Lost in India

My first “real” encounter with India was through the eyes and adventures of Mr Phileas Fogg in around the world in 80days. India, I reckoned possessed a certain spirit and mystique that went beyond the imagination of a ten year old boy. Later on, the India setting would have a different meaning as I read Martin Luther’s story and the impact Ghandi had on his philosophy. But all this never truly nudged my curiosity to venture beyond the written word. Years later, I found myself in India.

If you are reading this, the year is 2009AD and over the last 20 years India has become an outsourcing/off-shoring hub for the world. While the world marvels at the economic progress of this nation, my first 3 week sojourn across India awakened the marvel I read about as a 10 year old.

If ever there was a place that changed significantly my world view and hope for the human race India would be the place. Here stands a nation, endowed with individuals extremely rich and poor, a country no different in beauty and ugliness to the next, with a chequered and glorious past a source for its present hope and angst. Its no paradise, BUT everyone of its people is enamoured with a spirit of determination and is engaged to make his/her life better in whatever little way. If not in this life at least in the next!