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And yes, the legends are true. Cannabis really does grow wild on the side of the road. And this was in Punjab! Boomshakala you lot! Just to let you I actually wrote this a couple of weeks ago, but have just got round to finishing off the pictures….Luvs J.
Hello everyone. This is going to be an uncharacteristically long post. I usually try and keep these things short because I know folk are busy. But I think my time in Nepal has given me a bit of time to reflect on India.
So to Kashmir. Sadly for me the place whilst undoubtedly beautiful is clearly troubled. I have never, in my life, seen so many armed men. The place is defined by the military presence.
I was used to seeing soldiers in Jaisalmer, being so close to the Pakistani border the place was littered with army bases. But Kashmir is different, while the forces here endlessly proclaim they are protecting the people you cannot help but feel they are watching them.
And, to an extent they are. All of the Kashmiris I spoke to wanted independence from India. Every few months trouble kicks off, people throw stones, soldiers react, people get killed.
But like with all these sorts of conflicts there is no simple solution. I asked what
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I keep making this point, begging is not just focused at rich westerners. This woman survives on the money given to her by equally poor lorry drivers queuing at the state border. proportion of the population would want independence and I was told around 80 percent. And that is the problem, it’s the remaining 20 percent that will get angry, being ruled over by what they consider an illegitimate government and will want to blow things up.
Rarely can you simply draw a line on a map and create countries, unfortunately this is what happened with the fall of the British Empire (and with all empires since the dawn of time). I have got in to the habit of saying “that’s another fine mess we got them in to” on my travels.
Of course it is a beautiful place and I don’t want to detract from that. And it continues to attract many tourists, mainly Indian but a fair splattering of Westerners too.
And don’t think you are in any danger going there, you are really not. You will never feel in any danger and it is a great place to visit, so do go.
But now I am going to get even deeper.
I have concluded that India is not a country of religious harmony as I first thought, People generally view Hindus as
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A Kashmiri truckers breakfast. being as fairly easy going types, but I have read stories of groups of women being dragged of bars and beaten by Hindu extremists. They are considered by these chaps as immoral women because they are not being chaperoned by a family member.
Religion defines and unites Indian communities. It gives billions of people comfort and moral guidance.
It can be great, but when it fall in the hands of silly extreme people it all goes wrong. Racism, Religious Extremism, Homophobia….it is all the same, and all leads to the same problems. Why can’t people just take the good bits of the religious teachings and leave all the nasty stuff behind in the past where it belongs?
And so I fall back on my favorite phrase….it’s complicate. And this entire Country is complicated. I have hardly scratched the surface and not sure I will ever understand it.
India is a country trapped in between tradition and modernization, the middle classes are changing but still steeped in old world values,. Marriage is a still a very functional affair. There are dating websites, but most couples will still meet their date accompanied by Mum and Dad. Most adverts
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12 hours of playing "grab the leg room". It is a game of great patience, strategy and timing. in the singles columns of the Hindustan Times are submitted by parents advertising their children for marriage.
The advert will list:
Gender
Age
Qualifications
Salary
Caste
Birth date and time (so it can be assessed if their celestially compatible)
So whilst the cities are changing, it is still the rural areas things are still very traditional,. And it is the rural areas that still make up the vast majority of India.
Which leads me on to my future plans. I am meeting up with my good mate Bryn down in Bangalore to potentially help him with his Primatology degree thesis. I have no idea what to expect and what, if anything, I can contribute, but either way it will be good to see him. It is not every day one of your best mates ends up in the same country as you when you travel like this, so even if we meet up for a week it will be great fun.
Now I find myself in Nepal. I needed to do a Visa run. I am going to be honest, I really did not engage with Nepal or the Nepalese,
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I love how these Injuns decorate their lorries. I just wish the wouldn't drive so close behind you. Death from the front, death from the back, driving in India involves lots of death. which is a shame but my one priority was simply to obtain the Indian visa which involved three separate visits to the Embassy over 9 days so didn’t really give me much time to explore this beautiful island nation. Yes, Nepal is an island, completely surrounded by China and India.
So, maybe next time I will actually get out and see some of this very stunning Country.
Right, must fly, so Toodle-pip to you all!
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