India curry fragrance full of humanistic atmosphere of the train trip

IndiaPeople tell me, if you want to know the real India will go to the countryside of India. I think this is not completely accurate -- Indians have put their countryside to the train station. In New Delhi train station waiting hall, dove trickling down the wings flying in and out of the feathers and guano, mercilessly in regard with equanimity and the passengers. The door is the hot sun and noise. Human tricycles, "ambassador" taxi, motorcycle, like a raging atomic doing "Brown movement", but seems to have maintained a kind of odd order. Buffalo leisurely to put its head into the garbage heap looking rotten leaves, they are regarded as sacred Hindu god Shiva -- mount in India.

For the scene, full of turn a blind eye to the peaceful Indians

Before coming to India, I read about India's rise in many media reports. They are like a background music, full of very hypnotic effect of melody. But in New Delhi train station, I could not see any signs of modern. Everything seems to be in 1897 and Mark Twin in the "description" along the equator line in the book: "the scene at the train station, the silence of the sojourners with simple luggage and belongings, sitting there waiting -- they are waiting for what?" I'm in human maze left suddenly rushed on the right, like playing with childhood hopscotch. There is a play on the floor of the people, old and young, here as the "love of the harbor". They seem to have adapted to this life: some wrapped up to sleep; some sat on the ground and hair; some pleasant cool under the tap; some cooking fire; some visual distance; some carrying a baby a few months from knitting bag, with many people faceSichuanPeople say "comfort". The definition of modernization, the Indians than I am optimistic. For the scene, full of turn a blind eye to the peaceful indians.

And curry air -- that is human breath, the taste of India. "The primary tool for an exotic smell," T.S. Eliot once said that if he had not died, I really want to tell him, his words and reliable as time-tested revolutionary soldier. Through the formalism, do things carelessly security, I saw a kilometre "Centennial" train. It runs on platform 1, each car were marked with grade. From the ordinary agent (Non-AC) went to the luxury air-conditioned compartment (EC), has not only a few hundred meters distance and is more than 5 times the price, more is the two class be quite distinct from each other. The air conditioning cabin people from emerging middle class, wealthy, educated, English-speaking, are the beneficiaries, and the general agent of passengers is the India people, who frequently appear in TV sitting on the roof, hanging outside in the car of the people.

India railway has a history of 158 years. In April 16, 1853, Mumbai at 31 kilometers to the opening of the railway, declared India opened the modernization process, while at the same time China was undergoing the pain of the uprising of the Taiping Heavenly kingdom. First.BritainThe colonists in India this is full of doubt, ascetic and beggar nation, whether it is necessary to build a railway. They can afford to pay the fare? They are necessary to increase the pace of life? Most important, they will choose the train instead of the trip? The caste system is a big trouble. People will allow "untouchables" and the Brahmin sat together on the train?

In 1843, India governor Dahl Moorhouse Lord for railway construction. Many Indians still proudly remember Dahl Moorhouse's words: "the great railway system will completely change the sun country, its brilliance and value will exceedRomeThe aqueduct,EgyptPyramid, the Great Wall of China, as well as the temples and palaces, Mo Mughal dynasty." However, to me, to choose railway as through tools, in addition to see beyond the glory of the Great Wall, but also because it is still India's most reliable form of transportation -- although it habitually late, high-speed rail and China compared to also be inferior by comparison, but compared with the broken road, at least it is more comfortable to put you to any a corner of India.

On the other hand, a train like a mobile bazaar, a miniature of the society, a comfortable hotel, a full of unknown and uncertain journey. When the miser a screaming, pull away, you can enjoy the scenery along the way, also have the opportunity to meet all kinds of passengers. He wore thick glasses, see the person eyeball almost hid over the lens. I sat down, so he told me, from New Delhi to Amritsar -- from the heart of India to the border with Pakistan -- the Intercity Express only 9 hours. Mr. Singer is the people of Punjab, the sikhs. He is wearing a shirt, trousers, bearded, wearing a red scarf. And when I talk, he opened the Montblanc bag, take out Blackberry mobile phone, the wrist is a golden watch.

