“Most travel, and certainly the rewarding kind, involves depending on the kindness of strangers, putting yourself into the hands of people you don’t know and trusting them with your life.” (Paul Theroux, The Tao of Travel)
We had an intense, interesting time in India, February 29-March 5. In our pre-port session (which is held to prepare us for our visit to each country), we learned that Semester at Sea (SAS) had considered diverting us from our visit to India. A day before our arrival, the long-standing tension between India and Pakistan had escalated. Military incidents had occurred along the India – Pakistan border. Based on an assessment from various sources, SAS decided to change the itinerary of only one field trip that had the northern-most stop. Otherwise, our visit to India proceeded as planned.
Namaste!
Via ship, plane, train, bus, jeep, taxi, tuk-tuk, rickshaw, and tootsies, we traveled from Cochi to Jaipur to Agra to Delhi. Along the way, we experienced the essence of namaste, kindness of strangers, and the importance of everyday work. Our first day in port, we explored lovely Cochi.
Then, beginning with a 3:30 (A.M.!) departure, we had 4 days and 3 nights on a “field program” with students and life-long learners. Larry and another faculty member were the trip liaisons for one group of 34, led by a wonderful tour guide, Govind. Our group traveled alongside another group of 34, with two additional liaisons and a guide. The tour company also had a coordinator, Sonya.
We put ourselves in the hands of strangers and trusted them with our itinerary, luggage, and lives! We were greeted again and again with namaste and treated with courtesy and kindness. Often in our travels, we are acutely attuned to the importance of every day work in affecting the travel experience. From the airline employee who takes a moment to ensure our (relative) comfort to the hotel restaurant staff who brings the elixir of espresso to our table, these mundane moments are often magnified in the intensity of travel.
In particular, our bus driver and his able assistant, who took us to most of the tour stops were crucial for both getting us to our destination and delivering us intact. From navigating the steep, rough paths up to forts and scenic outlooks to the chaotic, crowded streets of Delhi, we now believe our driver had magical powers! Growing up, Erlene and siblings rode the school bus an hour to get to and from their farm to school. She remembers having unflinching faith that Boyd, the bus driver, would forge flooded creeks or snowy side roads to deliver the kids safely. Our Indian bus driver was our “Boyd.”
Mottos and a Mighty Impressive Mausoleum
In our travels, we often designate a fun motto that distills the experience. For instance, our Montana Motto was “Where’s the elk?”—because we spent a lot of time trying to spot the elk that we’d been told were everywhere. Our Denmark motto was “Probably the Best,” which is their famous Carlsberg beer tagline and illustrates the Danish modesty.
Our India motto became “Chalo! Chalo!” We learned from our tour guide, Govind, that Chalo means “Let’s go!” Chalo was uttered LOTS, in corralling the group of nearly 70 individuals. (We really want Chalo t-shirts!) Most of the group members were right on time, flexible, and good travel companions. But, a few of them reminded us of why we don’t typically travel in groups. LOL. We gave small gifts to the tour staff, including a cat statue to Sonya, as a symbol of the (new to her) apropos expression of “herding cats.”
In Jaipur, Govind’s hometown, we had some delicious meals, with fun local entertainment; saw historic sites; got a good tour of this beautiful “Pink City”—so named because of the adobe-painted buildings; and stopped at the requisite street market. The Amber Fort was a favorite stop; accessible only by jeep, its blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture, was uniquely beautiful.
Jaipur is home to dozens of colleges. Govind stated that, with a ready pool of college students as employees, a significant percentage of call centers are located there. Who knew that this journey would help us feel more connected to even those irritating callers—maybe they are from the beautiful Jaipur.
From Jaipur, our trusty bus driver took us the 5.5 hours to Agra, for a much-anticipated highlight of our entire SAS journey: The Taj Mahal! Sometimes such renowned places don’t live up to the hype. But, the Taj Mahal really did. Truly Awesome. It helped that our guide gave us good information and we had learned in our Global Studies course about the background of this amazing mausoleum! “The Taj” and its grandeur will definitely be a lasting memory of India. In juxtaposition, the character hewn in our rickshaw driver’s face represent the range of images from India. (See photos.)
Cows, Castes, and Karma
Another memorable image of India is the ubiquitous presence of cows! We knew cows were esteemed by the Hindu religion, India’s dominant religion. But, we weren’t prepared for cows and monkeys everywhere! One of the many monkeys in the train station swooped down and grabbed a bag of chips from a student’s hands!
Our guide was quite versed in Hinduism. Govind talked about major gods and goddesses, core tenets, and cultural expressions. For instance, he explained that the caste system, while changing with the younger generation and more urbanization—is still in effect in many ways. He explained intricacies of Karma. We felt a new appreciation for many aspects of Hinduism—and, as with all religions—a dissonance with how the religion is often expressed.
Divisions, Development, and Dreams
A sub-text (and in many ways primary text!) of this journey is the impact of religion. Unfortunately, the negative effects of Hinduism are evident in many ways, especially as it’s interwoven into the political/cultural fabric. The long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan are certainly complex; but, at core, they are embedded in religious differences. Pakistan is predominantly Muslim and India predominantly Hindu. Religious intolerance is a political tool that is too easily used to stoke divisions.
Another prevalent division is the troubling status of women. In an emblematic example, typically, males and females go through separate lines at the airport. This division is purportedly to “protect” women’s modesty, etc. However, in effect, it perpetuates the problem of women being expected to be “modest”—and all the baggage that accompanies that expectation. A documentary, “India’s Daughter,” about the young Indian woman who was raped “because she chose to go to a movie alone after dark” distills many of the issues.
From Agra, we took a train to Delhi. The arrival into crowded Delhi—with clamoring beggars, teeming traffic, and unclean streets—was the image of India we had from movies. Our tour guide took us into various parts of Delhi, including a rickshaw ride in a crowded market and to various religious sites. By bus, we also saw upscale, clean, green areas of Delhi. This city seems to be a quintessential example of the unjust conditions of economic disparity. This division is perpetuated by a religious-political system that has an embedded caste system of rich and poor, deserving and undeserving.
From Delhi, we flew back to Cochi, the capital of the state of Kerala, which is the size of Kentucky. (India has 29 states and 7 union territories). Prior to our arrival in India, three SAS students from India provided a brilliant lecture about their homeland, emphasizing that there are “many Indias.” We’re glad we got to experience the distinct areas of Jaipur, Agra, Delhi, and Cochi.
A SAS faculty member, Troy Burnett, gave a lecture about Kerala, as a model of development—both in India and worldwide. He delineated myriad social indicators of how Kerala has developed over the past 100 years. For instance, the state has exceedingly low rates of poverty, exemplary women’s empowerment indicators (e.g., family planning), high levels of religious diversity, strong labor unions, and active civic engagement. This development was evident. For example, returning from Delhi back to Cochi, we noted the lack of people who appeared homeless and the comparatively clean streets.
Through travel, we are reminded that the unjust divisions, such as those in India, are present throughout the world, albeit in varying forms. (The U.S. has glaring issues!) Also, through travel, we learn of models for developing a better, more just path forward. In many ways, this Voyage fuels our dream of a world of peace and justice.
This Voyage is making the world feel smaller—with the sense of connection amongst us—for better and worse. At the same time, the world is seeming even more vast, as we identify places yet to visit. Realistically, we may not return to India. But, if we do get another opportunity, we’ll respond, “Chalo! Chalo!” And, we hope you’ll to do the same!
