Monsoon Holiday!

I can't stop plagarising songs,can I?I guess its like asking me to stop quoting from Douglas Adams...not doable(no snickering from those with dirty minds)!
This particular holiday was long overdue,didn't realise how long til I actually got there.And no,I didn't take leave(blasphemy!)...got lucky(no sniggers please!) with a light posting and understanding professors!Unfortunately,the honeymoon is over and Obs-Gynae has started!Yech!Too many horrible puns(totally unintended)all in one paragraph!Aaargh!
It was supposed to be a Delhi-Agra-Jaipur trip...but the Agra part was cancelled which means that I didn't get to see the Taj...AGAIN!!!Did I mention that I've seen everything in Agra but the Taj.So near and yet so far!Though I guess it was for the best considering the hullabaloo,a blessing in disguise and all that!
One of the major problems of being an Indian is that you HAVE to visit relatives wherever you go and considering the number of Indians and move around,there's no geting away from family wherever you go!So,yea we did have to spend time(to put it kindly)vsiting people and my parents have strict rules about dragging me around!
It would be impossible to cram 5 days into a few pages...and very boring if you weren't there!
The most fun(and fairly embarassing)part was at Jaipur City Palace with Mom in a starring role.She decided that she wanted to meet the Maharaja...the conversation goes something like this(translatedsince a lot of people would find it difficult to understand Mom's Hindi):
Mom: I want to meet the Maharaja.
Guard: You have to take an appointment.
Mom: : Definitely,but I'm leaving tomorrow.
Guard: It's not that easy...everyone can't meet him just like that.
At this point,someone goes into the private area.
Mom: How did he go then?
Guard: He's a guest.
Mom: So am I!
Guard(totally flummoxed and frustrated):
That's not possible.

At which point of time,I stoppped pretending that I didn't know her and dragged her away before the poor guy lost it totally.My dad was very conveniently occupied on the cell phone the entire time!

What really struck me during this trip is that India made a lot of progress...scientifically,culturally and otherwise..the tragedy is that we seemed to have let go of all that,the Jantar Mantar and the iron pillar that never rusts being classic examples.As is yoga,a prophylactic AND curative treatment.In fact,it is fashionable to revile India and all things Indian...to ignore the beauty which shines through the grime!

On a lighter note,this sign opposite the ticket counter for the Qutub Minar was rather funny:

 

As for the Qutub Minar,apparently a ruler two centuries later wanted to build another minar,twice the height and diameter of the Qutub.A classical case of the "Mine is bigger than yours " Syndrome:

 

And I did get a bird's eye view of Bombay(not sure about the rules for that so I took it on the sly):

 

Turns out that its good I had that holiday or I would have definitely killed someone on the transfer to Sion today...kept me around for an hour longer to make me do stuff that was their responsiblity once the patient was admitted there.It got to the point where I was picturing that particular houseman with a scalpel in his jugular...guess the holiday prevented me from actually doing that!

Liff As I Know It!