One of the most lovely parts of India are its people. I haven’t met all 1.3 billion of them but I have a hunch it’s a trend. (Remember the US has a measly 330 million). They are definitely unified as a nation (Kashmir is a separate story) but, despite the rise in nationalism in India, most people don’t seem to be quick to say they’re “Indian”. They are very proud of their specific cultural heritage. Most Indians have lived in the same region, at minimum, or town for generations and it also says a lot about them.
I started my travels in Rajasthan. Raj meaning King and stan meaning place. Each area had a ruler and the main cities also had a chosen color. Udaipur, where I stayed, is the white city. Also the wonderfully charming Mount Abu littered with langurs, jaguars (thus the barbed wire around our jungle hotel), and parrots pays homage to the Raj who used the mountain as their summer retreat and at from their city palaces. Best part? The palaces now serve as hotels as do the summer retreats. And we stayed in both.
Now in Gujarat, the mothership of craft and textiles. Gujurati people are also often referred to as the business people of India. Over
8.5 million people live in this bustling city, a 2.5 percent population increase from 2021. In the recent festival 15,000 vehicles were purchased - 11,000 motorbikes. Have you heard of Ahmedabad? I hadn’t. Even though this is the first entree of the sheer nuttiness of a major Indian city, the tenor is different yet the people are remain warm. But don’t be fooled, it’s not a warmth we might think of. ‘Thank you’ is rarely used. Yet gratitude and giving is common. Simple courtesy whilst needing still living your life. They will stand right next to you but they won’t push you or give you a dirty look. It’s just a dance of the masses - a necessity when you’re crammed together.
Traveling from Rajasthan to Gujarat the language and alphabet is different. It’s a historical difference which unlike most things, modernity has been unable to change. Our bus drivers from Udaipur don’t speak Gujarati and even though it is very close to Hindi, the language gap is so large we’ve had to get local guides in each town to translate and help them navigate the roads.
Regardless of language, state or religion all of which is a wild mix - just like their fabulous prints and textiles - they seem so connected and aware. Aloof doesn’t appear to be common. Perhaps it’s the openness that travel seems to inspire in me but I haven’t felt so connected to ‘strangers’ in a long time. Religion could also be a factor. It seems most everyone goes to ‘temple’ in some form every morning. Whether that be the mosque across the street or kneeling in the street when the call to prayer happens, a tiny shrine to wedged in a corner or a gorgeously crafted Jain temple.
This routine creates a beautiful grounding leading to everyday conversations about care for family, what is fated in the universe or simple gratitude for what we have right now. Even if that doesn’t include shoes or a home. (We’ve been lucky to spend time in many artisans homes)
Imagine what America could be if we adopted some of these grounding principles and interconnection.
I started my travels in Rajasthan. Raj meaning King and stan meaning place. Each area had a ruler and the main cities also had a chosen color. Udaipur, where I stayed, is the white city. Also the wonderfully charming Mount Abu littered with langurs, jaguars (thus the barbed wire around our jungle hotel), and parrots pays homage to the Raj who used the mountain as their summer retreat and at from their city palaces. Best part? The palaces now serve as hotels as do the summer retreats. And we stayed in both.
Now in Gujarat, the mothership of craft and textiles. Gujurati people are also often referred to as the business people of India. Over
8.5 million people live in this bustling city, a 2.5 percent population increase from 2021. In the recent festival 15,000 vehicles were purchased - 11,000 motorbikes. Have you heard of Ahmedabad? I hadn’t. Even though this is the first entree of the sheer nuttiness of a major Indian city, the tenor is different yet the people are remain warm. But don’t be fooled, it’s not a warmth we might think of. ‘Thank you’ is rarely used. Yet gratitude and giving is common. Simple courtesy whilst needing still living your life. They will stand right next to you but they won’t push you or give you a dirty look. It’s just a dance of the masses - a necessity when you’re crammed together.
Traveling from Rajasthan to Gujarat the language and alphabet is different. It’s a historical difference which unlike most things, modernity has been unable to change. Our bus drivers from Udaipur don’t speak Gujarati and even though it is very close to Hindi, the language gap is so large we’ve had to get local guides in each town to translate and help them navigate the roads.
Regardless of language, state or religion all of which is a wild mix - just like their fabulous prints and textiles - they seem so connected and aware. Aloof doesn’t appear to be common. Perhaps it’s the openness that travel seems to inspire in me but I haven’t felt so connected to ‘strangers’ in a long time. Religion could also be a factor. It seems most everyone goes to ‘temple’ in some form every morning. Whether that be the mosque across the street or kneeling in the street when the call to prayer happens, a tiny shrine to wedged in a corner or a gorgeously crafted Jain temple.
This routine creates a beautiful grounding leading to everyday conversations about care for family, what is fated in the universe or simple gratitude for what we have right now. Even if that doesn’t include shoes or a home. (We’ve been lucky to spend time in many artisans homes)
Imagine what America could be if we adopted some of these grounding principles and interconnection.
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