Arran to India and Nepal
Sounds. Sights. Smells. Nothing quite prepared me for landing in Kolkata on a first journey outside the familiarity of European cities. Immediately the profusion of colours of the women’s saris; the cacophony of horns; the countless yellow taxis; the sweetly acrid smells; the sights of people living and working on the streets; rich and poor mingling in complete acceptance of one another and the sheer vitality of this chaotic and dilapidated city were all completely mesmerising. It would have been enough to sit in our minibus all day just observing lives which are so different from ours and yet so dignified, no matter what the living conditions.
The experience continued to be enriching and life enhancing, whether it was in Kathmandu amidst the temples, tourists and thousands of motorbikes, gazing in awe at the Himalayan ranges at 8,500 feet, being thrilled by drifting in dug out canoes past open mouthed crocodiles, travelling up breathtaking roads to Darjeeling, enjoying the steamy delights of the famous toy railway or being enchanted by the wonderful singing and innocent simplicity of the children at Doctor Graham’s Homes, the school set up for poor Anglo Indian children in 1900 by Reverend Dr. John Anderson Graham which is still dedicated to the education of some of the poorest children from Kolkata.
No one could fail to be humbled by the extraordinary grace and dignity of the Indian and Nepalese people. Of course there is the dark side – the poverty and wretchedness of many of those who live and work on the streets of the cities and the contrast of this with the wealth of the new India. Of course there is indignation on the part of a western visitor, privileged to live in an affluent society, at a government apparently not dividing the new wealth sufficiently, but there is an optimism about India and Nepal which suggests that corruption will be overcome, children will not continue to be exploited and poverty will be dealt with because these are countries where tolerance, compassion and humanity are dominant.
John Webster of King’s Cross is organising a tour to India and Nepal in November of this year. (See advert)
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