From the mid-nineteenth century until 1947, India was part of the British Empire. When it was under British rule, she was referred to as the jewel in the crown. So many people travel to that beautiful country in search of answers. My first visit to India in 1999 was exactly for that purpose. I wanted answers. I wanted to know why I was here, what was I here for and more than anything, I wanted to be at peace and happy.
When I stepped off the plane in 1999, it was two o’clock in the morning and it was warm. The airport was bare and when I got to customs, I saw soldiers with guns watching over us. I had never seen soldiers with guns in airports despite all my years of global adventures. So it was a shock and when I stepped outside of the airport, there was an even greater shock. I knew that India was unlike any other place I had ever been to in my life. A part of me wanted to jump on the first plane back to America because I immediately felt that India was going to be tough and I was pretty sure she would win the battle.
Whenever someone asks me to describe India, I joke that it is like being in a really passionate love affair. Your are torn between loving it and disliking it all at the same time. The streets are packed with people, cars and animals. The concept of efficiency does not exist and no one cares that it doesn’t. The food is so delicious and so cheap yet you see extreme wealth and poverty co-existing in ways that break your heart. Getting to Agra to see the Taj Mahal is such a wild experience that your nerves are on the edge. Yet when you finally see the Taj, you begin to weep at it’s beauty. India is a rich country and sometimes its paradoxes can push your comfort levels to the max. However, after all that has been said and done, you are grateful for the ride.
Throughout time , India has been the land where the lost go to in order to find themselves. When you walk through any Indian city, you can see the faces of people from other countries all searching for answers. People want to know the secrets of the Universe and India seems to be the place where you find them. I once asked my Buddhist Master why India was such a magnet for spiritual seekers and he said that it was India’s role in the world to help shine light on the powers that exist within each one of us. He even told me that it was believed that there were men and women who lived in the Himalayas for hundreds of years and no one thought that to be odd.
If you were to ask me the first word that comes to mind when I think of India, the word would be spirituality. India’s history is rich in spirituality. It is the only land, that I know of, that has a history so rich in stories of men and women who actually achieve enlightenment. It is said that Alexander the Great could not conquer India because the citizens were so absorbed in spirituality, he found it hard to overpower them.
In 2003, my husband and I decided to go live in India. People often ask me what living in India was like. In my mind, it was one of the best rides ever. Today I have a guest post over at Quest for Balance where I write about my adventures in living there. I hope you will go check it out. Special thanks to Lisis for giving me the opportunity to guest post at her site!
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Nadia, I don’t know why exactly, but I loved this article. It must be your wonderful writing.
I intend to visit India someday. I’m heading over to quest for balance to read all about it. Thanks!
Stephen – Rat Race Trap’s most recent blog post..Your Brain on Food and Supplements – Acetylcholine
Hi Stephen,
I am so happy that you loved this post. If you do end up going to India, let me know and I can give you some tips on traveling there!
I’m heading over to Lisis’s house straight after I write this. I just wanted to try and explain that I enjoyed how you kept this piece strangely awed and ‘distant’, not too much detailed personal in-deep and right there with the local people writing (I’m hoping to find more of that later – I know you’ll share it with us!) Because India is vast and deep and so are its contrasts; that photo you’ve used gives us a sense of it and so did the piece.
janice’s most recent blog post..A Touch of Grace
Hi Janice,
You hit the nail on the head about how India is vast and deep. I don’t think there are enough words that could accurately describe being there. It is always a challenge to write about India because there are so many aspects to it and each aspect could be a post.
As for the pictures, they are from my personal collection so they are the real deal.
Beautiful, beautiful story. India has always fascinated me (I’ve already commented over on Q4B, so this one will be short), and I love hearing personal stories like this. I hope to go to India someday….
Jay Schryer’s most recent blog post..Mindful Meditation Monday, Week One
Hi Jay,
I am so happy that you enjoyed both posts.
If you do go to India, let me know and I can give you some advice as to where to go and stay. India is fascinating and truly it is an adventure when you go there.
