As my India adventure is winding down in the next couple of weeks, I reflected on some of the things that I have missed, or not, and what part of my life they have played while here.
Things I Will Miss
Urban Cows-There is an inordinate amount of calmness that these wandering bovines bring to me. I already noticed this when I went to Kerala as there were no cows in the major cities and their presence was oddly poignant. Like missing silent, old friends. On my way to yoga each morning, I pass a particular “herd” of them hanging out in one of the small side streets I pass through. There is a cauldron of sorts that people fill with food and drink for them, though for the most part, the urban cows are the bulk of the trash-recycling program. They eat much of the organic matter that is tossed onto the ubiquitous rubbish heaps around Madurai while they are waiting to be picked up. One of the cows has a tendency to nudge up against me as I walk by, but for the most part, it is uncanny how they just “hang out” in the middle of even the busiest traffic, walking placidly through the barrage of rickshaws, bicycles, buses, mini-vans, cars, pedestrians, motorcycles, trucks, and scooters. They merely drift through as the humans swerve around them in a dizzingly acrobatic movement.
Rickshaws-Each day I go to and from work in Rama’s rickshaw, or Tak-Tak, and I will miss that frenetic plunge into the melee that he calmly guides me through. Because the rickshaws are open, you are in the thick of the quick. As such, I get to see the varied permutations of motorcycle, scooter, and rickshaw populations, ranging from full families of five on the former and upwards of 14 school kids in the latter, defying any circus act of clowns crammed into a small van.
Food-Cannot even begin to say how much I will miss Indian food. For every single meal that I have had since my arrival in August, I can safely say that I have not had one meal that I did not enjoy, not one. Perhaps to a lesser extent than being delicious, but every single meal has been a delight to indulge in, usually a medley of spices, sweetness, carbohydrates, and bitters distributed amongst vegetables, rices (many kinds here), meats (India has become less vegetarian, much to my surprise, though I prefer vegetarian meals, unless it is being rude not to partake), and fruits. The closest thing that I have to compare, and it is surprisingly close is New Mexican food, of which I can also never get enough of when visiting my home state.
Strangers greeting me-OK, this one is purely an ego boost, I admit. But, a white guy can really feel like a rock star here on the streets of Madurai, especially with the kids. It is rare that I walk anywhere without being asked “Where you come from?” or “What is your beautiful name?” and so forth. It is such a nice break from Belgium where I usually get the furry eyeball or look of scorn for being there.
Smells-Each morning, during my break at school, I go to the local coffee stand around the corner and I pass several flower-garland making stands that are effusive in their aroma, highlighted by the sandalwood paste that is being pinched into little balls for oblations and general air freshening. The smells of the food stands, incense, and flowers are just around each corner, blessing the nose with splendor.
Sounds-The orchestra that wakes me each morning is not necessarily pleasant always, but it is India. Roosters crowing, kids shouting, the call to prayer at the nearby mosque, the tolling of the hours from the nearby Christian church, the jingling of bike bells, twittering of dozens of birds, cawing of crows, barking of dogs, the hawkers of fresh fish, onions, garlic, bananas, the thwapping sound of wet laundry on rock, the creaking of the old hand-crank water pump next door and the din of the traffic from P.T. Rajan street a block away unmistakeably reminds me where I am.
Colors-The hues and richness of the colors of India are unparalleled to any I have ever seen before. I believe that on a daily basis, in the saris of the women alone, I see every possible color known to the visible spectrum of light. Died in the cloth, the textiles of India are refulgent with a dazzling rainbow of vibrant color.
Kids-Indian kids just make you smile. No matter how frustrated you want to be at them while you are trying to teach them the nuances of the Active and Passive voice in English, their hijinx and tomfoolery is so innocent and good-natured that they never fail to make me smile.
Temple-Without a doubt, the Meenakshi Temple will be the single most-missed thing that I will miss from Madurai. I have been several times, usually at night, and each time it has been a different collage of devotion, song, music, lights, family gathering, socializing, and solace. I could never begin to fathom the complexity of Hindu rituals and poojas, but I fully respect the depth that it plays in every aspect of the culture here. I have seen so many people who probably should be cursing their fate, embrace the divine with joy, gratitude, and thanks rather than complaining of their hands dealt in the game of life. On the contrary, I have seen far too many (myself included) people in Europe and America whine about what they don’t have, rather than indulge in the fullness of what they do have. Fortunately I learned this lesson of late and live it every day, and I see that bliss of reverence at the Temple upon each visit. Something that I have seen missing in many services in churches in Europe and America. That is not to say that reverence is not there, but it is often qualified with, “why me?” instead of simply, “thank you.”
Things I Have Not Missed
Electricity (limited)-Having electricity for an entire day is nearly unheard of here in Madurai, and it is not uncommon to be without for a good part of the day. Coming back from yoga in the mornings to get ready for teaching, I am more surprised if there is current than if it is off. Lights and fans will go off on a regular basis at school and no one blinks an eye. I have found that when you don’t rely upon electricity, then the culture will bend around it. Most food is cooked fresh, so refrigerators are rarely used and except for lights in the evening, little revolves around electrical devices.
Hot Water-Living near the equator, the temperature is relatively the same throughout the year. As such, the temperature of the water coming out of the ground is likewise rather consistent. I have not had a hot shower (even in hotels) since I have left Belgium, and perhaps twice did I desire one from being so sore from an eternal bus ride or very long film shoot. Otherwise, like my yoga teacher, Bekir, used to say, the water from the ground is the best elixir for a post-yoga workout. Now, if I were near the Himalayas, I know that I would miss warm/hot water, but being in Madurai, in all honesty, I nearly forgot that we don’t have it here until I started this list...
