Trip Report
India
01/04 – 01/24/04
Mumbai Marathon
Mumbai, IndiaTue, Jan 13/04
Marathon # 218 – Country # 65
3:50:55
The wedding was planned for early Jan.
We began our ‘Golden
Triangle’ tour with a tour of Delhi - sightseeing of Old and New Delhi, one
city with two distinctive features and culmination of tradition with contemporary.
The Old Delhi tour included a visit to the Red Fort or Lal Quila. The fort is a
massive construction and an architecture marvel with Diwani Aam and Diwani
Khash. Started in 1638 by Shah jahan and completed in the year 1648 it had been
part of the Indian history since then. Next stop was Jama Masjid – a typical
Mughal architecture, built by Muhammad Ali Shah and is on the western side of
the Hussainabad Imambara. The tour of Old Delhi included a visit to Mahatma
Gandhi’s memorial site the Raj Ghat. The tour continued with New Delhi and a visit
to Humayun’s Tomb, one of the earliest Mughal architecture in Delhi. Qutub
Minar is one of the focuses in the Delhi tour as it the world’s tallest brick
minaret with 72.5 meters in height. Then we drove along the Rajpath past India
Gate, Parliament House, President’s Residence and the Diplomatic enclave to
finish with a visit to the Lotus Temple before returning to the hotel for the
night. The third day started with an
early morning breakfast (I skipped any attempt to run around steaming
landmines) and then we departed by car for the renowned city Agra to visit the
Taj Mahal. It is difficult to find words to describe this magnificent and
breath-taking beautiful structure! The white marble tomb that has found its
place in the Seven Wonders of the World was built by Shah Jahan in 1631-1648
for his wife Mamtaz Mahal. The mausoleum is an architecture marvel and the
Turkish and Persian influences are eminent in the building. Next we moved on to
the Agra Fort, which is situated on the north western side of the Taj Mahal and
the white pristine marble building can be seen from one part of the fort, where
Shah Jahan spent his old age. In the evening we attempted to go for a pleasant
walk near the hotel but they had landmines in Agra too? The next morning we
continued on to Jaipur. But before going to the Pink City we stopped at Keoladeo National Park a UNESCO's World Heritage Site, and a former duck-hunting
reserve of the Maharajas that is one of the major wintering areas for large
numbers of aquatic birds. I thought about doing a short run in the Park since
the only landmines there were left by birds. However we continued on to
Jaipur for an overnight stay at a hotel in the Pink City. Up to now the meals
had been good. Our guide took us to high-end restaurants mainly in luxury
hotels so the food was good and safe. But it was mostly Indian food and
vegetarian. I needed a steak! But that was hard to find except in a western
hotel so I had to make do with chicken! The next day we started the tour of the
Pink City with a visit to the Amber Fort. Built in 1592 by Raja Mann Singh and
completed by Swai Jai Singh it is a perfect example of the blending of
Rajathani architecture with Mughal art. Set on the hugged hills, this red sand
stone and white marble fort is something that should be seen. Then we continued
on to the City Palace in the heart of the Pink City with Hawa Mahal, Jantar
Mantar and Sheesh Mahal. We enjoyed one more night in Jaipur. By then we had
learned not to venture outside the hotel without our guide and driver.
The next day
we returned to Delhi and flew to Mumbai to begin the next leg of our adventure.
Did I mention
that one week before we left for India I received an email from the race director
of the Mumbai Marathon informing me that the race had been postponed two weeks?
I responded that I had a wedding to attend – I would be there on the original
scheduled date and I expected to run a marathon! I could not delay my trip –
and the wedding - by two weeks!
We planned to
stay in Mumbai for a few days to run the marathon and then continue on to
Ahmadabad. We also planned to meet up with Jason and Ami and Ami’s family in
Mumbai to shop for a sari and other items needed for the wedding. We had booked
a hotel south of downtown and on the Arabian Sea. I had assumed that I would be
able to run along the beach or coast. Wrong! When I went out for a morning run –
my first since I had not yet found any place safe from landmines – I tried to
run along the beach. The beach was totally occupied by locals doing their
morning duties – and leaving behind landmines! Others would walk into the Sea
to deposit their landmines. It was disgusting! I returned to the hotel! I guess
the actual marathon would be my only run in India? If there was a marathon?
While Nicole
joined Ami and her family to shop for a sari I visited the Race Director. I was
fortunate to meet with him and Hugh Jones who they had hired to certify the
course. I explained that I was there now and could not come back in two weeks.
I was going to run the marathon and hopefully the official course with or
without their support. Thankfully Hugh was on my side and recommended that they
support me. And we compromised on a solution. That evening they were holding an
official press conference for the marathon. They requested that I attend the
conference and after the conference finished they would provide a team of volunteers
and a vehicle to guide and support me to run the official marathon course solo
starting at 3 am!
It actually
turned out to be a strange and fun(ny) affair. I was invited to the podium
along with the governor of the province, the mayor of Mumbai and other
dignitaries. I was asked to give a short speech where I thanked the Race
director and the city, etc for allowing and supporting me to run the official
marathon course later that night. After the conference ended there was pandemonium
as TV and newspaper reports descended on Maddog for a story. I spent over two
hours giving interviews to the press and TV. The RD provided a room for me at
the hotel where the press conference was held. We planned to start the marathon
at 3 am. I got to bed at 11:00 pm and a TV station woke me up at 11:30 pm and
requested that I go downstairs and run sprints up and down the street in front
of the hotel for their camera crew?
