21st August

Had my classes this morning, and I have to say Raj Kumar was ever so slightly better than he was before. But the increase is very slight, and he is still in the realm of awful.

It is very strange, but there seems to be a student rally of one description or another almost all the time here. Every English class I have, I hear chanting by the end of it. It is all very strange. I think there must be union elections happening right now, because there are flyers and posters every where and occasionally you see jeeps driving about with some guy perched on it all in white, with orange leis round his neck and the crimson mark. Very weird. Everything here takes on a slightly religious aspect, even the supposedly secular politics. Maybe the people I have seen have all been affiliated with the BJP though, so the Hindu dress would make sense in that case.

Ben and I went to South Delhi to see the Qutb Minar. Took my first ever bus journey from New Delhi metro to the minarette. It was actually not too awful. The conductor gave up his seat for us, and then decided to lean against me instead the entire trip. He was not a small man, and having his legs pressing into your own was not altogether pleasant. About half way there he actually made Ben get up as he wanted a seat, so I was jammed in next to the window and the conductor, who proceeded to put his feet up against my thigh instead. Lovely in every way. However, I survived intact, modesty and all. Along the road some boys came on the bus to sing out of tune and beat drums for money, much like on the Paris metro, except I think the Parisians are more talented.

Managed to get an Indian ticket at the Qutb Minar! So proud of ourselves. For foreigners it is 250 Rs to enter, but for Indians it is 10 Rs. We pleaded our residence as students and they actually allowed us through as Indians! This means that now where ever we go, we can get in on Indian prices with our student cards. Absolutely amazing. Finally, we have managed to beat a tiny portion of their bureaucracy!

The Qutb Minar is a huge minaret of about 250 feet high within a ruined mosque complex. It is built from red stone and then the top two tiers are faced with marble. It is in near perfect condition, the inscriptions in Sanskrit are still intact. The whole complex was beautiful. All these crumbling pillars from the 12^th century with facades of geometric patterning. Occasionally you could see the Indian influence creeping into the Mughal style, as there were occasionally little figures in the rock and curving leaf designs. In the middle of the complex there is also a tomb (which I have forgotten the name of) with a lovely marble alter inside, and again, the intricate stonework everywhere. I have to say, Islamic style art is completely breath taking. I know it must gall Indian Hindus to see their major tourist attractions as Islamic marks of imperialism, but they are completely beautiful. In the middle of the main courtyard of the mosque is an iron pillar of about 15 feet high. It is a very strange pillar, as despite it being purely iron, it has never rusted. It has defied scientists for a while now apparently, as no one can work out why this is. It has an inscription on the side in Sanskrit, which tells you that an Indian prince set it up in the 4^th century as a monument to the Gods. The minaret however, is still the main attraction. It was completely beautiful, and how they have managed to keep it in such good nick is beyond me.

Ben and I decided to call it a day, as Amanda and Lauren had called me to tell me they were sick and needed water and loo roll. We took the bus back, but halfway to the station the monsoon happened. Rain like I have never before seen just poured down. Within twenty minutes, it was pouring and lightning was breaking branches off trees. The streets became flooded, and soon the bus broke down completely near Connaught Place. As the water was now coming over the step of the bus, Ben and I decided the bus was a lost cause and went out into the storm. The water on the roads was thigh high and we had to wade carefully through it. The water was a horrible murky brown, and occasionally things would wrap themselves round your ankles. Completely disgusting. After about ten minutes of struggle, we made it to the higher ground at CP and went into the metro, where there was still a good two inches of water on the floor. Decided to take a wee breather in Coffee Day as I hadn’t eaten and we were both looking like drowned rats. Felt infinitely better having got some hot coffee and food in me. On the metro I felt absolutely disgusting and am pretty sure that I smelt. The train was packed out, so I was pressed against some poor person who would have got quite wet as a result. Ben talked about going home in December, and about places he wanted to visit and things. It is nice to know that he has begun looking, as I have been thinking about it as well. Shows we are on the same page as far as home is concerned.

Amanda called me again sounding absolutely terrible, so took a rickshaw to the top of our road and got them water and loo roll, then power-walked down the road with it. When I got to the top of the stairs to our floor I saw them both lying curled up next to the bathroom door looking completely dead. As soon as I got to them Amanda went into the loo, came back out looking like she needed to go to hospital, then disappeared again to be sick. Having been sick, she looked infinitely better. Apparently they had been projectile vomiting and unable to keep anything in either end for the past twelve hours. I felt so sorry for them. I am also quite confused, as we have been eating almost the same things all the time. So, really, I should have got it as well. We have come up with about three things they could have got it from, and it is so unfortunate that it has happened to them. Though, I do not know what we would have done if we had all been struck down with it. At least I was up and able to get water and coke for them. After dinner, Marie and I went over the street to get more provisions, and when I came back up we all went into Amanda’s room and having had some Coke, the two of them appeared to be so much healthier than before. We ended up talking about different forms of fetishistic fashion through the ages for quite a while, until they both felt too exhausted to stay awake and went to sleep. I hope they are better by the morning, as they looked so completely desperate when I turned up. I was ready to take Amanda to hospital, but it looks like the crisis has been averted for now. When it is my turn, I am sure they will do the same for me.