No autographs please-
After checking out the Taj Mahal, I had a whole day to kill in the city of Agra, before my 2 hour train to New Delhi. I first went to the old royal residence/army headquarters Agra Fort. On my tour the guide shows me the row of 365 rooms where each of the kings wives slept (one for each day of the year) followed by his private vineyard and entertaining courtyard. He tells me the last king that occupied the fort loved women and loved to drink and party. I mutter “damn, big pimpin'”… He looked confused and asks me to repeat it. “Big pimpin’, that’s what we call that back home”… “Yes, yes, big pimping!” He proclaims, accentuating the ing. While in the fort I had 2 different groups of Indian couples stop me for a picture. Sure my pleasure… I go to grab the camera, but they don’t want me to take the picture of them, they want ones with me in it. I heard of the happening in India and this was my first experience with it. I graciously pose for the pics.
Afterwards I made my way to a site called Etimad-Ud-Daula (dubbed Mini Taj). As I’m leaving an entire family of about 15 (mostly children) surrounds me to see the strange white person up close. Apparently I’m the main attraction here, the odd looking bearded white man, not the lackluster Mini Taj. They ask me the simple, where are you from, type questions and look on in wonder at my answers. A little boy gets shushed by a parent for talking while I’m saying something, which makes me stop and laugh. All except the nominated spokesman of the group remain silent. I feel like a fake spiritual guru or some half ass celebrity. It was really a funny experience. The family eventually disperses with every one of them shaking my hand. As I get in my tuk tuk (mini taxi) preparing to ride away a separate group of 10 kids stand on each side and stare at me. Not a hostile stare nor friendly, just blank and dumbfounded, the way I’d look at an algebra equation. I wave, smile at them and say hi. Most just give their heads a slight tilt the way a puppy would when hearing a strange high pitched noise.
On the way out of town I stop by a park to get a sunset shot of Taj Mahal. As soon as I get there 3 Indian students, late teens/early 20’s, come up to me and again I get asked to take pictures with them. They see my tattoo peaking out if my sleeve and start taking pictures of that as well. I hung out with them for about and hour and they gave me hugs when I left.
For as hectic as my early India experience has been there has also been this endearing quality and lovable nature of the people. It helps that I developed an acceptance that everyone is trying to rip me off in one way or another. I deal with that part as lightheartedly as possible and wait for the next encounter with my “fans”.
Bob
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