WHEN LIKE SPIRITS CONNECT




PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT ARNETT FROM HIS BOOK
INDIA UNVEILED

     It was September, last, our friends' daughter's long-awaited wedding "extravaganza" had finally drawn to a close.  

     Early the next morning the Marriot dining room drifted with the smell of bacon and freshly brewed coffee, steam escaping from the string of stainless steel recepticles filled with a mouth-watering display of assorted breakfast items. The worn bride and groom and young members of their wedding party moved with less vigor than the night before, rubbing the sleep from their eyes, and much in need of fuel after a long night of partying. 
     My attention was drawn from the weary and rumpled lot as an Indian woman entered the room looking fresh and unruffled. She was the mother of one of the bridesmaids. Wrapped in her beautiful sari, the picture of elegance and grace, her very appearance seemed to beckon my husband, John, and me to rescue her from her lone state and lend two friendly American greetings. After applauding her for having made the long journey from India, we began to sing her daughter's praise. She responded through a soft and grateful voice partnered with a warm smile which quickly gave birth to a feeling that we were somehow connected.  No longer a stranger from another part of the world she began offering an invitation to visit her in northern India. She did this without restraint and with such sincerity that we knew these were not idle words, but that she truly wanted to share her home and intriguing culture with us.

     In the weeks and months that followed, the thought of such a visit to a country and culture I knew virtually nothing about continued to tempt my desire to venture into the unknown.  But a nagging question always seemed to get in the way of a decision.  Should I make the long and grueling trip without, John, who should not take the time from his business?  "Go on your own," he would insist. "Don't miss this opportunity to have another journey."  That voice that comes from within was also insistent, filtering through my hesitance with a resounding...GO!  Ignore both? I could not! So, here I am once again, an intrepid spirit, embarking on an adventure, and although much shorter in time than the last, I suspect it will be unlike any journey I have ever experienced in all my years of travel.
     This lovely Indian woman, Navneet, who signs her emails with love, and her husband, Baljit, owner of a travel agency, now speak of weddings, gastronomical delicacies, festivals, a golden palace where bearded Sikhs with turban-wrapped heads walk the streets, of places with names I can hardly pronounce, and above all give this precious gift offering a front row for me to view Indian life.  Soon, the woman of grace will be another of those special ANGELS I've been so privileged to have BY MY SIDE during my travels.  In a recent conversation, Navneet, said somberly, "I can show you things that will shock you!"  My reply: "Shock me! I want to see it all."  Her response: "I like your spirit."
     If I have sufficiently tempted you to follow along then pack your bags, for we, dear followers, will depart October 8th for a 26 hour trip making one stop in Paris for a connecting flight to New Delhi, home of the Taj Mahal.  The last leg will be a five hour taxi ride into the wee small hours of the morning that will deliver us to the northern region of Punjab, several hours from the Pakistan border. There, we will begin our three-and-a-half week journey lasting until November 7th, during which time we will partake of India's rich culture and delve into its ancient history amidst the wild pulse of its 1.27 billion population.  That alone is staggering, leaving the imagination open to the most unimaginable sights.

      I so enjoyed having you along last time, finding inspiration in your comments along the way. Won't you please join me again?

Cheers!