Hi Nadia, thank you for this beautiful story and for sharing your adventure with Q4B readers, too! It’s interesting, no matter how many Taj Mahal pictures I see (and I’ve seen a LOT) the ones that were taken by people I know seem a little more magical. It’s like I ALMOST got to see it myself… through YOUR eyes!
One of my favortie novels is “A Suitable Boy” by Vikram Seth, because it’s about 1500 pages of details about life in India (and a central story somewhere in there too). I think I speak for many of us when I say, I just cannot get enough of India. Keep these stories coming!
=-)
Lisis’s most recent blog post..Adventure: Living in India – What a Journey!
Hi Lisis,
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share what living in India was like.
As for the Taj Mahal, no picture beats how powerful it is when you actually see it. I cried when I first saw it. I stood there with tears on my face because it is such an adventure to get there and your nerves all stressed. It is hidden so you do not see it immediately upon getting to Agra. You have to take this one bus to get to the entrance of the Taj and then walk through this one area and then finally when you see it, it is amazing. I will never forget that day!
A great post, Nadia! This sentence from “It is up to me to decide whether my life, my little speck of dust remains dust… or whether I turn it into a pearl.” helped me immensely today from breaking out of a lousy mood! Thanks!!
Hi Alotus!
I am so happy that the line helped you break out of a not so good mood. You are most welcome! Actually, your comment made me feel better too. So thank you, my friend.
As always, a great post! This part also captures my experiences in China rather well:
“Your are torn between loving it and disliking it all at the same time. The streets are packed with people, cars and animals. The concept of efficiency does not exist and no one cares that it doesn’t. The food is so delicious and so cheap yet you see extreme wealth and poverty co-existing in ways that break your heart.”
That’s China!
Especially the “delicious food” part…
Thomas’s most recent blog post..floating mosque
Hi Thomas!
Kind of cool that we had similar experiences! So I know you know what I am talking about!
Wow, it must have been amazing. I will go to India one day. Just looking at that picture of the Taj Mahal, I can get a tiny hint of the scale and grandeur of it. I can’t image what it is like to see it in person. I’m sure I would weep.
David Cain’s most recent blog post..How to Be Grateful When You Don’t Feel Like It
Hi David,
It definitely was an amazing experience. I am so happy that I had a chance to go there and live there. It changed my life. As for the Taj, you cannot help but cry. Trust me, the journey to get there is unlike anything I have ever experienced and so many people I know who have seen it , say the same thing. I think your emotions are on edge but once you see the Taj, it’s beauty is so powerful…it just makes you cry and cry and cry. It truly is a wonder.
Nadia,
I went to India on business twice in 2000-2001 and I remember feeling like I’d just landed on Mars when I walked out of the airport. I was completely bewildered. By the second business trip, I really liked India. India made me see the world in a very different way.
Roger – A Content Life’s most recent blog post..Silence and Solitude
Hi Roger,
I laughed when you said how you felt that you landed on Mars. It sure feels like that the first time you go to India especially if you are coming from the West. I agree with you that the more you go there, the more you come to see life from a different angle.
Nadia/India . . . those two names sure have a lot in common, don’t they? Enjoyed reading about the two of you. Kept thinking about Slumdog Millionaire, which was awesome. You’re pretty awesome too. You work so hard to share your light. The words lustrous/illustrious/luminous keep banging around in my head for some reason. I appreciate you, shiny girl.
Brenda’s most recent blog post..On Cats
Hi Brenda,
You are so sweet, thank you. I will accept the title of shiny girl as long as I don’t have to have shiny skin!
Just kidding.
Everyone keeps telling me to see Slumdog Millionaire and I have been meaning to but never got to it yet.
As for being awesome, it takes one to know one…so you my friend are just mirroring your awesomeness on to me!
