Week Ending May 19

Monday morning we rose early and climbed to the Kunjapuri Temple outside Rishikesh to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas.

Later that morning we headed to Haridwar to visit the nurses doing a hygiene training at the Vandematram school.

On the way we passed villages of  Van Gujjars, a pastoral tribe.  

The nurses and children had fun reviewing good hygiene techniques. 

 In the afternoon we returned to the clinic in Haridwar where the students were treating leprosy patients.

Slum in Haridwar serviced by the clinic and school

On the way back to Rishikesh we were treated to the sight of a herd of about 15 elephants, including a calf, walking along the canal.

Behind them came this large tusker.

The next morning we arose early again and drove back to Haridwar to watch the morning aarti performed on the ghats along the Ganges.

A British clock tower dominates the riverside.  Haridwar was the site of this year's Kumbh Mela, the largest gathering of human beings on the planet held last January 15-March 4.  An estimated 120 million Hindu devotees attended.  

We arrived back in Delhi on Tuesday.  Reeta Thangarj and Gaurav Singh, two young returned missionaries, came over on Wednesday and Friday for help with their English.  On Friday Gaurav brought some delicious aloo paratha to share.

Saturday we took a morning walking tour of  the area around Kashmere Gate.    Among the busses and cars on the busy road was this fine fellow pulling a heavy load.

Our theme was the Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Indian Mutiny, or North India's First War of Independence which began on 10 May in Meerut, north of Delhi.  Hoping to win the support of the Mughal Emperor, the rebelling sepoys of the British East India Company's army headed for Delhi where they arrived 11 May.  Much of the fighting occurred around the Kashmere gate, the northern entrance to the city.

This area originally had many Mughal palaces and estates.  When the British came to Delhi they set up their residences here.  Delhi's once grand St. James Anglican Church, was built by an Anglo-Indian soldier, Col. James Skinner in the neighborhood.  Here some of the British in Delhi came for protection when the rebellion broke out.  It was provided by Skinner's Horse, a cavalry regiment of the Indian Army commanded by Col. Skinner.

Saturday evening the three Delhi missionary couples, ourselves, the Toones and the Skidmores along with the VanDenBerghes from Nepal, had dinner at Lakhori in Old Delhi. 

  

We enjoyed the dancing . . .

and the view of the city, celebrating under the Ramazan full moon.

We made our way back to our waiting car through the holiday crowd.  

Sunday we gathered with the Delhi Stake to the Hyatt Regency to hear President Ballard speak.  

Afterwards we hosted the nurses and some of the YSA at our apartment.