Reflections of India

Even by our third day in India we started making mental lists of things we should have planned and plans we should not have made. Any trip to India is going to be incomplete and the regret starts the minute one talks to another Westerner about what they have seen. These feelings are quickly washed away by a flood of wonderful images, punctuating the reality that one can only see a portion of this huge country. Like the 330 million deities in the Hindu pantheon, there are far too many things to see by one person in one lifetime. Perhaps that is the reason for reincarnation.

While India is the quintessential land of visual contrasts, the quality of the travel experience in India reflects an emotional bipolarity that outstrips what one sees: one swings between loving and hating it with little in between. Sometimes the journey is the destination, and sometimes, like the 4-hour pollution-choked drive from Delhi to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, the destination is clearly the whole point. Shouldering through mobs of cars, tours, hucksters and half-baked rip-off schemes, we emerged from this hell to a blinding vision of heaven: the postcards and photos do not do justice to the translucent white marble and the sheer presence of the world’s largest monument built for love.

By the end of our visit through this country, we had seen bustling cities, isolated villages, impressive displays of wealth alongside saturating poverty, tropical backwaters and dry desert lands. We fought our way through the endless crowds ( India is over a billion strong – around one sixth of the world’s population, crammed in an area that accounts for only 2.4% of the earth’s surface area), traffic jams of cars and cows, an unparalleled population of stray dogs, suffocating pollution, crumbling streets, and the ever-present touts and tricksters. We were witness to wonderful living traditions of dance and dress in a nation that appears to be living on the edge of cultural and environmental collapse. We met inspiring individuals living their dream in a country at the brink of a Malthusian nightmare. We heard of India ’s great industrial and technological advancements and struggled to get a decent Internet connection.

We heard of the caste system in India and did wonder whether the system still exists. It does, although not in such a formal state as it once did. Higher castes are not necessarily the wealthiest in India anymore, thanks to contributions from science and technology and a concomitant spirit of entrepreneurship. However, only 20% of India is considered middle class or above and with the exception of some states, the literacy rate is only 65%. Regardless of who you are in India , no one can completely escape from the obvious need for continued progress. Doctors, scientists, and lawyers take the same trains along the most disenfranchised in India . Together, everyone struggles with the clashing of the old and the new worlds. Indians will tell you themselves that the country has made great progress in the last 25 years but still has a long way to go. Many travelers, even those with extensive experience making their way through developing countries, find India a country very difficult to navigate or even comprehend.

Cochin ( Kochi )

Kochi is described by some as the “ Venice of the East” though it is not alone in that claim. Our first evening we dropped our bags at the hotel and walked down to the fisherman’s wharf at the north end of town. Here fisherman use Chinese fishing nets to bob for a variety of specimens to pass to the street vendors and small restaurants on land; these are interspersed with small shops and handicraft stands. The fishing nets look like some war contraption from the Middle Ages – they are based on a counterbalanced lever-and-pulley system and look like a trebuchet with a fan on the business end. Every quarter hour or so, the fishermen grab one end of the rope and haul the fan out of the water to gather fish. The fishermen we met told us that the fishing had been off, and there was a good deal more sea grass and floating plants than usual for this time of year. This they attributed to the weather and water effects created by the tsunami. Our tour planner, Shaji, also mentioned the tsunami – that it had somehow changed the weather patterns in this state. Later on, as we waited for the sunset at the wharf, we met Veronique, a French traveler who invited us to dinner with her friend and we ate and listened to live traditional Indian music. She told us she would take us around when we get to Paris . It seems such a long way off.

From Babylon to India

An unexpected discovery can be found in Cochin . Many come here to visit the famous Pardesi Synagogue built in 1568. Over 2000 years ago, the Jews from Babylon set foot on the shores of Cochin , India . For hundreds of years, the community thrived with a population of more than 200,000 strong. Migration to Israel reduced the community significantly. Today, only 52 Jews live in Cochin and more than 60% of these people are over the age of 70. We interviewed two people from the community, Elias Joseph and Isaac Joshua. Isaac is 85 years old and is the oldest member of this community. We visited the Pardesi Synagogue along with three other synagogues in the area. The buildings are crumbling and many of the artifacts have either been removed by thieves or sent to Israel for preservation.

Isaac and Elias spoke of their families, their community, and what it's like to live in India . Their families have largely moved to Israel and settled there. They stayed to preserve their traditions and their community but are saddened that not only will the culture soon be something of the past, but the artifacts from the community will likely not survive. Both men have dedicated many years to the restoration of the synagogues and have called on Indian and American private and nonprofit investors to help preserve these artifacts. Much of their efforts have gone unheard. Many American nonprofits have expressed a strong interest to help but none have followed through. “So many memories and so many of our artifacts will be lost once we are gone,” said Elias as his eyes welled up with tears. “We cannot do this alone – we need help from people outside this community and without it, it will die with us.” A culture so rich in tradition and history will soon be gone. We promised to do what we can to help reach out to people that might take an interest in the preservation of Cochin's history.

