Last Month in Mumbai

Just a few weeks ago, my husband and I were in Mumbai with friends. We stayed at the stately Taj hotel -- the one we saw burning on television this week. It is part of The Taj Group, owned by the Tata family. They own hotels all over India; the Taj in Mumbai is one of the jewels in their "crown." The Tatas created the famous $2,500 car that is putting those who never dreamed they would own anything faster than a bicycle on the already overly crowded roads. They control much of the communication systems, and even the main water brand everyone drinks. There are 1.2 billion people in India today; that's a lot of water, a lot of cars and a lot of cell phones (and your cell phone works better in India than it does at home).

India carries its poverty with a graceful dignity; even the begging women are resplendent in colorful saris, their beautiful faces highlighted with those liquid brown eyes. The economy is dynamic and those at the bottom rung of the ladder are slowly climbing out of poverty toward the middle class.

They are entrepreneurs at heart, not warriors. No matter how many times I was warned not to give money to the young men who harass you to buy their wares outside of every shrine, I was so taken with their energetic, good-natured badgering that I quite often succumbed.

The film Slumdog Millionaire portrays the spirit you feel in India. For those who haven't been there, the film says it all. I felt sure it would win a Best Picture Oscar this year, even before the tragedy. But this digression isn't a movie review. It is a lament, as I came to love the Indian people.

We traveled north to Rajasthan and then to Delhi, and I was enamored with each and every person I met -- from the talented art expert who invited us to her home for dinner, to the women in the beauty shop who styled my hair, to the family of southern people from Bangalore who I was so drawn to at one of the shrines -- because they were all so beautiful, and equally curious about me and my westernness.

I loved the food; a vegetarian's dream, and the dusty markets and free-spirited temples where everyone prays (in their own unique way to over 3,600 Hindu gods and deities) were magnetic. I particularly like Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu deity -- said to remove all obstacles, and Luxmi the goddess of good fortune. I was quite taken with the Jains and their commitment to give 25% of their income to charity. Their custom is to place the dead on a mountaintop that invites the vultures to pick apart the rotting flesh, while other late Hindus are burned in funeral pyres and then floated down the Ganges. It sure helps eliminate overcrowded cemeteries.

I think of the shoeshine boys in the train station where the first bombs went off -- we were told the boys are orphans who, when the state can no longer care for them, receive a box with shining cloths and polish and go to the station to find their place. To attract the attention of customers, they make music in unison using the wooden handles of their brushes against their boxes, giving a staccato melody to the hustle and bustle of the most crowded place in Mumbai. I wonder what has become of them.

What became of the begging teenage girls who held babies in their arms and asked for money; as the mimed putting food in their hungry mouths to show you why they needed your alms. And what of the sacred cows who meander down the sidewalks, with hides that look like a dirty sheet hanging out to dry on a metal hanger, and the men in turbans who greet you as you enter your hotel, or the beautiful girls who put a red dot on your forehead and a floral garland around your neck... where are they now? And what of our guide, who took us around Mumbai, is she safely home with her husband and son? At the Taj, we stayed in a lovely suite called Elephanta. Is it still there? Is the handsome elderly man with the dark brown leathery skin and sparkling, toothy smile who cleaned the room still alive? Or the charming young fellow who was our "butler," working his way up the ladder of hotel service, has he survived? The Indian people are spiritual and innocent beings. I am heartbroken about what happened. I wonder if I had not just returned from India if I would feel this sense of personal loss? Doubtful.

It wasn't easy being in India; the chaos was exhausting and the weather in October was stiflingly hot... the air and water compromised, and still, even after the events of this past week, I cannot wait to return.

Comments

[jellydonut]

last month i fulfilled a life-long dream of visiting india. i had hoped to do the whole 2-3 month walkabout, but settled for 8 days and kept my job. your article is a wonderful and vivid reminder of some of the sights, sounds and smiles i enjoyed there. a beautiful, challenging country and culture. it is sad to think of how these attacks will plague the fragile state of the indian family. i was in mumbai less than one month ago, and like many others, look forward to another visit.

[Hefner]

I didn't like your article...but you write well...

[LyndaResnick]

I was wrong about the Jains and have been corrected. It is the Parsees who place the bodies on the Tower of Silvence for the vultures to find.

