Maybe if we’d been there during the night we’d have felt the presence of the spirits, but as it was seeing the Agresen Stepwell in the soft morning sunlight, you’d hardly know you were in one of India’s most haunted places. They say that the murky water at its depths attracted depressed and saddened souls to the well, though in reality it was the life source for many in the Mogul kingdom. As a tourist spot it’s a little piece of well-preserved history near Delhi’s thriving centre and for locals, a sacred little getaway where couples sit lovingly together on the steps of the well looking into the depths of each other’s eyes.
Agresan Stepwell
When you’re a foreigner in Delhi it’s somewhat of a mixed bag, some things work in our favour, some not; but it’s probably fair enough that we pay a higher ticket price for entry into tourist spots. So there we were, standing happily in line at the Purana Qila, behind throngs of eager tourists when a guard called us out and immediately fast-tracked our entry. A little confused as to why we headed to the ticket counter and were given diplomatic status to jump the queue. Perhaps it was our matching cargo pants and converse sand-shoes, all the hallmarks of official status. We were in; 200 rupees for me, 20 for her.
Purana Qila
Unlike many forts across India with their imposing high walls, Delhi’s oldest fort, aptly named the Old Fort, invites you along a corridor lined with tall palm trees towards Humayun’s Gate. Walking down this avenue I realise there’s something about the light in Delhi that I love; it’s a soft watercolour like mist that stills the air and against the afternoon sunlight, softens the contours of an otherwise rugged garrison outline. Though the fort is breaking down and the rounded stones in the wall seem to have just rolled onto the ground, the delicate towers with their spired domes and Arabic arches resemble two bell towers; perhaps once they were. This fort is the legacy of Emperor Humayun and another of his bold architectural tributes that sing of his craft and creativity.
Many historic monuments capture the moment where two kingdoms merge and this rambling old fort in Delhi has highlights of its pre-Mogul days before the Mosque was built. But for almost 500 years the Qila-i-Khuna mosque has stood out for its intricate style and size. It’s not overwhelming at all but rather small enough that it really sits at the congregational heart of the fort. It looks like it belongs in a little snow dome that you can shake and watch the snow flutter over. In beautiful Afghani style, its flourish of calligraphy and inlaid recesses tells the story of a faraway time and place and I love the allure of its mystery. In them I see their history.
Qila-i-Khuna Mosque
Today I see the flurry of young families and kids snapping selfies and suddenly we realised that we too were starring in the pics. In the flash of an iPhone we’d gone from diplomatic status to celebrities, with fathers asking us to pose with their kids and shake our hands. Eager smiles and bright eyes smeared with kajal liner running up and saying hello, grownups asking to take my picture and pose with all the flair of a Kardashian. It never ceases to amaze me how fascinating foreigners are here. Though they clearly overstayed their welcome, it was more than 200 years of British rule and as many opportunities to overcome the novelty of a fair face. The other gal thought it was hilarious and eventually gave way to the peer pressure of the paparazzi and starting shaking hands too. These sweet exchanges were the highlight of our day not the other way around.
Spending time at a place like the Old Fort is at the heart of what I love about Delhi; a staunch and fascinating history, a layer of rich culture with a sprinkle of pampering like sweet icing on a cupcake. I say this because after ambling around the fort, a lunch stop in a gorgeous little cafe and a quick foot massage is a matter of course. The afternoon light is wistful, the experience of the day settles comfortably and my heart is happy.
For a brief moment you would be forgiven for thinking that you had stepped outside of India; what with it’s French street signs “Rue law de Lauriston”, Soho inspired street side cafes, bohemian stores fashioned from high ceiling white washed houses selling handmade treasures and trinkets, but then the searing heat, the roaming Sadgurus loosely clad in faded orange fabric smeared with incense powder and the auto rickshaws zipping along the broad streets reminds you that you are well and truly within the cultural vibe of one of India’s most darling of destinations, three hours drive south of Chennai in pretty, paradisal Pondicherry.
