Growing up, I always thought that Indians were generally very nice and selfless people. And they are. After all, we’re the people of Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. This idea probably formed in my head because when you’re little, the world always seems a bit rosy, and my memory of India was limited to what I saw in the occasional Bollywood movies my parent’s would watch. So yes, I was little surprised when I went to India and everyone wasn’t singing and dancing at random points throughout the day.
Some random music playing during the day (ok, so it happens sometimes!)
But the last few times I’ve gone to India, I started seeing a different picture. I started noticing that many people were getting bent out of shape for seemingly small reasons. The slightest bit of inconvenience such as having to wait in a line (I'll blog about Indians and lines later!) or getting told that you can’t bring your cell phone into the temple (terrorism is a huge worry and anything that could set off a bomb is not allowed in many of the temples) would result in an eruption of fury and pointless arguing.
Take for example this past weekend. I went on a whirlwind tour of New Delhi, and one of the stops was the cremation site for none other than Mahatma Gandhi himself. Now if people outside India know one thing about Gandhi, it’s that he is all about non-violence. And EVERYONE in India reveres him to the highest degree imaginable. At the cremation site (as in many sacred places in India), you need to take off your shoes. There’s a place to put your shoes that’s free (but at your own risk), and another place right beside it that charges 1 Rupee (about 2 cents) and you’ll be sure to get your own shoes back. The 1 Rupee ends up going to maintenance of the facility, so it’s the least most people could do.
Gandhi's final footsteps, leading up to the area he was assassinated (under the pavilion)
The tour guide was telling all the tourists to please use the 1 Rupee shoe rack as a way of making a small donation. A local (who was not part of the group) got very upset because he thought the tour guide was telling HIM to put his shoes there (as he was placing his shoes on the free side), and after all, how dare this younger female tour guide tell him what to do. Even after she told him that she was talking to her tour group and not to him, he continued chewing her out saying that he can put his shoes wherever he wanted to. There ended up being a very loud argument that lasted several minutes where numerous people got involved. As I watched this, I couldn’t help but smirk at the irony that about 30 yards away lay the most important person in Indian history who, if he was watching, might have been wondering how people can forget his message of brotherhood and peace so soon.
Site of Gandhi's cremation (with his last words, "Oh God," inscribed on the marble)
10 comments:
iRavi (that is the name for new indian Ravi),
I do check your blog every day! Glad you are having a good time (of course I just read the headers so I'll go back and actually read the blog text now...) Josh
Ps. Mother Teresa was Albanian. Stop trying to claim all the good people. Next your going to say that Martin Luther King was Indian too ;-)
Hi Ravi,
I've enjoyed reading your blog... The photos are really nice and I enjoy learning about the people of India... I do worry about your safety though with things being so very violent and crazy... Thank you for your great interest in humanity and your start in saving the world.... You seemed to always have the gift... Let me know if I can be of any help...
Pray for world peace...
Marilyn Hagan
Wow! People are so petty and will find any reason to make others feel small and insignificant. Makes you realize that sometimes you gotta step back when you get upset or angry and think about whether the situation you are encountering is really worth stressing about - cause others might be blogging about you behind your back! haha
Miss you!
i'll put my shoes wherever i damned well please, sir.
Oh snaps! Mother Teresa WAS Albanian! Well she had Indian citizenship, so that's what must have made her so awesome. And you know, MLK always said that Gandhi was an inspiration, so we'll take credit for that one too ;)
And thanks for your concern about my safety Ms. Hagan! But the areas I'm in are just as safe as anywhere else. It's really only parts of the Kashmir region that are somewhat worrisome.
And Allison, you definitely should put your shoes on the free side where it's "at your own risk". I won't take them. I promise :)
Now that I know you'll pay to store your shoes, I'll be sure to charge you next time you come over.
ok, so albania can have mother teresa, but india can keep pocahontas. tit for tat.
I don't know how to change this name to something more realistic (like my real name).
I like the treadle pump.
-katie
I am checking your blog every day....but it doesn't change.....
two comments. one, I was on a tour yesterday of the n. ireland coast, and it was an indian girl who totally lost her temper over losing a glove so she threw the other one on the trail in a huff. i picked it up as to not "litter", then offered it to her back at the bus before throwing it away. turns out she found the other one on the way back but didn't pick it up b/c she'd left the other behind...you indians and your temper!
second, MLK is even in murals and mentioned here in Belfast b/c of the Civil Rights stuff they dealt with here. amazing! sorry that was long...
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