Traffic-Belgian, and specifically Flemish traffic, sucks. Like America, most people travel alone in cars, shunning public transportation, and making for miserable traffic jams with very aggressive and short-fused drivers. In addition, due to the enormous traffic jams in Belgium, the pollution is very high. Despite the larger number of two-stroke engines here which produces more toxic emissions, the traffic never stagnates in Madurai due to the consistent traffic flow as a result of a lack of stop signs, and there is surprising less emissions pollution. It is the start stop and idling in Europe that causes such an inordinate amount of car fumes. In the larger, more urbanized centers such as Dehli and Mumbai, that is obviously a similar problem, but for the most part, Madurai enjoys pretty blue skies when the monsoons are not in progress.
Television-Though there is a televsion in Pradeep’s home, and in many Indian homes the TV is always on, I have watched even less than I did before, which was nearly none. So, it is rather hard to miss something that I didn’t have before.
Coffee-Now this one surprises me, I will admit. I love coffee and drinking coffee. I wrote a novel “about” it that I am currently editing from twenty years ago. But, being in India, coffee is replaced largely by tea, but even that I have not had much of. At one point, I realized, “whoah, I haven’t had coffee for nearly a week!” It just sort of disappeared out of my life surreptitiously. I am not kidding myself that once back in the colder, wetter climes of Antwerp I will be more apt to brewing and imbibing coffee, but for the present, it was surprisingly voided from my life.
Sensationalist News-This is merely because I can’t understand the language well enough. I know that if my Tamil were at a higher level I would surely be annoyed by the news here too, but I truly do not miss Belgian or American news. Hearing endlessly about the latest murder trial or celebrity re-hab has thankfully been eradicated from my daily life, and I can tell you that I am none the poorer for not following either.
Alcohol Culture-Although I have cut out alcohol from my own life some time ago, I have still lived in cultures that are dominated by alcohol on a social level. Antwerp is a drinking town, make no mistake. Belgium is a drinking nation. Alcohol is part of nearly every single social event and usually in large quantities. Austin, Texas is a drinking town and Americans consume an extremely high level of alcohol per capita in comparison to most other cultures. So, living here in India, it has been interesting to see a social network that almost never incorporates drinking. That is not to say that there is not alcohol here, nor is it prohibited such as in Muslim cultures, but for the most part, it just doesn’t fit in. There is a great deal of alcohol abuse in certain areas in southern India, specifically in Kerala and the rural parts of Tamil Nadu. In the latter it is highly toxic as the alcohol is “home-made” and regularly blinds people or simple burns out their insides after binges. It is the leading cause of domestic violence as well in villages. Edward Sargent, the person I have been portraying in a movie, was instrumental in bringing the awareness of this abuse over one hundred years ago in Tamil Nadu, but it does and probably will remain a source of trouble. People drink, there is no getting around it, and when people drink, there is always abuse at some level. It seems to be a fact of life that humans will take things to extremes when given the opportunity.
Food-Although I have at times missed the convenience of a “regular” restaurant, or just ordering a pizza (though there is a Domino’s here, strangely enough), I have not missed the heaviness of western food. Nor have I missed the ridiculously large portions that account for so much of the waste in western countries as well.
Things I Won’t Miss
Smells-Let’s face it. To say that I will miss the smell of open sewers is ludicrous. No, I will not miss passing by the “smelly river,” a tributary of the Vaigai that I have to endure each day on the way to school. It is a soup of raw sewage and trash, replete with wild pigs, tame goats, chickens, and cows adding to the human feces that literally floats downstream to the main river. It can be suffocating on a hot day and stomach-churning. I will not miss the exhaust of the Tak-Taks, motorcycles, and scooters which are most likely never controlled for emissions. Nor will I miss the rubish heaps that lie festering in the sun on every street.
Being Treated too “special”-The Indians are helpful and polite,...to a fault. I fully realize that such overtures are meant in all kindness and concern, but just because I am white, does not mean I am made out of delicate China. I am constantly told to “sit down,” “eat this,” “don’t drink this,” and so forth when everyone else is standing, not eating, or are drinking water. Again, meant out of kindness, but the overkill of being pampered can actually make one irritable because you feel like a child who can’t do anything for himself. I do look forward to making my own decisions about when and where I will sit down, eat, and many other daily things that are a struggle of negotiations here about how not to be rude, though conceding to the requests of others.
Trash-It is everywhere in Tamil Nadu. If there is a an open space, then there will be trash. I noticed quite readily that the only portion of Tamil Nadu’s society that does not litter is in fact the Christian population. They are much more conscious of littering that the rest of people here. In addition, there was a large difference in Kerala. In Kerala, trash bins are present and used. The kids from Madurai were constantly tossing their trash on the street or out the windows of the bus, as they are wont to do here, much to the disgust of the Kerala people. It is a sad fate, and apparently rather recent as I have talked to people my age who can remember that the rivers and streams of Madurai were crystal clear only 20 years or so ago, something I cannot even visualize now. Running water was the culprit as many people stopped using the rivers as their sole source of water for cooking, baths, and whatnot. Now, the rivers are mere trash repositories, flushed down a large natural toilet with the onset of the monsoons.
Ritual Pollution-Because I am white and non-Hindu, I am polluted. Adults of both sexes will avoid contact with me for the most part, and I would be driven out of town if I had contact with a Hindu woman, or at least severely admonished. On the whole, there is an archaic division of the sexes and on a crowded bus, a man and a woman cannot share a seat, usually leaving one to stand, more often than not, the woman. It is a huge paradox of India that things are considered ritually polluted, but physical pollution seems to have no effect on people. So, kids playing in the raw sewage of the “smelly river” does not turn heads, but if I touch someone with my left hand, prayers will be need to be chanted and I will get very nasty looks. I look forward to the more informal nature of Europe and America for sure in this regards.
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