A Trip to India

Someday...
I would love to travel around the world and walk in places that I have only experienced thus far in photographs and books. There are so many aspects of culture that fascinate and attract me. You might call me a culture junkie.  I am no true bohemian or travel enthusiast, but I am a dreamer and a lover of all things good in humanity, including diverse cultural expressions.

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to a not-so-far-away little ethnic community not far from my home.  While it obviously cannot be considered a proper substitute for the real thing, just being able to converse with people who have come from other countries and are still steeped in the tradition and culture of those places is a real treasure. Can you tell that I had a good day?

My focus was on the Asian Indian community which lives nearby and shares a half-mile stretch of little shops and medical offices as their cultural hub.  My day began at the home of some residents who were born in India and immigrated to the United States, with a simple conversational interview about their health beliefs and practices.  I left with some juice in my tummy, an invitation to visit their temple and see the artwork there, and an open invitation to return (any time) to learn more.  As principle, these people are very generous and hospitable - it stems both from the belief in karma (what goes around comes around, as the English say) and the belief that all humans are created by God and deserve respect because there is good in everyone.  They professed to follow the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism, and showed me pictures of the god they worship and the guru who teaches their community at the temple. 

I learned many things about their daily lives, their values and traditions. One very important aspect of Indian culture is the family; it is common for many generations to live together in one household, and when a son marries he brings his bride into the house of his parents. When daughters marry, they join their husband's family household. Elders are respected and cared for lovingly by younger family members. 
Ayurvedic medicine is strong in many families no matter their religion, as the oldest known complete system of medicine (over five thousand years of tradition in India).  Herbs and spices are used in daily cooking to maintain health and vitality, and are also used in blends and prepared in special ways to restore health. Each plant, each herb and spice has its own value and purpose.
The practice of yogas is a combination of exercise and meditation, and can include deep spirituality with mantras (Sanskrit phrases) that are repeated and related to specific postures (asanas or yogas) which represent obeisance to a god. While many different "gods" are worshiped in India, this family explained to me that they believe that God is One, and is manifested in many forms by virtue of divine omnipresence.

After a lovely morning visit, I took a short break at home and then embarked with a buddy on the streets of Little India.  We walked around, taking pictures like little tourists at various shops where we saw ornate gold figurines and heavily embroidered garments. Probably my favorite place we found was a standard grocery with shelves upon shelves of spices, both ground and whole.  Jars of pickles lined one wall, and bags of rice and various flours lined another. Fresh vegetables and mangoes, lentils of three different colors, palm sugar and herbal supplements - all the necessary ingredients were in one place. The stores(the House of Spices, as well as the other groceries) smelled amazing! I must confess, I love aromatic spices - cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, saffron, turmeric, cumin, sesame, masala (mixed spices)... you get the idea.

All those delicious aromas were making me hungry, so we stopped at my favorite snack shop and grabbed a masala dosa, which is South Indian fare consisting of a giant pancake wrapped around potatoes seasoned with green herbs, onions and turmeric (among other spices) and served with spicy and cooling sauces and a vegetable soup.  My buddy had a great time marveling at the scale of Bollywood music videos playing in the store that starred one actor over and over.  Before we left, we picked out a tantalizing array of sweets from the front counter to take home and try, mostly milk and sugar confections with a hint of coconut, almond, pistachio, cardamom or saffron. The shapes and colors vary pleasantly, and each little piece is a refreshing, moist morsel packed with just the right amount of sweetness and spices with a creamy, melting texture.

I am quite satisfied with my little trip to Little India. Maybe I can experience the country in little pieces and eventually approximate an actual visit to quench my curiosity until the opportunity materializes to see its beauty firsthand. Life is too short not to experience and appreciate the beauty in others.

P.S. If anyone from India reads this post, leave me a comment to let me know you were here!