RELIGION IN INDIA 2009 IN PHOTOS

 

 

May 13-16 Kolkata
May 17-19 Bodhgaya
May 19-22 Varanasi
May 23-25 Agra
May 25-30 Delhi

 

We arrived in Kolkata, the cultural capital of India

 

 

National elections were in full swing

 

 

We visited Mother Teresa's mission, orphanage, and clinic

 

 

We made friends at the Indian Museum

 

 

We ate yummy Bengali food such as curried shrimp

 

 

 

We left Kolkata for Bodhgaya, where we stayed in rooms like this

 

 

In Bodhgaya we visited the Mahabodhi Temple, which marks the spot of the Buddha's enlightenment

 

 

We chanted with monks in the Mahabodhi Temple

 

 

We saw lots of Buddha images...

 

 

...we saw lots of Buddhist monks...

 

 

...we also saw lots of the cows which roam India freely

 

 

Our excellent guide Yusuf Khan was with us throughout the trip

 

 

Moving on, we took our van to Varanasi, the holiest Hindu city

 

 

In Varanasi we took a morning boat ride to see the bathing ghats

 

 

Hindu pilgrims were bathing in the Ganges River to cleanse their sins and reach enlightenment

 

 

 

Some of us took the clue and bathed ourselves in the sacred river

 

 

We also got blessed by the goddess Durga

 

 

Our Varanasi hotel rooms were very nice

 

 

New friendships were made

 

 

We rode cycle rickshaws

 

 

 

Then we left Varanasi by overnight train to the city of Agra

 

 

The train was faster than a speeding camel

 

 

In Agra we saw the majestic Taj Mahal

 

 

The Taj Mahal is made of white marble covered with inlaid precious stones

 

 

We visited the tomb of a Sufi saint named Shaykh Salim Chishti

 

 

At the tomb we enjoyed the music of qawwali singers

 

 

We visited the old capital of Fatepur Sikri

 

 

 

 

We had a Mughlai food feast

 

 

We met some older folks...

 

 

...and also some younger folks

 

 

Then we made our way to India's capital, Delhi

 

 

We visited the beautiful Bahai temple

 

 

We went to Gandhi's cremation site

 

 

This Sikh gurdwara hosted us

 

 

Jain temples are very interesting

 

 

The Jama Masjid in Delhi is the largest mosque in India

 

 

Of course we couldn't miss Hinduism such as at the Laxshmi Narayan temple

 

 

The Qutb Minar is an ancient Muslim monument

 

 

We visited a Tibetan refugee community...

 

 

...and had Tibetan dumplings for lunch

 

 

We went out for dinner and a classical Indian dance show and some of us joined in...

 

 

...but none of us got too close to the snake charmer's cobra

 

 

 

This page was last updated on July 9, 2009