India, through my eyes

For this trip, I didn't want to write a practical guide on purpose. The journey was so intense and full of emotions that I preferred to write down my thoughts and sensations. There would be a world to tell about this fascinating country, but I limit myself to the knowledge learned and what I saw! In September 2020 I was supposed to fly to India, with my brother Filippo. We all know what happened that year. I had planned a beautiful traveling trip, I had read various books * and I had literally started dreaming of India already a year before departure. Finally, I managed to make this little drawer dream come true, with my mom.

India, is it what I expected? NO, much more. There is no book or film that can truly prepare you for what your eyes will see.

INDIA: COUNTRY OF CONTRADICTIONS India is a lot, in every sense. India gives you and takes you away, equally. It gives you awareness. Awareness of the fact that the problem of a polluted world does not exist in India. In Europe we fight for 100% electric cars but in India the road is used as a dumping ground and there are literally no rules. Awareness of being born in the rich part of the world. Awareness of the enormous inequalities that exist, of the poverty visible on the streets (whole families sleep on the street, enveloped in smog and flies), of begging children, of the countless stray animals and of pollution, including acoustic pollution (vehicle horns are used CONSTANTLY). These are things that I commonly believe are known, but are not really realized without seeing them.

India takes you away, too. It takes away your patience, for the infinity of means of transport (cars, buses, rickshaws, carts, bikes, tuk tuks, mopeds) that whiz in any direction as soon as they see an empty piece of road. It takes away your patience, due to the insistence of the people who, unfortunately, follow you asking for food, money and water but also for those who want to get you on their tuk tuk or taxi. But, it also takes away some security from you. Most of the people you see on the street are men, very few women are seen. And, if they are seen, they are in the company of men. To say that we felt constantly watched is an understatement.

Yet, it's all overwhelming. Everyone is busy. There are beggars selling popcorn, dusty fruit and vegetables, clothes but also spices, flowers, dried fruit and much more. There are people who offer their services as hairdressers and dentists on the street, on the sidewalk. There are people sleeping on the side of the road or playing with stray dogs. There are people waiting for buses, rickshaws, drivers and, then, there are those who transport gas bottles on a bicycle. Then there are the smiles and curious looks of the people. Most of the tourists you see around are Indians. Very few Westerners are seen walking independently. There were tons of requests for photos (which I had read before going to India), there was even a queue to take a photo with us - I almost felt like a celebrity honestly.

India is the children chasing the train on the platform waving their little hands, the cows grazing in the middle of the road eating plastic, the clothes dried on the roadside guardrail, the people doing their needs and spitting on the street and the infinity of colors that can be seen and smells that can be perceived. Do we want to talk about the historical, architectural, religious and cultural wealth of this country? India is home to the oldest city in the world (Varanasi), four major religions (Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism and Islam), 23 different languages ​​and 2,000 dialects, countless festivals (religious and non-religious), one of the seven wonders of the world and 1.4 BILLION people.

WHY ARE BONFIRE LIGHTED IN VARANASI? Varanasi is the oldest city in the world and a privileged destination for praying (thanks to the presence of the Ganges River), as it is sacred to the Hindus. According to Hindu tradition, when a person dies, the body must be cremated in order to free the body of the deceased from sins and attain what Buddhists call Nirvana. For this reason, bonfires are lit every day in the two main burning ghats of Varanasi, precisely to cremate the bodies of the deceased. It takes about 15kg of wood to burn a body and 3 hours of time. The body is carried up a bamboo ladder and left in the middle of the fire. Around the bonfire, clothes, candles, flowers and any other homage to the deceased are placed.

THE CULTURE OF ARRANGED MARRIAGES Well yes, 80% of marriages in India are still arranged. But how do they work? The parents of the bride and groom decide whether the two are compatible, based on their economic status and age. Next, the bride meets the groom-to-be's parents and is asked questions such as, "Are you faithful? How many children do you want?" The groom also has to meet the parents of the bride-to-be and is asked questions such as "How are you going to support her? what is your dowry?" If both encounters are positive, the bride and groom meet and must go to a priest to receive the blessing depending on whether the planets and stars are aligned in their favor. If the alignment of the stars is present, then the marriage can proceed, otherwise nothing. According to the culture, it is forbidden to have children before marriage and to have had other partners in the past.

WHY DO PEOPLE SPIT ON THE STREET? Spitting people are everywhere. They spit in the street, while driving with the window down, while they talk. The spit, however, has a red color and a spicy smell, it's one of the strangest things I've really ever seen. What they put in their mouth is a fiery red powder made of spices and tobacco. The reason they keep this powder in their mouth is to freshen and clean their mouth. And then it's spat out. These powders are sold in every stall and are found in a very small plastic package, which is rigorously thrown on the street once empty.

HISTORY AND CURIOSITIES OF THE SYMBOL OF LOVE: THE TAJ MAHAL In addition to being one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the Taj Mahal is the symbol of love par excellence. This is because it is not a simple monument but a mausoleum. Shan Jahan, emperor of Agra in 1628, commissioned the construction of the Taj Mahal after his third wife lost her life after giving birth to his fourteenth child. The mausoleum is dedicated to his wife. The work was commissioned from ten of the most talented architects of the time, from all over the world. 20,000 people took part in the construction and almost as many elephants to transport the materials. The construction of the Taj Mahal took twenty-two years. The mausoleum is built of white marble inlaid with precious stones, such as jade and crystals. It overlooks the river that runs through Agra. Inside is his wife's grave. According to legend, Shan Jahan intended to build a second mausoleum identical to the Taj Mahal but black, on the other side of the river. Also according to legend (some say it's true), after the construction of the majestic Taj Mahal, the sultan would have ordered the hands of the formidable architects who designed the mausoleum to be cut off, to prevent copies from being built in other parts of the world . If true, I'd say the technique worked great! the Taj Mahal is truly one of a kind!

THE SWASTIKA IN INDIA While walking the streets of Indian cities, it often happens to come across the symbol of the swastika painted on walls, houses, clothes, etc. But does it really have the same meaning as when it was used by Hitler? The swastika symbol has a very long history and was used at least 5,000 years before Hitler designed the Nazi flag. In Hinduism, the swastika symbolizes both the four Vedas (sacred texts) and the corresponding four faces of Brahman (according to Hinduism, it is the divinity predisposed to the creation of the material universe). The three main meanings of the swastika in Hinduism are: 1. Auspicious symbol, to wish good luck and luck 2. Indicate any object that is supposed to bring peace and happiness 3. The meeting point of four roads

*

- Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

- Un altro giro di giostra by Tiziano Terzani

- City of joy by Dominique Lapierre

- Il monaco che amava i gatti. Le sette rivelazioni by Corrado Debiasi

#india #varanasi #tajmahal #books