Povestiri din Rajahstan 47. Final de drum

Cum tot ceea ce ne place are un sfarsit, iata ca a venit vremea sa parasim aceasta tara, care ne-a daruit atatea amintiri frumoase si care ne-a invatat atatea lucruri noi! Locuri pe care nu credeam ca le voi vedea vreodata “pe viu” imi sunt acum familiare si, cand le vad la TV pot spune “am fost si eu acolo”.

Ultimele cuvinte si fotografii din acest periplu vor fi despre aeroportul Indira Gandhi, din Delhi. Am avut o oarecare strangere de inima la inceput deoarece retinusem descrierea facuta de Imperator pe blogul sau, care nu era deloc imbietoare…Cu putin timp insa inainte de a pleca am vazut pe internet ca la 3 iulie 2010 se inaugurase Terminalul 3, foarte modern si “in pas cu lumea”. Am respirat usurata…

Conform statisticilor, acest terminal poate gestiona 46 milioane de calatori pe an si este considerat al 8-lea, ca marime, din lume. Cladirea, realizata din otel si sticla, este acum cea mai mare cladire publica din India.

Cand am ajuns in decembrie in sala destinata Sosirilor, iata ce am vazut:

sala de Sosiri de pe Aeroportul Indira Gandhi, Delhi

Foarte decorative aceste “mudre“, gesturi simbolice facute cu mana, care insotesc recitarea imnurilor si a mantrelor. Mudrele sunt legate de hinduism si budhism, sunt folosite si in yoga si dansul clasic indian. Cred ca mudrele reprezentate la aeroport se leaga de acesta din urma. Ele pot reprezenta zei, zeite, cele patru caste, cele noua planete, rauri, animale, etc. Dincolo de semnificatii insa, efectul estetic este asigurat.

Daca la sosire nu am zabovit pe aeroport mai mult decat timpul necesar pentru a prezenta pasaportul si a ridica bagajul, nu la la fel s-a intamplat insa si la plecarea din India.

Zborul nostru Turkish Airlines avea plecarea la ora 5.10, asa ca ne-am prezentat la aeroport cu cele 2-3 ore regulamentare, inainte. La inceput totul parea in regula. Apoi, lucrurile au inceput sa se agite. Se formau cozi la diverse ghisee, mereu schimbate, iar tinerele care le deserveau pareau foarte derutate. Dadeau cu greutate informatii. In cele din urma, am aflat ca, din cauza furtunilor de zapada din Europa, avionul nu a putut pleca la timp din Istanbul si ca va sosi abia in jurul orei 10. Ni s-au distribuit pachete cu apa plata si sandwich-uri si ni s-a cerut sa asteptam. Oamenii, obositi de nesomn, luau insa cu asalt ghiseele pentru a afla cu ce pot inlocui legaturile pierdute de la Istanbul.

Noua ni s-a spus ca trebuie sa ramanem peste noapte in Istanbul si ca abia a doua zi dimineata puteam pleca mai departe, prin Praga. Destinatia noastra era Budapesta, unde ne astepta cineva cu o masina, pentru a ne duce la Timisoara…Dupa mai multe insistente si amanari cauzate de indienii care intrau in fata, netinand seama de rand, am reusit si noi sa aflam ca ar mai fi si un avion al companiei Malev dar nu ni se puteau da locurile pentru el…

Cat timp am stat insa pe aeroport, am putut sa ma plimb putin si sa fac cateva poze.

Tablita alaturata ne desluseste despre elefantul indian ca exprima bun-venit, “intr-o poza blanda, care evoca grandoarea”.

Intr-un alt hol am gasit o alta opera de arta, langa care citim ca apartine artistului Satish Gupta si se refera la Surya, un simbol al cunoasterii, iluminarii si justitiei, privind timpul, spatiul si ordinea universala. Surya sau Zeul Soare reprezinta un tribut adus spiritului Indiei.

In cele din urma, la ora 12.10 am plecat, cu o intarziere de 7 ore!

