Sunday, February 10, 2008

From a recent trip to India

In Mumbai an elephant is stuck in a traffic jam while a young woman wearing dirt covered rags sits on a pile of rubbish and combs her hair, in another world she could be a model. In the far reaches of a rough shop in Agra sits a derelict life size wooden statue of a Hindu god, intricately carved, old and dirty, why isn't it out the front in place of the tacky tourist baubles? On the road to Delhi a camel pulls a cart in the early morning while just off the road men squat and presumably undertake morning ablutions. In Bangalore high technology campuses with green grounds and gates and walls and guards provide paradise away from the daily grime of the city. Contrasts run so great that senses are initially sent awray until a form of acceptance comes in and you now longer lift an eyelid at the sights in front of you. I liked it, a lot.