From the moment we drove into the outskirts of town, the landscape was vastly different from that of Delhi, for starters, you could see the sky, stretched wide across the tropical panorama of lush banana plantations and dense green clusters of oversized palms all the way to the sea. This was the first time in India that I had seen the ocean and knowing that Pondicherry is perched alongside the Bay of Bengal and that we would cycle along its promenade was truly exciting. Apart from the signature dusty roadsides, the feel was completely different from the North; where Delhi is built up, the approach to Pondicherry is far more sparse, dotted with thatched roofs reminiscent of Thailand. Women, all of them, in bright cheerful sari’s, men wearing the traditional Lungi’s (long checkered skirts) knotted above their knees with their spindly legs poking out. And then as the walls of the houses and villages change from neutral to turquoise blue, peppermint green, pink and the yellow of fresh cut mango you find yourself in the heart of Pondicherry
The history of the City of Pondicherry is recorded only after the arrival of Dutch, Portuguese, British and French colonialists. A marketplace named Poduke or Poduca is recorded as a Roman trading destination from the mid 1st century. The Cholas of Thanjavur held it from the 10th to 13th centuries, only to be replaced by the Pandya Kingdom in the 13th century. The Vijayanagar Empire took control of almost all the South of India in the 14th century and maintained control until 1638 when they were supplanted by the Sultan of Bijapur. The French acquired Pondicherry in 1674 and held it, with an occasional interruption by the British or Dutch, until 1954 when it was incorporated into the Indian Union along with the rest of French India. This rich European history coupled with its prominent Indian heritage create an eclectic mix of cultural drama, touristy vibe and laid back coastal living (don’t even think about shopping anytime after lunch until evening, they’re sleeping behind the counters).
No matter where your feet carry you in India, the undercurrent of spirituality resonates everywhere and with Temples, Cathedrals and Ashrams standing harmoniously side by side, Pondicherry wears its Holiness well. One of the most influential Parisian’s in Pondicherry was the earnestly seeking and accomplished Pianist and Writer, affectionately called The Mother who in 1914 met her spiritual guide Sri Aurobindo and went on to create the Sri Aurobindo Ashram which blossomed under her guidance. Her influence lives not only in the educational centre but more fervently in the colourful garden where she lovingly attributed character traits and endearing personal qualities to over 800 flowers. Beyond the Ashram, her next vision was the concept of Auroville – a somewhat idealistic township devoted to an experiment in human unity and a place where everyone can live side by side, above all religion, politics and culture. In the mid 1960s the Sri Aurobindo Society in Pondicherry proposed to her that such a township should be started and with a nod of assent, she gave her blessings. The best description I’ve read about Auroville is that it belongs to nobody in particular but to humanity as a whole.
To reach the Matrimandir, the spiritual soul of Auroville, the pathway is punctuated with slabs of sandstone decorated with hand-painted flowers and their spiritual attributes described below. Though I’m sure someone has strategically placed “courage” and “tenacity” to help keep your mojo going as you walk the main path because it’s absolutely scorching heading through the bush, “how are these women still keeping it together in a sari?” our clothes are sticking to us and I feel like a soggy paratha. It was one of many bemusing sights that kept us laughing. After seeing the Matrimandir or Meditation Temple which rises from the dust in the form of a golden sphere and is really quite spectacular, we went in search of a bus, actually by this stage a rickshaw would have done, but then along came an old yellow bus bumping along the uneven road and scores of exhausted women, grabbing and falling over each other in search of a seat. I think being the only foreigners (this includes my friend from Delhi) we managed to get a seat and became the object of curiosity for the entire non air conditioned ride. You see, there is no mistaking if someone comes from the North or South of India, their looks are so distinctive and I noticed often how many people looked at my friend. I could almost see them thinking “is she one of us?”. Many times people stopped to ask her if she was Indian, even asking if she was South American. What a relief! Never mind the real foreigner! Finally, we arrived back at the main centre, parched and on the brink of doing anything for an ice cold drink only to discover that the bordering-on-hippie township is actually a flagship for eco-tourism so no ice, no soft-drinks, no anything that could cool us down. Luckily for us, our auto rickshaw driver on the way back to the hotel was able to swerve into a local dhaba where we went into the back storage area to retrieve a cold bottle of coke and drank it with the zeal of the last supper.
In the centre of Pondicherry stands a Temple in dedication to Ganesh, the God of New Beginnings. With its pastel painted carved fresco’s towering over the charcoal cobblestone narrow streets, spilling forward with fat pink lotuses and strings of fragranced flowers, split coconuts and fresh fruit brimming at each successive stall, the main entrance to the Temple is an enclave of beauty, aroma and invitation. Its interior of gold walls and adorned Gods and Goddesses set into the walled cavities set a gentle humbling lull into the incense filled smoky air. With oil diya’s burning, broken petals and crimson dust scattered at the feet of the statues it was the first time I’d had a chance to experience this side of Indian life. In fact, a visit to Pondicherry in the South is a complete contrast to the India I’d experienced so far and a haven that like the beautiful temple offerings, is itself an offering of wonder, happiness and promise.
