Amritsar Adventure

Hi from Amritsar!! 

Our day began with a not so "good morning" wake-up call at 4:30 AM.  Everyone made it down from her hotel room by 5:20 to leave Hotel 33 in route to the airport. Once we got to the airport, we were treated to the American goodness that is McDonald's! We each got to pick our food, and to my liking (and only my liking) I ordered the mouth-flaming, watery-eyes, burning-lips, spicy paneer sandwich. YUM. After breakfast, we headed to our gate. To our satisfaction, the flight was only 1 hour long to Amritsar. 

Once we arrived in Amritsar, we were all so happy to see our bus and bus driver from Delhi (partly because that meant our bags made it... Phew!) it was just a short drive from the airport to The Comfort Inn. After such a stress free morning it was only by chance that my roommates and I would have a room key that refused to work and also that Mimi would get stuck in her room's bathroom... twice! (Don't worry, she's safe and happy!)  

After arriving at the hotel and settling in, we all departed for a Sikh orphanage. We went on a lovely tour of the buildings with stops at a few of the classrooms for the kids.  For one math class, the U.S. Government sponsored a program for the students that compared learning with technology with learning without technology. It was cool to see the kids there using tablets to enhance their math skills. It is part of a study being conducted by Indian researchers at Columbia University.

After we toured the property, we were able to sit and watch some Sikh musicians perform their music on traditional instruments that require no electricity. Some of us even got to try out hand at the instruments! I tried out the drums, which surprisingly were more difficult than I presumed them to be. There was also an instrument that seemed to be a mixture of an accordion and a piano...and yes, it was as difficult to play as you might imagine. :) 

After our late morning in the orphanage, we returned to the Comfort Inn for lunch and then naps to follow. We all met again around 5 in the afternoon to go visit the Golden Temple! 

On our way to the Golden Temple, we stopped off at the side of the road to transfer into tuktuks for our very first rides! It was a bit of a struggle to fit 6 people plus the driver in each little tuktuk, but that's all part of the experience! It was crowded but fun. We then walked from the tuktuks to just outside the temple where we removed our socks and shoes. We then walked through a trough of water to cleanse our feet before entering the sacred area. We all gathered for pictures outside of the temple then walked over to witness the decadence of the inside. It took 5-10 minutes for us to walk through and around the temple, but that didn't matter because that was all we needed to become enchanted by its magnificence. 

The inside was so fascinating since it glistened and shimmered from the gold of the building and all of the sparkling colors and fabrics inside. People sat around the temple listening to the musicians inside the temple. The building was mesmerizing and captivating, even as we walked away from it. It was definitely a beautiful place that I will remember for many years to come. 

After we left the temple, we headed for the kitchen and food distribution area where we saw men and women peeling garlic and other vegetables in preparation for the 70,000 to 100,000 free meals they prepare each day for anyone and everyone. 

We then left the temple area to visit the park where the Indian soldiers under British rule were forced to trap and massacre other Indian people. This jumpstarted the major revolutionary actions in India against Britain. The most memorable fact for me from the site was that many Indians jumped into a well to their deaths in order to avoid the horrific gunfire from the troops. You can still see the bullet holes in the walls. 

Now, the location is plush with grass and trees and filled with many people lounging around. I wonder what the 2000 people who died that day would think of the site being a sprawling park with their decedents playing, picnicking, and just enjoying the company of others. What an incredibly historic place to visit in India. 

I can't wait to see what else India has to show and offer us on this journey!

-Caroline