India - Zany, Odd, Yet Glorious?

Taj Hotel, Mumbai

 However, as fate would have it, I now had to go for eye surgery, so as Indian tradition would demand, we all packed our bags and went.

Mumbai!! How does one even begin to describe one’s first encounter?! The first thing that suffocates you is the overwhelming humidity I had never imagined possible. It felt like someone locked you in a sauna and threw away the key.

 Mumbai is a chaotic metropolis with people and cars in never-ending proportion like perennial waves that lap the seashore.

Space is no longer an option in this 24 hour city, yet the demand for space places relentless pressure on the environment. However, in all of the chaos the people remain remarkably focused and ever so helpful to tourists.

For tourists, Mumbai is generally known for its shopping. Shops selling traditional Indian garbs are numerous. It was unfortunate that I don’t have a preference for Indian dress, but nonetheless the clothes are stunning, from the simple everyday panjabees and salwar kameez, to the more exquisite pieces of the famed Indian designers.

The disparities among the rich and poor are distinct in the city, but a strange harmonious co-existence makes the city bearable.

The people, in not just Mumbai but throughout India, are extremely friendly, polite, hospitable, patient and humble.

 From Mumbai we took a train to the city of Surat, to visit the villages of our forefathers, who traversed an arduous journey from India to South Africa a little more than a 100 years ago.

The journey on the “Flying Ranee” did anything BUT fly :o

Grandfather's house, Kator

 We, on the other hand, solemnized the strange family, wondering why we had to share the carriage. But this is India, and the concept of personal space is brutally nonexistent. No wonder!

Ah, finally we arrived at the village of Kator, the home of my great-grandparents on my mum’s side. Expecting to feel a strong affinity for the place and the people, it was instead a culture shock.

 Village life and people seemed unchanged since time immemorial, except for a few modern amenities. Narrow, unpaved roads, roaming baby goats and several old relatives, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that our forefathers undertook the great trek to South Africa.

But it was an effectual experience, one that made me appreciate the hardships endured by our forefathers to ensure a better life for posterity. If the truth be told, I cannot imagine myself enduring the hardships that they did.

Village life seems pretty calm; time passes by uneventfully and the people appear rather content with their lot in life. They offer immense hospitality and delectable food.

From there we went on to the villages of Bodar and Gara, where my great-grandparents on my dad’s side came from.

All the villages are pretty much the same, and visits to the homes of relatives were quite fascinating. Observing the younger generation, I couldn’t help but wonder what my life would have been like had I been born and living in India; it was inconceivable.

 Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Except for the Taj Mahal there is not much else to see in Agra. We were told by the tour guide that the descendents of the Moghals continue to live in the vicinity of the Taj Mahal and congregate at the monument for the Friday Jumu’a prayer.

One could spend hours in the grounds of the Taj Mahal and enjoy its splendour :)

Goa

Finally, a chance to just sit back and relax and enjoy the magnificent Indian Ocean. Goa, on the west coast of India, is a former Portuguese colony. A bustling tourist destination, with mostly European tourists relishing in the sun, Goa provides some refuge from the monotony of constant crowds, traffic and pollution that consume most of India.

Goa at sunset

The roads are extremely narrow and used for two-way traffic, with cars, buses, motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians (as there are no sidewalks) all competing for space. And by no means do the cars travel at low speed!

To enjoy Goa at its best have an afternoon swim and then enjoy a luscious evening meal on one of the many restaurants on the beach, with the vast Indian Ocean and a glorious sunset in the background. Simply magnificent!

Worth a visit

We concluded our journey with the ultimate reason for going to India – for me to have eye surgery. Talk about an anti-climax! However, India is known for its first class medical treatment, and people from all over the world, particularly Europe and the US travel to India for medical care, from simple procedures to major surgeries. The doctors are brilliant and the post-op care is excellent.

India was well worth a visit. In spite of heart-wrenching hardships that the majority of people endure, the humility of the Indians stands out. A country steeped in ancient history, it still remains a fascinating place where ancient and contemporary are bound, where masses of people from different religions, class, caste and ethnicity have somehow managed to weave a web of harmony.

I would love to visit India again and this time get to know the people a little more.

 Naseema Mall is a freelance journalist based in South Africa. She is also the owner of Breeze Publishing. She can be contacted at artculture@iolteam.com.