Incredible India! My unforgettable experience
At just over 50 and our blissful marriage nearing the 30th anniversary, we thought it is worth marking in a special way with a visit to the Tajj Mahal, with an added bonus of an Executive Health Check-up (not unlike the aircraft D checks, after all, a classmate once advised me that there are no […]
At just over 50 and our blissful marriage nearing the 30th anniversary, we thought it is worth marking in a special way with a visit to the Tajj Mahal, with an added bonus of an Executive Health Check-up (not unlike the aircraft D checks, after all, a classmate once advised me that there are no spare parts for the over 50!) at Medenta Hospital in Gurgaon (near Delhi).
The Tajj was non-negotiable, but selecting which of the numerous world class hospitals in Delhi to visit was a tough call. Fortunately, a quick ‘googling’ and my helpful niece, Dr Mrs Hauwa Gambari, made the choice easy by simply recommending Medenta as a most comprehensive medical centre, away from the Delhi traffic, as suitable. This settled, we went through a smooth and hassle-free visa processing at the Indian Embassy in Abuja and all set to go the following weekend. It was at this stage while still planning how to fill in my time in India that I was fortunate to be sitted next to a warm and friendly Indian gentleman on a flight from Lagos to Abuja. I wasted no time in telling him I was on my way to his country and whether he had any recommendations with regards to what else to do or see during my short visit. Surely, I couldn’t have asked a more qualified person than my new acquaintance who happens to be the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, HE Mahesh Sachdev. He was most generous, sharing his local knowledge and recommendations on where to stay (close to the hospital, he counselled), must see sights, cultural places and where to taste out the ‘best’ local foods (Kareem restaurant in the back alleys of central Delhi).
The hospital met our expectations and the visit was an all-day affair, like an assembly plant with a stop and check at numerous specialist shops. It was flawless and professional with a dedicated guide taking us through the entire process. We went back after 48 hours and got the great news, we were both pronounced fit as a fiddle, Alhamdulillah.
To get the most of our Indian experience, we decided to drive to Agra and our hotel, the Park Plaza gurgaon provided us with a nice Toyota SUV for the all-day round trip to Agra to visit the Tajj. The long drive gave me a glimpse of rural agrarian India and the ‘raw’ man and oxen power at work on the farmlands, so much like ours and yet miles apart in its intensity. As we drove through from Delhi to Agra, it’s hard not to notice the booming population and the rather chaotic traffic and the poor road infrastructure.
Tajj Mahal was everything we imagined plus more. The aura and commandeering presence as you sight the magnificent edifice is unforgettable. It is imposingly beautiful in all sense of the word. We joined the overflowing crowds from all parts of the world as we were conducted round by our deeply knowledgeable tour guide, Mr M Z Khan. He advised that no tour of Agra is complete without visiting the cottage industries Expo where descendants of the Tajj craftsmen are still ornamenting marbles from the same Tajj marble quarries. A lunch at the Rio restaurant (most authentic and tasty curries and Tandoori dishes) is very highly recommended.
It was in the process of the tour that my logical mind committed the ultimate ‘sin’ by wondering what was the point of it all. What is the point of the Tajj? But towonder is to miss the point. What is the point of the Pyramids, the Stars forever shinning up there? Why are the Waves in perpetual motion with no end? And Life? Some things are meant to be enjoyed and not rationalized for they, in themselves, are the point, period. Manifestation of the power of the Almighty God, no less.
Back to Delhi, we had a whole day of exploration and visited all the places the ambassador recommended plus more. Our tour started at the centuries old Qutab Minar, a 73 m gravity defying minaret with a slight tilt. Its craftsmanship is fabulous given the technology of its time. Our tour went through to the Bahaitemple, Lakshmi temple, LalQila, Jama Masjid, Humayun’s tomb, Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place (a massive colonnaded shopping arcade), the cottage industries and a local fabric market (don’t believe the ubiquitous signs proclaiming ‘fixed price’. Price haggling is as native to India as it is to Nigeria!). The Rastrapati Bhavan ( President’s Palace ) with a direct line right to the India gate, the circular Parliament building and the Secretariat completes the modern day power monuments of Delhi and are no less imposing sights and we had fleeting moments admiring them as we moved on. We left the museums for another visit as our time to depart was fast approaching and home, sweet home beckon.
In a broader sense, however, our journey to India started early in life from primary school history lessons. Many of my great teachers at Government Secondary School, Yola ( Mr Badiul Hassan, Mr Varjees, Mr & Mrs John Joseph, ‘Mighto Condria’, et al) were from India as were my finance Professors at ABU (Prof Pandia, Janikraman), God bless them all. I learnt that over the eons, the country India has been a fabled land of riches and grandeur, poverty and deprivation, beauty and magic not to mention gastronomic excellence and of course the ultimate temple of Love, the one and only Tajj Mahal! Little wonder, India continues to act as a magnet to all and sundry from well before Ibn Battuta, and Christopher Columbus who set sail to find India ( and ended up somewhere else but called it Indies anyway !) to Vasco Da Gama and latter day travellers such as myself. India continues to intrigue and fascinate in its extremes and promises with valuable lessons for all.
We are glad to have visited India at this time that it continues to dominate the economic headlines as an up and coming member of the ‘BRICK’ countries. Having arrived from Singapore, it is easy to see that India still has some way to go, but it is unmistakably clear that it is a country on the move to something great. A pluralistic society of billion plus folks in great strides and energy. For me, it was also instructive that the biggest issue on the local TV networks was fighting and fasting to tame corruption. Mr Ana Hazare’s Gandhi style struggle is resonating far and wide with the Indian people. At least they are confronting it front and centre.
Back home, I reflected that we are not too dis similar from India. In the foods we eat, the clothes we wear, our diversity, our talented and skilled people, existential issues and aspirations.
Am I comparing Apples and Oranges? May be, but they are both sweet fruits! If India is making it, I am optimistic Nigeria can make it as well.
Waziri contributed this piece frm Abuja