Specialty Shops!

Are the stores in the States doing us a service or disservice by being so diversified and not specialized? While street shopping in Old Delhi, I was contemplating the answer to this question. Yes, I could shop at Target in the U.S. and buy most of what I need....but what about that one unique item that they do not stock? In Old Delhi each shop seemed to specialize. There were sew machine shops,a button shop, book shops, a map shop, sari shops, brass shops, and many more. Each with an abundant quantity of one item. Judging from the pictures above, you would think that the merchants are clueless about their inventory. Not so ! It was remarkable that they knew, not only the variation of the item in question, but also right where to find it in stock!

Let There Be Light !

Thought this would be ENLIGHTENING!
Need not explain- as the pictures are WATT I see everywhere Delhi!

Picture Please!

" Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"...... ME!

My appearance screams American mostly because of my fair skin. It is comical to walk the markets or the streets and be gawked at. But what is even more fun is to be asked if they can take MY picture.

"Picture please?" is not only coming from my mouth, but theirs. I am not quite sure if there is any custom behind the request or just novelty. Either way, what an ego booster! I feel like a movie star.

Being respectful, I have been asking permission to take pictures. I have only been declined once. The people of India love being photographed. So much so, that most of the time they will try to get your attention with a pose or a prop. Mothers use their babies dressed in their best. Young girls use puppies. Children just run up and ask, " picture please?" After taking any of their pictures, they enjoy seeing the photo on your camera. They laugh and giggle and want their friends to see. It is such a menial task that provides much happiness to them. Their smiles are endearing,and their gratitude profound.

I can not refuse "picture please " from whatever angle it was being asked!

Opportunities

There are some very creative and some very sad opportunities for the people of India to capitalize on foreigners. There is the begging at traffic stops. Children in dirty clothes asking for food or money. Overjoyed to receive trial size samples of shampoo from Naomi. So much so, that they called friends over to be awarded such treasures as well. What was surprising is that these children remember you, or the car you drive! These children happened to be treated by Naomi just days before when she promised them shampoo next time she saw them. They recognized her, on our visit to Gurgaon. The photo shows the boy in the middle, with his friends, thrilled to get the shampoo as promised. Often enough the children from the Embassy School will give the poor children snacks that were left over from their packed lunches. Sharing and helping the less fortunate is a daily lesson learned. Sometimes the beggars approaching the cars are selling something. Magazines (sometimes outdated), Peacock feathers,tour books and small souvenirs. Even small hand held glass blown bongs! I was tempted!��

In Old Delhi, a few very young mothers holding their small babies ( a vey effective technique using their children for effect ), were asking us to exchange some foreign currency they received from tourists. Euros and Francs in exchange for rupees. We helped a few,but left before we became the world bank!

Also in Old Delhi, many bicycle Rickshaws that offer their service.... price negotiable! Photo above is Naomi bartering our ride. While shopping in the market, natives are walking around with laundry baskets offering to carry our purchases to our car...for rupees!

When I visited the Memorial Site of Gandhi, I witnessed a small business in operation. A clever set up of a mobile wireless printer, with a native of India offering to take your picture in front of the memorial and print the souvenir photo right away for purchase! How clever is that? Not sure how many Rupees he was asking. He did get chased away several times, only to return. A very persistent and common character trait when it comes to money!

Whether one chooses to be charitable or ignore and say no, both choices are difficult. There is never enough to go the distance. No, comes at some point in the transaction. We give the little bit we can and move on.....they accept the little bit we give, and move on!

Delivered !

I am fortunate, during my stay in India, that I can be in a home with an Expat family and see how a normal day operates. Really quite different than one would expect. Yes, we share the same rituals of morning, noon and evening regiments. What is so totally different and convenient is that ANYTHING can be delivered!

Need another ink cartridge....call ...delivered! Need more chairs for a party...delivered! Went to market and did not want to carry groceries....delivered! No extra charges for that service makes it even more laughable! I live in the USA and I can not even get most pizza shops to deliver to my home, and if they do, I usually pay a delivery fee. As you see from the picture, not true in New Delhi.

I have not yet experienced anything that could not be delivered here. No,is not a common reply in the Hindi vocabulary. Yet, if something could not be delivered, Expats have a driver that could run the errand! Could you imagine how much valuable time could be saved from not having to go get things you need or have forgotten. Less stressful? Not necessarily...longer days because of more things you've filled it with.

India gets it when it comes to customer service, and every day in different ways, it gets delivered!

Quality Control

Last week, when visiting the Gurudwaray Bangla Sahib Temple, we were invited in to the Langar Hall Kitchen. Langar Hall is what I would compare to one of the U.S. soup kitchens. A place where the hungry gather to be fed a hot meal. It was humbling, to see so many sitting with legs crossed on the floor, eating what appeared to be a most welcomed offering.

When we went into the kitchen, I could not believe the quantity of food being prepared. The photo above is a pot of rice. Just imagine how many people that feeds? What made me chuckle, was that the men of the kitchen were picking through it, to rid of the clumps that over cooked and stuck to the pan! What was I thinking about that? If someone is that hungry and appreciative of any food given by a charity, do they really care about a few clumps of rice in their meal?

Regardless of what I think, the operation of Langar Hall is quite impressive. They feed 500 people every 15-20 minutes. They never serve meat so that anyone can eat regardless of their religion. Langar Hall is open everyday from 12:00 noon - 4:00pm and they will never turn anyone away. All food (or money to purchase food/ingredients) comes from donations.

What a lesson in humanity!