Day 14 At our Farm

It really is too hot at the moment. The temperature is way up in the 40s and everyone that can, is finding some shade to relax in. It is impossible to do any work in this type of heat.

This morning Sarb and Parmy left for Pandori, their paternal village to visit some of their relatives. Iran, Pavan and I stayed at the house. At about noon we went to see our farm. This was a bit of a mistake because in the mid-day sun the heat is unbearable.

The only way to travel in this heat is to take a motorbike. I was riding the Enfield 350cc Bullet that belongs to my nephew. The hot air just wafts past you as you ride through the fields full of wheat. I love the Punjab!





It’s been five years since I last came to the farm and much has changed. I spent three months as a seventeen year old along with my cousins working on this farm. It holds some very dear memories for me. I love this place because of its location and the calmness that surrounds the fields. The kids had a great time but we had to return to the house because it was just too hot. Iran got to ride the motorcycle. Pavan is desperate to drive the tractor but ee couldn’t do this today because of the intense heat. We’ll come back again tomorrow to see if it gets any cooler. Enjoy the pictures of the farm.

Pavan and Tarsem with the cornfields behind

Iran and Tarsem on the top floor of the farm house

Iran and Pavan in front of the farmhouse

Pavan in her cornfields

You looking at me?

Iran gets to ride the bike

Pavan on the bike

Animals in the shadeDid I mention I love this place?

Flexible Identities

One interesting thing I’ve noticed during our stays at the hotels has been the reaction of the staff members to us. I’ve found them looking a little puzzled because we’ve been speaking in fluent English between ourselves, yet have looked (especially after long drives between cities) dusty and dishevelled (not your typical hotel guest). In all cases when we’ve spoken in Hindi/Punjabi to them, they’ve asked where we are from. When we tell them that we are from the UK, they say yes, but where are you really from - the Punjab? When we tell them the story (briefly) of how our parents went to the UK in the 1950s and how we were born there, they are quite surprised at our ability to speak the local languages and our interaction and behaviour with them. They are delighted that we’ve taken the time and effort to visit different parts of India and introduce the children to the culture and history of the place. You realise that they value the fact that you value and respect the things that make India unique as a country - the culture, history, customs, religions etc. For example in Delhi, the doorman at the hotel asked if we wanted a car to take us to Bangla Sahib Gurdwara, I replied in Hindi, “usi pedal Guru ka darshan kuru gay” (we will walk to visit the Guru). He was pleased and surprised that we would walk in the 40 degree plus heat to the Gurdwara. However, he stated “yes it is good to go on foot because it shows a mark of respect and humility to arrive at a holy place in such a manner”. We take it for granted that we should do this because this is what we have been taught, however they are particularly pleased and surprised that we recognise the value of such an act.


The fact that we’ve retained the ability to speak the language, act appropriately (most of the time ) and do not adopt an air of superiority (because we’ve come from the West) and yet have the ability to engage in banter, tease and generally develop good relationships does make a difference. You get a smile, a helping hand and get served before others! The lesson I guess is that people respect you, for respecting them, especially if you value and retain the things they feel give us a strong foundation for a flexible yet strong identity. I guess we’ve been adapting to our surroundings without realising it, yet others have realised it, pointed it out and respected us for having the ability and motivation to do so. India really is a cool place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. (I do see the irony in that last statement especially with the weather we have at the moment being 40C plus!)

Aman and Jas leave India

We got up at about 8.00am, (an absolute luxury) and went to breakfast. After breakfast we went to Bangla Sahib Gurdwara to ask for the children’s safe journey home. The Gurdwara is just as impressive during the day as it is at night. Once you enter and listen to the shabads being accompanied by music, it gives you such as sense of spiritual well-being that you find it hard to leave. However, time waits for no-one and we packed our belonging and started to load up the van.




We dropped Jas and Aman off at the International Airport and they set off for their long journey home. We then started off for the Punjab. It was another 8 hour long journey and the kids got home only some two hours after we arrived!

