India – A First Encounter
India A First Encounter
India A First Encounter
India is an immense country with a huge population of over a billion people. It is steeped in history and fascinating things to see and experience and you will know that it currently has one of the most aggressively growing economies that many believe will deliver it to the top of the economic leader board, with greater influence over the west than ever before.
The country is famous for the glamour of Bollywood and the poverty of the slums which often reside side by side on the same street. It can be overwhelming at times, fast and furious in pace and an assault on all your senses. But the Indian people are very proud of their nation and are friendly and accommodating, always pleased to see tourists and always delighted to communicate with you. I came away feeling I had made a new friend for life and would not hesitate to say that India is indeed my new passion. From what I have seen and experienced so far I can proudly say I love it!
So, let me tell you where I went and what I did. I guess I was very lucky to begin with as my destination was chosen for me, I was invited to visit the most westerly state of Gujarat and stayed in its largest city Ahmadabad. A vibrant and modern place with a bustling rhythm that harmonises both people and traffic in a chaotic impossible choreography even further complicated by countless stray cattle, goats and pet dogs that seem to know exactly what's going on around them and wander about in complete calm. Amazing as I estimate a western driver would survive at most two minutes on these busy streets. The traffic cops are about, but apparently take a break between two and four pm and then go home at six pm to leave the city to cope on its own, which it does splendidly.
I stayed at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel, a five star establishment right in the thick of town and standing proud like a shard of glass palace amidst the mayhem. Inside it is beautifully accommodating and very homely, splendidly appointed rooms with twin queen beds and a sexy shower featuring a glass wall between it and the bedroom. Don't worry, it has a blind to draw down, but the romantics will love it! I look down on the pool and the tennis courts below my window and think to myself that this first impression of India is - okay! But, it was going to get even better.
My first three days were spent at a tourism trade fair that gave me every opportunity to learn as much as I could about the rest of India from the many experts on hand who knew it best of all. I visited over 35 stands in total and experienced great food, colourful dances, learned about white deserts, Asian Tigers and Lions, mountains and temples and the history that seems to make anything we know in the West - pale into insignificance.
The most humbling experience was visiting the home of Mahatma Gandhi where the story of his life epitomises the power of peace and humility. For a man who span cotton and made sandals for most of his time there, he managed to truly touch the people of the World and influence more leaders with his words of peace than any other man in history. It made me realise how very true it is that less really can amount to - much more, in terms of influence and spiritual achievement. There are images of the many postcards and letters which were sent to him from all around the Globe, their senders not even knowing where he resided, yet the letters reached him, some with only his image drawn on the front cover.
Gujarat is awash with exquisitely carved step wells in every town and enough temples to accommodate both the faithful and the curious. You will find them all fascinating and impressive especially when you consider the weight of hand carved stone that could only have been lifted into place by the muscle of many men or the power of the Indian Elephant.
I stayed at the excellent Royal Safari Camp in Bajana where I slept in a traditional style cottage with all mod-cons and, from there, visited the arid desert and Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch. This is also where the poor children of the salt farmers work for up to eighteen hours a day under the hot sun for a single meal and just a few Rupees. They moved me so much I have actually adopted their cause as my personal charitable challenge.
At the other end of the scale I stayed at the Balaram Pallace Resort in Chitrasani Village in similarly superb accommodation in the grounds of a former Maharajas Palace with the mountain borders of Rajasthan just an arm's reach away.
I am now arranging tours to these great places to enable everyone to share and personally experience these wonderful places which offer the "first time to India" tourist an excellent introduction to just some of the endless variety of experiences on offer.
Add to all of the above the great food, the nomadic tribes people, the Police Monkeys (yes really), the fantastic Golf courses, the beaches and colourful, friendly hard working and yet completely accommodating people and you have just a tiny sample of all Gujarat has to offer.
I shall be going back again and again and if you want to really know why you had better go too.
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