Daca la venire avionul a fost foarte aglomerat deoarece veneau acasa, de sarbatori, indienii care lucrau in Europa, acum fiecare a avut la dispozitie doua scaune, asa ca zborul a fost mai usor.
Pe aeroportul din Istanbul, cei de la Informatii au facut cu greu fata colegilor nostri de zbor care, fiecare, dorea sa plece cat mai repede in alta directie! Pana la urma, lucrurile s-au rezolvat “la mustata” si cu sireturile desfacute ( a trebuit sa le scot din cauza capselor) si alte obiecte din rucsac in mana (nu mai aveam timp sa le aranjez fiindca imbarcarea era gata, ne asteptau pe noi), am intrat triumfatori in avionul companiei Malev, care avea sa ne duca, in doua ore la Budapesta.

A fost unul dintre zborurile cele mai frumoase: intr-un avion de 120-130 locuri am fost cam 25-30 de calatori, ne-am intins picioarele pe alte doua locuri si am admirat apusul soarelui cu care am mers, practic, in paralel, de la Istanbul pana la Budapesta.

Iesiti din aeroport, am dat cu nasul de ger si zapada. Scurta noastra vacanta la soare, se incheiase…

Maharaja si Maharani s-au întors acasă

La sfarsit, as incheia cu un citat care mi s-a parut potrivit pentru a ilustra ceea ce vi-am povestit despre India in postarile mele: “India a fost mama rasei noastre si sanscrita, mama limbilor europene. Ea a fost mama filosofiei noastre, mama – prin arabi – a matematicii noastre, mama – prin Budha – a idealurilor inmanunchiate in crestinism, mama – prin comunitatile satesti – a autoguvernarii si democratiei. Mama India este, in multe feluri, mama noastra, a tuturor.” (Will Durant, scriitor si istoric american)

Va multumesc tuturor celor care, prin intermediul blogului, ati calatorit impreuna cu mine in aceasta lume colorata si vie a Rajahstanului!

Stories of Rajahsthan 47. End of the Journey
Everything we like in life comes to an end, and so was our journey to India. Wonderful places, which I would have never believed to see “life” are now familiar to me and, when I see them on Travel channel at TV, I may say “I was also there”. As a matter of fact, the channel is broadcasting right now a film about Rajahsthan, so I have the opportunity to see again all those wonders!

My last words and photos are about the International Airport “Indira Gandhi”, from Delhi. Last year, on July, 3, the Terminal 3 was inaugurated, so everything was shinning new! Nothing less than a modern European terminal. Statistically speaking, it is the 8th terminal in the world as size and the biggest public construction in India.

Our Turkish Airlines flight was scheduled at 5.10, so we arrived at the airport with 2-3 hours before. In time, we found out that because of the snow storms in Europe, the aircraft has not departed yet from Istanbul, and it will arrive only around 10 o’clock. It is the risk of winter flights…

I used the time to take some photos, which you may see bellow.

At last, we departed at 12.10, with a 7 hours delay. In Istanbul, anybody wanted to proceed further, to other destinations, as rapid as possible, which was quite understandable. It was December, 30 and nobody wanted to see the New Eve on the Istanbul airport!

Finaly, we found ourself at the bord of the Malev aircraft, which took us to Budapest. From there, we will go, by car, to our home town, Timisoara, in Romania (about 4.5 hours drive).This one was one of the most pleasant flight. In an aircraft with 120-130 places, there have been obly 25-30 passengers, so it was place enough. We flew in a parallel direction with the sunset, from Istanbul to Budapest, a wonderful scenery.

When we came out in Budapest, it was snow and cold. Our journey in the sun was finished!

In the end, a quote which I found very proper to ilustrate what I showed you in my posts:

India was the mother of our race and Sanskrit the mother of Europe’s languages. She was the mother of our philosophy, mother through the Arabs, of much of our mathematics, mother through Buddha, of the ideals embodied in Christianity, mother through village communities of self-government and democracy. Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all.Will Durant quotes, American writer and historian

I thank you to all of you, who traveled with me – by means of my blog – in this colorful and lively world of Rajahsthan!


