Picto Diary - 15, 16 December 2019 (2) - Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, New Delhi

Above: Walking with Gandhi. Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, New Delhi, India. 15 December 2019.

Bishop and TIMDT do a virtual walk with Gandhi at Rashtrapati Bhavan, residence of the Indian President. This was an excellent virtual reality exhibit. I'd urge museum authorities to try a bit harder on the quality and resolution of the virtual walk. Not complaining.... just sayin'.... trying to be helpful.

This fabulous new museum is dedicated to highlighting the lives of Indian Presidents since Indian independence in 1948. Rashtrapati Bhawan Museum opened its gate for visitors on 2nd October 2016. It is spread over an area of 10,000 square meters, makers of the museum has put on use superior technology to display the various aspects of Rashtrapati Bhawan. Our guide, Jaya, was one of a six individual working group who was responsible for getting the museum up and running.

It seems the Indian Presidents have all the perquisites but little of the power. The presidents' home is Rashtrapati Bhavan, the top residence... the White House... as it were of Indian government. But, it is the Indian Prime Minister, who lives in a non-descript premises elsewhere in New Delhi, who exercises the bulk of Indian political power. India follows a parliamentary system in which the prime minister is the presiding head of the government and chief of the executive of the government. In such systems, the head of state, or, the head of state's official representative (i.e., the monarch, president, or governor-general) usually holds a purely ceremonial position and acts—on most matters—only on the advice of the prime minister.

Still, the role of the Indian President is "not nothing." The constitutional position, powers and functions of the President of the Indian Union are laid down in Part V of the Indian Constitution. He is the supreme executive of the Indian Union. He exercises his power either directly or through officers under him. He is also the supreme command of the defense forces. The powers of the President may be classified under the following heads: executive, legislative, financial, judicial and special powers.

Notwithstanding the circumscribed role of the Indian Presidents, they are important symbols of the Indian nation. The Indian Presidents function in a role not unlike the role of royalty in England. Gifts from other nations are received by the President of India. State dinners are hosted by the President of India. Many of these important, albeit ceremonial, events are highlighted in the museum. The museum, therefore, puts forward to the public important information into how the nation of India functions.

Above: President's Bodyguard Silver Trumpet Ceremony representation. Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, New Delhi, India. 15 December 2019.

Earlier in this diary, during our visit to Kohima, Nagaland, I discussed the long standing regimental tradition of the Indian Army.. There, Drums got a chance to meet, and be photographed with, Sargant Kumar, of the 14th Assam Rifles, a unit proud of its role in defeating the Japanese, at the Battle of Kohima, in World War II. The regimental tradition of India's army extends beyond the founding of modern India, in 1947, to the Indian military when it functioned under the authority of the British... going all the way back to the 18th Century. Here at the museum, Drums poses at an exhibit of another proud regiment of the Indian Military: the very, very elite President's Bodyguard (PBG).

The President’s Bodyguard (PBG), as it is known today, was raised in 1773 at Benares by the then Governor General, Warren Hastings, with a strength of 50 handpicked troopers. This unique body of selected troops, in over two centuries of dedicated service, has played various roles as mounted and dismounted cavalry and more recently as mechanized and airborne troops. The President’s Bodyguard has completed two hundred and forty two years of distinguished service. It is the senior most unit of the Indian Army, whose distinction, is its position as ‘Right of the Line’ on all official and ceremonial occasions. The PBG thus, takes precedence over all other Regiments and Corps of the Indian Army.

The cavalryman’s life is woven around the calls of the trumpet giving it pride of place in unit traditions and ethos. The prestige of the unit is further enhanced by the trumpet banner it carries. The PBG has the unique distinction of being the only military unit of the Indian Army, privileged to carry the President’s Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner.

The Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner Presentation Ceremony is one of the highlights of each presidency. The ceremony is a gala event held at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan and is witnessed by a large crowd including dignitaries of other nations.

