Destination India

Destination India

An American friend recently told me that he along with his girl friend was planning a trip to India. He was all agog with his wonderful plans of visiting at least ten cities in India celebrating different culture. He had already researched through various sources the places of interest, the incredibly affordable cost, the exotic menu, the calendar of festivities and other paraphernalia of mesmerizing shopping spree. I listened to him with interest, chuckling now and then, nodding to encourage him and feeling proud that I am a citizen of his dream destination.

                 During the conversation, my friend asked me how safe is India. I paused for a while and then I found myself narrating innumerable incidents about that particular aspect. I was rather pessimistic about my nation and I was only sharing the bitter truth. But truth is truth. I was not a hypocrite to paint beautiful pictures about the place my innocent but curious friend was destined to visit.

                I told him not to let his girl friend walk around at night even in busy cities without an escort. The possibility of some stranger either misbehaving with her or making away with her wallet which may contain her precious travel documents could not be ruled out. Many such events had been reported in our media. Again I cautioned him not to hang around secluded locations which might look beautiful but probable  points of larceny or ravishment of the female companion.

                Then I also shared my apprehensions over the terrorist attacks anywhere anytime. America became very shrewd and alert after the 9/11 onslaught. It could even boast of not witnessing a single such incident anywhere in its vast land. But our country helplessly watched many such attacks round the year and that too only in busy urban spots. Is it enough if  the head of our state strongly condemns such violence through the media the next day of such merciless aggression? Are the perpetrators promptly brought to book? Have we any assurances that next time this won’t happen? Unfortunately none.

                When my friend expressed his joy of riding on Indian roads on a motorcycle which he intended to buy or hire since it would give him immense opportunities to look around, I looked at his face blankly. How different our road discipline is from that of America! You don’t know when you would be hit by what kind of vehicle and that too in a place you least expected it. Our hit and run history is pretty bad. And a motorcycle is the most vulnerable vehicle on our dusty roads.

                Our talk came around eateries that served colorful, cheap and tasty food. How could I withdraw valuable tips which might save him from dangerous virus and related diseases? What about our hygiene? How safe is our water? How clean are our cooks and waiters? Less said is better. But I felt duty bound to warn him.

                Finally he talked enthusiastically about our festivals that are very kaleidoscopic. He seemed to have drunk with the country music and art, our motley artists who throng the temples and the visual treat they happily enact to thrill the foreign tourists. It was then I remembered the most recent misadventure of our famous pyrotechnics which claimed more than 110 precious lives. Who could have dreamt of such thoughtlessness? The organizers had willfully ignored the safety measures. They had disobeyed the dictates of the guardians of safety. Ecstatic crowd that pulled and pushed fell victims to bright and loud display of fireworks which attracted thousands of innocent admirers from far and wide.

                When all is said, my friend sat silently near me looking into my eyes. Then diverting his eyes he said nothing and walked away. Did I discourage an avid tourist from visiting our unsafe country? Or did I just warn him of possible dangers that lurk around the unsuspecting foreigners? The sun was gently going down on the orange skyline. I walked back home mourning those who lost their lives in the colorful night.