India’s Beauty

When I learned that I was going on a business trip to India for a week, a part of me was excited and another bigger part of me was dreading it. The country advertises itself as Incredible India but since I was made to take 4 immunization shots before leaving, I became anxious. But I was going to one of the most popular destinations in the world and I made sure that my schedule would allow me to go to Taj Mahal.

Cow in the middle of the city

It was in the wee hours when we landed in New Delhi. I couldn’t really make out of anything from the dark during that time. It was only in the morning when it dawned to me that I was really in India. It was exactly how I pictured it, how we see it in the movies, and how books describe it. But perhaps, because my expectations were mainly on the negative side, I found New Delhi rather beautiful.  I don’t really know how to explain it but the atmosphere was somewhat reddish and dusty...in a good way. It was probably because of the sand.  The most interesting thing I found in India were the cows walking around anywhere. The cows are sacred to them and thus have the right to their own free cow will. Even in the city, it is not uncommon to find a cow in the sidewalk or beside your car in the street.

Some of the items in McDonald's menu

I was astonished to find myself loving Indian food! I was never really a fan of curry back home but there was something about its spiciness that made me so addicted to it. I could also say that the McDonald’s in India has the best menu options. Since they do not kill and eat cows, their menu consists of meals like McVeggie Burger with Cheese, Paneer Salsa Wrap, Chicken Mexican Wrap… Okay, so I’m a bit biased because I’m not that particular with meat. But after eating the same cheeseburger at least every week at home, I was more than welcoming to make cheese and tofu my new meat.

Taj Mahal

The highlight of my trip to India (on the non-business aspect) was, of course, seeing Taj Mahal. They say that Taj Mahal is like heaven on earth. So, is it really? Well, take a look at it:

Taj Mahal, India

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people inside the Taj Mahal everyday. In short, it can be quite crowded. The Taj Mahal is a vast complex composed of several structures including the famous marbled building that houses the tomb of Shah Jahan’s favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal—the wife that bore him 14 children. It isn’t that crowded around the gates but as you enter towards the heart of the complex, towards the tomb, it gets more and more crowded. Inside the mausoleum, it feels like compact canned sardines. It smells like one too. The stench aside, the tomb is simply a beauty.  As an engineer, I could appreciate the symmetry of the architecture and its arches. But then again, you don’t really have to be an engineer or an architect to appreciate its beauty. You cannot see the Taj Mahal from the outside. It is well covered with massive red sandstone gates at the entrance. It is not as huge as I thought it would be but I was amazed from the Mughal architecture of the gates to the mausoleum walls that were so intricately designed and bejeweled with gemstones. The beauty of the structure is from the white marble that encased the structure. This creates the ethereal semblance, which makes the structure so famous.

So, what do I think of India? Well, it’s definitely one of those places you’ve got to go to. They have a unique culture and if there’s one word to describe India, it’s definitely beautiful.