Comments

Povestiri din Rajahstan 47. Final de drum — 20 Comments

  1. Frumoasa calatorie si extrem de multe impresii.Un stat in stat cu nenumarate frumuseti pe care doar un calator pasionat si atent putea sa le ofere virtual.Bine, trebuie sa fi avut si timp, ca descoperirea sa se faca pe indelete, cu gust asa cum ai reusit tu.
    Multumim.

  2. Like a great book that is hard to put down after knowing that few pages are left before you see the word END, reading your last post re INDIA made me feel that way. I don’t want to see the final entry but this is it.

    I love your series re India – all the photos and stories. I was like on a VIP seat experiencing your journey. It was the most comfortable travel I had. I may not visit India soon but knowing that your site is here to make me see this country, that makes me happy.

    As I read your last word for this post and see the last photo for this entry, I’d like to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your very generous heart in sharing these stories/photos.

    Like a great book that is hard to put down, thank God, we always have this moment in our lives were we can reread it. Like INDIA series, thank God, I still can go back and go back and go back…to these posts.

    All the best for your next travels, my friend. Have a safe trip.

  3. An awesome reportage that was able to refresh my knowledge of India. I am not sure if I would travel there, but only because there are so many places I’d like to see and they are closer. But a thought, again, about a trip to India will be always there thanks to your pictures.

  4. And with characteristic airport, as an option, I wish you should be healthy and make several trips!
    Thank you directly from my heart for the wonderful tribute to the colorful and vibrant India!
    I read carefully what wrote!
    I learned a lot, thanks!
    Happy Easter to your family

  5. da, unii ştiu să-şi folosească background-ul; superb gesturile lor simbolice prin care te salută, şi se prezintă celor ce îi vizitează…
    mulţumesc, şoimule…
    poţi ă spoi care va fi următoarea destinaţie?
    să ai o săptămână maximă

  6. My favorite memory of arriving at the New Delhi airport was — looking out the window a bunny was hopping beside the airplane, all the way to the gate. It was like he was welcoming us.

  7. just amazing arts they have there. here in the philippines we have agreat number of artists. only they are not able to show it through those big structures.

  8. A fost un serial splendid cu poze minunate si comentarii de istorie si arta corespunzatoare, care sa te-au facut sa intri perfect in sufletul Indiei. Multumim, iar ,,perechea,, din final, are toata admiratia noastra.

  9. @Randy: thank you!

    @Duncan: it’s new and displays a modern architecture!

    @ Viorel: cu multa placere! Ma bucur ca ti-a trezit interesul.

    @Rizalenio: as always, you have only kind words. Thank you for the wishes for my new trip!

    @VP: thank you! It means my work was not in vain 🙂

    @magda: thank you for your comment. I know you mean every word of it!

    @joo: you are welcome! I invite you to follow my next series, after May,1:) You’ll learn the destination in the next post.

    @Victor: multumesc! Sigur, nu e un secret: destinatia apare in postare de maine:)

    @Doug: it was my pleasure! Stay tuned! I’m traveling again soon:)

    @Margaret: how nice! Thanks for the visit!

    @dong ho: every country has something special, I’m sure Phillipines too!

    @ mariana sincai: multumesc mult! Nu stiam unde ai disparut! In postarea de maine, vezi unde plec zilele astea, singura!!

  10. This has been an outstanding and comprehensive set of posts from your visit. We are all much aware 9f this country and it’s colourful delights. Right up to end with this amazing airport building you keep our interest with this fascinating structure. Have a great weekend.

  11. Thanks, J_on_tour fro you kind words. I am glad you liked my “Indian” stories. The “Korean” ones are coming soon. I can’t believe that I have only 3 days left here, in Seoul! I’m leaving on Sunday.

  12. Mi-a placut tare mult aceasta calatorie “virtuala” pe care am facut-o alaturi de tine in India.
    Calatorii frumoase in continuare 🙂

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