India Must See #5:
Basti (Slum) Life or Village Life

Number #5 on the India Must See list is a little different from the others, as it's not a 'touristy' thing to do. I'm very grateful that my first trip to India was more of a cultural exchange and language learning trip than it was touristy. We were dissuaded from going to the Taj Mahal or any big touristy site. Instead we spent a lot of time in Lucknow, some time in Moradabad and ok, we got to do a little bit of shopping in Old Delhi (see below), but it was mostly for appropriately demure clothing.

We just went into the Basti areas and talked to people, taking tea with the women, some of whom were married with children and definitely not more than 15 or 16. Most of their husbands were in Saudi/Dubai working and sending money home. Even in 1989/90 when I first went, all the people living in the bastis had big TV sets, though other than that they lived pretty simply. We'd practice saying Namaste and Salaam 'Aliakum until we knew who was Hindu and who was Muslim. We practiced small talk and let their kids teach us Hindi/Urdu numbers and introduce us to their pet goats etc.

What learnt from this was a valuable life lesson, which is that happiness has nothing to do with being rich or poor. It's just as possible to be happy, not to mention generous, when you don't have a lot. Sometimes, women would come and introduce themselves, just as I was walking past and invite me in for tea.

Tangential Tip: Don't accept anything but chai for health reasons. Any cold drink which may have water in it is a bad idea, or even fruit—if you touch the outside, don't touch the inside or you'll just move the germs, also a bad idea. A useful thing to say if you don't want to accept anything other than chai is that you're tummy is not well: 'Mera pet achcha nahi' should get the message across.

Ah, back to the story: basically, I learned that generosity comes from the heart, not from the wallet. So do smiles. Spend some time in a rural village or an urban slum and you might just find that you don't need half the things you think you do to be happy.

And I'm not saying this life is ideal, or romanticizing it. I spent a solid couple of months in daily contact with poor people in urban communities and what I've described is just what I've observed. You can choose to be happy in whatever circumstance you find yourself, and millions of people in India do just that everyday.

If you want to try combining a volunteer holiday with some sightseeing in Rajasthan (also on the India Must See list), check out GAP Adventures' 'Project India' which offers you the opportunity to get involved with giving deprived and destitute children a free home, hearth and school. Quick Tip: Just select India as the country and Volunteer as the Activity and you'll find it. I have to throw in one a bonus India Must See Item:

Bonus Must See Item: Definitely shop in Old Delhi, it's totally worth it. Whether you're buying silks, spices, silver or sarees, you won't be disappointed. It really feels like going back in time some days. I keep waiting for someone to sell me a magic flying carpet! While you're there, have a look at the Jamma Masjid (the big mosque in the square) and the Red Fort. They even have light shows and tell the history of the Red Fort in the evenings.

Back to India Must See Index

Back to #1: Taj Mahal

Back to #2: A Himalayan Hill Station

Back to #3: A Morning on the Ganges

Back to #4: Rajasthan

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