OUR KIWI KIWI DAY IN HANOI - VIETNAM JOURNEY

While we were waiting in the airport, some members of our group arrived from different cities, and we met our guide and transferred our luggage to a minivan.

My first impression of Hanoi was that it looked like any other busy city in India, the only difference being the stunning number of two-wheelers. It is said that motorbikes are the kings of Hanoi streets; over 5 million motorbikes operate in the city along with bicycles, buses and cars.

The traffic was seemingly chaotic but had a special order of its own; pedestrian crossings were being ignored but the local people could be seen crossing the road quite effortlessly.

We had our hotel in the old quarters; it was small and was very similar to ones we usually find in district areas of our country. Our room was quite tiny, but we were told that staying in the old Quarters was a good choice for tourists, as we would be enjoying a mix of sightseeing, shopping and walking around Hoan Kiem Lake for relaxation amid the city's noisy street sounds.

We first visited the Tran Quoc Pagoda, which is the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi. It was on a tiny island linked by a small causeway near the southeastern shore of the West Lake. 

It is more than 1500 years old, originally constructed in the sixth century on the shores of the Red River, and it was named Khai Quốc (National Founding). Gradually, the river started to encroach on its surroundings, and the temple was relocated in 1615 to its present place. 

The pagoda is one of the main parts of the Trấn Quốc Temple, as it holds the ashes of an important monk.

It is an 11-story stupa, shaped like a hexagonal lotus tower and features 66 statues of Amitabha Buddha made from precious stones placed 6 on each floor. 

Monks have lived at the Trấn Quốc Pagoda for centuries, teaching Buddhism to the public. 

There were eight-spoke wheels and lotus flower statues all over the complex, which symbolise purity of mind, body, speech, enlightenment, and achievement.

With its harmonious blend of beautiful architecture against the watery landscape, the pagoda is a picturesque attraction. The sunset views from the temple grounds are famous, though we didn’t get the opportunity to see one.

We saw a Bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original tree in Bodh Gaya, India under which the Buddha sat and achieved enlightenment; it was gifted in 1959, marking the visit of our president, Sri Rajendra Prasad. People could be seen giving offerings and burning incense.

In the Trấn Quốc Temple, goddesses also known as the "Mẫu" (Mothers) have been worshipped in Vietnam even before Buddha.

While waiting for the cyclos, we saw the board of The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, the venue for the water puppetry show, which is a traditional form of Vietnamese theater dating back over a century performed in a waist-deep pool accompanied by traditional folk music. While the show is entirely in Vietnamese, it’s easy to follow along with the action and laughs.

We encountered a cheerful Vietnamese lady selling fans and traditional hats called non la (leaf hat) made from palm leaves and bamboo. They were cone-shaped and protected against sun and rain, my dear hubby, who never does anything in half measures, made me buy 2 of them.

Of course they were useful, but being huge, they wouldn't fit into our suitcases and had to be hand-carried wherever we went, obviously, and I met quite a few sheepish tourists carrying these hats on their arms in the airports.

We then went on a ride in the bicycle rickshaws named cyclos. They featured a front-facing seat where we sat, with the driver pedaling from behind; this design originated in the 1930 ‘s.

It was fun going round the old quarters, which is historically known for its 36 streets. Each street is named Hang meaning shop, followed by the product, like Hang Bac (Silver), Hang Gai (Silk), Hang Dau (Shoe), Hang Ma (Lantern), Hang Vai (Bamboo), Hang Duong ( Sugar) and Lan Ong (Traditional Medicine) Street.

The Old Quarter is known for its unique “tube houses,” which are narrow and long structures and previously housed both shops and living spaces. I remembered our busy bazaars in the old city which also contain both shops and residences on their tops, reflecting how people adapt to limited spaces. 

As we went along, we saw traditional Vietnamese architecture and a few remnants of French colonial buildings, which were yellow with green shutters. 

I again recollected our busy streets, the only difference being that the boards were in the Vietnamese language, people were the same working class; they could be seen attending busily to their wares, most of them sitting on small plastic stools.

I desperately wanted to visit the popular Train Street, the Durong Ta an actual residential area and a narrow alley, where many locals have cleverly converted their houses into quaint little cafes.

One can sip a traditional egg coffee or have a drink while waiting for the train to pass by, which happens a handful of times throughout the day. Drinks cost around 60,000 VND, and we are charged a minimum of 40,000 VND if we just sit and watch the trains pass by, even if a drink is not ordered.

We were luckily in time to see a train go past. The scores of travelers who had been hoping to snap a picture on the active train track were happily scattering away. The bonhomie prevailing there has to be seen to be believed indeed!

