by the way, is like going into battle wearing body armor made of cardboard. Our destination was the Lotus Temple. After all the chaos of the Delhi streets, I was astonished when we entered the grounds of the Temple. The transformation to a sense of peace was palpable.

We made our way to the Temple doors, removed our shoes, and entered. As I sat in the third row and listened to the many prayers (including the Lord’s Prayer) sung and read by amazing young people, I found myself moved to silent tears. This was a beautiful contrasting moment, a moment to recognize the polarities of my life. A moment of silence, a moment of reflection, a moment of an inward journey, a moment of peace, a moment of love. In that experience, I was reminded that anyone can retreat to their inner Lotus Temple of peace and love whenever needed. Simply STOP and consider the grace we have been given. Namaskar.