India Gate and communal dining

We visited the sights of Delhi.

After getting some rest, we were now ready to explore Delhi. First, we drove from the suburb on a very well-developed highway to Delhi. The motorcycles are quite dangerous; sometimes they change lanes without looking.

First, we visited a Sikh temple.

Sikhism is a religion that worships one God; the founder of the religion passed his knowledge on to his students. The tenth student then wrote down his teachings. These books are very important in Sikhism and are read and taught. Sikhism originated in northern India, and in Sikhism, all people are regarded as equals. A baptized Sikh must adhere to five rules:

Kesh: uncut hair as a sign of respect for the perfection of God and His creation.

Kangha: a wooden comb as a symbol of cleanliness.

Kachera: cotton undergarments as a reminder of sexual moderation.

Kara: a steel bracelet symbolizes that a Sikh's character should be like iron, strong, unbendable, and consistent.

Kirpan: a dagger symbolizes a Sikh's duty to stand up for the needy and oppressed.

We visited the Sikh temple Gurudwara in Delhi. First, we had to remove our shoes and cover our heads.

The temple was white and adorned with gold on the inside. We listened to the priest who read from the holy book. The texts were read in Punjabi, so no one from my host family understood anything.

After leaving the temple, we went for a walk around a 50-meter long and wide water basin. In the middle, we sat cross-legged.

The cross-legged position is used here to sit down. Indians can relax in this position for several hours, while I need to shake my legs after half an hour. (But I'm getting better)

When we arrived at the courtyard in front of the temple, there was free Prasad available. Next to the temple was a hall where free meals were offered for everyone.

There, we had lunch with everyone else. The food was good, and the atmosphere was very special. Everyone shared their meal for free. You could tell that all people are essentially equal and that food should be appreciated. The food included flatbreads with chickpeas and dal (yellow lentils) with rice.

The operation is entirely done on a voluntary basis. The distribution is done with voluntary help. After we finished our meals, I helped with distributing trays and spoons, which was a great experience.

Afterward, we went to see India Gate. India Gate was built in honor of the Indian soldiers who fought for the British crown. There are also large military parades held twice a year, which my host family is fascinated by. The way to India Gate is a very beautiful 2.5 km long park.

India Gate is a beautiful sight. Gurudwara Delhi is definitely worth a visit.