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FEATURE
We were greeted at the La Meridian hotel complete with lavish
Christmas decorations and Santa as well. We joined the Christmas
party with noisy kids having a good time. Part of the delegations
mission was to visit medical facilities and participate in an ex-
change of knowledge. we visited the local Apollo Hospital where
my dad gave a talk on ‘Clinical Applications of Hyperbaric Med-
icine.’ We toured the facility and were treated to lunch. The first
place we visited was the world’s largest Hindu temple ‘Akshard-
ham’, dedicated to lord Swaminarayan, a manifestation of Vishnu.
This branch of Hinduism has a large following in the Indian Di-
aspora and we even have a temple in San Antonio. The temple was
an architectural marvel in marble. Apart from the sculptures of
deities and the vast acreage of manicured gardens, the light and
sound show with playing fountains of water took my breath away.
Through the colorful water fountains, the 25-minute show de-
picted a story about children helped by God because of their faith
and devotion and destruction of ego.
The next day we toured “Old Delhi” which served as the capital
of Muslim India for the most of the 12th through 19th centuries.
Many of the city’s mosques, forts, and bazaars date to the mid-17th
century. In contrast, the present-day New Delhi is a city of broad
boulevards, landscaped gardens, and neoclassical buildings. The im-
perial city is a creation of the British, who began its construction in
1911 and inaugurated it as the capital of India in 1931. Today, the
city is part of the Delhi Union Territory, a federal district similar to we set out to Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan, situated
Washington, D.C. (India Unveiled by Robert Arnett). We visited
Raj Ghat, a memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated,
the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar, a drive along
the ceremonial avenue, the Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate,
Parliament House, the President's residence and the diplomatic en-
clave. In Chandni Chowk we rode a tricycle rickshaw through the
narrow streets. On one street there was a Jain temple, a Sikh temple
and a church and the street led to the Jumma Maszid, one of the
oldest and largest mosques in India.
On 26th December, we visited the city of Agra, which was the
older capital of India during the Mughal rule in the 16th and 17th
centuries. The magnificent Taj Mahal was built under the leadership
of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan over a 22-year span in the mid-
1600s. After looking at this huge white monument, I realized why
the Taj Mahal is considered one of the Wonders of the World. In-
fluenced by Islamic, Indian, and Persian architectural styles, the
tomb was built by 20,000 workers, an architectural feat for not only
the Mughal Empire but for all times. Excerpts from the Quran and
precious jewels adorn the detailed inlay on the marble walls, sur-
rounded by 300 meters of impeccably manicured gardens that en-
hance the sense of peaceful beauty pervading the space. The Agra
Fort nearby was another magnificent monument where Shah Jahan
was imprisoned and from where he could see his Taj Mahal, a me-
morial for his favorite wife Mumtaz. Shah Jahan died before he
could complete his own tomb of black marble; the foundation is
seen along the banks of the beautiful river Yamuna. A flight delay
gave us the opportunity to visit the ‘Lotus Temple’ built by an Iran-
ian architect Farborz Sahba; built in line with teachings of the Baha’i
faith that believes in oneness of God, religions, and mankind.
We arrived in Udaipur the night of December 27th and joined
hundreds of Indian physicians who came from all over the globe for
the annual Global Health Summit. We visited the Haldi Ghat, a
historical site where in 1576 AD the battle between Maharana
Pratap and the Mughal Emperor Akbar occurred. We travelled an-
other 31 miles to ‘Nathdwara’ also called Shrinathji a 17th century
Vaishnava shrine. We hustled among the crowds, bare feet, trying
to get a glimpse of Krishna in the temple. The colorful background
of flowers and paintings on the wall created an ambiance for peaceful
worship. We did delve in to the little shops with handmade imita-
tion jewelry. In the evening, we were a part of the inauguration cer-
emony of — the AAPI Global Healthcare Summit. We heard the
Health Minister of India speak, and enjoyed the colorful dances of
Rajasthan and listened to urdu ghazals poetry. The next morning,
at an altitude of about 4,000 feet. There we visited the 11th century
Dilwara Jain Temples. After lunch and a visit to the sparkling blue
Nakki Lake, we returned to Udaipur and joined the other delegates
and enjoyed the world famous puppet show and a cultural program
of Rajasthani dances.
On 30th December, we drove an hour to the Kumbhalgarh fort
that is surrounded by 13 mountain peaks, guarded by seven great
gates and seven ramparts, strengthened by rounded bastions and im-
mense watchtowers. This mountain fortress has witnessed many bat-
tles. The next stop was the famous15th century Ranakpur Jain
Temple. It is built in pure white marble with 80 domes supported
by 1,944 carved pillars. The Chaumukha, meaning four-faced tem-
ple, is dedicated to Lord Adinath, who is the first saint of the Jains.
On December 31st, we toured Udaipur. The Majestic City Palace,
built in 1559, located near at east bank of Lake Pichola, Palace Mu-
seum, Rana Pratap Museum and the Crystal Gallery were amazing.
The boat ride in the Lake Pichola was a serene experience and so
was the visit to the ‘Saheliyon ki Bari’, the garden of maids and the
vintage automobile museum. New Year’s Eve was celebrated in Indo-
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