The Land of Intrigue: India

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A land of many contrasts, a blend of old and new, of snow-covered mountains and tropical rain forests, growing wealth and flagrant poverty. As one of the world's oldest civilizations, India has a rich cultural heritage that reflects the diversity of her people in music, art, dance, religion and lifestyle.

Initially, all we perceived was chaos, but, slowly we discovered great beauty - in the country's varying landscape, it's art forms and especially in the friendliness and warmth of its people. We, as outsiders felt that we were barely skimming the surface. India is so many things to so many people and no one, not even Indians, can claim to be able to define it's whole essence.

A land famed for it's spirituality, but now, also making an indelible mark in the technologically advanced world. IBM, Nike, Heinz, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi and Bhagwan Rajneesh have resonantly tuned in to give birth to a new era. Indian software professionals, the most sought-after commodities are constantly chalking up frequent flier miles.

The cities are teeming with humanity, motor-vehicles, cows, camels and elephants, though not necessarily in that order. High-rise buildings with their chrome and glass facade stand tall amidst shanty towns, the slums. And, if there was any place on earth that the Almighty forgot, it would be such a slum. The air here is laden with misery - filth, stench, chronic unemployment, a severe lack of educational and medical facilities and the discovery of the latest and all possible types of diseases. Yet, by some great Indian miracle it's inhabitants manage to remain human and fight adversity with a smile.

On the other side, there are the super-rich, who lead plush and fancy lifestyles, shop at Harrods, clothe themselves in Versace and holiday in MonteCarlo. In India, they would be seen dining at the Gymkhana or the Cricket clubs, places where, you step in to discover a very different India.

Bridging the gap between the two are the middle-class. The country boasts a flourishing middle-class of 200 million people who, form a highly-educated work-force.

Women in India play contrasting roles. One-half of the rural labor-force consists of women who, take home wages lesser than their male counterparts. In some parts of the country, they wear the purdah and do household chores, while, in urban cities, most women are highly-educated, articulate and independent. As a wife, she usually holds on to traditional values, and as a mother she is revered (as a mother-in-law she is feared).

A sure way to obtain more insight about India and it's (sometimes crazy) working would be by reading some of R.K. Narayan's novels. This country faces tremendous challenges, but, it is a country on the road to reform, albeit, one lined with potholes, just like any Indian road.

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