Smelly Delhi

Unfortunately I am back in New Delhi and missing the cool mountain air so much! I fell in love with Himachal Pradesh last week and I can’t wait to go back. After our week at Kayakalp we spent the night in Mcleodganj which is a tiny town tucked in away in the mountains near the border to China where the Tibetan government is in exile and the Dalai Lama lives. We had fun shopping and eating delicious tibetan food (momo’s!). Unfortunately I didn’t get to meet the dalai lama but I did see lots of lama’s (monks) and saw the huge Buddhist temple in town. I can’t wait to go back there during my independent study, Beth and I plan on spending the last 3 days or so hanging out in Mcleodganj. 

After leaving Mcleodganj the reality of India sunk in. At the Pathankot train station we were bombarded by the usual beggars who were relentless. People were taking pictures of us as if we were some sort of spectacle. I swear there must be so many pictures of me on random Indians phone. Usually I don’t let it get to me but the way they were doing it at the train station and the fact that we couldn’t escape it was very upsetting. In the train after a lively debate about the validity of Ayurveda between Archna Ji and Paul Ji we went to sleep in the sleeper train. Luck for me across the way was a snoring Indian man. I didn’t get any sleep and was exhausted by the time we reached Delhi. Arriving in Delhi was even more hectic, at 6am Old Delhi was swarming with people and we were again bombarded by rickshaw drivers attempting to charge too much to drive me home. The air pollution was so much more visible after a week in the mountains, it was even a little difficult to breathe.
Needless to say I am so glad I chose to go back to Kayakalp for my independent study. I connected with the two Ayurvedic doctors there and look forward to working with them. My research topic is essentially perceptions of Ayurveda. I want to explore why people choose to use Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine when they have so many options in India.  Part of my field study is going to be participant observation and I will get treated by the Panch Karma department. I will be detoxified and treated for weight loss during the first couple weeks I am there, not only for the health benefits but also to understand exactly how the treatments are working and how they make a patient feel. This experience will help me to identify with the patients and improve my relationship with the doctors. I can’t wait to go back to Kayakalp where I can do yoga and meditation every day and get a massage or shirodhara whenever  I want.
These next two weeks are very hectic academically. I have 2 papers, and a presentation this week. And next week I have another two papers, two hindi exams and a hindi project due. I have to finish a lot of background research about Panch Karma and Ayurveda before I return to Kayakalp. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is full of fresh air and majestic mountains.
Namaste!