Great article. I go to India as often as I can. India covers the full spectrum of humanity, from the worst to the best, in juxtaposition. I see more variety of life, colors, food, customs, human foibles, and human greatness in any single day in India than anywhere else I’ve been. India is the world’s seat of spirituality, and has been for 5000 years, and yet I would say spirituality is just a minor reason to go to India. It is rich in art, histoy, music, fashion, performing arts and literature. Most people who visit India seem to have a similar experience: they don’t like everything about their visit, but as soon as they come back, they start planning their next trip there.
Kaushik’s most recent blog post..Awaken Already!
Hi Kaushik!
You are right, there are more reasons to see India than just for it’s spiritual history. The culture is so rich and beatiful.
However, I think that one reason why so many people go there is because of spirituality. Now more and more people are going there for business like Roger stated but the majority go in search for answers. India is the birthplace of yoga and spirituality. I know of no other countries that are as rich in gurus and ashrams. 
Nadia:
Wow, beautiful story and post. The picture of the Taj Mahal is awesome! I’ve had some mind-altering experiences, as well, when I have travelled – though no place as exotic as India. I’m sure your experience has left you with a lifetime of wisdom and appreciation for your time spent there. I’ll head over to your guest post. Thanks.
Tim’s most recent blog post..Randy Pausch Commencement Address
Hi Tim,
You are most welcome and I am so happy that you enjoyed the post. India definitely changed my life. Actually, I never realized how much until I wrote this post along with the guest post.
I missed going to India about two years ago. My relatives were there for a year’s stay and invited us to pay a visit. They were not staying in the main cities and I dreaded the thought of having to spend hours getting there, with two young kids in tow.
As much as I love to travel and have been to various parts in Asia, I’ve got mixed feelings about India. Maybe one day, I should tell my story on my blog. I’m heading over to Quest for Balance to read about your adventures right now!
Evelyn Lim’s most recent blog post..Express Your Soul Gifts
Hi Evelyn,
Your reaction about going to India is not uncommon. I think many people do have mixed feelings about going there. I have many friends who would never set foot there despite what I say. So it is not for everybody and there is nothing wrong with that!
Hi Nadia,
I loved reading this post! The way you describe your introduction to India at 2 am in the airport having soldiers with guns watching over you is exactly what my experience was like landing in South Africa. Here’s a young girl from the Canadian prairies who hadn’t been any further than a couple of the northern states in a major airport where there were so many people with very large guns! It certainly opened my eyes.
You describe India very beautifully and I’m glad that you had such a positive experience during your stays. I also really enjoyed reading the post you did for Lisis at Q4B you are one busy girl!
Sherri (Serene Journey)’s most recent blog post..Kick-Off To Summer BBQ
Hi Sherri,
I would love to go to South Africa. I hear it is beautiful. Thank you for the heads up as to seeing so many people with large guns. I will be prepared!
Hi Nadia,
What a wonderful look at India. For me, this is a pretty unknown area of the world, and so reading about your experience there is very much welcome. Thanks for sharing it here!
Lance’s most recent blog post..Sunday Thought For The Day
Hi Lance,
Glad you liked the post and India is definitely an exotic land so I am happy to share my experience!
funny how your first impression is so similar to mine. i stepped off the plane at 1 am on christmas morning 2007 to the most dense, unforgettable smell, soldiers and a sea of men in what appeared to be nappies (taxi drivers lungi lunig :p )
i like your description when asked. reminds me of the words of Gregory Roberts, auther of Shantaram – a book partly responsible for my trip, my favourite book by far!
To me it’s utterly indescribable, wasn’t good or bad, just crazy and wild and amazing.
i think spirituality is probably it in terms of a descriptive word, but it somehow loses the passion and love of the place.
god i miss it.
amazing blog
talk to you soon
alex
unleash reality
funny how your first impression is so similar to mine. i stepped off the plane at 1 am on christmas morning 2007 to the most dense, unforgettable smell, soldiers and a sea of men in what appeared to be nappies (taxi drivers lungi lunig :p )
i like your description when asked. reminds me of the words of Gregory Roberts, auther of Shantaram – a book partly responsible for my trip, my favourite book by far!