After a few weeks of recently enjoying Sydney’s better-known tourist spots, we chose our favourite eight, which include some not so predictable getaways. Thank you once again to Travel Belles for publishing another guest blog.
https://www.travelbelles.com/2016/12/eight-must-see-sydney-attractions/
I’m not sure if the grass is ever greener on the other side, except if you’ve escaped the shroud of pea-soup thick smog that’s taken over Delhi, then the grass here is definitely greener along with the trees and the shrubs. So much so that we’ve been taking pictures of the leaves and sending them back to family in Delhi since the other gal thinks they look fake. It sets you off on a curious tangent to ponder the differences in a place that you don’t notice until someone who spends less time there points them out. At the same time as we are snapping pics of would-be fake plants the Prime Minister of India has dropped a bombshell stamping out would be fake, or black money. The smog thickens…
But that’s not the India I see, I see the culture and connection, the spirituality and ironically a sense of freedom I don’t always see here. I tell the other gal often that one day I’ll make her fall in love with India. But for now, she’s enjoying the freshness of the air in Australia, the broad stretches of white sand and the lapis blue of the waves beneath the summer sunshine. For an hour at a time; because we’ve learnt this week that you pay for parking by the hour at most beaches, not pay by the hour in advance, but literally an hour at a time. So you dry yourself, dust off the sand and pop another five dollars in the meter, or maybe move your car and then go back to the beach…repeat…and herein lies just one of the many reasons why your driver in Delhi is worth their weight in gold.
If there were beaches in Delhi (picture scenes from Bombay), the other gal says it would become a dumping ground (both rubbish and morning defecations) with people selling everything from warm coconuts to hot chai and not a swimsuit to be seen. But at least while you were rummaging enough space to lay down a beach towel, your driver could pop out and pick up your groceries, do a quick stop to get take-away or even run to the chemist and grab any medications you might need. You can literally buy some antibiotics over the counter, one tablet at a time, contrary to when we walked into a chemist here and I was asked for photo ID to buy an everyday painkiller. Really? After photocopies of my licence were duly taken I was given the box of tablets. This type of over governance while funny, often seems quite silly and ultimately time consuming. In India, it’s precisely the lack of governance that has probably gone a long way towards creating some of its many challenges but surely there’s a middle ground somewhere. There you can pick up birth control over the counter, here you need a doctor’s appointment and with many places only open for the same hours that most people are working, it’s a little tricky. That said, I’ll let the irony speak for itself. In the spirit of convenience however, the other day we saw a vending machine in Sydney dispensing Havaiana’s beach thongs for $30 a pair and wondered what’s next.
Every time we get in the car we laugh at the sheer expanse of Sydney, literally everywhere is 60km away and we spend hours chatting and laughing on connecting freeways and endless roads that lay like charcoal ribbons through the sparkling greenery. It takes an hour to get anywhere though we’ve covered great distances. It’s of no concern here to see that a place is 100km away, in Delhi that distance could take the better part of a day. I remember once seeing a sign for Agra that said 183km and thought we’d be there by lunch, but what with the donkeys, auto-rickshaws and rambling cattle I’m sure the sun was setting with the last visitors trickling out of the Taj’s carpark. We laugh at what we would see in India covering that far, here we see expanse and so we get why public transport doesn’t quite hit the spot here; the other day she asked if we get buses along the main road and when I asked if she’d seen one, she replied “I’ve hardly even seen a bus in Sydney.”
Our highly congested all-too-regular traffic jams on occasion resemble Delhi but without the dust and the street-side carts piled high with sweets pressed together open to the wind and pollution. If the residue of firecrackers from Diwali wasn’t enough to fill the air, we hear people are burning piles of cash rather than declare it in India’s latest wave stamping out black money. Yes, the air is cleaner here, but what you see on any given stretch of road in Delhi truly is a feast for the senses.
