Apologies for the delay in writing the blog!!! But on a good note, we have lots to update you about!!
In this post I'll share with you our visits to Delhi's two Gandhiji museums, as well as our sightseeing to Birla Temple and the Lotus Temple.
Having finished early at the hospital on Saturday, we set off to the National Gandhiji Museum near Chawri Bazaar. We took the Metro to Chawri Bazaar and stepped out into the hubub. The station entrance was amongst stalls in narrow alleys with traffic everywhere!!! It was around 2pm and the sun was beating down relentlessly. The heat was suffocating as we were weaving in and out of the stalls trying to find an auto-rickshaw (which unusually seemed to be a rare mode of transport in this part of Delhi!!). In the end, we ended up braving a cycle-rickshaw to the museum. Possibly not the best of ideas in the searing heat, but definitely was fun!!! (Not for Marty, who was sitting at the back with no shade from the sun)
The Gandhi Museum had different exhibitions - one for the different charkhas that were developed; one for photos from significant moments of his life; philosophical quotes, items of memorabilia and artwork of Mahatma Gandhi from all around the world. The whole museum had so much information, but it was all presented in a very wordy fashion. Great if you have a long concentration time - not so much, if you're like Gloria and get distracted easily!!
Birla Temple is also known as the Laxmi Narayan Mandir. It is devoted to the Goddess Laxmi - Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated this temple in 1939 on the condition that people of all castes were able to enter the Mandir. Inside, there are beautiful murtis and paintings of hindu mythology. Truly beautiful and peaceful - architecturally the temple is like no other I've visited.
The Gandhi Smriti Museum, is situated where Gandhiji spent the last few years of his life, and also where he was assassinated. There was a whole multimedia show here was interactive and informative. Different modes of presentation were used to put across the information in a fun way, using all 5 senses.
Lotus Temple is a Bah'ai House of Worship located in South Delhi. It is open to all regardless of religion and is a place of meditation. The Bahá'í laws also stipulate that only the holy scriptures of the Bahá'í Faith and other religions can be read or chanted inside in any language; while readings and prayers can be set to music by choirs, no musical instruments can be played inside. Furthermore no sermons can be delivered, and there can be no ritualistic ceremonies practised.
Ok... More tomorrow .. We're visiting the Delhi Slums!
xxx
Today we went out with the Smile Train Charity car!
Marty, Melman and I, went out to the slums with Kanaya and his driver. Kanaya is employed by the charity to explore villages and some of the poorest areas of Delhi to find children or adults with cleft lip or cleft palate related problems. On paper this sounds easy. In practice, this is very very difficult. Imagine facing 40 degree heat everyday without air conditioning or a fan. Not only this, but walking so many kilometres in the sun, through filthy slums trying to convince the poorest of poor to make the journey to the hospital. For those individuals, it means a day not earning money, and some are even unable to pay for the journey itself. Even those who are convinced to have the initial operation are lost to follow up afterwards, and it is up to Kanaya to visit their homes and to try and convince them to return for follow up operations and speech therapy etc. The word is spread via leaflets and also word of mouth. 
