More Delhi and finally the Red Fort

After the train back from Amritsar I was suprised to find out the train made a turn to come closer to Delhi from the east, though Amritsar is acually way to the West. Well it worked so I checked out some smaller sights that area. And suprise suprise: these were 500 Rupees aswell. Just a small mausoleum. No more spending money for that except the red fort, is what I thought. So I just walked through some alleys which seemed to be a muslim quarter. Butchers, other small shops and so on. People just living their lives. Some staring at me, most not minding or caring. The way I like it (beacuse no one wants to sell you stuff or tries to be your new best friend)
I walked across some bazaars and came back to Jayanths place in the evening.
The next day I was determined to enter the red fort. So I headed there and checked out the masjid (mosque) on the way there. They didn't let me in this time as there was a prayer going on. A little disappointed I headed to the fort fearing there might be some reason it is closed again...
It wasn't! I resisted all offers of audio guides and personal guides and just used the info my lonely planet provided. Inside were shops with touristy stuff. A indian gave me his son to hold. The kid stared at me wide eyed wondering what the hell was happening (I could imagine). I went through the garden and saw alot of military presence. Soldiers behind baricades, some with really big guns. Amazing. The fort was a place of the resistance against the british untill they conquered it in a war and therefore had one less rebellious Enemy in India. Later it was also garisson for british troops. On the top of the fort, on independence day, they raised the indian flag the very first time in history, making it a very important and significant place.

Part of the palace in the Red Fort

Ornaments, similar to the ones in the Taj Mahal

The bathing house of the queen (if I remember correctly)

I mentioned the ASI (Archeological Survey of India). They tend and take care of alot of sights and recently raised the prices. Sometimes more than doubled them. The exhibits in the Ajanta caves were kind of pointless. I had added this passage after I had just been in the red fort (while I was both angry and disappointed in the ASI):

'Exhibits to show "we are such great archeologists and need alot of money from foreigners" >:( No sorry... That's unfair, but it really annoys me. I don't mind paying more than locals but 500 for looking at old caves might be worth it, but now I have seen to many sites in Delhi made that expensive and some were definately not worth it. They made it to european prices, which are kind of at the wrong place in India. Especially with what they "offer". Nothing really, it is just admittance to a place and their "exhibits" or "museums" are made up of random things and not that informative. The quality is often different than european museums, which isn't a bad thing, but demanding such prices for this are. The one big museum in Chennai was just about 150 Rupees and much more informative than the caves - though the caves were more exciting to look at I guess. But he caves were made in a way so you can only understand it WITH a guide or something like that, which costs extra.'

The red fort was better. Nice to look at and a few signs pointing out things. But their 'museums' were a joke. One was about warfare of india. It showed some bows, spears, swords and guns. Sometimes directly next to one another. Just saying "gun" - "sword" - woah! Really? Intersting... tell me more. Honestly, tell me more! Why is THIS sword here, why is it next to a gun? Did Indians fight with a sword against british soldiers armed with rifles? Or maybe it should be split in: Middle ages: swords - Colonial era: guns
Than there was an old flag of Germany (I'd say of the empire during WW1) yet it only said Germani Flag, so even Germany was spelled wrong. And people looking at it (not from Germany) might actually think it is the current flag...
I'm sorry, but I don't think that is a good museum (and worth a european price).
And they also showed an old telephone set, not sure how that is warfare... Maybe it was a war-phone, but without any explanations I have no idea what and why...

The 'Germani Flag' (if it actually was one)

Jayanth was very popular those days, at least with couchsurfers. That day another german guy arrived and we played some music together and I we talked about our travels. He had been to central Asia and wanted to travel India for the next few months. Though he left 2 days later we around together, got some food while I went to bazaars, he got his train tickets and left for Nepal by train and bus, same as Will did from Varanasi.

After Max had left I finally had time to visit Samantha. She was a very good friend in KIS. We hung around alot and were in the same class starting from preschool up to the fourth grade, when I left India. I wanted to keep the tension a little higher this time and only talk to her once we met and it worked! Only when I arrived at the place we wanted to meet, I called her and she picked me up. She has a strong american accent! I was really suprised, but I guess after spending several years in a country you'll probably adapt the way they talk.

It was fun talking with her. We talked about her new job and how everything is going in the huge city of Delhi. She was hoping to be on a conference in Nepal while I was still there... Sadly it didn't work out. But then I'll have to visit her the next time again =)

We met in Khaz Village, an old spot for artists. Now it is kind of a fancy place and you can meet there to get nice drinks, coffees and so on or even party in the night. And go to the hairdresser, as Samantha does. She has a deaf guy who cuts her hair (!), so I tried asking him, if he knew a deaf school here in Delhi, he did not, he said he went to the school in Chennai. He used the american alphabeth, so I could understand it. But I'd say we managed to communicate and he got what I was saying and I what he did, so that was pretty cool!

