Explaining the unexplainable: an attempt

“How can you explain this?” Justin asked me as we drove past another row of shacks built out of palm fronds. That’s what I’m undertaking I guess in writing this blog; to try to paint a picture of India with my words. But at a certain point, words don’t suffice. I’ve been getting to know India over the past month. She’s been revealing her charms to me and yesterday I realized that I’m falling in love with her.

We left before dawn to start the five hour trip to Vishakhapatnan to pick up Justin from the airport. We stopped in a small town in the mountains for breakfast. Kishore and I stood and waited for a man to make tea for us. To my left, a woman and her son were arranging fruit on a straw mat on the ground to sell. To my right, a tribal man was squatting on the ground. Our eyes met. I’ve gotten used to people staring at me but his gaze was intense and seemed to penetrate me. The image is burned in my mind. On the wall of the shop selling tea were pictures of Hindu gods and Jesus right next to each other. Struck me as funny. Later on we were driving through another town and I noticed a woman sweeping the area in front of the door to her tiny “house”. As the ground is filthy dirt and dust that has been packed down, I thought, “what is the point to sweep it?” I stopped myself and instead saw her sense of pride and self-respect in wanting to clean the small piece of ground outside her door and at least sweep away the pieces of trash that had accumulated. It’s easy to see how dirty and at times wretched a place is and think it’s just a lost cause, but seeing this woman inspired me. I’m amazed at how people will find a way to maintain their dignity.