We next visited the Dinh Square, the iconic square in front of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The Ho Chi Minh Complex in Hanoi is a revered, traffic-free, and heavily secured pilgrimage site dedicated to the nation’s founding leader, "Uncle Ho". It features the granite Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where his body is embalmed, alongside his stilt house, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Presidential Palace, and the One Pillar Pagoda. 

We were all allowed to enter the complex except for one lady who unfortunately, was wearing a short skirt but finally she could come after buying a scarf and wrapping it around her legs. The security personnel are very strict about the dress code, and shoulders and knees have to be covered before we enter.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a massive, 3-layered, Soviet-inspired structure made of granite and marble where the embalmed body lies. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go inside due to a lack of time; we took a few snaps on the campus, which was very well maintained.

Stilt House is the modest home where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked and Ho Chi Minh Museum is dedicated to his life and revolutionary career .

We were given time to see the One Pillar Pagoda which is also known as 'pagoda of extended blessings'.  The most famous part of this architectural complex is Liên Hoa Đài meaning 'the lotus pedestal', which is a temple with a special structure of a building laid on one pillar.

 

The temple was built by Emperor Ly Thai Tong, who ruled from 1028 to 1054, he was childless and once had a dream where the king met Mother of Mercy who was seated on a lotus flower, and she handed him a baby son. 

Lý Thái Tông then married a peasant girl he had met, and in due course, the couple had a son. The emperor constructed the temple in gratitude in 1049,  by erecting a pillar in the middle of a lotus pond, similar to the one he saw in this dream. During the Nguyễn dynasty, the pagoda was restored and rebuilt in 1840-1850 and 1922.

The pagoda was dynamited in 1954, and in 1955, the Ministry of Culture of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam restored the pagoda and the Lotus Station based on the architectural style that the Nguyen dynasty had left.

The temple is built of wood on a single stone pillar, 1.25 meters in diameter and 4 meters in height, and is designed to resemble a lotus blossom. 

After climbing 13 narrow steps of the wooden staircase, we entered and could see a small, intimate, and highly revered shrine that contained a golden, thousand-armed and eyed statue of Quan Am Bo Tat (Goddess of Mercy).

The statue sat on a wooden lotus throne, surrounded by incense burners, flower vases, and candles. Worshippers apparently seek fertility and good fortune. What was remarkable indeed was the decoration, which had striking gold and crimson cloud motifs. 

The entire atmosphere in the shrine was intimate and private, ideal for prayers

We had a leisurely walk around the Hoàn Kiếm Lake, interspersed with the tourists, there were quite a few local people with their families, 

We did souvenir shopping after dinner, heavy bargaining is essential, almost to the tune of 50% and finally we went to our hotel as we were thoroughly exhausted.

WHY DID WE CHOOSE TO TRAVEL TO VIETNAM ? - VIETNAM JOURNEY

One year ago, my husband and I decided to visit Vietnam. There were several reasons, one of which was that it was much nearer, and the other was that it was definitely more economical than many other countries. 

This time for a change, we chose a travel agency that caters to senior citizens named Khayaal Travels. When we contacted them, the response was quite prompt, and we selected a trip that would start in May and would last for 5 days. We didn’t opt to go to Cambodia, as it would involve some more days of travel

Documents required to visit Vietnam are an Indian passport with a validity of not less than 6 months (front and back page), a photocopy of the visa, 2 recent photographs of 4cm X 6cm in size and a printout of our return air tickets along with medical proof/prescription if we are going to take any personal medicines.

Before visiting Vietnam, I went through some literature about this fascinating country.

Vietnam is a country founded in legends. Millennia of invasions and conflicts have shaped Vietnamese culture into what it is today. 

From the 2nd to 15th centuries, many dynasties ruled the country, interspersed between periods of Chinese occupation. There are four major dynasties to note: the Ly, the Tran, the Le, and the Nguyen. Ending a thousand-year-long rule of the Chinese, the Ly Dynasty drove out the Chinese , and set up a centralized government in Hanoi. Then came the Tran Dynasty, which repelled a Mongol attack in the Red River Delta under the command of General Tran Hung Dao. These two dynasties helped to build the foundation of Vietnam,

China invaded Vietnam again at the turn of the 15th century, but for a brief period only, as Le Loi, a wealthy landowner, managed to lead a resistance and reclaim Vietnam. This established the Le Dynasty, which successfully expanded southward, gaining control over the former Champa Kingdom. 

The Cham were an ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent that lived in central and southern Vietnam from the 2nd century. A strong kingdom with mercantile skills, they were eventually defeated and driven into the depths of the Mekong Delta.

The Nguyens came into power during a divisive civil conflict that left Vietnam fractured. Under the leadership of Emperor Gia Long, the country was reunited and in 1802, Gia Long constructed a new feudal capital in the city of Hue in Central Vietnam. 