I finally got back to bed at midnight and woke up at 2:30 am to get ready for
the marathon.At 3 am I appeared at the front of the hotel. I was besieged again by reporters and a TV film crew. They were going to accompany me on my marathon adventure – the ‘entire’ adventure! A taxi took the RD and me to the start line where I was joined by two young race volunteers on a moped. They would guide me through the course and provide any support needed such as water and carbo gels. It was a circus. I was followed for the entire marathon by a taxi full of newspaper reporters and photographers who would jump ahead and wait to ask questions and take photos. At the same time a pickup truck with a TV film crew followed me and filmed most of the marathon! I was afraid to stop for a potty break because I was sure they would film it!
My two
friends/support team and I developed a friendship and pattern as I ran the
entire marathon – on the official course – without a potty break to finish in
3:50:55! Once again there were interviews and finally I was left alone! I
returned to the hotel room provided by the race for a short nap. I woke to find
my face and the story of Maddog plastered all over the morning TV shows and on
the front page of the Mumbai newspaper. You have to admit – Maddog sure knows
how to make an entrance!
Now that the
marathon # 219 and country #65 was completed I could relax and play tourist and
get ready for the wedding. I convinced Nicole to give up shopping for a day to
join Chris and I on a tour of the city. The tour started at the Gate to India, one
of Mumbai’s most unique landmarks. The colossal structure, constructed in 1924
at the tip of Apollo Bunder, overlooks Mumbai harbor. It was constructed to
commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay (Mumbai).
We took a
ferry from the Gate of India to Elephanta Island to visit the Elephanta Caves where there are mythical stories of Lord
Shiva carved out in the rocks of the caves. The caves are a collection of
different rock cut mythical figures of Shiva, shrines, ancient Indian
architecture, statues of many Hindu Gods and Goddesses carved out of the rocks.
We
returned to the Gate of India to tour downtown Mumbai and then drove past the
movie studios of Bollywood and along Marine Drive to Kamala Nehru Park that is located at the
top of Mumbai's Malabar Hill. It is named after Kamala Nehru, the wife of
India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. From this garden, one can enjoy the
spectacular sight of the Chowpatty Beach and also Marine Drive (Queen's
Necklace). Kamala Nehru Park is a shoe-shaped structure, with widespread lush
greenery and is famous for a unique structure, called the Old Women's Shoe or
Boot House that famously attracts kids.
Our last stop, the Haji Ali Dargah is a mosque and dargah (tomb) located on an islet
off the coast of Worli
in the Southern part of Mumbai. Near the heart of the city proper, the dargah is one
of the most recognizable landmarks of Mumbai. An exquisite example of Indo-Islamic Architecture, associated with
legends about doomed lovers, the dargah contains the tomb of Sayed Peer Haji
Ali Shah Bukhari.It was time to move on to the main event – the wedding! We flew to Ahmadabad where we were met by Ami’s family. We were provided accommodations at a wedding compound along with members of Ami’s family. No other Wallace family attended because of the distance and cost. And remember we were planning a 2nd wedding in TX.
An Indian wedding is quite an experience. It goes on for days and days! There are traditional ceremonies that have to be completed in a specific order. A member of Ami’s family was assigned to babysit us and to explain the ceremonies and culture and to make sure we were in the right place at the right time and what to do and expect. I don’t remember all the ceremonies but I did make notes on some and of course took hundreds of photos of all the activities. I will try to explain some of the more important ceremonies that can been seen on my photo website.
Sangeet Sanhya: Indian wedding dances that are held the night before the wedding
Haldi ceremony: This ceremony takes place two or three days before the wedding. During
Haldi, a paste made of turmeric, gram flour, curd, sandalwood and rose water
are applied on the hands, feet and face of the bride and the groom. The yellow
color of the paste is believed to brighten the skin color before the wedding
ceremony and bring good luck to the bride and the groom.
Mehndi Ceremony: The bride and all of her close family members get the palms of their hands
and feet decorated by a professional henna artist. The henna is believed to
enhance the bride’s beauty. This ceremony usually takes place a day before the
wedding
Grah
Shanti: A brief ceremony where Lord
Ganesh is invited to remove all obstacles from the couple and to bring them
happiness and prosperity.
Ganesha Puja: Before the ceremony begins, a Ganesh Puja is performed for good luck. This
is important as Ganesh is the destroyer of all obstacles. The ceremony
generally involves both the bride’s and the groom's primary family members.
Our hosts and all their family and guests treated us very kindly. The wedding was a fantastic and fun experience. In the USA such an elegant wedding would have cost $250,000 or more. I assume it was much, much less in India. One downside to the wedding was there was no booze and most of the meals were vegetarian! However there is always a way. Our babysitter took us to a ‘special’ store where we could buy beer (that we only drank in our room). The area was ‘dry’ – no booze in hotels or restaurants yet many of the locals seem to have beer in their home? He also snuck us out to a western hotel a few time for a carnivore fix!
I apologize for any important omissions I made in describing this wonderful wedding. One reason I was afraid to write this report was that I didn’t want to hurt any feelings. But now -11 years later- I believe I can write the report and nobody will care if I missed something? Hopefully!
When the wedding was over and the newly married couple left for a honeymoon in the Maldives we thanked our gracious hosts and returned home with a 2-day layover in Singapore. This report is already too long so I won’t bore you with details of Singapore. I will be going back – I need to run a marathon there!
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