Amazing India

Friday, 12 June 2015

 

I had certain preconceptions of India before I travelled that turned out to be not entirely untrue. I expected chaos and dust and rubbish and heat and people everywhere.  There was certainly that. I was also expecting to see confronting things I could never unsee, such as slums and street kids & beggars & poverty & downtrodden animals and a kind of class system we would not tolerate at home.  And I saw all of that too. 


What I wasn't expecting was the weird charm that the place has. 


People do the best they can to go about their business without causing harm to others.  Amongst other things this means they avoid running each other over in the chaos of the road. Five lanes of traffic regularly comes to a standstill for animals who dare to cross. Horns are sounded constantly, but rarely in anger. There's a sort of calmness of spirit amongst the crazy chaos of the vehicles and general and complete disregard of road rules.

 

I loved the colour of the locals. At least 50% of the women wore colourful saris, no matter their place in the world. The younger women also wore bright outfits but in the form of a more casual long tunic and leggings. Only a very small percentage of the wealthy women wore western clothing. Everyone who possibly could (right down to babies) wore gold jewellery.  All through the day there are small stalls by the side of the road where women thread jasmine flowers onto strings for ladies to buy and put in their hair.  This means that the smell of jasmine would drift through the air whenever someone walked by with them. I know I've mentioned it before but Indians take such pride in their appearance (which is such a contrast to the appearance of the environment - no-one cares about the rubbish piling up on every spare space or the fact that even new buildings never look finished as the building waste is still scattered around the ground outside, never to be removed). 

 

On our last day we went to the movies and drove a long way through some suburbs which were new to us. The schools in the area were just finishing up for the day, so there were school kids everywhere from many different schools, all wearing immaculate and often quite elaborate uniforms. Shirts were tucked in,  girls' hair was plaited and perfect, and they all looked neat as pins even as they walked almost barefoot through dust and rubbish to get home, or travelled sandwiched between parents on motor scooters, or three across the seat in the back of an auto rickshaw.   It was amazing, and endearing. 


In some areas it was like walking back in time. Street vendors plied their trades with ancient equipment - ladies would be sitting at foot driven old singer sewing machines, ready to do any mending.  People would be ironing customer's clothing with rusty water-filled irons. Almost all shops hung their wares outside - even places like plumbing shops would string up pvc pipes outside like Christmas decorations. Bikes which must have been 50 years old hauled every manner of goods.  It was very quaint but I don't want to romanticise it like it's some idyllic existance.  It would be a very hard life for everyone but the well off.  Travelling anywhere takes forever & it's bakingly hot.  The busses look like hell. The air is dust and pollution filled. Indian prices mean that travelling overseas would be out of reach for most people. It also looks like medical care is a mostly private affair.  

Chennai presented many questions.  Who owns the cows which were tied up on the street outside the studio some days? Why do so many Chennai locals go to Singapore to buy smart TVs and then take them as baggage back to Chennai - In a city of 10 million is it not possible to buy a TV?  Why don't they ever finish a building, or clean up the rubbish? Will the overhead train system ever be finished or would the support posts and the overhead train stations simply fall to the ground before it was able to be joined together by track? How does anyone get any exercise? Even walking is a challenge.  Why are there no swimming pools but there was an indoor snow centre somewhere. And although they have a huge beach, no-one ever swims there either. How does the city even manage to get enough water to supply it? I'm guessing the water consumption per head is a fraction of our own.  So many questions.   


So, would I return to India? Well no. It's unlikely I'll be returning for work. And I wouldn't come here for a holiday. But I'm really glad I got to experience it and I'll remember it forever.  Arriving home will feel quiet and clean and beautiful (although the people will look a bit scruffy!) but whenever I think of India, I'll think of it with a smile.