What Sydney may lack in a sort of unpredictable vibrancy, it makes up for in exactly what is born of it’s expansiveness; a far reaching open sky, clear air and a magnificent coastline that looks like a map from up high. It’s a city that needs time to navigate but here we never seem to have enough to fully enjoy its beauty, in India all we have is time. We love the differences, the personality of each city and laughing over the little comparisons that make you realise that you can’t really compare at all.
Every heartwarming story has its sprinkle of sadness, a dash of masala and a cupful of hope; after spending a casual morning with Masterchef India contestant Rohini Chawla, I see too that her story has all of these ingredients. It was her father who inspired her lifelong connection to cooking along with her decision to join Masterchef and ultimately it was his sudden passing that urged her early withdrawal from the competition. She had come full circle, or so she thought. Today, what she gained through the Masterchef experience only strengthens her beliefs in the food journey she had begun all those years ago standing in the kitchen preparing Sunday lunch with her beloved Dad.
Rohini was born in Delhi and as the daughter of a Lt. Col. in the Indian Army, her family lived in Agra, Jammu, Leh, Kerala and many other cities. When she was 19, she went to pursue her undergraduate studies in New Jersey and a couple years of later her parents also moved to New Jersey. Four years ago she moved back to India with her husband and their son. Now with a young son and a two-year-old daughter, they are based in Gurgaon. “Being an Army kid, travel has been part and parcel of my life and since being married we have travelled around the world. These broad travel experiences have given me so much growth and I want my kids to also experience the same.” Rohini and her family are true foodies and they love going to the little mom and pop shops to pick up the local spices and to taste the real flavors when travelling. “We love to do the touristy things when travelling, but the one thing that is always a must are a few trips to local spice/food shacks and grocery stores to pick up food items to bring back and these are like our prized souvenirs. I like to stay authentic to the cuisines of the region.” This is absolutely one of the themes that comes through when talking about Rohini’s culinary philosophy and it’s this dedication to authentic home cooking that gives Rohini’s food such heart.
We sat down over morning chai and had the chance to ask Rohini a little more about her life, her food journey and hopes beyond Masterchef.
What was your earliest childhood memory around food?
“My earliest memories are two-dimensional, my Mom made us very simple food but when my Dad was home he would love making “fancy” food; he would make samosa’s and mathi’s and sugar coat them so they became little treats, all from scratch. I was in Kindergarten and so vividly still remember him making these delicacies. This is a skill that I appreciate the most about him and feel proud today that I do the same! Even though it may take a lot of time, my style today is to make everything from scratch as much as possible. As tempting as it is when I walk into a grocery store, I refuse to buy anything that is bottled like pasta sauce etc., the concept just doesn’t suit me. From seeing Papa, I’d say this style of soul cooking is very important; like him, I put my soul into the dish from the beginning.”
As a kid were you an adventurous eater?
“No, my love of food came later! I was a fussy eater, though my parents did a great job introducing seasonal food to us. We ate what was cooked, there was never special food that was made to please my brother and I. Now being a mum of two young kids, I let them develop their own taste as I know that ours change as we grow. I load up hidden veggies in dishes so they get what they need but I’m not as strict as my parents were.”
What was your favourite meal growing up?
“Our weekend tradition would start with Friday dinner usually being a slow cooked lamb curry, and then rajma chawal on Sunday’s in our house was always special. This is a wonderful food memory of mine and I love making such food memories with our kids too. Food has a huge connection with family at a lot of levels. Your mind brightens up at the wonderful memories that food sparks.”
You’ve said before that your father inspired your love of cooking, though this is a sensitive subject, do you mind sharing what influence you feel he had?
“I saw my Dad come back from work and still have enthusiasm to be creative with his cooking. He gave a spin to our everyday Indian food. I have enormous admiration that 30 years ago he was creative enough to jazz up the same ingredients and create something interesting. I love this style of cooking; you give me a red and yellow bell pepper and I’ll make it 5 ways. Nothing goes to waste and you get the best out of the food. I’ve spent so many hours with him in the kitchen when he’s cooking and he would always be happy to toil. Some of his favourite dishes were slow-cooked meat stews that would take hours, like his mutton gravy dish, but he was always so patient because he just loved spending time in the kitchen. I have got this patience and commitment to the dish from him. Even today, though I love entertaining, my happiest time is in the kitchen preparing and serving my friends and family the best food I can create. This is what he was known for. At his funeral service, the most heart-warming stories came from people’s experiences sharing times around the table with him.”
