80 reasons to love India

80 Reasons to love India, plus one

 

A few years ago, I was staying at the Haus Khas home in New Delhi of beloved friends, Prama and Ranji.

While there, I read their daily newspaper which offered 60 reasons why Indians can love India.

Despite the  political/social/religious/environmental isses facing India, here are 80 reasons why Westerners love India.

In alphabetical order:

1. Ahimsa
2. Amaji, the spiritual hugger
3. Asighat, Varanasi
4. Ayurveda medicine/massage
5. Ambassador cars
6. “Are you one person or two (partners or friends)?” Question on train to Western travellers.
7. Arranged marriages
8. Advaita, Arunchala, and Ramana Maharshi
9. Auroville
10. Auto rickshaws (gas fuelled)
11. Backsheesh
12. Banyon Trees
13. Baharganj, oppposite New Delhi station
14. Beggars – hard workers; one rupee earned for every hundred rejections
15. Bhavagad Gita
16. Bhajans, pujas
17. Bodh Gaya, the place of the Buddha’s enlightenment
18. Bollywood musicals
19. Boys playing cricket
20. Burning ghats in Varanasi
21. Call to prayer of imam from minaret
22. “Cash today. Credit tomorrow.” Sign in Varanasi shop
23. Chai, chai wallahs and chai stalls (e.g. Ram’s chai stall, Bodh Gaya).
24. Chaos Theory in the real world
25. Dalai Lama
26. Dharamsala and Tibetans
27. Dr. Jain’s Guest House, Sarnath
28. Electricity (Bhagwan giveth and Bhagwan taketh away).
29. Freedom from the Raj (British Occupation)
30. Ganga at dawn
31. Gulab jamans
32. Hill Stations
33. Himalayas
34. Hindu Gods
35. Homeopathy
36. Holy cows
37. Indian classical music
38. Indian sunsets
39. Indian toilets
40. Indian weddings
41. Insight (Vipassana)Meditation
42. Old Buddhist/Hindu suttas/sutras/books
43. Kama Sutra
44. Karma Yoga
45. Katak classical dance
46. Kumba Mela
47. Krishna, Radha and the Gopis
48. Krishnamurti
49. Mahatma Gandhi
50. Malas, incense and bells
51. Markets for food, shawls, clothes and trinkets.
52. Masala dhosa
53. Meditation
54. Micro credit
55. Mosquito Nets
56. Motilal Banarsidas Bookshop, Varanasi
57. Naked sadhus with dreadlocks
58. Neem toothpaste and tongue cleaners
59. Nisargadatta Maharaj.”I am That.”
60. Palm trees on long, quiet beach
61. Plains of India
62. Pragya Vihar Inter-Religious School, Bodh Gaya
63. Rajasthan and Kerala (Goa for beach tourists)
64. Rice paddies
65. Rishikesh
66. Saris, shawls, Nehru collars, kirta pyjamas
67. 2^nd class AC two tier train carriages
68. Sahb Kuch Milega
69. Shirdi Baba’s Photo in taxis
70. Spices, red hot chilli, ginger, garam masala, tumeric for veggie food
71. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Art of Living
72. Taj Mahal and its love story
73. Tantra art and Tantric texts
74. Thai Monastery, Bodh Gaya and Sarnath
75. The Buddha in Bodh Gaya and standing Buddha in Sarnath
76. Tigers, camels, elephants, monkeys and buffaloes
77. Vandava Shiva and Andurata Roy, (environmental activists)
78. Vegetarian food
79. Water, Earth, Fire films of Deepa Mehta
80. “We deeply regret to inform you that train number ….. has been delayed.” Railway station announcement.

PS. Finally Yoga, naturally.

Namaste

www.meditationinindia.org