During the reign of the Nguyen Emperors, unfortunately, French influence in Vietnam grew under the pretext of religious reform and evangelicalism. Eventually, the French established control over entire Vietnam, adding the central and northern regions to their conquests along with neighbouring Laos and Cambodia. The last Nguyen emperor, Bao Dai, formally abdicated his throne.

Meanwhile, France was occupied by Germany and Japan seized the opportunity to invade Vietnam, and this strategic move resulted in Japanese forces taking control of Hanoi in 1940. A year later, they moved further south, stimulating the remaining elements of the Vietnamese resistance and spurring communists and nationalists to come together to form the Viet Minh under Ho Chi Minh. The Viet Minh destabilised the Japanese, and by 1945, Japan surrendered to Allied forces; on the same day, Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam an independent nation in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh Square.

Resistance to French colonial rule came to a head when the First Indochina War began in 1946. The war lasted until a stark defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. After a ceasefire was signed, Vietnam was divided at the 17th parallel, setting the stage for a war that captured worldwide attention.

American involvement in South Vietnam had begun well beforehand, and as the United States brought in more and more forces to the war effort, so did North Vietnam. The Tet Offensive marked a turning point for the North. Ultimately, American forces retreated from Saigon, and the city was taken over by North Vietnamese troops on April 30, 1975

After the Second Indochina War, the country went through a period of adjustment and reunification. In 1986, the Vietnamese government introduced its ‘Doi Moi’ (renewal) policy nationwide. These reforms resulted in gradual economic growth, and more and more Vietnamese began to open businesses. In recent times, Vietnam has come across a boom in development,  and is one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.

The country offers a fascinating mixture of old and new, with compelling historical attractions and a deeply rooted sense of appreciation for its past and has now become the country of choice for many tourists who come in joyful anticipation of having a good time in the country.

The official language is Vietnamese, and the religion practiced by the majority of people is Mahayana Buddhism.

Local Time in Vietnam is 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead of India, and their currency is Vietnamese dong VND which is equal to 0.0035 INR 

In May, the maximum temperature is 32°C and the minimum temperature 22°C. The chances of rainfall were supposed to be pretty slim, though people find it very humid.

The Vietnam travel map includes some of the most famous travel destinations in Vietnam, such as Hanoi, Halong Bay, Sapa, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, and the Mekong Delta.

We would be starting our journey from the North Eastern part of Vietnam, Hanoi and then will be going to Halong Bay. From there, we would take a flight to Ho Chi Minh city and finally fly back to India, we skipped central Vietnam due to lack of time.

We had a Zoom meeting a few days before we flew and met the other travellers online.

Finally on the day of our travel, we packed and set forth to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport,  where we met the two other travellers travelling from Hyderabad. Both were middle-aged ladies whose husbands were busy, so they were going to Vietnam alone

We had a transit at Kolkata and finally reached Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Immigration was smooth and was over in half an hour

As we were instructed to wait for our tour guide, all 4 of us waited at a place, looking curiously at the airport scenes unfolding before our eyes.

OUR VISIT TO THE STATUE OF EQUALITY

We had been planning to visit the 216 feet tall Statue of Equality, for quite some time, as it is the second-tallest sitting statue in the world, the first tallest being the Statue of Belief (Vishwas Swaroopam) in Nathdwara, India, which depicts Shiva in meditation and towers at 348 feet. 

The statue of Equality is that of the 11th-century Indian philosopher, saint, and theologian Sri Bagavad Ramanuja Charya Swami, who lived between 1017 and 1137 CE.

The place is situated on the premises of the Chinna Jeeyar Trust at Muchintal, Ranga Reddy District, and approximately 40 km from the centre of Hyderabad city.

The Statue of Equality was built to commemorate the life, teachings, and contributions of Sri Ramanuja and stands as a great tribute to his vision of equality, devotion, and inclusivity, based on which the name Statue of Equality arose.

Finally the day arrived and we started after our breakfast, as we got closer, we could see the towering statue welcoming us .The entrance was very impressive and there were signboards guiding everyone to the parking and various blocks of the temple complex.

As we had gone early, the parking was quite empty. The tickets to the Statue of Equality can be booked both online and offline and are priced at ₹250 per adult. We paid and took our entry token at the counter.

The timings to visit are from 10:30 am to 8 pm, and the premises are closed on Wednesdays.

It is better to go either in the morning or in the evening, ideally by 5 PM so that one can take snaps before going in, as photography is not allowed inside, at 7’O clock there is Kalyanam of the God and Goddess following which the Samatha Neerajanam (Harathi) is held every day at 7.30 pm and at 7.45 pm, the Dynamic musical water fountain (Leela Jala Neerajanam) and laser show follow and are a sight to behold with the statue and the surroundings getting beautifully illuminated with brilliant colours. Samatha Avirbhav, a self-guided audio-visual tour, guides us through the premises.