What style of cooking do you enjoy best?
“I love baking, things that are quick yet flavoursome like stir-fries and sautés. I cook everything with love. To get the right flavour I will cook exactly how the dish requires it. If there’s a specific kind of cheese in Greek food and I’m cooking Greek, then I will try to use that same cheese and not try to find substitutes. My favourite style of cooking ultimately is that which is true to its origin.”
What made you try out for Masterchef?
Under a chuckle “I still don’t know…a friend first recommended it and I mulled over it for a while, I googled it, thought about it some more and then thought “ok, I’ll give it a try.” I think I entered to get affirmation from the judges to really see how good my cooking is. I thought Masterchef would be a great platform to understand if all the generous comments from family and friends over the years about my cooking is true. It was extremely hard and stressful leaving my family behind, especially my then 17 month old baby. Overall, it sure has been an amazing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything…”
If you could sum up your Masterchef experience in 3 words, what would you say?
“I’d say inspiring, reassuring and confidence-building.”
What’s the best criticism you received from the judges?
“I think plating-up; my style has always been rustic, organic, free-flowing but there I learnt the art of fine plating. The overload of edible flowers and micro herbs, I learnt how to present food in a style that was different for me.”
Do you feel the experience changed you in any way and if so, how?
“Yes absolutely! It has given me a huge confidence boost. I have received pats on the back and many affirmations on my ability and this confidence is allowing me to take more risks, to be more adventurous with ingredients that I was scared to work with before and say, yes I can do this. In a very positive way, it has given me a purpose; I’ve always loved to cook and entertain but now I can look beyond this to do something more. It has shown me the path that my cooking can take me on and for that I’m very excited.”
What are you most passionate about in terms of your food journey?
“My whole idea is to bring authentic world cuisine to people that is easily replicable at home. We are all busy, we all travel and have full lives but I want people to become smart, to prepare ahead and create authentic dishes from all over the world. If we prepare, we can bring interesting and creative different foods like Middle Eastern and Italian cooking to the everyday. Instead of going out, let’s create these dishes at home. a) It’s made with love; b) It’s healthier and c) I think the family will love it more.”
With such success and your new Masterchef profile, what do you hope to do next?
“I really want to write a book; I want people to start entertaining at home. In India we are all big hearted, we love to entertain but bringing in caterers when we have guests has become the norm. I want to change that. I want people to start cooking at home; when you cook and people enjoy your labour of love, the satisfaction and happiness that this brings is priceless. I want to share easy entertaining recipes, where people think outside of the box, where they prepare ahead and bring wonderful world recipes to life. “
“And one day I want to open a food truck, though there is a lot of red tape here, I’d love to one day make it possible. I’ll have a rotating menu, you’ll find new and different foods to expand your palate, some days there would be all baked goodies, the next day it might be a different world cuisine. I love change and love to express this change through my food.”
If you were to jump ahead 3 years, where do you hope your food journey has taken you?
“I’m still finding my direction, but I hope that people start associating me with the ability to bring world cuisine to them in a very simplified manner. If I can do this, then I’m on the right path.”
What are the personal qualities that make you a great cook?
“Well I’m fun and I think my food also turns out to be fun, in terms of its flavours and the way it is presented. As a warm person, this warmth comes through my food because it brings everyone together, in a happy fuzzy way. I’m also patient with my food preparation and I try to create everything from scratch no matter how long it takes. I don’t mind sacrificing my sleep when it comes to creating a beautiful dish.”
If you were preparing your favourite meal for someone, what would it be?
“This is one of the simplest dishes and the whole family loves it so I would cook Aglio olio spaghetti with basil pesto chicken and now that I have conquered my fear of yeast, a freshly baked bread to go along. This is such a special meal because it’s a dish that all my family loves and my son even helps me pick the fresh basil from our balcony garden and keeps an eye on the spaghetti and my little one can’t wait to slurp up that pasta.”
Rohini’s the kind of girl whose big smile and big heart shines through in everything she does. When she laughs, it’s a big laugh and you can feel the happy place that it comes from. I think cooking is that place because it’s bonded in many ways to her love of family. I imagine her father would be proud; with his flair for making ordinary food extraordinary and his dedication to create beautiful food for his family, when you talk with Rohini, you can feel she shares his heart for this connection. Maybe it’s he who has come full circle.