The day before I left an intalian couple arrived. I was in Delhi at that time so couldn't open them the door and Jayanths landlord (the weird guy) opened the door for them. A great welcome... I met them in a restaurant outside in the evening and I gave them some of tips and so on, of what I think India is like. 

On the last day I also sent some things back home. It was some gifts or things I didn't need anymore. And it was an odyssee to get it done this time... I first had to find a post office, then realise it was always full. THey didn't do packaging, so I had to do it before (luckily I was smart enough to enquire this before I drove there with my stuff^^). I asked several shops close to Jayanth, if they pack and I was finally sent to a supermarket. They were first a little confused, but then did it. The packaging paper was lovely! Just bright shiny blue, because they didn't have anything else :D

My package home! is it christmas already? (sry, by now it is! I should have uploaded this sooner...)

 When I then arrived with the beautiful package at the post office the guy from the international package counter didn't speak any english and just said "no". I asked what no? What's qrong what can I do?! He used another guy to translate and told me I should get it packed differently, best in cloth... And he refered me to the counter opposite in the post office, where they sold stationary things. THe woman looked annoyed at me and said they don't do it. So I searched for another stationary shop and finally one man saw my desparation and said he'll help me. With one of his workers I went to a fabrics shop and then to a tailor on the street, who then started sewing the package into the cloth. It was really interesting and cool to watch how this worked and how much the people do to help me. Then the guy took me to a place to have it sealed with wax which was very expensive. I noticed the guy being shocked, but I guess the guy saying the price said it was the foreigner special or offering him some money in exchange or so. I declined, because it could be opened by the customs the effort was already (in my opinion) too much for that. Then after waiting in line for another hour I finally was able to give them my package. It was more expensive for some reason... 

Sadly blue shiny paper isn't allowed, so now it's in cloth safely 

So the last days I hung around Gurgaon and then I stayed up with Jayanth and the Italian guy (sorry, I forgot your name!) to get an uber to the airport, because my flight to Nepal is at 6 am, so I arrived at the airport at about 3:30. Everything worked out fine and I got through security and everything easily and then I realised:

Oops... I smuggled this into the Delhi airport...

Well not really smuggled... I showed it to the security at the checkpoint and they just waved me past, so yeah... security :D

A nice ending to my trip in India. I loved it. Here some more random pictures:

Pigs! Just casually lying at a big road around Gurgaon

Big mama

2 gangstas walked past me like this #nohomo

Mumbai

After the adventures of Goa I headed to another indian metropolis: Mumbai!
I took a night train from Margaon to Mumbai. I sat down at my seat and was suprised the train was so empty! About an hour later when the train stopped at an station I noticed people staring at me. It was an entire indian family. Apparently they reserved the other berths in the compartment and were flabbergasted at what a white person was doing in their seat. They stood there for a few seconds staring at me. Their faces were priceless! Slowly they arranged and sked me if I was really in the right seat, so I showed them my ticket and they realised the family was split into 3 groups.. They didn't ask me to swap or anything or talked to me after that. I heard them joking using the word "english", I guess they were wondering about if they'd have to use english now that I was in their midst.
Only later, when they were having dinner they asked me, if I could move and let them all eat together. This again was a wonderful picture, though I was too afraid to ask to take one. Probably 12 people had gathered, some sitting on the floor, 4 on each berth and talking, opening their huge bags and pulling out huge amounts of food. They had Biriyani, sambar, other sauces and chicken. They all shared it and had a nice time. Once they were done they split again and I was able to eat (after they had finished I got my ordered food from the train-pantry). A lovely family experience =)

