I attended a workshop recently with an activity where everyone had to tell two truths and a lie about themselves. Then we guessed which was the lie. One woman said among her three things that she had been to India. I knew from the shawl hanging over the back of her chair that this was a truth.
Detail of border of 19th century shawl from Kashmir:
After the workshop, I told her about my observation, and we had a lovely chat about her India travels. Of all the places to visit in India, we have both been to most of the same places! Delhi, Agra, Cochin, Bangalore and Chennai. Although she has been to Jaipur and I have been to Darjeeling and Sikkim. She has been to quite a few places in and around Chennai so I left our conversation with a list of recommended things to do on our next trip.
I have to tell you, while many people I know vacation in Mexico and the Caribbean, and they report nice things, I don’t hear the passionate rhapsody while recalling a trip that I hear when listening to people talk about their travels to India. There’s something about India …