INDIA, the new player on the world stage

by Carole Herdegen

all in a day's play. Image courtesy: Ann Raets

From the time I was a little girl, I remember having my nose in travel books or reading the popular travel magazines of the day. During those early years, I never ventured further with my parents from our home in Chicago to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.  Never did I think I would marry a man whose career would take us outside the United States for 18 years.   As a couple and as a family, we travelled far and wide, from Europe to Egypt to Iran.  When we returned to the States in the 80’s, I still found myself passionately in need of discovering more of the world, even if it meant as a solo traveler. Fortunately, my husband not only had the confidence in my ability to travel on my own, but he endorsed my desire to do so.  The first trip on my own was to India which turned out to be the beginning of a twenty five year fascination with the country and its culture.  

Over the years, I have watched in amazement the growing of a country.  In fact, its growth, by leaps and bounds has taken it to where it is now perched, on the precipice of becoming one of the top economies of the world.  With a population of 1.21 billion people, it ranks second in the world's population, which means 1 out of 6 people live in India.   Can you imagine?  India has more than two thousand ethnic groups, a multitude of languages and representation of virtually every major religion.  India is often referred to as the largest democracy in the world. 

among the mountains of Zanskar

Dr. Samuel Johnson, the 18th century English author, once said: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”.  I personally feel the same about India.  There is so very, very much to see along with a multitude of surprises on one’s journey.   From the Himalayas in the north to the tea and spice plantations of the south, from the tribal areas of Gujarat in the west to the coral islands of the Andaman in the southeast and, let’s not forget the Tiger Reserves found throughout Central India, there are ample reasons for wanting to return again and again.       

When flying to India, one enters either through the amazing metropolises of Mumbai or Delhi. Both are full of the spirit of youth because over 50% of India’s population is under 25 years.

just another day in Delhi

Delhi is really a tale of two cities.  There is the capital, New Delhi, a planned city with wide tree-lined boulevards and the stately homes of embassies from around the world.  By contrast, there is Old Delhi, the city born as the Mogul capital in 1638.

On a recent trip, I took a ride by rickshaw in the famous Chandni Chowk market in Old Delhi.  In this web of bazaars, one can make some interesting discoveries such as I did when I found the Rikhi Ram Musical Instrument store where the Beatles bought their Sitar, Tanpura, Sarod and Tabla in 1966.  It was fun looking at the old photos on the walls of the shop.

Even though Delhi has populations of nearly 16 million, large parts of the city are beautified by gardens, parks, and woodlands. Getting around this big city with its enormous population is the task for the excellent Delhi Metro, the underground transportation system which had its world premiere at the 2010 Commonwealth Games last October. 

Raj Ghat

Another rewarding experience for me was when I visited the final resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.  I have often returned and have come away with a feeling of reverence not only for the man but for the early history of his country and the hard times both went through to win India’s independence.

Crossing over the country to the west, Mumbai is India’s largest city with a population of 21 million.  Just outside the Churchgate Railway Station, I discovered it to be a most interesting place in the morning.  Young men called, “Dabbawalas”, or lunchbox carriers are dressed in white kurtas and Nehru caps carry 200,000 lunch boxes to the city’s multitude of offices.  Millions of Mumbai office workers leave their homes very early in the morning traveling by train in order to be at their desks by 8 o’clock.  The Dabbawalas show up two hours later at the office workers homes, pick up boxes of home cooked food, and then hop on trains to deliver these lunch boxes to the office workers at their desks.  Sounds simple enough; however, most amazing logistic is each lunch box has its own code number. Mistakes are seldom made.  No technology is involved.  The Dabbawalas memorize the codes and run their boxes through the streets of Mumbai making sure every worker gets his lunch on time.  Later, the empty boxes are collected and returned to the homes of the office workers.  It costs very little to participate in this service. As India’s middle classes continues to increase and better standards of living are acquired, I hope there will still be time and place to preserve the wonderful Dabbawalas of Mumbai. 