The Backwaters of Kerala

Sometimes it is important to hold out for what you want, and sometimes it is wise to stick with your guide’s recommendations, especially if you lack a firm basis for comparison. The first boat our driver/guide took us to had a hammock and a cordial staff. The bathroom and bedroom did not look at all like the brochure, however, and we were told to argue for the best boat, which we did. Two hours later, we were driven to another area where we were told a better boat was waiting. It was about the same but if we didn’t take it we would have to wait another day.

The backwaters of Kerala stretch 45 kilometers and pass along countless villages and waterways. We stopped to look at freshly-caught prawns, buy beverages, but otherwise simply enjoyed the view of people going about their lives along the banks among tropical trees, rice fields, and churches. We took pictures of the fishermen, the scenery, the other houseboats, and the many children who would scream from the banks, asking for acknowledgement, a wave, a coin or a pen. We gave one of the Dutch replicas we picked up in Indonesia to one little boy, who seemed to recognize it was something different before scampering off. What it is about pens we have yet to learn, though our captain said that it was the result of a few tourists handing out pens, which encouraged the kids to ask for pens, which led to more tourists handing out pens, and so on. It may also have to do with the fact that good school supplies are often hard to come by, and tourists are often supplied with very good pens.

The first day we were out it was sunny and humid, the following two days it rained. We read, talked, played a game of chess, and watched life going on around us. There are people everywhere, in every state of dress, rarely did we pass an area that did not have a house or farm or some evidence of humanity. We saw transports taking guests to weddings, bathers, men dredging for sand and women beating clothes clean. At night, we pulled along the side to have dinner and sleep. One evening we heard some noise and looked out to see a man climbing a tree to harvest the sap. As the rain came down, cool breezes came off the water and gave the banks a misty morning feel all day. In the houseboat, we were dry and comfortable, sheltered from and yet right in the middle of all this water and life.

During the trip our cook prepared two incredible Southern Indian meals for our lunch and dinner, though we are not sure exactly what we ate. Lunch was some kind of fried white fish for lunch, and chicken and rice and vegetable dishes for dinner. Joseph, the cook, showed us his arsenal of spices in the tiny galley, from which he prepared Indian food, Kerala-style. It turns out that what we in the U.S. think of as “Indian food” largely comes from Punjab in the north, and in the south they use different combinations of spices and change up the preparations of fish and chicken to create wonderfully new tastes.

The captain would point out items along the banks, but his English was poor and when we asked him to repeat he would repeat it louder, like we had cotton in our ears, since he seemed to feel he knew what he was saying. At one point on the second day he tried to teach me some words, like “water,” “boat,” and “house” – all useful given our context, but promptly forgotten nevertheless. We stopped to look at churches, including one with a stone cross from the 5^th century, small shops, and a snakeboat – an elongated wooden toothpick of a boat used to race and held 105 rowers and another 20 or so crew.

We fell in love with a little girl who emphatically demanded a pen at one village as we were pulling up. We told her that we had none to spare, but she persisted, saying “Pen! Pen! Pen!” and when none was forthcoming asked matter-of-factly “What is the problem?? PEN!” After we disembarked, she introduced herself as Elizabeth and forgot about the pen in favor of having us visit her house and family. Our guide told us that it was fine, so we followed her and her sister to her home. It was more of a farmers home, with a large open area and a large gumdrop-shaped stack of straw for the two cows. Elizabeth then ran around the house to fetch her “best friend,” a small baby goat. We all took pictures and the father shook our hand before we left, apparently pleased by the whole interruption. In the end, I gave Elizabeth one of our small crampon key-chains, which we accepted graciously, grinned and wobbled her head as if to say, “thanks anyway and it’s really okay about the pen. Having you come over was much better.”

On our way back to the boat, we met an old man who also invited us into his home. We looked at a picture of his children and communicated the best we could about how long they had lived there (55 years) and so on. The house was one large room with a small kitchen and another room in the back. The main room had a simple couch, a case for pictures, and not much else, except a flat-screen TV in the corner tuned to an American movie channel.

We would love to come back, perhaps with friends or children, and get the better boat. But our little rustic boat with its mother hen cook and not-really-English speaking captain will remain a fond memory. If we do return, we’re bringing a boatload of pens for Elizabeth .

Indian Wedding

Like no other culture, Indian weddings are an extravaganza. Michael’s cousin Frankie, married Adarsh Hathi whose family lives in Vadodara , India just north of Mumbai. The festivities began a few days before the ceremony, including Mandi (Henna) for the bride and guests. Semi permanent Henna is applied in ornate designs to the feet, hands, and arms and we gladly participated. The next day, guests were invited to apply turmeric paste to the bodies of the bride and groom, which we all gladly did.

The western guests spent a day shopping for traditional wear for the wedding – sarees and traditional menswear. As the guests began to arrive for the wedding ceremony, we noticed that all the westerners were dressed in traditional Indian clothes but all of the Indian men were wearing western suits (Indian women wore a saree or punjabi).

