Day 3 - New Delhi

As I walked to the train this morning, I for some reason started singing Nelly the Elephant over and over in my head. I think it was the extraordinary news from the US elections and a mental coping mechanism, but I can't be sure. 

In other news, the Indian government ceased all transactions using 500 & 1000 rupee notes for 72hrs on the night of my arrival. Something to do with curbing the black economy. India is essentially without cash this week. For a cash economy and recently arrived tourist, this is bad news. I only discovered this an hour after changing my travel funds into 500 & 1000 rupee notes from a gleeful money changer. All banks and atms are closed until tomorrow and I've been subsisting on the small change in my pocket. I didn't eat yesterday, gone hungry again today, have to walk everywhere and can afford only 2 more bottles of water. For a man of my means, it's a bit of a come down to be living off £1.80 over the period. 

I say this to explain my mild irritation that may have come through yesterday, and my equal chagrin at having to go with a tour operator for my train tickets and hotels for the next couple of days as they accepted plastic. 

Anyway, I found myself sat in functional class on the train to Jaipur while contemplating a lunch of tepid water. 

Accommodation: given what I'm being charged, poor. In reality, perfectly fine with a proper grown up loo. 

Food: lack of funds preclude experimentation.

Walking: a mere 15 miles today between train stations and 'city centre hotel' in Jaipur. (My definition of 'city centre' is a lot tighter than my chosen tour operator - cheeky fucker)

The curry did look good but at 40p, it was simply beyond my means. 

India is famous for its big flags.

HISTORICAL NOTE:

Apologies for yesterday, it was the best I could do at short notice...

On Sunday the 10th May 1857 in the British garrison town of Meerut about 50 miles to the North East of Delhi, officers and men readied themselves for church parade. As they left their accommodations, they heard musketry and bugle calls. Three regiments of Sepoys at Meerut had revolted.

This wasn't the first sign of insurrection, but it was the most violent and wholesale. Recent British annexation of the Oudh province, the rumours of beef and pork fat being used to grease rifle cartridges, and general jeopardy to the caste system held so dear, we're all signs that the British were slowly attempting to Christianise the Bengal Army and population at large. 

The Indian government under Lord Canning had bungled attempts to reassure and mete out punishment to those who protested loudest. A few regiments had been disarmed, the 19th Native Infantry disbanded, others trusted to remain loyal. What was consistently underestimated, was the scale and depth of unrest throughout the largely native army. 

The Sepoys of the 11th & 20th Native Infantry regiments had been persuaded that flour had been mixed with the ground bones of bullocks to rob them of their caste status. When their comrades of the 3rd Native Cavalry refused to receive fresh, but old style cartridges, it was enough to spark the church parade uprising. 

Colonel Finnis of the 11th was 'riddled to death', officers of the 20th quickly dispatched, and property burned before the mutineers disappeared in the direction of Delhi. The event was unprecedented and by the British at least, unexpected. The survivors remained stunned and without orders to pursue, in Meerut.