Throughout India, fairs and festivals are celebrated throughout the year.  There are festivals for each and every season, or to celebrate great historical figures and events while other festivities express devotion to not only the deities of different religions but also to wind, rain, and fire.   An unusual festival called Teej, is the festival of the monsoon.  When the temperature reaches the 90’s to 100’s Fahrenheit for week after week, the welcome relieve of the monsoons brings everyone outdoors to run and splash in the rains.

of Friday releases

If you are a fan of cinema, you most certainly have heard of Bollywood, the Indian, Hindi-language film industry equivalent to our Hollywood.  It is interesting to note that Bollywood, founded in 1899, is older than Hollywood by 11 years.

I became interested in Indian movies after watching “Monsoon Wedding” (2001) and “Bride and Prejudice” (2004).  Both movies are about Indian weddings featuring modern music and dancing.  In 2005 after some research, I visited the film studios of AVM in Chennai to learn how Indian movies are produced. 
In comparative terms, Bollywood produces approximately 1000 movies per year which are watched by a worldwide audience of 3 billion people compared to Hollywood’s 500 movies annually watched by 2.6 billion viewers. 
India offers its visitors such a wide variety and multitude of interests.  I know it will never cease to excite me.     

The real meaning of Nirvana - culinary traditions of India

A simple meal

India cannot be defined by one particular cuisine. Influenced by geographical diversity, the cuisine is quite diverse as well. Most of the Indian cuisine has been influenced by the availability of water. As a result, in the coastal areas, you would find the presence of quite a few light soups and rice recipes. On the other hand, in the deserts, due to the unavailability of water and thus the shortage of fresh  vegetables, the cuisine is predominantly dry and dotted by a variety of pickles and preserves. A journey on these lines provides for an incredible experience.

Considering the diversity of Indian cuisines, it is quite difficult to describe all aspects of the same. This article attempts to describe some of the highlights and the most famous of Indian cuisine. We explore the roots, the spices used and the difference between the cuisines. For the last 30 years, INDEBO (www.indebo.com) has been instrumental in providing such experiences to travellers regularily.

Breads from an indigenous bakery

Through this article we would explore some of the biggest celebrities of the North (Punjabi), the West (Gujarati cuisine), the South (cuisine from the backwaters of Kerala) and the East (fish curries and sweets from West Bengal). This article does intend to stir up the appetite as well.

Punjabi food: Possibly the most famous Punjabi contribution to Indian food is the tandoori style of cooking. This method uses large earthen ovens that are heated to high temperatures using coal fires. Once hot, many types of meat, bread, or vegetable dishes may be cooked inside. This method gives food a distinctive flavour and seals in the aroma of the item.

Many people in Punjab eat meat. Thus, the state has developed many chicken and lamb delicacies that are coated in spicy onion and mustard or sweet cream sauces. This is thought to be an influence of the Mughals during their time in India. Milk products such as yoghurt lassis and fresh cheeses are also an important part of Punjabi diet, as are pulses and wheat.

Gujarati food: Gujarati food is mainly vegetarian. The staple grain of the area is millet, with wheat as a secondary grain. Other products include peanuts, sesame, and many types of vegetables. Pulses are very important in this region as a source of protein, whether as a side dish or made into soups called “Dal”, as the majority of the population is vegetarian.

A Gujarati thali

Gujarati food is usually served as a “thali” meal, meaning that all items are served once on a large plate. A traditional thali includes two vegetables cooked with spices, dal, a flatbread (roti), rice and a sweet. There are also simple meals of mild rice and lentils known as “khichdi”, served with a lightly spiced buttermilk or yoghurt soup called “kadhi”.

Malayali food: In Kerala, food is traditionally served on a large banana leaf. Even today, this method is prevalent for feasts. The staple food of Southern India is rice. Different preparations of the grain may even be eaten for breakfast. The other staple is coconut. Coconut is made into chutney, served as a refreshing desert, and incorporated into vegetable or fish dishes as a flavour. This often gives the food a surprising taste that is a mix of sweet and spicy.