The wedding began with a street procession, with a brass band playing and people dancing in the streets. More than 800 people attended the wedding and Michael participated in the ceremony, pouring rice over the hands of the bride and groom. 

Please visit the photo gallery for images from the ceremonies - they capture much of the spirit and happiness of the wedding.

Desert India

The State of Rajasthan is located in the northwestern part of India . We visited three cities in Rajasthan: Udaipur , Jodhpur , and Jaisalmer and loved Jaisalmer the most. Udaipur was lovely – Lake Pichola is in the centre of the city with a floating hotel in the middle and the city palace at the shores of the lake. We just didn’t have the time to explore the city as much as we would have liked. Jodhpur we could have skipped altogether – very polluted.

But Jaisalmer was lovely. Located only 200 kilometers from the Pakistani border, this lovely desert city is small (pop. 200,000) and very charming. Like a giant sandcastle, the city is built with honey-colored sandstone. The old city is inside the city’s fort, built in 1156. The old city is a maze of winding, narrow streets lined with small shops, homes, and temples. The markets are filled with local women merchants adorned in bright, colorful clothes and silver jewelry. This was the India we longed for.

The next day, we drove into the desert for a camel trek and an overnight in the desert tents. We climbed onto the camel and with the help of our guide, took off for the desert sand dunes where we watched the sunset. Camel riding is very similar to horseback riding. The difference is the astounding flatulence coming from the camels. Getting on and off a camel is a two-step process: first the hind legs rise up, followed by the front legs. You think the camel is fully upright when he extends his hind legs but a few seconds pass and suddenly you’re elevated another five feet!

The sand dunes and the sunset were breathtaking. We hopped back on the camel and rode back to the campgrounds where we spent the evening listening to a Rajasthani band (so good, we bought a CD of this music!) and ate dinner. That evening, we sat by the fire, watched shooting stars in the desert sky, and talked with two young Indian couples from Bombay and Orissa about life in India .

The tent where we stayed was five star with a porch, king size bed, and bathroom (although the water was cold water). We fell asleep that night to the giggles of the neighboring couple and woke to hot cups of masala tea. What a way to experience India !

The Great Taj

We set out to see the Taj Mahal – you can’t go to India without seeing this great monument. We didn’t realize how tough the road would be to get there. We hopped on the train from Jaisalmer for a 20-hour train ride to Delhi (pop. 13 million). We walked into the train and saw the 3-tiered drop-down cots, stacked in rows and realized this would be a long journey. Surely we would be able to sleep through the night but we didn’t factor in the man with severe sleep apnea and the gentleman with a chronic cough in our train car. One of us (Rebecca!) had to stay awake to guard our belongings throughout the night. We arrived in Delhi where we were greeted with smell of exhaust fumes and our journey to the Taj was still a day away, with a five-hour drive south to Agra . The journey was grueling, dirty, and long but it was well-worth it to see the Taj.

The best word to describe the Taj Mahal? Glorious. This Mughal mausoleum was built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his second wife who died in childbirth in 1631. It took four years and 20,000 people to build the Taj Mahal. We were worried that although it is such a tourist destination, our expectations would not be met. We were overwhelmed. The symmetry of the place is perfect – the way the Shah wanted it for his wife. His tomb is next to hers… we wonder if his usurper placed him there out of reverence for the Shah’s monumental masterpiece for love, or as a last bit of post-mortem retribution as it clearly throws off the symmetry of the whole.

Where is PETA when you need ’em’?!!

If you aren’t a strong advocate of animal rights, head to India and you’ll suddenly find yourself ready to stage a protest on the streets of every city and village. Before we rant on about India ’s state of affairs with regard to animals, we should say that in every country we’ve visited so far, animals (particularly stray dogs) can be found wandering the streets of every city. However, we decided to comment on the problem in the India section because it is a particularly grave situation in this country.

Case in point: we were on our way to visit the Taj Mahal and stopped to pay the road tax. While we waited in the car, we looked out the window and pacing the sidewalks were brown bears leashed to chains attached through their noses by a steel nose ring. Their “owners” knocked on our windows, asking if we wanted to take pictures for a fee. We were outraged by this scene and found ourselves (mostly Rebecca) making gestures at the men to shame them.

We never quite understood why dog owners are so strongly encouraged (an in some cases required) to spay/neuter their dogs in the United States . Travel overseas and you’ll see why this is so important. Stray dogs are everywhere…even in the most developed areas of Asia (yes, even Bangkok ) you will see them. Cows can be found in almost every city (in some more than others) in India , eating the garbage off the streets and crowding the already traffic-filled roads. There, you’ll often find pigs and goats muddling about as well. We can give you all sorts of reasons why this is the case – views of the local folks vary on the subject. Nonetheless, seeing this with your own eyes will change how strongly you feel about the rights and protection of animals.