When in India

In one word, India was a lot.

A lot of places

A lot of people

A lot of poverty

To describe it further, India was astonishing.  It is a place of cultural, historical, social, and economical significance. One of the most astonishing facts about India is that is the only country to obtain independence through non violent means. This is largely in part to the father of the nation, Gandhi; who believed in satyagraha meaning non violence. As he once wisely said:

“An eye for an eye only ends up

making the whole world blind.”

– Mohandas Gandhi

The first day I went on a service project to a Dalit village.  The Dalit’s are the lowest rank in the caste system, which still exists in modern day India. They are further divided into what is known as “touchables” or “untouchables.” The group we worked with were the “untouchables.” They were so happy to have our help. It’s ironic because the one’s who are considered to be “untouchable,” are the ones who need help the most.

            The second day I toured around Chennai. We travelled around in a rickshaw, also called a “tuck tuck,” and it’s probably the scariest method of transportation I have taken in a long time. It’s a three-wheeled vehicle; open sides, 4 passengers, but going the speed of all the cars and bikes around us. Crazy!

The last day I went on a three-day overnight trip to Varanasi, Agra, and Delhi, the Country’s capital. The first city we went to was Varanasi, the oldest city in the world dating back to over 2500 years ago. The city is most famously known for being the home of the Ganges Rivers. Walking towards the river was a surreal experience. As we walked through the old streets towards the river, we were surrounded by poverty.

I have never seen such extreme poverty in my life; kids crying, people missing limbs, or disfigured, grown men urinating on the side of the road . The sad part is that the ones who beg, who appear to be in dire need, are not at the bottom of the poverty scale. After being followed by a woman and her child, I decided to see what would happen if I gave her a granola bar, with a rip in the top. As I reached into my bag you could see her face light up. When she saw that I was holding a ripped package with a granola bar, she looked like I had just told her the world was going to end. All she wanted was money, a granola bar was worthless to her, not reselable because of the rip. The truly starving, who did not beg, would accept anything. I gave away bananas, half empty water bottles, and they accepted it all. The hardest part was choosing the right time and place to give, because if one child saw that another received something that they didn’t, it created animosity and tension. I saw them fighting over something so simple as a piece of bread.

Once we finally made it through the crowds to the river, we boarded a traditional river boat to set down the Ganges river by sunrise. We headed down the river, and I lit a candle to mark the journey, and placed it in the holy water. As we passed through the different Ghats you could see the shoreline flooding with religious ceremonies, and crowds running down to the water to bathe in the holy water. Even cremations take place on the Ganges river; it is a place for any holy ceremony. The water is sacred, even though it contains more dirt and filth than any body of water I have ever seen.

Ganges River, Candle Lighting

On the Ganges, Varanasi

The second highlight of the trip was visiting the fabled Taj Mahal, built in the 17^th century by an emperor of the Mughal Empire. The Taj is one of those things you read and fantasize about its beauty, but never think you will actually have the opportunity to visit. The fact that I did have the opportunity leaves me grateful. It is absolutely stunning, made entirely out of white marble; it truly is one of the wonders of the world.

Taj Mahal, Agra

India changed me, for the better. I am not exactly quite sure in what ways, or in what capacity, but I know it has made me a better person, more exposed to situations way different than mine. I have gained a new sense of appreciation.  Sometimes you feel so small and insignificant, and feel that no effort will have any impact at all. I have learned now, that the biggest mistake I can make is to think I cannot do enough, and end up doing nothing. I am beginning to understand, that any kind act can change a persons day, year, or life.