A gripping yet unfathomable sensation tugged at my heart as I awaited my first visit to India. I've heard so many tales combining fascination & horror and for the first time I did not want to expect anything out of this which somehow sounded paradoxical.
Back to my university days I had a fellow class mate from India who insisted on visiting the entrancing land that once captured the heart of the British Empire!
As young as twenty one, I spent most of my time at the British Library in London studying India’s scarcest manuscripts and browsing ancient books and transcripts dating back to the Indus Valley civilisations. I was rapt in a mania that blew me away immensely!
As I arrived in Bombay I was shown the way to a tiny hotel in a nearby village in which the drought had left it not viable, such a shame really as there are so many lovely trees that have passed their last breath and are about to depart this world very shortly. Cows were wandering everywhere without hesitation! There is no need for a driving licence(please excuse the pun) After all they were sacred!
My first jolt was as I apprehensively approached the village witnessing weeping children and dying corpses lying here and there that I could still hear their gurgling hiss!
My tears came in spurts and as I croaked, I felt a strange sickness well-up my stomach. “Don’t look sir; just keep walking” the local guide murmured...
Finally we got to the hotel which I could hardly call a slum!
I was received by this aged plump lady wearing an unusual colourful Sari,“ I like your Sari” I remarked; "Thank you sir, I made it from collected coffins cloths” She replied!
My face blushed and a similar feeling has pounded within me once more; “very nice indeed" Was my answer.
She insisted that I should pay upfront before I even saw the room;
“These are the rules here, sir” She claimed.
“No problem; how much do I owe you?"
Ojal(her name) replied “one hundred rupees please"
I instantly calculated them into English pounds, there were less than seventy five pence!
Shortly afterwards, I was shown to my room by a boy who seemed to be her grandson!
As the door opened ajar, my eyes seemed to bulge! To my surprise there was a ceiling fan too, I gave the boy a few rupees and shut the door behind.
The dust topped the place from top to bottom; no wonder it was so cheap! I told myself.
As I put my bag on the chair I glanced at a tiny mouse bouncing across the room! I immediately freaked out and screamed!
The boy was promptly back at the door, “Is there a problem, sir?”
"Yes, there is a mouse here!"
“No worry sir, mouse friendly! Said the boy with a sneering grin
"Are you scared? He asked"
“No; I’m not but I don’t like mice. Do you have another room?"
The boy looked rather pleased with himself, as he somewhat innocently said,"No sir we have only this room!"
I took a deep breath and as I exhaled I felt the room’s grimy sordid air deep inside
I cursed the moment that I came to this place and wondered whether to stay that night or leave!
It is shame that your first experience to such an exotic country was dissapointing.
ReplyDeleteHowever, whatever you saw is the reality over there. The money you paid for that room might be just 75 pence for you ,however ,100 rupees is a quiet a lot of money for the people living there.
We moan about all the small things in life..lets imagine the life of people who live in such area day in and day out ..the area which we cannot even stand for a couple of hours!!
Good topic and most interesting. story, can't wait to hear if you stayed or left- I like the intrigue at the end.
ReplyDeleteI like that you have placed the new words you have learned in class in your blog:-) I also like how descriptive you are with people and your surroundings!
I had no idea you were aSTUD at the British Museum:
" my time at the British Library in London studding .."
In your paragraph:
" “Oh don’t worry sir they are friendly, they do no harm with a sneer giggle” "
Your sentense should read like this:
“Oh don’t worry sir, they are friendly! They will do no harm! Said the boy with a sneering grin.
And you can split these two sentenses.
“No I’m not but I don’t like mice, Do you have another room?
The boy looked rather pleased with himself, as he somewhat innocently said," No sir we have only this room!"
Good job Chaher!
Hmmmm interesting...I'm still going to India though :p soon!
ReplyDeletexx