New Delhi, India 5/9/1995 We Missed the Show

(NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 9, 1995)

by Bob Van Leer

The highlight of the day was an evening visit to the Chandaini Street market in old Delhi.

The street was an unbelievable jammed crowd of markets, people, and motor vehicles. And, of course, cows taking their ease on the sidewalks. There were several times more people in that mile of market street than there are in all of Curry County.

It is an overload on the senses, the sights, sounds and smells. About everything imaginable is for sale on the street from sidewalk rice snacks to gold and diamond jewelry. I would not even think of driving in the traffic here. The only city I have seen that is worse is Cairo. (After 10 days in India, my conclusion is the traffic is equally as bad as Cairo.)

We were to see a sound and light show at the Red Fort, a huge fort built in 1648 by Salim of red sandstone, the same moghal emperor who built the Taj Mahal. Unfortunately, after the first line of the show, the power failed completely.

Apparently, this is not unusual. Many stalls have portable generators and the hotel has candles and matches in the rooms.

On the way back to the hotel, we came across a wedding procession, the start of a wedding. The groom rides a mare to his bride’s house to collect her. His entourage was stacks of portable lights, fireworks, a band, and a hundred or more well-wishers.

The day was spent in meetings with government officials and a visit to the Indian parliament during a session called Question Hour, in which members are able to ask any questions of the government. They seemed most interested in farm subsidies, education and a shortage of diesel oil.

The session was noisy, raucous and presided over by a bored speaker who has heard it all before. Sometimes a dozen legislators would try to get the floor at once, and some statements drew boos and catcalls. Much more interesting than the U.S. Congress.

Our first visit was with Salman Khursid, a second Minister of External Affairs. He described his position as a sort of a permanent civil servant undersecretary to the foreign secretary.

He made several points: the one million Indian population in the U.S. is an active bridge between the two countries, Pakistan is one of the more pressing problems of India, relations with China are proceeding satisfactorily, but China is still sitting on Indian soil.

Indian oil supplies are quite small and 40-60% is imported.

The troops trained for the Afghanistan war are used in political movements all over North Africa and Asia. He accused Pakistan of using these troops to create a proxy war in Kashmir.

We visited Major Gen. D. Banerjee in the afternoon. He is in charge of a “think tank”, the Institute for Defense Structure and Analysis. His agency looks at potential problems throughout Asia, things that could impinge on India. Historically, invasions have been from the north. But the British came by sea.

Drugs from Iran and the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia are causing problems for India. India has a navy that includes two aircraft carriers. He said one reason is India’s commerce moves 95% by sea. A nuclear sub the navy had leased from the Soviet Union was allowed to go back after three years.

India has a 1.25 million person armed forces, all volunteers, and some have to be turned away. He said India has no military alliances but “security agreements”.

We are being well-treated in India, but sometimes the service is not all together. Between sessions, I wanted to take a nap in my room. I put out the Do Not Disturb sign. I was just dozing off when the phone rang. One of the hotel staff wanted to give me something. He said he came by and saw the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, so he phoned instead of knocking.

Tomorrow will be more meetings with government officials, a visit to the Indian Institute of Mass Communications and, in the evening, a Dances of India program.