The problem to big for the helpful Indians

After 3 weeks of traveling in India my stomach couldnt take any more currycovered backteria. I am amazed how long I managed without any trouble. With good advice from friends, a phonecall to mum, and the good support from Marie, Jakop and the Indian cousin, I can include this horrible experience in my good Inidan experiences. This is an avoidable part of traveling here.

But it made me realized that my own bad physical state affected how I saw the hard life of the misfortunate in India. For those who have read and\or seen Slumdog Millionare you might be familiar with the term ’Organized begging’. Organized begging is very visible in Delhi. 

Organized begging is a huge operation. Children as well as adults are made suffer in different ways, limbs are cut of, they made blind, or they are made addicted to drugs at young age so that they will do anything to get the next dose. These very misfortunate individuals fill the streets of Delhi and beg for money or food or just anything they can get their hands on. But it does little help to them personally to give them anything. They will not see the money ever again because it goes into the hands of a higher person, the organizer of the begging. These men make alot of money off the unfortunates, who might get their daily drug-dose, but their lives are only going to get worse. 

Driving in a taxi yesterday, feeling like crap, a crippled begger cryed out a wish for money. I asked myself, What keeps these people alive? What stoppes them from commiting suicide?

There seems to be no easy answer to the question, but a large part of it is their religion, hinduism. They believe that if they make the efford in this life they will be reborn in a higer caste (that is what they call the classes in Inida). Taking ones life is against everything they belive. Life is holy and does not belong to you alone, but to god. This reason  only brings up a new question in my mind, as unreligious as I am, What makes them religious if their god makes them so unfortunate?

Never have I realized how lucky I am in life as much as I did at this moment. And sheldomly have I felt as powerless. There is really nothing I can do to help these people. And although Indians are in general extreamly helpful people and the do take care of each other this seems to be  too big of a propblem. But I have faith that there is a solution. It might take time, but it must be possible to help.

a feeling in the heart

i was surprised to find the feeling of christmas in my heart this morning. it proved to me that it is a feeling in the heart that has nothing to do with snow, gifts, food nor anything else we push ourselves to the limists doing for this crazy and hectic holiday.

from india i wish all of you the best of christmas.

wrapped in indian cotton

I am not underestimating India as a difficult place to travel to

it is.

but me and sine have been wrapped in indian cotton ever since we landed.

Kaustubh, our host from Couchsurfing, is more than awesome..

we met Sines friend Sharad, the World Comics drawerr. he told us good stories.

 and Arvind, the indian gentelman who works for a toilettpaper company in London.

and we got loads of smiles from the children at Sines orphanage.

But the land of billions

and holy cows

sure is an experience all togeather.

and it is all gradually sinking in along with the curries and chail teas.

I will without doubt have many colorful stories for you soon. And who knows… perhaps I will manage a picture or towo as well.

to all of you

from all of us in the land of billions

ps. the Taj Mahal was closed today “due to friday”

planet not profit

although it seams a lifetime away that I was in Chopenhagen I will begin with telling you this>

Do not take the news too literally.

The coverage of the protest last weekend was soo far from being true.

We danced

we had slogans

we sang

we ‘hyggede’

there were people from all over the globe.

from all classes

from all directions

that share a common view>

“planet not profit”

“there is no planet b”

it was amazing!

it was powerful!

I hope that we can – each and every single one of  us \ for ourselves, but togeather – change our way of livng.

India and me

Yes – My trip to India is around the corner and I’m starting to be scared!