My India

I’m now half way through my one month yoga course and I am seeing a lot of improvement although it doesn't get any easier; my legs are still shaking like the first time I did yoga. But they say the postures do get tougher when you start to get all the corrections right and all the muscles activated, so I blame it on that.

Summer is coming for full and the days are getting very hot, it is reaching 40 degrees. Never have I wanted an ice cold can of coke and a swimming pool more.

Because of the heat I can’t really do much during the day and Pune is inlands so there’s no beach (poor me) and for some reason all the nice hotels don’t let non-guests use their swimming pools. So daytime is mostly spent inside next to my dear friend the fan!

I’m not normally a morning person but as I’ve been getting up at 5.50 for yoga class I’ve come to like it; first of all it is so nice and cool, and second it is the only time you will have a chance to find some peace and quiet in India before all the honking starts; at least as quiet as it can get in a country with more than a billion people.

There’s a tiny little park next to where I live and every morning it is full of people doing their daily exercises; some is meditating or doing yoga, others doing their daily sit-ups and push-ups and others walking round and round in the little park. I love how the women are wearing the most beautiful saris together with massive chunky trainers for their morning walk. Maybe I will bring my camera one morning.

I’ve decided to get out of my comfort zones. I find it too easy to always take the simple solution, such as getting into a rickshaw to take me straight where I want to go or just order whatever I know is safe on the menu. So now I have decided to always ask people for advice! It really makes a difference to the whole travel experience; I get to talk to more people as well as I learn more about the culture. And maybe most important, if I want to take someone’s photograph I simply ask! There are so many times I’ve regretted not getting a picture of someone so now I ask every time I have the opportunity. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no or the photo turns out crap but at least I have tried.

One thing I’ve realized is that my sense of direction is even worse than I thought, or that would say I’ve got none. I keep thinking that this is the right street but I always end up coming out from exactly the opposite direction of what I thought I would. Or I am 100% sure I’m walking in a straight line for only to end up at the same place as I started and realize I have walked in a circle. Although my mission is to ask people for help, asking for directions are not always the simplest thing to do over here; in most cases I find myself being directed up and down the street a few times before I finally meet someone who knows where I’m talking about (and speaks English). It is funny because most people seem to want to help so instead of telling you they don’t know they will just point in one direction, but I have plenty of time anyway and no need to rush. In a way it makes it all a bit fun because I never know where I end up.

It seem to me that a lot of people have a love-hate relationship with India; some come here once and say they’re happy to have seen it but they would never go back, while others just keep coming back and back. I’m not sure what it really is about India, but I like to say you never know what to expect around the next corner; it always seem to be some kind of religious ceremony or festival on, a random wedding invitation, and of course there’s the odd cow with two extra legs (we asked and it was a gift from the gods, obviously).

Someone I once met said there’s no place she is happier than in India. To put it on the extreme she felt like she always had to be 100% present just to be able to survive; no time to think of anything else than just being. You always need your head with you and simple things such as crossing the road can be quite an art. No matter what you do don’t panic! My instinct tells me to run but after looking at locals I’ve found out the best way to do it is to walk slowly so the cars know what you’re doing and then crisscross in-between the cars and the scooters. Easy!

For some reason things do seem to be a little more complicated in India than other places. One example is the mall close to where I live; the grocery shop is on the top floor at the mall and before entering you have to get your bag checked and then put inside a see-through bag that will be sealed until you leave. There is two people at the cash counter; one who scans your items and the other asking if you would like a carry bag. After paying you have to see one security guard who will stamp your receipt and seal your carry bag, and when you get downstairs your receipt will again be stamped with an EXIT stamp by another security guard. I don’t understand why they do this as they do not check what is on the receipt or what is in your bag, I think it might be just to create workplaces. The first time I went there it got me on the wrong day; I was pretty moody about all the hassle and just wanted to get out of there, but I got myself together and they always smile when I go there and welcome me with a namaste so I can’t have been too bad.

Another one of my favourites is when I tell a rickshaw driver where I want to go and he says ”Baner road?”, I say yes. He says ”OK, Baner road” and I get into his rickshaw. Then he will say ”Baner road?!”, I say yes Baner road. “Baner road, Baner road, Baner road. Baneeeer road???” And I say yes (still) Baner road. And this goes on for a while before he says ”Ok, Baner road” and off we go.

I have seen a lot of misery and poverty travelling in countries such as India and Nepal and it is not always easy; it can be quite disturbing and depressing at times. There is constantly a lot of old and young beggars asking for your money, especially around the big cities and tourist places and it can be difficult not to give when you clearly see they are in need of it. But it isn’t encouraged to give to the beggars, especially not to children. You never know who actually ends up with the money and some of the beggars could actually go to school or work and being given money is encouraging them to keep on with the begging. The best thing to do if anyone wants to help is to give to a school, orphanage or a NGO for example; someone you know will use the money in a proper way to help as there is plenty of organisations that are working with for example getting street children into schools.

Because of the begging it is easy to start thinking that everybody wants money from you when you travel in India. But this is really a trap; if you start thinking like that you easily miss out on so many conversations and beautiful moments. The other day someone bought me an ice-cream and a bracelet just after talking to me for a couple of minutes; I keep reminding myself of this all the time because the majority of the people really just want a couple of minutes or even just say hello. I’m doing my best to meet everyone with a belief that they just want some of my time, which they can have plenty of, and I soon enough realize who’s only after money. I’m not saying I always manage this, but at least I do my best. There’s been many times I’ve caught myself in thinking “I need to get away from this person because he/she will ask me for money” and all he or she wanted was just to say ”Hello! What is your name?” or shake my hand.

 

But even though there is a lot of poverty in India there seem to be even more happiness and life; even inside of the Dharavi slum in Mumbai (where Slumdog Millionaire was filmed) there was so much laughter! They really do seem to appreciate what they have more than what we ”westerners” do. And I have never been to a country as colourful, charismatic and fascinating as India. I would say you get a long way with a big dose of patience and some humour. I love little things such as being greeted with a big smile and a ”Good morning, sir!!” at 5pm. 

(all these photos are taken on my last year's trip to India)