The Jains are cremated in a similar manner to other Hindus. The Jains believe that anything that has life is sacred. They won't eat anything that grows underground like onions and carrots in case during the harvesting process living microcosms are disturbed. Could a culture that has such sensitive beings be capable of seeing the harsh aggression in others?

[TheEnticer]

As someone who grew up in India,let me tell you, the answer to your question is no. They are not naive but they definitely can not fathom the pure hate that religions bring. Even before the conquering hordes of Persia turned their attention eastwards in the 12th and 13th centuries, Islam was practiced and so was every religion that landed on it's shores. Of course there are (and have been) flareups and ugly incidents but no religion has ever been persecuted in India. So their reaction to the violence is truly disbelieving; the Times Of India came out with a bold headline a few days ago "Obama says India has a right to defend herself".... It took 20 years of various terrorist activities and someone else to show this to India...

[pardesi]

"I was quite taken with the Jains and their commitment to give 25% of their income to charity. Their custom is to place the dead on a mountaintop that invites the vultures to pick apart the rotting flesh..."

It was pointed out earlier the people who practice this are Parsis(Zor­astrians). Zubin Mehta the well known conductor is a Zorastrian. So are many well known scientists, artists and politicians.
How the Parsis - Zorastrians - came to India is fascinating. The Parsis were chased out of Iran for thier religious beliefs.

[glorialovelace]

Your article is fabulous. You're the world's most wonderful person. People should be kissing the hem of your garment.

[Raja Franklin]

Your article is really nice to read. Thank you.

[KaneandAbel]

Your article is beautifully written. Gives context and a very real portrait of the background against which the dastardly terrorist attack in Mumbai can be seen in vivid contrast.
The horror these brain-washed young terrorists are perpetrating on innocent common folks is for all to see. But the mind set of the handlers of these foot-soldiers, those sitting in various holes in mountains or the holes in the military complexes of ISI. There is not doubt about these guys. All these talk about the grievences against the muslims etc India are just "shadow play" for these mass-murder planners, just as the name "Deccan Mujahideen" is. If all the different types of people started acting out their grievences with plan of killing 5000 innocent people (or justifying them), there would be no country (with people) left in the world.
Anyone on TV who tries to explain away these horrors in the name of grievences of the Muslim people in India (or for that manner any body of other religion trying to do the same) are just tools and mouth pieces of these mass-murder planners.
Just to do my bit to protest against these people, I bought my ticket toi India yesterday and travelling to India next week. We decided to celibrate Christmas there ..... and to show that the plans to these mass murderer will not be successful. We will stand against them not with AK 47's, granades but with the indomitable will of the mankind.

[hindy]

Thank you for your beautiful article. It makes the attacks by terrorists even more poignant. These terrorists are nothing but Nazis. Their hate and outright racism are unfathomable to most civilized human beings. It hasn't and won't stop with the Jews or Zionists or Americans or Spaniards or Brits or Indians. All they know is blind hate. The situation in the world right now brings to mind a famous quote by the Rev. Martin Niemöller:

"First they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me".

The world, including moderate Moslems, Christians, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists must speak out together with one voice and do something concrete against this menace that wants to destroy us all!!!

As it says in the Jewish Talmud: "If I am not for myself - who will be? If I am only for myself - what am I? If not now - WHEN?"
There is no "when" anymore. The time for concerted, unified action by the entire free world is NOW!!!

We are now all citizens of India. God Bless you and keep you safe.

[mzwednesday]

that was lovely to read:)
thankyou.

[niceradz]

I thank and must applaud you for your observations. Yes India is sometimes hard to take, but when one travels one must look beyond the immediate and search for what makes that place special (& I know You DID). India is special and will always remain so, no terrorist will be able to tear down the real spirit of India. As you pointed out with over a billion people it has it fair share of problems that cannot be ignored and the passive politicians and prosperous MUST take India forward and regain its past grandeur which was accompanied by its hospitality, humility and all inclusiveness.

Just wanted to point out that it is the Parsis in India that offer their dead to the vultures. A small error on your part I am sure. There is much to see and absorb and to recollect it all could be difficult.

[prashiv]

"I was quite taken with the Jains and their commitment to give 25% of their income to charity. Their custom is to place the dead on a mountaintop that invites the vultures to pick apart the rotting flesh..."

I would just like to point out that it's not the Jains but the Parsis (Zoroastrians) who give away the dead to vultures. Ratan Tata is a Parsi. Jainism is an off-shoot of Hinduism.