As I was walking around one fine afternoon, it was under the Mumbai sun and hot really hot, in a commercial district, there were small tiny shops all around those of which were warned not to get charah from, I had to wonder where was India all this time. India with its population and its confidence where has it been; among the Indians there is this rising steam but it has never taken them far as of yet.
I had to wonder because there is so much promise, there is so much talent, enterprise and that is madness enough to be a substantial part of this world. And yet it has never really shined. And now people are predicting its rise. Ten years ago they predicted it will be somewhere today and yes it is, today we are predicting a trascendency of India. For me, it seems slow. I suppose the change must have been somewhat because they are rebuilding and constructing and have been. Maybe the question should not be why it is rising, it should be why it is not what it should be.
People there are essentially friedly. Very friendly. They are welcoming and pleasant. They have alot to say. And many of the people are met were interesting. Their insights have been refreshing for thought in those long journeys.
Maybe one of the most commented things about India is the gap between the rich and the poor. There is always a gap in societies and sometimes the gap is breached by the "range of middle classes" One thing interesting was the slums. I thought they reflected human strength of toleration and yet the uncivilize nature of man. Whether you are rich or poor, everybody lives among the stench so now they are trying to get rid of all the undesirable effects for this they have to touch the untouchables. The modern lower caste of modern India. I think I have not seen the worst of it yet!
Slums against the backdrop of scrapers. One side is the JW Marriot and the other side is these
street beggars marketing old vegetables on the pavement next to stray dogs and garbage.
Yes, there is the side of Mumbai that shows off the talent of
India, it's new computer-savvy generation and brilliant engineers, the fast growing call centers and bollywood
and then right across the street: illiterate, dressed in rags, people without a roof over their head; there was
this huge slum and the whole community was a center for manual laundry. It is colourful like the indian sari.
I think the food was interesting too. Not even snacks is simple in India. Indian ice-cream was
was unique. It had a light scent of spices. There was so much food. When we went to the restuarants
to eat we were started of with soup and onions topped sprinled with lemon. The onions were not pungents, they
owned a fine taste and were crunchy. I heard if onions were to go up by just 1 rupee there would be riots.
Imagine that. Onions are an integral part of the indian cusine and no meal is complete without
this spice. Onions can make you cry. Then we had roti. Any kind:nun with garlic, plain... all types. Meal was
not over yet. There was the rice. Sometimes including chinese fried rice and Tandori chicken which I have never enjoyed so much
in my life. Juciy and tender. And then the drink. TOO rich, so much so that I could barely drink half a cup.
And top that with desert. The funny part was my father said I thin down when I came back. Imagine that
Oh, the bad part to India cusine beside being too much. Is the involvement of too much salt, ghee, coconut oil...
Coming so far for now...