 


2015summary
Bringing back the Caprice Wednesday, 30 December 2015
and now for somewhere completely different.. Monday, 28 December 2015
Pizza by the Book Challenge - Week 5 Sunday, 27 December 2015
End of primary school Thursday, 24 December 2015
Suitcase Cat Thursday, 24 December 2015
Pizza by the Book Challenge - Week 4 Thursday, 24 December 2015
Simplicity Saturday, 12 December 2015
Pizza by the Book Challenge - Week 3 Tuesday, 8 December 2015
PIzza by the Book Challenge - Week 2 Tuesday, 8 December 2015
Mt Rufus Circuit Tuesday, 8 December 2015
December Flowers Tuesday, 8 December 2015
Pizza by the Book Challenge Monday, 30 November 2015
South Cape Rivulet Sunday, 22 November 2015
Meanest mum in the world.. Sunday, 15 November 2015
Before and After #34 - Green Room Take 2 Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Why Jon is not allowed a credit card - Part 2 Monday, 9 November 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #27 & #28 Sunday, 8 November 2015
To Do.. Saturday, 7 November 2015
Cathedral Rock Monday, 2 November 2015
Silver Linings Part 2 Monday, 2 November 2015
Silver Linings Part 1 Monday, 2 November 2015
Hey Pinto.. Monday, 2 November 2015
Derby River Derby Saturday, 24 October 2015
Cake Saturday, 24 October 2015
What goes around comes around.. Friday, 23 October 2015
cake teaser Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Tarn Shelf Monday, 12 October 2015
Tasman Island Tuesday, 29 September 2015
60 Great Walks Challenge - Walk 26 & Before and After #33 Monday, 28 September 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Fail Monday, 28 September 2015
Before and After #32 Wednesday, 16 September 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #26 Monday, 14 September 2015
Pennicot Wilderness Cruise Monday, 14 September 2015
Glamping Sunday, 13 September 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #25 Sunday, 13 September 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #24 Sunday, 13 September 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #23 Sunday, 13 September 2015
Jett is 10! Sunday, 6 September 2015
Patriotic Chocolate Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Snowday! Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Before and After #31 Saturday, 1 August 2015
Before and After #30 Monday, 13 July 2015
How to improve the Tour De France Sunday, 12 July 2015
Unjustness-ness. Saturday, 11 July 2015
Everyone Loves Onesie & Device Day Sunday, 5 July 2015
Homework Wednesday, 1 July 2015
Mt Amos Monday, 29 June 2015
Snow Day Monday, 29 June 2015
Less complaining, More Watching.. Sunday, 28 June 2015
Amazing India Friday, 12 June 2015
Indian Food.. Thursday, 11 June 2015
More Bikes Thursday, 11 June 2015
Routines Wednesday, 10 June 2015
Bicycles Wednesday, 10 June 2015
Goa Day 3 Monday, 8 June 2015
Goa Day 2 Sunday, 7 June 2015
Is this India? Friday, 5 June 2015
Chennai Day #5 Thursday, 4 June 2015
Chennai Day #4 Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Chennai Day #3 Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Chennai Day #2 Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Contrasts Sunday, 31 May 2015
Landing in Chennai Sunday, 31 May 2015
Sparkling Singapore Saturday, 30 May 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #22 Sunday, 24 May 2015
Hollybank! Saturday, 23 May 2015
Stitched Rock Tuesday, 19 May 2015
Literal Translations Monday, 18 May 2015
Two Mountains Sunday, 17 May 2015
It pays to be alert.. Saturday, 16 May 2015
Sick Day Friday, 15 May 2015
Public vs Private - Part 2 Thursday, 14 May 2015
Public vs Private - Part 1 Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Desperate Times.. Tuesday, 12 May 2015
Setting a price.. Monday, 11 May 2015
American Grammar Sunday, 10 May 2015
Happiness Saturday, 9 May 2015
Cat Tree Update Monday, 20 April 2015
This is why Jon isn't allowed his own credit card Thursday, 16 April 2015
KittyCam Sunday, 12 April 2015
