A once in a lifetime trip to India
Ameer Surupdeo, a BCom student who serves on the Youth Committee of the SA Hindu Maha Sabha, was selected to visit India in December as part of the “Know India Programme”, a three-week orientation programme for diaspora youth to promote awareness of diffe
TRYING to figure out how to convey a story about a country that brings dreams to life, is no easy task.
A country which everyone, young and old, rich and poor, for residents and visitors, for children, women and men, can find a place to identify with. From the busy streets of New Delhi to the most dynamic city in Bengaluru, from the marvellous hand-crafted Taj Mahal to the beautiful backwaters of Kerala, from the melodious sounds of qawali in the Shrine of Hazrat in Nizamuddin Aulia to the art of Kathakali in Samskrithi Bhavan.
On December 16 last year, participants in the Know India Programme braced for a bumpy landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The process after that was quite simple, easy and efficient. After browsing around for a while we met one of our tour escorts, who was extremely helpful and accommodated our every need.
Upon exiting the airport I felt Delhi’s ice-cold wind blow through my hair and all I could see in the distance was a mild fog. We got into our respective taxis and headed to our hotels.
It was a short drive but a million feelings flooded through me all at once, I felt as if I was torn in two because I missed South Africa so much, but little did I know that I had just arrived home.
On arrival to the Ibis Hotel, I was greeted by our female escort, who immediately took on the role of being a bigger sister and soon to follow were beautiful, unfamiliar faces from all around the world – both students and professionals of different ages getting to know one another and telling each other of our lives back home and before we knew it we all were starving, of course.
And as you entered the dining area you could get the aroma of spicy Indian cuisine which felt like home yet lacked a mother’s touch.
Over the next few days we made our way via bus to NGOs, industrial plants, parliament and the president’s house and the Foreign Services Institute where we had educating and insightful lectures which spanned modern development to ancient stories about the Indian culture, language and civilisation, macro-economic indicators, and technology.
But the icing on the cake was the fresh, hot jalebi and rubdi that was made before our very eyes and served for lunch.
From there on, over the next few days, we visited historic and cultural sites such as Aksherdam Temple, Qutub Minar, the National Gallery of Modern Arts, Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, the Humayun Tomb and The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga.
We also had the opportunity of learning basic Hindi while bargaining at markets in Delhi, definitely an experience one should not miss, from the chai to the beautiful cultural attire on sale.
As you may know our delicious breakfast and scrumptious dinner was consumed at our hotel and we were always provided with delightful lunches, which was the best part.
Adventure
Little did we know that a whole new adventure awaited us in Agra and Kerala. The trip to Agra was spectacular, we witnessed another side of India that just took our breath away in more ways than one and we all were eager to see the majestic Taj Mahal.
The experience of actually being at the Taj Mahal was phenomenal. To experience one of the world’s wonders first hand was an incredible privilege and the story behind it was emotional.
My personal favourite was the visit to Fatehpur Sikri which is one of the best preserved examples of Mughal architecture in India. Our trip in Agra was short-lived, but well spent.
In the early parts of the following day we went to our host state Kerala and on arrival at Trivandrum we were warmly welcomed by dignitaries. Our meeting with the Kerala State Planning Board and Urban Think Tank was informative about the state, with regard to its current and future economic plans.
The advancement in providing skills to communities is commendable, with huge emphasis on start-ups, economic empowerment, entrepreneurship and the progression of women-headed businesses. There is, no doubt, a positive trajectory for Kerala. Our trip included everything from, warm sandy beaches in Kovalam, a handloom village whose history spans over 300 years, to a South Indian cultural performance at Samskrithi Bhavan which included many forms of South Indian classical dancing as well as Kalaripayattu, an ancient form of martial arts.
There was a slight hint of sadness in the air as we reached the last leg of our trip. We Arrived in Bengaluru and were amazed to say the least. Now we know why Bengaluru has topped the world’s most dynamic cities list.
We were invited to the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event. The first day was for the youth, where we were addressed by Vijay Goel, one of the state ministers, and a Mr Michael Ashwin Adhin, vice-president of Suriname, as well as some entrepreneurs who hailed from this westernised concrete jungle.
The next day we were addressed by the Prime Minister himself, Shri Narendra Modi, and we were like sponges soaking up all the knowledge. It was amazing being able to network at such a great event.
Before leaving we were invited to a cultural evening, and yes, our KIP students did get the officials to dance to the beats of Punjabi and Bollywood music. Alas, all good things must come to an end and the hardest part was saying goodbye to our family that we had made overseas.
My trip to the motherland India has been a blissful one, filled with joyful moments, and memories that I will never forget.
I got to see the developed and developing parts of India and that has changed me in more ways than one... India teaches that although technology takes over we must not forget our cultural roots.
We must be thankful for what we have and what we will have in the future. Last but not least I’d like to thank everyone who played a part in making our trip memorable, from the Consulate to our co-ordinators in India but not forgetting the students.
To the Consulate-General of India – we really appreciate that you have given us this opportunity.