I'm a stubborn optimist. But maybe I carry it too far. I wanted so badly to bring back home a lovely picture of India and dispel the dirty, dark shadows that label this country. Three months later, an orange piece of twine remains on my wrist, tied there by a Hindu holy man as a …
Continue reading India- Beneath the Colorful Sights,Women’s Issues
I was thrilled that my tour ncluded a "safari" through The Ranthambore National Park, a refuge for tigers. My five year old grandson's favorite color is orange and therefore, using little kid logic, his favorite animal is a tiger. I promised to bring him one back from India and a lot of pictures. Ranthambore was …
I have received some comments from Facebook friends about the seamy side of India: the unsanitary conditions, the aggressive monkeys, the germs, and bare feet in public areas. Yes, India is not like the places many of us live in. All of us have a distinct set of mental filters that color the way we …
Picture from indiamarks.com The Hindu holiday, Dussehra, symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Rama, a principal deity, kills Ravana, who has kidnapped Rama's wife, Sita. Sita is a revered goddess for her virtues of good character, good fortune, success, and happiness. Rama's skill as an archer brings down not only Ravana but his brother, …
Continue reading India-Celebrating Indian Style-Part 3-Blowing Up Evil
Before the parade, we had the privilege of meeting eighty-four-year-old Maharao (Hindu for Maharajah) Brijraj Singh. His family ruled the princely state of Kota from the 17th century to 1949. He is still revered and has served as a significant influence in his community and government affairs. Maharao Brijraj Singh On this special occasion of …
Continue reading India-Celebrating Indian Style-Part 2-Meeting a Maharaja (Maharao)
I loved India, I think it rates as one of my favorite trips. My senses had to work overtime to take it all in because nothing about the country is ordinary. I was captivated by its intensity and since, I am very visual, I enjoyed feasting on continuous rainbows of color and textures at every …
Continue reading India-Celebrating, Indian Style, Part 1-Getting Ready for the Parade
As part of my tour, I was taken to the Qutub Complex in Delhi which was built by Muslims in 1192 who conquered and then occupied Hindu Delhi. During this time they constructed a mosque and a tower, The Qutub Minar. Picture by zeenews.india.com The tower is 220 feet tall and made out of variegated …
Travel opens us to new worlds. I have lived my whole life in rural areas in New York State, quiet places that have little diversity. I have really never known a Muslim even though there is a mosque in my area. Like many Americans, I know very little about Islam. Unfortunately in my country there …
There are two types of monkeys in India and they are protected by law since a great majority of the country's population is Hindu and believe in the interconnectedness of all life. There are the Langurs, the bigger monkey of the two. They have grey white bodies and black faces and seem to be the …
I travel to learn about other people in unfamiliar places. I go to listen to their stories and understand. I was raised Catholic and have since left that religion. I don't call myself a Christian but rather a Jesusist because I believe in the doctrine of inclusion and I honor all religions. I still post …
The Autonomous Traveler 