Commuter Girl Saturday, 11 April 2015
Flinders Island Day #5 Thursday, 9 April 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #21 Monday, 6 April 2015
Flinders Island Day #4 - Part 2 Monday, 6 April 2015
Flinders Island Day #4 - Part 1 Monday, 6 April 2015
Flinders Island Day 3 Sunday, 5 April 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #20 Saturday, 4 April 2015
60 Walks Challenge - Walk #19 Friday, 3 April 2015
Flinders Island Day #1 Friday, 3 April 2015
More Questions Thursday, 26 March 2015
What's the story.. Thursday, 26 March 2015
Quick Quiz Monday, 23 March 2015
This is an unspoilt beach.. Monday, 9 March 2015
Binalong Bay & Scamander Sunday, 8 March 2015
Old times.. Sunday, 1 March 2015
1 week back Friday, 27 February 2015
Packing Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Goodbye Malaysia Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Penang National Park Tuesday, 17 February 2015
I'm not afraid of parasailing horses.. Sunday, 15 February 2015
Random Photos Friday, 13 February 2015
Goodbye Drammen & Norway Friday, 13 February 2015
Putin the Norwegian Forest Cat Thursday, 12 February 2015
Goodbye Geilo Thursday, 12 February 2015
Ice Fishing - what's not to love.. Wednesday, 11 February 2015
Remains of the day Tuesday, 10 February 2015
Mountain Views Monday, 9 February 2015
uvær Monday, 9 February 2015
Melting.. Monday, 9 February 2015
Lessons Saturday, 7 February 2015
Ice Music Festival Day 2 Saturday, 7 February 2015
Wait for Meeeeeeeeee!!!!!! Saturday, 7 February 2015
Drammen to Geilo Friday, 6 February 2015
I can't believe it's come to this.. Thursday, 5 February 2015
We've come a long way.. Thursday, 5 February 2015
Mesnaelva Wednesday, 4 February 2015
Postcard Perfect Wednesday, 4 February 2015
Free days Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Point to Point Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Norwegian Forest Cat - Update 2 Monday, 2 February 2015
Ski-Every-Day team Monday, 2 February 2015
Kjelke Kjøring and Butt Racers Monday, 2 February 2015
Norwegian Forest Cat - update Sunday, 1 February 2015
Getting through the list.. Sunday, 1 February 2015
Forest Cats and Snow Dogs Sunday, 1 February 2015
Yes. We should all move to Lillehammer. Sunday, 1 February 2015
Lillehammer Day 2 Saturday, 31 January 2015
Hmmph Friday, 30 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Day 7 & goodbye Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Hearts and minds Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Shiplife Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Day 6 Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Day 5 Monday, 26 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Day 4 - part 2 Sunday, 25 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Day 4 - part 1 Sunday, 25 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Day 3 Friday, 23 January 2015
in our hearts and minds Friday, 23 January 2015
Hurtigruten: Day 1 & 2 Friday, 23 January 2015
Goodbye Bergen, hello Hurtigruten Thursday, 22 January 2015
Going Undercover.. Wednesday, 21 January 2015
Beautiful Bergen Wednesday, 21 January 2015
Norwegian Breakfasts Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Over the hills and far away Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Quick Update Monday, 19 January 2015
Ice Hockey! Monday, 19 January 2015
Ski trip #2 Monday, 19 January 2015
Handsome Norwegian Boys Monday, 19 January 2015
This is why.. Sunday, 18 January 2015
Ski Audit Saturday, 17 January 2015
Tourist Day Saturday, 17 January 2015
Snow Day Saturday, 17 January 2015
Thank you Oslo. Saturday, 17 January 2015
Plugged Wednesday, 14 January 2015
I think it's Friday. Friday, 9 January 2015
Happy Birthday Zali!! Friday, 9 January 2015
The Nook Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Fluted Cape Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Kicking goals together Wednesday, 31 December 2014