To me it’s utterly indescribable, wasn’t good or bad, just crazy and wild and amazing.
i think spirituality is probably it in terms of a descriptive word, but it somehow loses the passion and love of the place.
god i miss it.
amazing blog
talk to you soon
alex
unleash reality
p.s. forgot to include my website when commented so commenting again
Alex – Unleash Reality’s most recent blog post..How to Focus: Get Things Done and Be Free
Hi Alex!
Welcome to Happy Lotus! It is always interesting how people who have been to India have a silent understanding of what the experience is like. Kind of like you really cannot talk about but you know the other person gets what you are feeling when talking about it.
I know what you mean by how you miss it even though going there can push your buttons! Thank you also for the compliments on my blog.
Hey
I am a very proud Indian today!!! Thanks for the post Nadia.
I am also a seeker and since I live in India, it is indeed easy to find people , teachers, guides to help you but I have to admit, I never thought that seeking, is an exclusive Indian concept.However, your post made me ask myself. As an Indian where do I turn to when seeking answers , and my heart answered. I turn within.
I think that prayer is such an intrinsic part of our lives that we Indians pray a lot, and accept Divine Grace and mystery with ease.
I have lived for 8 months abroad so I understand the cultural difference you must have felt.
Yup, we’re happy easily and happiness does not depend on material things. And I think we understand better than most people, that every one connected. We share warmth easily with anyone, shop keepers, workers, labour force , paid staff, random strangers,we have a connection with anyone!! We love to laugh and dance and eat and celebrate almost anything. There is a sense of caring here that I could never find abroad. I blame in on the rise of the ‘individual’. We’re still a collective society, most of the times.
However unfortunately, many Indians especially in urban Indian have forgotten this and are on a Western MTV induced quest for monetary greatness.
And the west in turn is also changing. Teachers, guides and seekers are emerging there.
The world is closing in.
Also why don’t some of your friends what to come here. If you stay in urban India and have nice planned trip , anyone can have a great time.
Thanks for the wonderful post.
Uzma
Hi Uzma,
You are right about how the world is closing in. I think many of us are feeling that more and more since technology has brought us all closer together.
I have to tell you that after my spiritual seeking, I have also come to learn the importance of turning within. All the answers are there. I found it interesting how you wrote that when you were abroad you did not feel the same sense of caring between people as you feel when you are in India. Why do you think that is the case?
You are comment brought so many wonderful ideas to mind. It is hard to express all of them here but please know I appreciated every word so much. Thank you for sharing and I hope all is well!
India is a magical place. It captures each person who visits it. Probably the most intense place I’ve been for the good and bad.
Gennaro’s most recent blog post..Memorial Day Weekend: Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier
Hi Gennaro,
Intense in a great way to describe India.
The kind of intense that comes to mind is of the kind that is full of all kinds of paradoxes.
My pleasure Nadia. I didn’t realize that my comment would mean so much, so thank you for that. Your words are truly kind and very warm. Thanks a zillion.
In the West, I think people go on doing their thing, a little too much. They don’t stop to smell the flowers, so to speak , or to talk with their neighbours or pat a child’s head. They don’t really smile at other people. In India, their is an overdose of this. People are way bothered with other people.hehehe
No but really, we smile and connect more, we smile a lot . . The West’s goals in life have been tooo materialistic to let in bonding and smiling as a priority. We reach out more easily in India. Just more open.
This is what I feel from outside the West looking in. However another interesting point is that I completely understand the West, it values, ways of life etc and I live in a fast growing city. But people from the West won’t know much about Indians. Maybe because we have been ruled by the West that we know about it, or the media or books.
Dunno.
Anyway, thanks for the discussion
I sometimes feel spiritually tired.
Paisley’s most recent blog post..The Generation Gap
Hi Paisley,
You are not alone in that my friend.
Many people feel that way at times too.
