Chaotic and contrasting
India is a country that continues to fascinate. Those who like chaos like me, coordinated chaos, feel at home here. And the more often you visit it, the more it seems to stick. The contrasts there are enormous. In Delhi, for example, you can eat for less than a euro but you can also spend 350 euros per person.
The same applies to vehicles, wildlife, buildings, history, art, music, film… From art deco neighborhoods to boisterous markets where one can buy and sell anything. Fresh wares in abundance and colors to infinity. “To compensate the grays,” we are told.
Our driver knows his way around. Of course it takes getting used to coming from a tiny country where everything is over-regulated and everything is patronized for the umpteenth time.
The heart of the supercontinent
This time I am visiting Rajasthan which is about ten times the size of the Netherlands. The largest city of state, Jaipur, is classified here as a small to medium-sized city. Population: 5.5 million. It is the heart of the supercontinent with a very tumultuous history of conflicts. It is steeped in architecture of forts and magnificent palaces. Beautiful country houses and impressive nature.
Wildlife galore
Although the national parks are small (due to population pressure) they are home to a wide variety of mammals, reptiles and birds. The monsoon is not over yet, it is the ideal time to be here. Temperatures doable and everything is green. Farmers are happy because good harvests were and are coming.
India prides itself on incredible service without feeling excessive. It comes from the heart, very naturally.
Fascinating and enigmatic
Mysterious, surprising India continues to fascinate often by the little things. Flashbacks come to mind at night. I think it is peculiar to us to solve and explain things. That is precisely what makes India so intriguing as a destination, because you can’t explain some facets and you don’t have to. There are many daily concerns that don’t keep an Indian awake, whereas with us there would be a war, so to speak.
The mystery remains, I love India.