The ceremony begins with the Regiment falling 'On Parade', with the troopers in their impressive ceremonial attire mounted on their splendid steeds. On arrival, the President inspects the Bodyguards. Subsequently the Parade forms a 'Hollow Square' and the President presents the Silver Trumpet with the Banner to the Trumpet Major.

In recent times the Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner Presentation Ceremony is followed by an audio-visual presentation covering the saga and the present day role of the PBG. Another highlight of the ceremony is the display of traditional equestrian skills including trick riding and tent pegging. Musical Ride showcases the bond between the rider and the horse at its finest and is a visual treat to watch. (Excerpted from Rashtrapati Bhavan website).

Above: Image of General Sam Manekshaw. Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, New Delhi, India. 15 December 2019.

Speaking of the Indian military, General Sam Manekshaw (left), led India to victory over Pakistan in the second war between the two belligerents, 1971. TIMDT and Mwah met General Manekshaw and his wife at a cocktail party at the New Delhi Oberoi Hotel in 1973. We accompanied Royina and Ajit, Bishop's boss, to the event. Manekshaw made the cover of the Asian edition of Time Magazine (then widely viewed as a credible news organ) in 1971.

Above: Jaya, one of six person working group which set up this museum, explains Rashtrapati Bhavan kitchen exhibit. Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, New Delhi, India. 15 December 2019.

Also present in image, Mohan Narayanaswamy, owner Travel Scope India, organizer of twelve TIMDT initiated Indian visits (including this one) of her friends and family over the last fifteen years.

https://www.travelscopeindia.com/

If you don't use Travel Scope India on your Indian tour, you may see the Indo/Pak border ceremony at Atari, but you won't get the absolutely best seating possible, enabling the best view, including into the Pakistan side. You will see the Siva Hindu evening ritual at Varanasi from a boat in the Ganges, but not from the only boat with an elevated platform and a comfortable chair. A guide will take you through the fabulous Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, but likely your guide won't be one of the museum creators. You probably won't even find a tour company that will organize a VIP seat at India's January 26 Republic Day Parade on New Delhi's Rajpath. With Travel Scope, Mohan will take you to the parade himself...and on and on...too many examples of positively superior India tour management by Travel Scope India to enumerate here.

We are so fortunate to have a relationship with Travel Scope India. India. By a quantum level, the world's most fascinating travel destination, orchestrated for us by the gold standard for India travel, Travel Scope India.

Above: Praveen Langham. Senior Travel Agent, Travel Scope India. Oberoi Gurgaon Hotel. Gurgaon, India. (Note: Koessler not in image as he had to go home early... after the Varanasi visit).

Praveen sees to our successful departure after another fabulous, just fabulous, Indian tour.

Our Indian visits: Mohan sets the standard; Praveen makes it happen.

All our city guides and handlers were terrific. Special shout out to Cyrus' suit and tie team in Lucknow, the most earnest and "try hard" group of guides I've seen in a long time.

Cyrus' team is a metaphor for today's India: aspirational, earnest, spiritual, and hardworking.

India is not without its problems: sectarian tensions, entrenched bureaucracy; despite a three hundred million strong middle class, there are hundreds of millions of poor and illiterate Indians. Because of her size and diversity, India just seems plain unwieldy. But, there is an aspirational quality in India that differentiates it from increasingly disintegrating and dispirited Western Culture. Chaotic as India is, most Indians, inspired by their spiritual, religious, and patriotic underpinnings are trying to better themselves by learning and working hard.

There are questions, particularly with the implementation of India's new immigration laws, about whether the playing field is level, equally accessible to Indians of all religions and creeds. We'll see. But for the most part, Indians aspire... they work towards a better economic future for themselves and their families. They have dynamic, culture driven faith in a better future. It's one of the reasons we like to go to India so much...to be buoyed...encouraged about mankind's potential to uplift... to be insulated from the whiners.

India is far away... out of site, out of mind, as they say. But, one cannot discount the potential impact of a growing, aspirational, free, culture moving forward into a world where the prospect of tyranny seems to be on the upsurge.