Greetings from India..
Last week I was telling you about my Mystic Mission in India. You can read it here.
Well it's all go as the big V day approaches in many countries. In Asia it's almost Chinese New Year and in India the Kumbh Mela is under way - possible the biggest human gathering ever.
While most young Indians have embraced Valentines day, in China they have their own version which falls on the 7th day of the 7th month.. in the lunar calendar, so that's not until august.
Today I'm off to Delhi, there is a well organised trade show where we can connect with a number of our suppliers quickly. But Delhi is one of the oldest trading cities in the world and has a wealth of ancient often chaotic wholesale markets, catering both for the domestic and the export trades. Paharganj district is one such area close to the New Delhi Railway Station. Just across the road from the station you'll see the entrance to Paharganj's main trading area, they call it the Main Bazaar and it stretches for about one crazy hectic kilometer teeming with people from all over India, cows and camels, bikes and rickshaws.
This market is definitely not for the feint hearted. It's chaotic, noisy, dirty, and full of crumbling buildings. It's been on the Hippy trail since the sixties, no doubt you can buy anything in those dusty back lanes. However, some of the big wholesale traders have showrooms here, and there are odd things that we buy here.