You know I was lost too… just a few months ago i was absolutely lost and had no idea where I had headed. But fortunately for me I didn’t have to “fly to India” since I already live here! So I just knew where to look for and I read into Gautam Buddha and stuff like that and I was all ok and had found myself — or at least the direction I must move in order to find myself — through the reading of that. Never had the time to set aside a time to actually be going a visting to a Buddhist monastry since I had (and have) regular college classes to attend to!
Basically all westerners coming to India remind me of a story I read — by a most popular Indian writer, Premchand — which basically tells the tale of a man by the name of Bhola who goes in spiritual quest to the mountains to meditate (yeah! westerners come to the plains and those already in the plains in India head to the original source — the holy mountains!); he mediatates for some three years and eventually goes back to his own family having learnt the lesson that there is no peace outside of the work assigned to us by “god”. Not even in the seeking of god — which basically always leads us back to square one.
Trust me, there is nothing more India has to offer any one than what Bod Dylan already told you when he sang, “The answer is blowing in the wind…” It is the one and only metaphorical truth said time and again — everywhere from the stories of The Bible to the flok lores of India to Greek and Egyptian mythology. Perhaps I as an Indian can understand it sooner than an American, and am in touch with it better because this land itself is super-saturated with spirituality — but that said, it is the same thing! Now allow me to make this comment all the more splendour-ous by quoting William Wordsworth
“But for those first affections,
Those shadowy recollections,
Which, be they what they may,
Are yet the fountain-light of all our day,
Are yet a master-light of all our seeing;
Uphold us, cherish, and have power to make
Our noisy years seem moments in the being
Of the eternal Silence: truths that wake,
To perish never;
Which neither listlessness, nor mad endeavor,
Nor Man nor Boy,
Nor all that is at enmity with joy,
Can utterly abolish or destroy!
Hence in a season of calm weather
Though inland far we be,
Our Souls have sight of that immortal sea”
Eternal silence — rings a bell?! Meditation is all about silence.
Rhett´s last blog ..How Old?
Hi Rhett,
Thank you for sharing your point of view. You raise a lot of great points and I agree with you. Location does not mean that someone will immediately attain spiritual wisdom or liberation. That said, India is rich in spiritual history. I have traveled all over the world and India remains unique in that sense. The whole country, as you know, is full of ashrams and temples. Buddha originated from India and even now the Dalai Lama resides in India. No other country in the world has that kind of rich spiritual history except for the Biblical lands which are immersed in political problems.
When I first traveled to India, I had graduated from law school a few months earlier. Four years later when we went to live there, I was in need of a change. I was fortunate to have the means and the ability to go. I felt compelled to go and some people thought I was running away from duty which was not the case. I needed to make sense of the world and since I almost had become a Vedanta/Buddhist nun, I felt drawn to go to someplace spiritual.
Each person has to do what feels right for them. Plus, a person can read all the spiritual books in the world but if they do not practice what they read, then their reading was for nothing.
And thank you for quoting William Wordsworth. He is one of my favorite poets.
Well I really have to applaud the courage and faith in one’s own conviction that people such as yourselves have when you come half-way round the globe to India — really, some determination! I think that kind of determination deserves to be rewarded. Yes, I do agree with what you said — and I too if I could would have gone to a Buddhist monastry — perhaps mine wasn’t the time! You see one can get only so lucky! For instance you had the good fortune to actually visit those spiritual places while I had to make my peace just by the reading of stuff on the internet and in e-books! To each his own!
PS Would want to visit America-h one day — have always wanted to — since I read Gone with the wind — visit Georgia and see if the soil there is truly read and the trees have all that colour. Well, here we are — why don’t we switch places and lives?
)
Rhett´s last blog ..How Old?
Hi Rhett,
You are so kind. Well…you never know what life will bring. Maybe one day you will see all the things that you want. When I was in college, I never dreamt that my life would take me to India and all the other things that I have experienced. So just take things one day at a time. And rejoice in being you. There is no need to wish to be someone else or to have someone else’s life.
By the way, trees over here do change colors in the months of September and October. It is beautiful and it is my hope that one day you get to see it with your own eyes.
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