The Sikhs is India's most recognizable groups. They wear a headscarf, not dressed, wearing some kind of shorts, wearing steel bracelet, use Singh as the name, meaning "lion". These markers allow a Sikh men will never forget their identity. The Sikhs known as a brave, this and they advocated violence against the persecution of religious tradition. However, some Sikhs also very gentle, like me Mr. Singer. The train started, he hit the call. Soft tone, can let a person suspect not issued from his strong, hairy body.

I don't think of two on the Sikhs. One said, a Sikh ready to emigrateCanadaWas told to, and a bear wrestling, and raped a woman in Indian, in order to prove that he can be a real canadian. A month later, the headscarf scattered, face scar man back announced: "now, I should go and Indian women's wrestling." Another joke, a Sikh who missed the bus, he crazy chase, at last and unexpectedly ran back home. He proudly told his wife, so he saved 50 rupees fare. His wife said with regret: "if you run after a taxi back, can save 100 rupees."

I watched the train through the so-called "India granary" of the Punjab plain. The flat, watery blue reaching far beyond the horizon, are hidden in the field outside the village. For a moment, I even thought I was Beijing-Guangzhou line, through the same scenery of the North China plain. But unlike the North China Plain, Himalaya mountains in the sea on three sides, the north of the subcontinent of India, meaning "five rivers confluence of" Punjab, India and the outside world is connected only land corridor. The location it is lucky, but changed Punjab, decided here since ancient times the ups and downs of fate.

The history of India, every time the alien invasion, has entered the subcontinent of India through the gateway of Punjab. Every aggression are accompanied by killings and war, left a deep mark in front of the land. Sixth Century BC, the first Persian monarchy in Punjab. They ruled here for almost 300 years, until 326 bc,GreeceAlexander the great conquered here. They left the ancient coins are still buried in the land of Punjab. Ad eighth Century, rise of Islam began expanding in India, followed by the Afghan conqueror. During the Muslim rule, Punjab has experienced an economic, cultural transformation. The Hindu blood was forced into Islam gene. Islamic monarchy fond of literature and art, a large number of artisans down to Punjab in the temptations of wealth, towns and villages all kinds of industry and Commerce Guild also spread all over Punjab.

Since the 1520's, Mo Mughal people -- a descendant of Gen Gi Khan, ruled Punjab for more than two centuries. During the period, Punjab people against time. A man called Nanak (Nanak) one son, the rise in the wilderness, created Sikhism, known in Punjab as "the first ray of dawn to illuminate the dark". However, the conflict of Mughal and Sikh forces not to continue, the war has become the norm. In 1675, the tenth generation master of ancient Binxin (Gobind Singh) ascended the throne, he actively reform Sikh, will into the church ceremony by the "baptism" into "sword". "Sword" started by Sikh are sacred, samurai to become religious saints. According to the doctrine, Every warrior has two swords, are a symbol of secular and spiritual. When peaceful means fail, armed struggle to become the Sikhs mission. They suffered from price not say not painful.

From 1708 to 1764, Mo Mughal army carried out the extinction of the slaughter of the sikhs. According to historical records, each one Sikhs have been head set the price. Two sons, ten there was mo Mughal people use bricks to build up alive suffocated. The Sikhs to hide in the mountains, until Mo Moghul precarious, they established the Sikh empire in the blue Rixin king led. This is the Punjab final brilliant, brilliant as a blue Rixin cut made people coveted branch - in - Noel diamond (the world's largest diamond, weighing 191 carats). After the death of Lan Rixin, not a sight of the British people came to this land. Two England - Sikh war, blue Rixin son was brought to England, and was taken with the diamond. Queen Victoria gave the son of orchid Rixin luxurious manor and luxurious life, also made his son's godmother. Although the Punjab "fools" in his later years were a rebellion, but ultimately failed, he also diedParis.