We left our footwear and mobiles at the collection counters and got tokens which I carefully preserved in my handbag. There is a strict dress code for visitors above 5 years, one has to be conservatively dressed to enter the temple complex.

It was in 2014 that the ascetic Chinna Jeeyar Swami came up with the idea of commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Ramanuja's teachings by building a statue, and DNV Prasad Sthapathi was then appointed as Chief Architect for the project. He completed all the initial drawings under the guidance of Chinna Jeeyar Swami.

The statue was built at an estimated cost of 1,000 crores, mostly collected from donations from  devotees. 

The foundation stone for the statue of Equality, was laid by Chinna Jeeyar Swami on 2nd May 2014. Aerosun Corporation, a Nanjing-based company built it with 700 tonnes of Panchaloha , a five-metal alloy of gold, silver, copper, brass and zinc in China and shipped it in 1600 individual pieces to India via Chennai Port in 54 shipments.  Later, around 60 Chinese specialists, including workers, engineers and welders, assembled these segments on site in Muchintal, and this process took 15 months to complete. The Aerosun Corporation provided a 20-year guarantee for the golden hue of the statue.

As we went through the gate, the most impressive sight to behold was the sitting statue of Sri Ramanujacharya glistening in bright gold colour in the sunlight. The statue sat on a base building named Bhadravedi which is 16 metres tall and three-stories high.

We went up the 108 steps leading to the statue, pausing every few steps to look around us and also at the towering statue above us

There was a lotus of 8.2 metres in diameter, carried by 36 beautifully carved elephants, each offering water, over which the statue sat. The diameter of the lotus with 54 petals represents 24 Tattvas, as well as soul, the god and the guru. The statue has a concrete core, surrounded by a panchaloha sheet with a thickness varying between 10 mm and 20 mm.

The statue with its smiling face and folded hands was very impressive with a namam on the forehead and tulasi mala around the neck.

Sri Ramanuja was born at Sriperpudur village, 25 km from Chennai. He worked as a priest at Kancheepuram Varadharaja temple and then Sri Ranganathasamy temple, Srirangam. His Vishishtadvaita philosophy is highly valued. He wrote Bashyas on the Brahma Sutra and Bhagavad Gita and was instrumental in bringing Vedas to Tamil Nadu.

He travelled all over India and spread Vaishnavam. He lived about 120 years, and his body is still preserved and kept inside Sri Ranganathasamy temple at Srirangam, Trichy, in a sitting posture ever since 1137 C.E. and regular archana is being done till today which I felt is indeed a miracle.

The view from the top was spectacular, and we spent some time there in meditation.

The base building features a meditation hall where a 54-inch statue of Sri Ramanuja, made of 120 kg of gold, representing the years he lived, is installed. It also houses a Vedic digital library, research centre, ancient Indian texts, a theatre, and a gallery where Sri Ramanuja's works are presented.

As we went further, we came across the 108 Divya Desams or model temples, built in stone, surrounding the huge statue of Equality. They were all clearly demarcated and labelled and regular puja was going on in all the temples.

Each shrine was beautifully crafted in stone and followed the architectural essence of the original Divya Desams. 

Even though they are smaller replicas, the attention to detail in the pillars, carvings, and sanctum designs was indeed impressive. As we walked from one temple to the other in a guided manner, we felt as if we were making an all-India temple tour .

A Divya Desam or Vaishnava Divya Desam are mentioned in the works of Alvars (mystic Tamil Saints), Divya means divine and Desam indicates place of abode or temple.

Of these 108 temples, 105 are in India,the majority 84 are in Tamil Nadu ,11 in Kerala, 2 in Andhra Pradesh,4 in Uttar Pradesh,3 in Uttarakhand and 1 in Gujarat, 1 in Nepal the Muktinath temple and the last 2 are believed to exist outside the earthly domain.

Each of the 108 Divya Desa temples contains a Saligrama statue taken from the respective Mulasthana places.

The statue was inaugurated by Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi on 5th February 2022. The then-President Sri Ramnath Kovind inaugurated the smaller golden statue inside the base building on 13 February 2022. 

On our way out, we came across a huge hall with souvenir shops and a food stall , the food was reasonably priced and very tasty.

The Statue of Equality was worth its name as a world-class monument; it had positive vibes, was peaceful and was very well-maintained. 

There were shuttle and wheelchair options, seating arrangements and adequate toilet facilities.

As we drove out of the campus, I could sense that the holy Saint was bidding us a fond farewell.