INDELIBLE INDIA

                          INDELIBLE INDIA

Love it or hate it. It's certainly unforgettable. There is no sitting on the fence with India.
There is  no "Yeah it was ok."
 India demands a stance one way or the other. You either love it or hate it.
There are many people that hate it. They see only the filth (hard to miss) and the massive masses of humanity (in your face). As my Indian friend said, "lndia's problem is population, pollution & corruption."
 But l love it. I love the chaotic charm. l love the devotion to their gods & family. I am fascinated by their colourful history and l adore their food.

The best route into lndia is through Kochi in the south western state of Kerala. And the first place to locate a place to stay is at Fort Kochi, about an hour or two from the airport, depending.  Fort Kochi is kick-back, uncongested & clean by comparison. It is the perfect initiation into India. It has diverse religious architecture, ancient cultural theatre and the best food in all of India.

Kolkata on the other hand, and on the other side of the sub continent, is confronting & conflicting. It's the old British capital Calcutta, and capital of the state West Bengal which has a population of over 90 million people!

Kolkata had been a city I was avoiding due in part to the pitying pictures of Mother Theresa aiding the helplessly sick & poor, die with dignity. I didnt know if I could handle the harrowing harshness of life in Kolkata. Then I  decided to face my fear and brave it, mostly because Air Asia were offering a $50 promo fare from Kuala Lumpur. I booked into the fanciest hotel in town to cushion the blow of Kolkata, or my pre-conceived ideas of it. And l am so glad that l did. The Oberoi Grand certainly knows how to lavish on luxury and at a very reasonable rate of rupees.
I hit the streets confident that l could always retreat back to the oasis of the Oberoi. And l loved it.
 Hustle & bustle are not strong enough words for Kolkata. The constant volume & movement of masses of humanity is relentless.  It's like living at the MCG. But l found most people polite in that very Indian way, even the vendors & hawkers were humorous in their barrage. It was chaoticly charming. And like most major cities in the world there is a vast contrast between extreme poverty & affluence. The Victoria Memorial Museum, pictured right, is a grand example of Kolkata's affluence.

The Taj Mahal is always a must see and with exceptional reason. But l was actually more interested in the Agra Fort across the river. First built about a thousand years ago, it was built on & extended over the centuries by the Mughals until it became  a 94 acre walled city enclosing the white marble palace. Strikingly grand, it exhibits both Hidu & Moslem influences. Walking through the palace takes you back to another time. Looking over to the Taj Mahal, you can imagine the Shah mourning his lost love while being imprisoned in his own palace by his son. The son executed all his brothers once he took over his father's kingdom. Family squabbles take on a whole different dimension with that amount of power & money!
The Agra Fort was one of my surprising highlights on that trip to India.


India is multi-layered and should not be judged on first impressions. It took me four trips to love India. It can be hard work sometimes & Lonely Planet quotes, "India takes before it gives."
But when it gives, it gives generously & whole-heartedly.
I am returning later this year to visit old friends & see Rajasthan for the first time. Rajasthan means 'land of kings.'
So looking forward to it!! Indelible India!

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