Today was our fifth day in India. We spent it visiting the beautiful Lotus Temple, Indian Parliament/Presidential Palace, and one of the sites of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes. As the trip has progressed, each of us has become more and more comfortable with our surroundings, and we've been having a great—albeit exhausting—time. I would like to address something that I have noticed in our travels to these astoundingly beautiful monuments, temples, and historic sites. While all of these have been extremely gorgeous and expansive, I cannot help but notice the contrasting surroundings. For example, on the metro ride to Akshardham, the largest Hindu temple in the world, we passed miles upon miles of poverty-filled slums. It's hard for me to fathom how tons of multi-million dollar projects are constructed alongside such poverty and hardship. Could the government/authority spend the money in a more effective way?
Just today at the Lotus Temple our beloved guide Aashish informed us that over 300,000L of water are used to maintain their gardens each day. In a country where clean drinking water is so scarce, how is this possible? While there is no denying the salient beauty of these shrines and monuments (in fact, many of them are the most beautiful I have ever seen), the thought of how the resources that were required to build these could have been used in different ways lingers in my mind. It's also prompted me to consider the priorities of the Indian government in how they spend their money. As we know, religion (Hinduism particularly) is a major influence in almost every aspect of Indian life; does religion's demand for devotion, and the way this translates to the building of great projects, overrule improving quality of life in the here and now? That, I do not know, and I hope that you have thoughts of your own on the subject. So far, India has been great and we are all excited to travel to the more rural areas to get a different experience of Indian life.
--Harry
Hey guys, so great to be 'traveling' alongside you via the blog. I know from experience how cool it is to see that your travels are being watched and enjoyed by those of us back home. Harry, your reflections remind me palpably of my time with Becky in Nepal. Ask her to tell you about the crazy Nepalese palace we visited with the elephant tusk throne room that was pink and green! What struck me when I was there was that the neighborhoods were designed in concentric rings of wealth with those in the innermost point of the circle having the highest wealth and those on outer rings lesser and lesser. This meant that you'd see a slick range rover plow into a 'slum' area and wonder where it was going and quite simply it was their commute back home. What is the pollution like there? We saw sacred rivers used for bathing, burning bodies, and dumping trash all within yards of one another... I'm so excited to hear your full report and will continue checking back in with you all. Namaste!
ReplyDeleteHarry,
ReplyDeleteYour observations are very mature and the questions you ask are very good and important ones.
The money spent on private monuments like the Lotus Temple and Akshardham do not fall within the budgetary purview of any Govt. However, your question could be directed at the moral questions of even private groups spending lavishly on cultural programs versus addressing immediate needs of impoverished people. There are no simple answers in an incredibly complex country like India. Questions about Government’s priority are also good. While there are many well intentioned programs the lot of the average citizen, India leaves much to be desired on implementing them. We can have a longer chat in the fullness of time.
Enjoy the trip!
Thank you for sharing your reflections. Definitely thought provoking!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Harry, I wonder how much revenue the Indian economy gets from tourism because of how beautiful and well-maintained these sites are. Could be cynical of me, but I'm sure it's not all religious devotion if the government is actually the one paying (could be private). After the trip to Cuba last year, I'm quite curious about the impact of tourism in different countries - what have you folks noticed?
ReplyDeleteHarry- your post indicates how compassionate of an individual you are. The world needs people who are sensitive to the plight of others. It is hard to see people struggling to live a healthy, safe life and trying to better their conditions. Travel is so important. Going to a place where the everything is so different: the unique smell of a place, the flavors of its foods, the clothes worn by the average person, the languages spoken, etc- it really heightens our senses and makes us more aware of our surroundings and the world we live in. And the priorities we live by. Over the weekend, I was visiting a friend of mine in LA from my public health school days and shared your post with her. She commented about the similarity with what she sees a few blocks away on Skid Row and the LA financial district. Keep observing and stay sensitive.
ReplyDeleteHarry-I really appreciate your keen observations of the dichotomy between the rich and poor and questioning the priorities of the country/government. There are many frustrating questions. Would love to discuss more. Take care, Indira
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