Brightly colored sand paintings line the marble path of our hotel,they are a hint of what awaits outside the gate. Delhi cloaks itself in a blue haze. Constantly you wipe your eyes hoping see these beautiful monuments crisp and clear. There is no view in the distance, there is hardly a middle ground, It is as if a translucent paint covers the traffic, the congestion, the horns, the mass of people and the architecture.

Many things remain the same in Delhi, while there is much change. Where cows used to roam the streets at free will, there are very few to be seen. The sari retains it’s same style; while the pajama dress sports tights as a choice instead of the loose pant. There are still many street people sleeping and playing on the sidewalk.

We toured the Sikh temple where everyone must have their head covered and feet bare. I thought of my friends who would never have taken off their shoes and walked barefoot. Within the temple walls is a community kitchen. This kitchen feeds thousands of people a day, and runs 24 hours on volunteer help. Large copper and steel cauldrons sit on top of gas burners to make lentils and rice, a large table slightly off the floor is where many sit and make the naan. Hundreds and hundreds of cafeteria style trays are filled with a simple, but nutritious meals, using all fresh food. The street children can come, the homeless ,as well as the wealthy, they are all fed. And the volunteers are from all walks of life. A wealthy businessman may be washing dishes next to a homeless person.

My eyes are filled with the colors of India, red for energy, saffron for intellect and white for peace. The clothes are adorn with silver threads, embroidered flowers, pattern worn upon pattern, adding a style that any clothes designer would envy. There is a mystery to the clothing, a sense of elegance that is carried in the cut and color of the fabric, worn with a certain movement. The slight adjustment of the scarf, the sway of the material, the tying of the cloth allows the eye to engage all of your senses. In the saffron colors you taste it, in the blues you can experience the brightness of the sky, and the reds sing you a song so boastful and energetic you wish to dance. With these sights you find joy.