India is not just a new country but a whole new experience. Even the sounds of India is something unique. You definitely know that you are in the most populated country in the world. When we landed in Delhi a month ago I realised this is going to be special. They were not joking when they said that India is one of the hottest countries, specially in May when it is the hottest month of the year. And to be cultural sensitive long trousers is the way to go in India. BUT, and I believe it is God's favor to us, this May has been recorded as the coldest May in decades, which we are very grateful for. It was still hot but much more bearable.
Apparently one of the things to do in Delhi is visiting the Grand Basaar in Main Basaar Road. Thousands of shops in narrow, dirty streets and “holy cows” help picking out the best shirt. The cows are considered to be holy in India and therefor you are to respect it and a lso not allowed to kill it. In India 90+% are Hindu and reincarnation is one of the central aspect of their religion. So the fundamental Hindus wont even kill a mosquito as it might be a family member that returned as an mosquito. Along with the shops, there are just as many street children and mothers with babies. They are begging so desperately that I could not rationalise not giving. But I still sit with the question unanswered, who do I help and how do I help. To be honest the amount of beggars and handicapped people on the street actually confused me. In India they have the Cast system. You are born into a specific cast and it is very difficult to get out of that cast as it is also considered to be punishment or reward for your previous life. The casts are Top Cast, Middle Cast, Lower Cast and Outcast. Your surname reflect which cast you are in and thus you will be treated that way. Thats also why there is no real support or welfare to the poor as they are regarded as lower/outcast and therefor earned nothing better.
The other aspect of India that require a lot of faith is the traveling. I am convinced that India got the best drivers in the world, they just have to if they want to reach their destination safely. In South Africa we drive on the left hand side of the road, in USA they drive on the right hand side, well in India they drive on both sides simultaneously. It almost feel like playing a video game and you have to dodge all objects coming your way, which can be anything like cars, camels, pedestrians, cattle, bicycles, scooters, hawker carts, tractors etc. Either the largest vehicle or the one with the loudest hooter got the right of way.
These are just a few of my initial experiences, will follow it up with another letter later.
Love
Hector
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