Reflecting on India

We found India to be full of extreme contradictions. We visited 3 cities and found them all to be a full-frontal assault on your senses, both good and bad. On one hand, we saw color, beauty, & smiles. On the other, poverty, dirt, and greed. India is a land of diversity - from religion and culture, to customs, flora & fauna…truly incredible.  And India has so much potential. It is a land of stunning and amazingly diverse natural beauty. The history, the civilization – if you just smile at people, ask questions, be open and interested, you'll mostly be embraced with a warm welcome – not always, but no different than most countries.  As with every corner on earth, the people are what make India so special, and I mean that sincerely. On the other hand,  I feel like I was only seeing the world in black and white, until we visited India - now I see in amazing color although unfortunately, not all bright & positive. Nothing in other third world countries prepared us for India.

But honestly, why travel & visit if you don't want to see something different to your own country? A World Voayage is exactly that…you see & experience most everything. 

India is full of contrasts and at the same time there is an inherent rhythm to it. If you can find a way, it needs to be experienced. That said…just beware.

From One Extreme...

...To The Other

Mangalore had its charms, as did Goa...though neither of us would have wanted to stay in either city beyond one day. Bombay was electric – a completely mind-blowing contrast to any major US city, or ANY major city for that matter. We loved the enthusiasm of many of the people we met… though we found it very difficult to accept the state in which the cities were in and the way they treated their country. There is absolutely no excuse for the complete and utter lack of respect Indians have for their surroundings, each other and their country. Spit, urine, feces, garbage… it is everywhere, all the time. Grown men urinating on main, well-traveled roadways at all hours - ex-farmers who have now become waged-workers still waste water as if it is an endless resource, & burn all their trash polluting the ground and the air. Despite education, despite awareness, the people (large majority) just do not seem to care here. The worst was Bombay (Mumbai) where the filth and degradation was completely appalling. This is the filthiest place we’ve ever seen. Half of the population could be put to work just cleaning up the mess. And really, shame on the higher levels of society for overlooking these conditions. I expected third-world but not the consummate filth and slum conditions nearly everywhere in Bombay. That India overall portrays itself as a world power is truly bizarre. Beggars, filth, dirt, smog, sewage, disgusting smells. We tried so hard to see past it all, even using their dirty squat toilets.

The mountains were a complete contrast - clean, spiritual, and free of any western influences that have consumed Bombay. The people were very different too... not many spoke English so a good guide was necessary. 

But it’s the complete disregard for health and the care of their people and environment. I have never EVER witnessed such a lack of love and passion for keeping the home and land you live in, clean and pure as much as the words filling the air with the passion for India by its people. Ghandi once spoke to the Indian people himself, saying that they must be able to clean up their own homes (home is country) and practice cleanliness. He was truly a fantastic human being, on a global scale however, the way Ghandi thought seems to be a once off, he tried to teach them but ultimately failed.

They say it’s all part of the package. They say there are so many India’s within India, and we found that to be true. There are very nice, kind and helpful people…and people with different races and religions live together. Parts of the country are very beautiful. The education structure is good, but the system itself is not well-implemented. They don't implement laws and rules. The majority of Indians are culturally weak, & corruption is everywhere. You have to watch your back wherever you go, particularly ladies. The roadways are horrendous. I came to appreciate the “chaos” as something I’ll call the “Bombay Ballet” … merging traffic is poetry in motion. Think of lane markers more as guidelines than rules. And the infrastructure is a mess by Western standards, especially the side-walks. And the noise! Indians do love their horns, but I guess it’s advance communication letting others know you are there and that you see them. Sanitation, again, by western standards doesn’t exist - litter is common…mounds of trash…piled everywhere...either growing bacteria or burning.

I hope India won't ever lose all of its color, festivals, friendliness and noise and become just a clone of the West….but I sure hope for the sake of the young kids & leaders of tomorrow that today’s government & civic leaders step-up and start taking positive steps to correct & strengthen their infrastructure.

I know this will sound contradictory, but I’m always surprised when people go to a foreign country and then complain that everything is not as it is in their land - it beats the very purpose of the visit. I’m not so much criticizing as I am informing, feeling empathy and compassion. They have so much potential.

If you missed the photos & commentary in my earlier post, please CLICK HERE