After arriving I headed to a small "hostel" quite far away from anything happening. Getting there was interesting. It was basically a "hostel" inside an appartment. So while I was walking with my big backpack people asked if I was searching for the hostel and sent me down alleyways untill I ended at an dead end and only thanks to 2 other backpackers, who were exiting the building I found out it was actually in there. One floor was remade to a hostel, with bunkbeds and the lot.
I soon met up with Will and Christina again and we did a tour through one of the Slums of Mumbai, the Dhavari Slum (it was featured in the movie slumdog millionaire, though people from the slum dislike the movie, claiming it shows a person from the slum but actually portraying a person from a different place or something like that...). It was really interesting. Someone I met told me that Mumbai was the most dirtiest city he saw in India and people were living in garbage. But in the slum I saw they were more living of it rather than in it.
They were recycling alot of old plastic and many other smaller industries were housed here (like tailors, making trousers, shirts, gloves and suitcases). Another one was a leather shop, who named their business after the slum: Dharavi.
Our tourguide (who grew up in the slum himself) said it's good quality and in the shop in the slums it's much cheaper than at other places. Same with most of the other places here, once they move to stores the prices go way up.
The tour was really nice and was organised by a NGO called "Reality Gives". Alot of the money from the activities and tours go towards their project, to support children from the slums. So here the kids could learn different subjects additionally to school and get help and support.
At the end they sold some of the articles people living in the slums made with the help of the project. It is a fair trade based upcycling system. So old Sarees would be made to scarfs, bags and other things. But they would also use other materials to create more.
Mumbai has a really high population density, it is over doulbe than that of London or Hamburg. There are still alot of slums, though the govournment is trying to get these people better living spaces, but is bound by a law made a few decades ago, where new slums won't be allowed, but the old ones preserved. So unless the people leave the slums voluntarily, the cannot force anyone out of there.

Me infront of the slum, picture taken by Will

The next days Christina, Will and I did some more sight seeing, visited the Gateway of India, through which in 1947 the last british troops left India.

The Gateway of India, directly by the ocean and quite nice!

And a fancy Hotel (I think) close by in a victorian british style (or something like that)

And I was in contact with Peter. Peter was our neighbor and we spent alot of time together playing after school and also in school. He was in the same class as my older brother, so they were almost inseperable. I had met his mother in Kodaikanal and was now eager to meet him once again.
We met one evening for a few drinks, Will joined us. We talked alot about the old days, Kodaikanal, what he was up to and so on. He is currently working for a big company and visited a very good business school, so alot is expected of him but he makes alot of money. Thanks to this he has only little time left for holidays and is only rarely in Kodaikanal, but is travelling around India on business trips.
It was great meeting him again and I enjoyed seeing him in such a good place and being able to talk again as adults. His company was going to send him to Delhi in the middle of october (when I'd also be there), sadly that meeting had been postponed so he couldn't make it. But next time I'm in India we'll definately meet I hope =)

The last day I headed to the Helen Keller Institute in Mumbai. Helen Keller was a blind and deaf woman who had achieved some fame in her day and is often shown as a prodigy, that educating people, who are deaf and blind, works. There are several institutions named after her in the USA (where she lived) but the one in Mumbai only shares the name. Unfortunately I arrived too late at the school and so teaching was over. But I was able to talk with the head of the educational board of the school.
She told me, that their teachers are all trained by the institution and so are more or less specialized in deaf and blind education. The building I visited housed the school for mostly children with multiple disabilities, so deaf and blind or other "combinations". The deaf school was a little further away more in the "new Mumbai" area. When I asked about the Cochlear implant she explained it is too expensive in India. And they would always tell the parents, that the surgery isn't the only step. After this the child needs extensive training to learn how to cope with the implants and maybe be able to hear again. Often this makes the parents think double to pay this huge sum of money. So the main form of communication is sign language. She showed me a book, that people from this Helen Keller Institute made, which contained alot of signs. Here was shown clearly the origins of the sign language. Depending if the schools had british founders they'd use the two-handed alphabeth or if it was more us-american they'd use the one-handed alphabeth. She also explained, that almost every school uses a different set of signs and so the talking between them is difficult. But they manage. In their school they'd use a system more similar to ASL (American Sign Language). While the school in Andhra Pradesh used something derived from BSL (British Sign Language).
It was very interesting to talk with her and hear about the work in their school.

Modern Architecture of Mumbai: A walkover above a very very busy junction of junctions

A Mosque I stumbled across while wandering through town

In the evening I met with Christina and William again, we saw a movie in and old cinema. "The magnificent 7" is a western, of a "typical" us-style. 7 cool good guys fight 1000000 bad guys and win. Though not every good guy survives. And the us-american flag wasn't always visible, which was a nice touch.
But in all an ok action movie and so we headed to the train station to get into a train to Jalgaon, a city from where we could get to the Ajanta caves (oooold monastaries of buddhist monks). We arrived there not too early but not too late and when I didn't see our train written anywhere we asked at the enquiry and they said the train leaves at a different station! Mumbai has approxametely 5 big train stations. Or 10? I don't know. This one was new to me and I still don't know what the abbreviation for the mumbai central station is. Our ticket said mcst (mumbai central station, right?!), nope. So we rushed to a taxi and he sped to the right station, luckily just in time, so we could get into the trian. Damn that was annoying... I just jumped into a coach thinking the coaches are all connected and walkable (from my previous travels), but apparently there were several AC-cars between the one I got in and the one I should be in. the others just ran outside the train and then I had to wait till the first station to be able to ge to my berth...
Annoying. The guy should have told us, when we bought the ticket, we  asked if it would leave here (we bought it at the central station) he said yes... Bah!
But we made it and were finally able to relax a little and eventually sleep and arrive in the early morning in Jalgaon...