Once we entered the Punjab we stopped off at a dhaba (roadside diner) and ate a really good meal. We then drove another two hours before we returned home at about 9.30pm. We’ve really enjoyed this road trip and it has been a real eye opener. I’ll try and write a little more about it once I get back to the UK.

Welcome to the Punjab

A Dhaba

Iran finds this amusing

Day12e Back in Delhi

We arrived back in Delhi for about 7.00pm. The road trip has been one of the longest ones that I have ever been on, but it has shown us a part of India that we have never been before.

Moving out of the Punjab and the Delhi region you begin to see the vibrancy of the northern regions begin to wane as you enter the middle states of India. Here there are more signs of poverty than in the more affluent northern regions of this great country. What worries me is the gap between the rich and the poor, the rich seem to be getting richer whilst the poor poorer.


In areas like Agra in particular there is evidence of substantial poverty existing next door to new shopping malls and five star tourist hotels. We only really saw a small part of the social make up of India because we travelled mainly on the highways and therefore did not see the situation in the local villages. I had to ask myself what makes the situation in the Punjab so different to say Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan? Well the Punjab (the land of the five rivers) has an abundance of access to water (in what was a predominantly an agrarian society) this proved to be the life blood that enabled this state to develop economically whilst others could not (the Punjab is still known as the breadbasket of India).


The underdevelopment of some of the southern states has resulted because they do not have the standard of infrastructure that exists in the more affluent developed states. Unless this imbalance is addressed in the next few years, India may be storing huge social problems for itself in the future.

Day12c The Jal Mahal and Leaving Jaipur

Well here is another item on my things to do before you die list ticked off. Ever since watching Octopussy (the James Bond film) I’ve always wanted to see the Jal Palace. I just did not believe that such a thing of beauty could exist. It does, look at it, it is gorgeous. The kings of Jaipur used this palace during the hot summer months because it provided relief against the punishing heat. It really is a sight to behold.


After a stop at a local cloth making factory where we purchased a number of items of clothing, paintings and other hand made articles we left the Pink City and headed off for Delhi. The tour guides help the local artisans by taking tourists to these places to help the local economy. The output of these places is generally to an exceptionally high standard and we were more than happy to purchase these goods and help the local economy. Though, I won’t hide the fact that we haggled fiercely over the prices. (Well if you don’t the sellers get quite upset!)

Day12b The Amber Fort

On the road to the Amber Fort

We first went to see the famous Amber Fort. Pavan got her wish of riding on an elephant. I must confess it really was a great ride, the mahut’s (the elephant drivers) seeing were Indian by origin engaged in some light banter with us. I asked if their favourite film was Haathi Mera Saathi (My friend the elephant) a hugely popular Hindi film when I was younger, and the mahut on the elephant behind replied he watched it religiously every night before he went to bed. Our mahut said that it was lie because he had no tv, and he should know, he is married to his sister. It went on like this all the way up to the fort. It has to be noted that because this is a major tourist attraction the elephants are very well looked after and it was only on this condition that my niece (Aman) agreed to the ride. She hates anything that makes animals suffer in any way. I think she enjoyed the ride up. The fort itself is beautiful. Have a look at the pictures below, as you can see, it was really, really hot.

The Fort

Iran and Daljit and their elephant

Parmy and Aman

Sarb and Jas



Walls of the fort look similar to the great wall of China

Tarsem and Pavan on their elephant

Palace gate

Iran and Jas in the shade of the gate

Courtyard of the palace

Sheesh Mahal (Palace of mirrors


Intricate carvings of a window


Images of the beautiful gardens




Snake charmer

Day12a The Pink City

One of the many city gates

We were out of the hotel by 8.15am, a little late due to a puncture to our van.



Jaipur is known as the Pink City because it was painted this colour in preparation for the visit of the Prince of Wales in the 1880s.

Images of the famous Hawa Mahal (Palace of winds)





Jaipur MuseumIt really is a beautiful city compared to Agra.