tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1711405603054599904.post2061665510146582073..comments2023-07-29T06:43:50.314-07:00Comments on From India, With Love: Life as a TrainOreste Pradahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05271903234532229505noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1711405603054599904.post-79865912829624577862011-02-18T18:58:12.147-08:002011-02-18T18:58:12.147-08:00I enjoyed this so much, it's beautifully writt...I enjoyed this so much, it's beautifully written.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1711405603054599904.post-30609401942741988922011-02-13T08:15:31.684-08:002011-02-13T08:15:31.684-08:00There are such nice sentiments written here. Reall...There are such nice sentiments written here. Really, thank you for sharing. <br /><br />As an American-Indian, I do have to say that I noticed that the foreigners were also hassled more by street vendors and beggars. I don't think it had anything to do with indifference as Linda suggests, however. While it may be the case for a few Indians, I think it's the fact that these vendors/beggars know that the Euros, Pounds, Dollars, go a lot farther than the Indian Rupee... <br /><br />I was just there for five weeks a month back... Whenever I spoke in my Virginian twangy vernacular, I would get bombarded by the street vendors and beggars. Every single time. When I spoke in the local dialects without my accent, I was left alone. I learned very fast what accent to choose while speaking, asking, or commenting, in public places. I really think it had more to do with how deep the pockets were suspected to be than indifference, ya'll.<br /><br />India has been through so much! Before India was "granted" independence, (I think it's so funny that an ancient, thriving, cultured country that has given the world so much in terms of culture, art, music, science, maths, religion, and spirituality, was "granted independence" by a much younger country that had only just learned to bathe with hot water not a few centuries back). <br /><br />India was exploited and used for her every resource. For years. After demanding independence and asking the invaders to kindly leave, India has been set with the task of cleaning up her nearly destroyed and looted house from centuries of abuse and neglect to slowly building back her strength, dignity, and power...<br /><br />In a way, all of this might sound even more romantic, but I feel India has suffered centuries of physical, mental, verbal, and spiritual abuse, and is just now starting to heal from all of her wounds. Like a battered housewife or rape victim. I know, such strong words. But look at the country! She is so strong. And deep. And caring. And still learning to stand on her new feet...<br /><br />So yes, there are animals that are emaciated, children that are poor and unfed, the elderly that are left uncared for, and seeing these things breaks my heart to pieces as well. But I also know that India has been through a lot, mostly due to the greed and thuggery from the invading countries', and that while sore to the eyes now, she will once again be clean of her wounds, literally and figuratively, and stand as a shining and brilliant beacon of light to the world again. The progress India has made in just the past decade is gigantic, so I think this cleaner, greener, evolved, India might happen even in my lifetime... At least, that is my hope.Malinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15270866827623240857noreply@blogger.com