India is a fascinating country. Its rich history, impressive size and recent emergence as a global economic force have inspired travel writers and commentators for centuries. There has been much ink spilled of late as business authors compete for shelf space at airport book stores. I too am guilty of buying the pre-trip India hype book, but I think for real perspective (and literary talent) you have to look back a little further. The two quotes that follow from Mark Twain and Nehru do a nice job of illustrating the rich heritage of India and the almost palpable sense of change and opportunity present here.
"India is, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only."
-Mark Twain
"A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new; when an age ends; and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance."
- Jawaharlal Nehru
While I am unlikely to achieve either the wit of Twain or the wisdom of Nehru, I hope you’ll at least find my blog entertaining and perhaps even educational. At very least, I hope to be able to share with you, my friends and family, my experiences in India.
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