In India, the sunset looks hand painted by God
The colours blend seamlessly as the golden hues hold the last breath of warmth.
The sunrise is a slow and steady breath
an exercise in patience
as the sun decides what it wants to be
purples, yellows, pinks, oranges and blues colour the sky
an articulation of its indecisiveness before it settles into yellow,
hand in hand with the fresh breath of a new day.
In India, the streets are littered with men driving cars, auto rickshaws and motorbikes.
Horns angrily blare every second, wading off anticipated conflict.
Its drivers share similar frown lines; it is never too early for dissatisfaction.
But, in Bangalore, amongst a gang of motorcycles,
there is a woman.
Her saree is illuminated by the contrast of the unspoken uniform of men in western clothes.
Her hair is neatly braided, cascading down her left shoulder, with flowers sticking out to say hello.
Her presence feels political?
But she is just a woman on a motorbike.
In India academia is well revered
We attend schools with 1% acceptance ratings
Students train at education centres where their grades determine their futures
We drive past school billboards identifying their top 10 achievers.
To the percentile.
Ishaan got 97.8% this semester
Deepti got 96.3%
In India, the people are majestical, holding deep relationships with spirituality.
Centuries of knowledge is passed down
From father to son
Mother to daughter
Sister to friend
Friend to me
We are told that India stretches you in so many different ways
We are told that love makes you expand, fear makes you contract
We are feed samples of these insights
I am hungry for more
And suddenly
I mourn a relationship I never had.
In India, everyone is dancing.
Cultural performances, school days, markets, temples, on the streets, yoga foundations
In Rishikesh, I take out my phone to record a man dancing after a fire ceremony at the Ganges River.
It is called “letting go”
We light a stick of fire surrounded by pretty flowers in an aluminium disk
and think of what we want to let go of.
I watch my disk float down the Ganges River as the flowers catch fire
But as I watch the man dance
I’m not sure I understood the exercise
He moves with softness and grace
A smile illuminates his face
And I watch his whole body move
Weightless
As if to let go
In India, I feel full but empty at the same time.
I am energised by depleted
I am wise but stupid
In India, I finally understand
Why people travel
Why people don’t want to leave India
Why people want to leave India
Why people employ phrases such as
“Life-changing.”
