From the magnificent to the tragic, ostentatious to the outrageous, chaotic to the sublime, India gives and takes, pushes and pulls, discards then embraces in a way that leaves one breathless. The country is vast, our journey just the tip of an iceberg of unfathomable depth. Strong, yet punishing, this subcontinent commands your attention, all of it, all the time. It is pleasure, it is passion, it is serenity, and it is spiritual. The people are a testament to its history, incredibly compassionate, possessing an inner warmth that openly radiates to those around.
On the plane ride back to Savannah my husband and I didn’t watch any movies, we didn’t read any books, we didn’t even really need to talk. Our shared experiences of the past weeks made these efforts seem uninspired. We sat, contented, at peace and spiritually satiated. As time drifted by, the clouds swirling under the aircraft, our eyes closed and we gradually slipped back into that mystic dreamscape of jungles, deserts, elephants, and Maharajahs.
2 comments:
OH, MY GOODNESS! I just wandered onto your blog, and I may never leave. I have always been fascinated by India, it's culture, it's people, it's very esscense draws me like a magnet....and although I've traveled extensively, sadly, I've never been to India. One of my favorite writers was M.M.Kaye, who wrote of colonial India, the India of the past. How exciting to experience, first hand, the wonders of a country that propels it's self into the future with great abandon, while remaining so firmly rooted in the past. The juxtaposition of the two Indias must be a dizzyingly beautiful sight to behold. I enjoy your writing style. I'll be back.
Kay
Paula....thanks for the ride. Your writing is so eloquent and I have enjoyed your adventures in India so much. I know you've done buying trips in other parts of the world (Claudia from the Paris Apartment had mentioned to me that you had actually accompanied her at one time), I would love to hear more! You've such a talent.
Carol
gatheringshome.com
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