I loved India. Namaste. The goodness in me honors the goodness in you. Copyright 2019 @ theautonomoustraveler.com
Category: India
India-Cremation on The Ganges, A Celebration of Fire
We traveled The Ganges at night in a wooden boat. The sun was setting, and the white sky was diminishing into blackness. As usual, I had no expectations; I was just content to drift on the water and take it all in. Direct experience is wonderful, but to a modern American, it could be a …
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India-Blown Away by The Ganges River, The World is Not Flat
Visiting The Ganges River in Varanasi, India, was not at all what I expected. It is world famous, and I have seen pictures of it, but to be there, to have direct experience, is a whole other thing. I have had this disconnect between a pictorial presentation and an actual site before, namely, The Great …
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India-Buddha Didn’t Care What His Hair Looked Like
On my tour, we went to a place called Sarnath. As usual, I had no idea what to expect. We went into the museum, and Rashid, our guide, explained that the statues of Buddha all had three interesting features. The Buddha's long ears signified the importance of being a good listener, and his ever-present smile …
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India-Handicrafts
On my tour, we were able to visit places that engaged in traditional Indian crafts. Henna Painting Ceramics Papermaking Indian paper shopping bags and boxes are in stores all over the world. Rugs Semiprecious Stone and Marble Inlays Copyright 2019 @ theautonomoustraveler.com
India-The Hindu Salutation of the Dawn
I am a gatherer, not a hunter. I wander and obtain things randomly. This trait may have been influenced by ancient ancestral memories. I first realized the roots of this when I read Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Aurel. I loved that book because of its informative portrayal of life in caveman days. …
India-Overcoming My Ignorance
As I mentioned in previous posts, I traveled to India with minimal preparation. Sure, I had the required shots, including the one for typhoid, and I also had prescription pills to ward off malaria. ( I was told this medicine might produce crazy dreams while I was taking it, months later, I am still plagued …
India-Nuclear War?
This map is courtesy of indiadefencereview.com When India gained its independence from Britain in 1947, a plan was made to make Pakistan an Islamic state and divide Kashmir into two, half Pakistani and half Indian. These two areas are separated by The Line of Control, a heavily militarized unofficial boundary. These divisions brought about a …
India-The Value of Education and Stubbornness
Education is of very great importance to me, followed by the quality of stubbornness. Like many families, my relatives don't like to talk much about feelings. Dark secrets are buried, and many tales are hidden away. As Yuval Noah Harari writes in his book, Sapiens, all cultures are based on stories, and those in power …
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India-A Travel Hangover
. I haven't written in a few weeks; I have been caught up in American culture. I went to a college sorority reunion and spent a few days at an ocean resort. I reside now in a sort of purgatory. I'm a student of Eastern practices (mindfulness and meditation) living in the Western world. I'm …
The Autonomous Traveler 