My first day in India...

Today, I've had a good time looking through the archives, where I found my old letters from India.

These days it is exactly 10 years since I first landed in Delhi and then India. As I recall it, it was 28. January 2003 (and I have a psycho memory so most probably it's right). I'll probably post some more of these stories over the next months - some of them are still favourites. But today you'll get the story of my first day in Delhi.

The context. I'd landed late the previous night carrying a horrible tonsillitis. I had no idea about what India would turn out to be, but I wasn't particularly pleased about spicy food, big crowds or chaos. (At least that's what I thought). I had had my first day at the embassy, meeting my colleagues, including the doctor Bjarne, who gave me a prescription for antibiotics for the tonsillitis (nothing better than a good first hand impression).

Here goes from my letter:

"In the afternoon, Bjarne invited for a puja. Bjarne had only just moved to Delhi after living 5 years in Bhutan. Therefore, he'd bought a new house, new car and new (motor) bike. According to Hindu tradition you should make a puja for the newly purhased items to secure good luck for them.

We had been invited to the puja to see how it happened. A pandit (Hindu priest) had arrived and put up all necessary items. The puja took place on carpets in the unfurnished living room. All participants made a circle on the floor around the alter with Ghee (cleared butter), incense sticks, spices etc. The pandit lit the items while chanting and singing and getting the smoke all around the house.

All people present got a red string tied around their wrist. When the inside part of the ceremony where over and done with, it was time for the car and the bike. A few religious chants and some rituals, i.e. smashing a coconut in front of each vehicle and having the owner of the car driving over a lime. The last were a symbol for this being the last thing this vehicle would run over and, hence, never be involved in traffic accidents. Though less than 24 hours in the country, I could already tell that that blessing really would be needed.

Outside a group of 4-5 eunuchs turned up. The eunuchs live together in small enclaves, where they look out for each other. They are most often excluded from society and according to the rumours several of them are castrated (but I believe that is mainly rumours). According to Hindu mythology they are capable of blessing or cursing newly arrived things or people (like a new born baby in a house). They ask for money to give a blessing and make themselves a living that way. Unfortunately for the eunuchs their powers doesn't work on the non Hindus so they had to leave with less than the house and area of town usually would give."

That was an excerpt from my letter. Im neither particular religious nor superstitious, but I do like the tale of me being blessed on my first day in India as if I were the new thing that needed good luck in my new country. No matter what, India has been an extremely important part of my life since then.