Walking on rooftops...

 Thursday, 23 October 2014, Old Delhi

Pati and BeeBee arrived in old Delhi via car and immediately stepped out into utter chaos.  They met their guide, Anju, who said "You are soon going to think I am crazy." She then led them into a dark passage way and up several flights of stairs without handrails. Then they climbed two wobbly homemade ladders leaned against walls and arrived high on a rooftop to watch young boys train a flock of birds. The boys scowled and were obviously not happy to see them. Pati and BeeBee realized that Anju was very perceptive - they did think she was crazy.  

The birds flew in circles around the rooftop. Anju explained that the object was to confuse other people's birds and hold them for ransom. BeeBee and Pati wondered if they played that game with tourists, too. Anju then explained why they had climbed so high as they climbed over various piles of refuse to the edge of the building. Anju pointed out the beautiful architecture of the crumbling havelis (mansions) which was impossible to see from street level. At one time, the buildings had indeed been beautiful but that time is in the past.

Pati and BeeBee the began the process of returning to street level. Since the topmost ladder wobbled about two feet below the rooftop, the first step was frightening. When Pati made it down the first ladder, he was reminded of what it like to have a flock of pigeons circling overhead the rungs of a ladder. He looked at his hands and began a cleaning process involving napkins, wet wipes, and Purell. At the top of the second ladder Pati grabbed a pipe for balance. It was the sewer vent. He was having a magical day.

After the ladders, descending the narrow steps through the dark alleys didn't seem so bad.   Pati and BeeBee finally reached street level and followed Anju from street to street and stall to stall. The people who, at first sight, seemed foreign and strange began to take focus as people of dignity and purpose. One man, working from a closet sized stall, worked translating ancient deeds into modern language for use in legal proceedings. Anju then took them to stalls and bought them food that they would normally never eat and it was good. Given the start of the tour, Pati was a little reluctant to try some of the "finger food." Anju spent some time looking for the "ear cleaner" who does exactly what the job description implies. Unfortunately, she didn't find him.  Pati wondered if there was a similarly aptly named "hand cleaner" wandering around somewhere.

After their tour, Pati and BeeBee dined at the haveli of Anju's brother, Dhruv (pronounced Drew) a Cambridge trained MBA. The meal was very good and the haveli magnificent. It was amazing how nice an interior can exist amid the rubble of the streets. When it was over, Pati and BeeBee agreed that the tour was worth every minute. Their only regret was that they only took the half day - rather than full day -- tour. That, and that there wasn't a good place to wash one's hands after visiting the pigeons.

Organized Chaos