The Colours of India

A nice Indian man told me that, "If you spend 1 week in India you will be able to write an article about it; if you spend 3 months in India you will be able to write an even better article; but, if you spend 5 years in India you won't be able to write anything because it's too damn confusing." We've been here for almost 2 months now, and I already feel that this is true! India can overload your senses - both good and bad. This makes capturing our travels with words, extremely challenging! In order to properly update everyone without having to read a novel, I will try to post a short blog, bit by bit, every few days.
While India is filled with magnificent sights, tantalizing spices, and amazing people, it also has widespread poverty and clear environmental issues. In the beginning, it was tough for me to adjust to the streets full of garbage, human feces, and gutters running with urine that plagued us as we explored Kolkata. I had to hold my breath as we walked past the concrete street urinals, and I tried to avert my eyes when passing the masses of people bathing at the side of the road. We were bombarded with people the moment we walked out of our hotel: touts wanting us to "buy this" or "come with me" and beggars following us and holding onto us with pleas of "please sister" and "food for my baby". Both Jas and I are now proficient at saying no. Sadly, we are also very good at ignoring people (you might think this is rude, but your opinion would change once you've been here).
The caste system is very apparent with a large dichotomy existing between rich and poor (often in the same area). In Kolkata, you could visit the Oberoi Grand (the most luxurious hotel) but you'd find makeshift homes lining the sidewalks around it. You can still find many rickshaws pulled by men running barefoot. These men often sleep in their rickshaw at the side of the road. In India, it is better to donate money to an organization than it is to give to each individual you pass on the street. The money goes further; however, this concept does not help you as you meet people begging for survival. How can a person look into the eyes of a starving child and say no? I can now say I do on a regular basis. The few times we couldn't resist giving something, we were met with a dozen other hands extended our way. Once, we gave a mom and her child a drink...another young child tried to get in on the action and was promptly shoved away. In such a world, you can never give enough.
Along with beggars, you also have the local businessmen and touts. These men work hard and persistently at getting you to spend money on whatever they are selling. They inquire about all aspects of your life and call you "friend". Sometimes it seems that it's a dime a dozen to meet someone who really is only after friendship. Just to drive my point home, Jas (the most sociable person on the planet) was so fed up on one occasion that he didn't want to leave our hotel!
Furthermore, communication can be a sheer act of frustration. Here I'm referring to the famous head-wobble that seems to be used for "yes", "no", or even "maybe". A straight answer is rare, and we've asked ourselves a number of times, "What do they mean?!?"
The part of Indian culture that I find the most bothersome, is the treatment of western women by the local men (here I am generalizing, of course). Many men have only seen foreign women in pornographic and Hollywood films, and, as such, their opinion of how we behave is a bit skewed. I am constantly stared at, shouts of "hello" follow me as I walk down the street (as well as lewd comments in Hindi), and I'm often asked to pose for pictures. Sometimes I even get followed. Usually, it is not too bothersome; however, a couple of incidents have occurred where my breast has been grabbed! Needless to say, Jas has been quite the enforcer! I had read that wearing traditional Indian dress helps to alleviate this problem. So, I went and bought a couple of salwar kameez and a sari to wear for the remainder of our time in India. I didn't mind in the least because the women who are dressed in the colourful and bright saris look gorgeous.
The other reason for the change in clothing, is that the weather is hot, hot, hot! These outfits help protect me from the sun and keep me cool. I've managed to last thus far with only the occasional air-con, which is something to brag about; however, Jas has kindly given me the nickname of "Princess Sweatbomb" for my effort!
Despite all of this, India is my favourite country thus far. I love it!! It has breathed new life into me and given me a 'second wind' so to speak for travel. So...I'll do my best to catch you up on our adventures.
We started in Kolkata. It was a great city to explore and to take the time needed to adjust to a new culture. We visited a few sights including the Victoria Memorial and the famous Howrah bridge that allows 1 million people each day to cross the river. We also stopped at the Kaligat Temple, a busy temple dedicated to the god 'Kali'. Here, we prayed using flowers and incense and each got a bindi (orange mark on the forehead). We were shown the place where 20-30 goats get sacrificed each day (vegetarians sacrifice coconuts!), and the kitchen that uses this meat to cook and feed the homeless. Perhaps the highlight of my time in Kolkata, was visiting the grave of Mother Theresa. It was housed in a convent (the Motherhouse) and was simple. There was nothing particularly emotional about it, yet, I found myself holding back the tears.
After Kolkata, we took the train to Gaya and then an auto-rickshaw to the small town of Bodhgaya (travel in India is lengthy and often involves more than one form of transport - patience is necessary!) This place is special due to the fact that it's the place of Buddha's enlightenment; therefore, it is very sacred (the Dalai Lama spends 2 months a year here). We visited the Mahabodhi Temple that houses the Bodhi tree under which his enlightenment occurred. Very cool!
We stayed only one night before heading to our next spot by train: Varanasi. This is one of the most spiritual cities in India, and one of the most interesting. I will tell you why in the next blog!