The exhibition are vendors from all over India and other parts of the world. Many many of them from Kashmir, which mean gorgeous cashmere pashmina's, stoles and scarves for very cheap prices. But you have to know how to bargain!
There were food vendors, circus rides, and so many things to buy. I bought a pashmina scarf, a pair of sandals, some saffron honey, black bangles and some mango jelly all for under $13, and apparently i could have still gotten it cheaper. The exhibition will be around until mid-Feb so i hope to go back.
We had a fun day getting stared at (4 western girls, 2 of which are over 5 feet 8 inches tall and blond), but it doesn't really bother us much anymore. We also had some ice cream and chat (which is pronounced kind of like chart but with a silent r). This is Indian snack food or vendor food originating in Rajastan (the royal part of India) and it's really hard to describe. My favourite is Dahi Papri (dahi meaning yogurt), it's crumpled up crusts of samosas or dried roti (without the filling), then layered with chick pea curry,then a bunch of spices, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, then layered with sweetened yogurt, and tamarind sauce then topped with red onions and a kind of cracker. I love this stuff, and it's so cheap, like about 30 cents a plate.
I added a few links for you to see the many variations of chats. Another popular one is pani puri (which means water and a kind of Indian donut/pastry). At first I thought it was so weird to poke a hole in my food (a pastry kind of thing), put water in it with onions and eat it. But it's delicious! Here are some more pictures of Pani Puri. The flavoured water is put inside the puri which already hold some chick peas and onions, and you eat it like that. It's addicting and so cheap!! i think I'm going to get some chat tonight at work at the chat vendor and drink some freshly squeezed sweet lime juice from the fresh fruit vendor!
Rachel, just arrived 3 days earlier from the U.S
Chunny enjoying her chat
Me and my plate of dahi papri
A train ride through the exhibition
So many people
6 comments:
I really like your style of writing and your positive attitude to a totally different experience. I have been feeling a little down after my return back to india but I feel uplifted after reading your posts. You bring an energy to living your life that I totally admire !
Thanks Nagraj! It's great to know my experiences are impacting other people's lives. Sometimes life can be difficult for me in India, but I always try to find the good things in life to share, and I try not to judge India's cultures, but instead try to write about it from a point of learning for my family and friends back home, even though some concepts are hard to wrap my head around.!
What part of India do you live in?
Very informative post.
Claps !!!
Shelley, looks like my kind of shopping. This I like. the only thing that I may be able to cope with is the hot weather over there. Are there any golf courses around?? Just wondering, maybe it is too hot over there to keep a course going. Just wondering. Well Shelley this again was a great blog and loved the pictures that went with it.
Love always
MOM
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Sorry made an error, what I meant to say was, not sure if able to cope with the hot weather over there? Is it humid also or dry hot weather...and what temp was it that day....
MOM
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