Bengali food: Bengal is known for its fish and its sweets. Located on the Eastern coast of India, fish has long been a staple of Bengali diet. It may be sauted in yoghurt or marinated in Bengal's famous spice mixture. This region uses 5 basic spices, known collectively as “pachphoron”. They are anseed, cumin seeds, black cumin seeds, mustard and fenugreek. Mustart plays a huge role in Bengali food. Mustard is mashed and used as a gravy for a special type of fish called Hilsa. Mustard oil is also used extensively in Bengali food.

The Indigenous People of India

Over the centuries of the rough geographical entity of India, the region has been influenced by most of the major cultures in the world. Being a land of plenty, kings and conquerors from all over the world have been to India – to loot or to set base in the country. From the times of Alexander the Great, to the last British Viceroy, India has been influenced by the West and the East. These influences have been manifested in pratices, rituals, food, fashion and daily life.

However, there are a minor few who were the original people of India. In spite of such invasions and dynasties, the rituals followed by these people have not really been affected. Keeping to themselves, the rituals and lifestyle followed by these people have seldom incorporated any new changes since the time they were recorded. Through INDEBO you can now explore the lives of these people and maybe learn a few tricks on a better way of living. 

There is a substantial list of Scheduled Tribes in India recognised as tribal under the Constitution of India. Tribal peoples constitute 8.2% of the nation's total population, over 84 million people according to the 2001 census. Most of rural India is comprised of tribes, each different in their own philosophy and way of life. The most interesting regions in this aspect are the Himalayas, the hills of Orissa and Chhattisgarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (although you are not allowed to meet them as they are under threat from modern developments and land encroachment), and the Western Regions of Gujarat. The tribal population of India is one of the strongest examples of diversity in a country that is trying to preserve its identity while inviting globalisation.

Arunachal Pradesh: The main tribes of Arunachal Pradesh are the Nishis, The Adi Miyongs, the Membas and the Khambas. Most of them hold on to their legends and the past through stories that they have memorized in verse. The Nishis practice agriculture & animal husbandry and stand out for their unique headdress of hornbill feathers. The Adi Miyongs are mongoloid in race and worship nature. The Khambas and Membas are of Buddhist origin and have preserved records of their ancestry. They interact with other tribes like the Tangins, Ashings and the Simnongs.

Gujarat: The predominant tribe of Gujarat are The Rabaris. Settled in Kutch, the Rabris trace their descent to Shiva. They were semi nomadic tribes, and consider themselves custodians of the camels, cattle and goats that they rear. The women stand out because they always wear black, the color being associated with that of sadness due to some events that they trace to their collective memory. They can be identified by tattoos, long earrings and stretched earlobes. They are adept at embroidery and create art on cloth, with pieces of mirror in various shapes.

Life and times in Orissa

Orissa & Chhattisgarh: Orissa has the highest number of original inhabitants in India. The most colourful of these people are the Saoras, the Gadabas, The Bondas and the Kondhs. The Saoras live in a stratified society and their pantheon consists of innumerable and ever watchful deities and ancestors. They observe a number of ceremonies at different stages of cultivation and other economic pursuits. Unfortunately polygamy is still practiced and marriage by capture is common. The Gadabas are the most colorful tribe in Orissa, are amongst the earliest settlers in the country and trace their origin to the time of Ramayana.They live permanently in large villages. Their language is called Gutab. They perform a dance called the Demsa. The Bondas are visible at weekly haats, (the market), where they come to buy provisions, and sell forest produce and country liquor. They call themselves Remo and speak an Autro-Asian language. They do not wear clothing, which has unfortunately made them the subject of speculation. The Kondhs belong to the dravidian group and speak the Kui language. Kondh life is full of festivities at the time of sowing and harvesting.