I have a strange way of picking my travel destinations. I do it by whim, waiting to be inspired by some sign or a feeling of intuitive direction. If you are a regular follower of my blog, you might remember that I chose to go to Barcelona, Spain because I saw the city on an episode of “The Bachelorette.” I’m a little ashamed about this bit of impulsiveness but Barcelona turned out to be one of my favorite trips as I learned about the famed architect, Antoni Gaudi, and discovered The Age of Modernism.
I picked India for my 2018 trip in the same unconventional way. While walking through St. Augustine, Florida on a trip during March, I came upon a sudden explosion of eastern culture, a colorful float and joyous smiling people singing and dancing in lovely vibrate clothing.
Looking for some sort of explanation, I approached a card table set up with Hindu books and various other items. I was welcomed warmly as I quietly looked at the titles. I immediately felt included in all that was happening. I mentioned that some day I would like to go to India and was given a set of Hindu prayer beads. I asked how much they cost, was told they were a gift, and was invited to join the group for lunch after a parade through St. Augustine. I was convinced, my next trip would be India.
I signed up for a 17 day tour called “Mystical India”. Before I went, the tour company sent me packets of historical information which overwhelmed me and I stopped reading them because I wanted go on this adventure with an open mind. But I can’t help but wonder if I took this attitude because I was a “teacher” or because I’m an arrogant American. In my career in education, I was taught to promote “enduring understandings” that would stick in young minds forever. For example, World War I was reduced to the fact that King Ferdinand was shot and the entirety of economics was explained by the simple concepts of supply and demand. As I soon learned, these quick shots of education were far from adequate.
My pre trip enduring understandings of India were neatly wrapped up in three concepts: Gandhi, cows, and “Slumdog Millionaire”. My gracious tour guide, Rashid, dealt with me patiently as I misunderstood the great Mughal Empire as something to do with the Mongols and thought Britain took over India after WW I instead of long before in 1857. Rashid , if you are reading this, I hope you have forgiven me.
However, I did take along with me something of value that kept poking around in my memory. A few years ago I listened to a”Great Courses” set of lectures called “Power over People-A History of Political Thought”. The very interesting talks by Professor Dennis Dalton from Barnard University ended with a segment about Thoreau and Civil Disobedience which promoted me to take a trip to Walden Pond. But I remembered something else. The professor had started his survey of political history with a lesson about Hinduism. Why had he chosen India to start a course about political thought? Though my direct experiences in India and some focused discovery since I returned home, I found out why. It is quite a lesson that has great value for all of us especially in today’s world.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”― Marcel Proust
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A note to my readers: I will be taking you on my journey through India for the next few weeks. Please click on the “follow” button on my blog so you don’t miss a day. Thanks!