Pictures of the Dhoti Ghat (place of the laundry men/ business): 

Drying clothes on a rooftop

View from above

Even more clothes hanging t dry, mostly sorted by colours

Random pic of the day: India! Newest member of the EU?! Britain is out, India comes in... sounds fair

Deaf and dumb school in Tirupathi

After my visit to Sri Kalahasti Pavan was also back in Tirupati and we visited the "Deaf and Dumb School" in Tirupati.
It is, like alot of things in Tirupati (as I have said before I think) financed and administrated by the TTD (the temple guys). So this is one of the programs they are supporting: Welfare for the handicapped people.

First we went to the "Business-/ job-"school. Here many young people with handicaps (alot of deaf ones aswell) do 2-3 years of studying and working, untill they start their apprenticeships in the free market. They are able to learn 4 industrial jobs in this institution:
Tailoring (here most or all girls are put in, boys can also apply)
Fitting and general handiwork
Welding
Light machinery (I think)

The two men, who showed me around were very proud to have a foreigner visit and were willing to show me everything. They even disturbed the meal of the group of students, who were eating. They weren't handicapped, so the canteen serves many institutions.
The work places seemed safe, they were just simple workbenches or the appropriate machinery, though probably outdated by european standards.
The Co-Principal (I think) told me most teachers try to learn sign-language (in my opinion, the kids really depended on it!) and otherwise used alot of pictures, other visual aids and of course showed the kids by example. Sadly there wasn't any teaching going on (the boys were all running after me and I didn't see any girls), just the tailoring teacher was there, but spoke very little english, or didn't want to.

According to the 2 men, who had showed me around, the "Deaf and Dumb School", so where the younger kids are, is next door. So thats where we headed next. But first I toke a picture with some of the boys, who were welders. I had looked at a little indian sign language before, so I was able to talk very little. But they even used a different alphabet than I saw online, so it was kind of difficult... But they were fascinated and very eager to see a white person talk like them (I think one of them said^^')

Next door we headed to the head-teachers office to say hello. Thankfully Pavan was at my side so he was able to talk with all the guards and tell them who I am and what I wanted. The head teacher and her right hand started showing me around the school and explained some things to me. One was, that in India there isn't THE "indian sign language", rather each state/ town/ school has its (more or less) own, I think it is also dependent on the language the state itself talks (some states have a specific official language, Andhra Pradesh has Telugu, Tamil Nadu has Tamil). Because India has alot of official languages it might differ and be even more diverse than the german "dialects".
The children and teachers were all suprised to see me and were usually in the middle of a lesson. Only one went on with her lesson and then told me what she was teaching. All others stopped teaching, looked and let the co-principal talk. He started asking the children, where they think I come from. All the children guessed I was from the USA. So we corrected them, that I am from Germany. Though I'm not too sure what the sign for Germany is... I of course used the german sign, so the teacher adopted it, but I saw a few kids doing a different sign first. But they quickly used the one the teacher showed.

At the end I knew the signs for the USA, telgugu (their language) and maths. In the early classes they have small devices on the desks, that help the children hear themselves and the other children (if they have hearing aids). Otherwise it isn't used. And since none of the children from the younger classes wore any hearing aids none of them were using it :D
In the entire school I only noticed 2 children using hearing aids (which also seemed very old ones, where you plug it in the ear, like headphones which are attached to the actual machine (probably the size of a walkman)). In a few classes at the beginning the teacher asked, if they were wearing them - the teachers always said no...
They told me, that in the higher classes (highschool etc.) they mostly just use telugu and no more sign language, so the kids are prepared for the later life. But the children seemed to react more to sign language, but then again I just saw about 5 minutes of their class... And the one teacher we visited also used a little sign language ;)

A nice experience, maybe I will be able to visit another school later in India. They told me, that there is a big school in Hydarabad, maybe I'll head there later on! It's supposed to be the only public school for deaf children to learn a job (so more for teenagers/ grown ups).
We'll see...

This is the school, where the older children go, to learn for the jobs, I didn't see any physically challenged)

Here I am surrounded by the deaf students from the school, not all were welders I think (they were wearing different uniforms), but the teacher told me they were 

The Entrance to the "Deaf and Dumb School"

The co-principal, me and the principal