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A Mixed Bag Of Emotions

A very profound statement made by my son had me thinking. He said “I don’t mind coming to India for two weeks but can’t see myself settling down here.” No, it’s not a rehash of what I had written a year ago (or close) although it does seem like it. 

The trip to Delhi was half business and half pleasure(or so we thought). While the hotel itself was beyond compare, the weather was not doing us any favors. The minimum temperature that we had during the day was on the day we left (105F). How does one cope with this intense heat, without going crazy? I had to constantly soak my head in cold water just so I could avoid fainting.! My wife was in the same boat! My son, however, didn’t sweat as much, but it was clear he was uncomfortable. If one thought Delhi was hell, well nope! Agra was pure hell with the temperatures hovering around a 110F and no signs of rain!  One could be forgiven for thinking it was just another day when seeing the locals going about their business without stopping. I kind of envy these people who have adapted to the temperatures without batting an eyelid.
The capital city has changed for the worse. The pollution is overbearing, as evidenced by my wife’s constant cough. People still don’t understand the toll our careless and lackadaisical attitude towards our surroundings is taking on the environment. Certain parts of Delhi are kept clean, where politicians and dignitaries live, leaving one to wonder if the common people are children of a lesser god. 
We did take in the trip to Mathura, janma bhoomi of Sri Krishna. The temple is beautiful albeit a little upkeep from the local authorities could benefit the temple. However, as we were walking around, we happened to see a mosque not 30 feet away from the temple. I’m going to leave my emotions out of this and let it go!
Things that we take for granted in the USA are hard to come by in Delhi and Agra. Things like clean surroundings and environment are not the top priority for a majority of the people in Delhi; their top billing goes to basic survival. How is it that the local authorities are unaware (or maybe they don’t care)  of the predicament people are in.
Coming back to BLR was a welcome move, for the weather was a cool 78F. Yes, the pollution in BLR is about the same as Delhi, that being said the barometer plays a significant role in how we look at a city! 

I head back home today but have a lot that I need to put on paper so more to follow

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