Incredible India!

Have you guys ever been to India? You're really missing something if you haven't. Most people don't visit it as they have misconceived notions about it being polluted and populated. It sure is, but which place is free of these factors. By sitting at home and watching the news on the Television about a certain place, you never get the feel of the place. Travel down there personally to know how it is. Traffic hazards may exist and the places might be a wee bit dirty but what really draws me to the place is the warmth of the people.

To feel wanted and at the same time to feel a sense of belonging and attachment to a place is very important. When I travel home to India I get to meet my close friends and relatives. I get to go out with all of them and live each moment like never before. Though I was brought up in Chennai my home town is Kerala (also known as "God's own country").The place is filled with greenery and is forever wooing travelers to take a walk with nature. The tall coconut trees, steep roads and the old traditional houses made of exquisite teak wood gives you an idea of how the place was in the past-untouched and unique. Be it the cool monsoon weather, the hot banana chips, delicious fritters or the award winning combination of mouth watering fish curry and Kappa( Known as 'Tapioca' in English) available at any wayside stall, there is always something to tantalize every palette. The traditional Ayurvedic massages are something you should never miss. The oil massage beats anything in the world as it pampers your body. Apart from that it also helps you relax and enjoy the calm unaffected surroundings of natural life. Several resorts have been opened to cater to the needs of tourists and people who love taking a body massage once in a while. Staying for two weeks at an Ayurvedic massage place and following a set diet personally helps in mastering a healthy way of living. Don't get alarmed if an elephant decides to visit you at any time of the day or mischievously taps your butt through the window with its trunk. It's not a big deal and is bound to happen as these resorts are tucked away deep within the forest.

I don't need to brag too much about Kerala as only a trip to this place can do justice to what I speak. If you have gone to Thailand then it's just like visiting India. Of course Thailand has got its own exotic locations but in some ways Thailand resembles Kerala in its' vast green landscape. The list is never ending. Be it the floating market in Thailand or the house boats that people the backwaters of Kerala, each possessing a charm of its own.

What can I say about Chennai? Ha! It definitely is a charming city. The city is located on the South East Coast of India and is in Tamil Nadu. Known for its rich heritage, temples and culture, Chennai is a place you must make time to visit. Before I remember how people were familiar with only Bangalore in the South with the IT industry booming there. But can good old Chennai be far behind? I know it may be quite laid back in thoughts and people might be a teeny weenie bit narrow minded but that doesn't make the people less generous in heart. Visit temples, walk down those kutty (means "Small" in English) streets and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much the city has got to offer. There is something in it for everyone.

Not knowing the mother tongue Tamil might turn out to be a handicap. But with an increasing buzz in the tourism industry the place is gearing it self to meet the wants of tourists. Even auto drivers try to keep up with the change, communicating in the little broken English they know with tourists. The auto drivers are surely a hassle but you can bargain once you get the knack of doing it. Getting around the place is easy. I know people who don't know a word of Tamil but manage to get around the place nevertheless. There's this friend of mine who is a Bengali. Madam doesn't know Tamil at all and whenever she hears people speak it, she feels they are constantly quarrelling with each other. When we try to understand a language not our own we find it funny. Some words in the so-called alien tongue might sound similar to the ones we have in our language, but may have totally different meanings.

One day this Bengali girl took an auto from college and was on her way home. When she nearly reached her house the auto driver who was not satisfied with the amount she was going to give him asked for a bit more as he felt the route was long. Though my friend has seen the way we talk to these auto guys she never had a clue of what to do. But I guess time makes us do weird things. Madam ended up babbling in a mixed tongue of her own and said “aaayo ammma...” The guy, who was driving, stopped, swerved his head looked totally stunned and just drove faster. After dropping my friend he took the money and sped away in a jiffy without even turning back once.

The next day at college when she related the incident to us we all had a hearty laugh. But she didn't understand why the man ran away without a fight. Those who have lived in Chennai will know that our Chief Minister Ms. Jayalalitha is fondly referred to as Amma. The only assumption we could draw from the incident was that the man thought that my friend was one of Jayalalitha's bum chums. Imagine my friend and Jayalalitha's bum chum. Even to this day we repeatedly ask my friend to show us the expression on that auto man's face and she does it so authentically that we can never stop rolling in laughter.

These are the kind of incidents that happen in India which make us laugh and cry. Now when I read the papers I see how India as an economy is opening out to investments from the U.S and U.K. It's relationships with all the countries are improving drastically especially with China. With the earthquake that happened in Pakistan India moved in immediately to help. National pride as the foreign minister of Pakistan Mr. Kurshid put it, is no longer an obstacle in the relationship of Pakistan and India that is going stronger. Both these places have faced its bad days and have overcome it too. Only a good foundation will strengthen the bond between the two countries that were once whole.

Well it's funny how when we write we deviate so much from what we mean to say. India is a wonderful place to be in. But please note that South India is not the only part that comprises the whole of India. There are the Northern, Eastern and Western parts of India which are as beautiful as the South. I mean to visit the whole of India at least once in a lifetime. Hopefully I will fulfill this wish of mine in the future. When I spoke about Pakistan and India relations I only did so to show that these places are not filled with terrorists as you think. We all have pre-conceived notions because we've never been there and base our assumptions on only what Television shows us to believe. There are ordinary people like you and me that inhabit those lands. So the next time you're given a chance to make a trip to India, take it, because it's worth a visit. You will never regret it. And puleease we do not take bullock carts to college...there are cars, buses, cycles, autos and trains available too.