Thank you India

It ends as it began--in an airport waiting to board a plane. Homeward bound now, with a long flight ahead and, finally, a quiet space to contemplate my travels.

I will remember India as a crazy quilt of cultures and customs that inexplicably combines to form a pleasing and functional whole. The first impression is chaos--people everywhere, a storm of vehicles and foot traffic moving into and out of the roadways without a traffic signal in sight. The lack of stoplights, coupled with the Indian practice of driving on the left hand side of the road, makes driving risky, which helps explain why so many Indians have drivers. But the traffic moves and people go with the flow.

I will remember India as friendly. The country is a service economy and Indians have a long history of being eager to please. That's one of the reasons it was so easy for the British to colonize the area during the mid 1800's. Now India has its freedom, but it still provides service via call centers and IT shops.

I will remember India as enigmatic. Indians will often say one thing but mean another. "Shall we eat in today?" means that you likely will be going out to lunch. "Let's eat sandwiches" means you will order a full-course meal. And "non-veg" will result in eating vegetarian. After a while you learn that just because one thing is said doesn't mean it's necessarily true.

Thank you, India. Farewell.

Portrait of a Hindu

Before I came to India, I could never grasp the difference between Muslims and Hindus. I had read about their beliefs and knew they were different religions, but without any personal friends in either group, it was all a jumble to me.

Now, I have met many Hindus, including two work colleagues, who though different in certain aspects of their faith, have given me great insight into this enlightened belief system. Let me introduce you first to Sridhar. Sridhar is a VP at Photon and a very bright fellow. He's responsible for overseeing an ambitious project on a tight deadline. It's a huge challenge and potential stress fest. But Sridhar is calm. He is always focused in the moment. When I found out he was a Hindu, I was intrigued and immediately began inundating the poor guy with all the pent-up questions of a lifetime. He explained to me that the Hindu religion is the most flexible religion, which allows you to hold whatever beliefs you want and still be a Hindu. It favors diversity and tolerance and other traits that I value in life.

When I traveled north to Delhi, I met another colleague, Rajesh Sharma, whom I learned was also a Hindu. Sridhar introduced me to Hinduism and Rajesh schooled me in its principles by taking me to the Iskcon Temple in Delhi. For a flower child like me who came of age in the 1960's, this was a flashback to my hippie youth and the days of the Hare Krishna's.

Krishna is one of the most influential Hindu gods (there are many) and has his own sect devoted to him. At Iskcon, I learned about the Hindu belief in reincarnation, and the teaching that the way one lives her life in this world will determine whether she advances or retreats in the next. The ultimate reward is to transcend physical existence and to reside with Krishna in a heavenly Nirvana. What appeals to me most about these teachings--albeit my understanding remains at a pretty superficial level--is their underlying faith in the goodness of humankind, and their message that the highest goal of life is love.

I left the lecture thinking not of the differences between Hindus and Christians, but of their similarities. Both belief in the eternal soul. Both proclaim a message of brotherly love. And both promise a heavenly reward for the faithful. It was Palm Sunday when we visited Iskcon, a day that I normally spend at St. Luke's Episcopal church. There was no trace of Christ in the temple that day, but I felt the same spirit of peace that permeates all holy places. And if, as Sridhar says, I can be a Hindu and hold any belief I want, then perhaps I will be an Episcopalian--and a Hindu, too.

Sightseeing with my QA Infotech friends

There is an old Hindustan saying that "in India guests are treated as gods," and I can vouch for its truth. The founder of QA Infotech and my guide in the north, Mukesh Sharma is a wonderful host. He picked me up at airport yesterday and took me for dinner at a fancy Indian restaurant. I was showered with fresh flowers and a bottle of red wine, and then Mukesh gave me his mobile phone, so I could stay in touch without paying international calling charges on my Blackberry.

This morning, he and his colleagues (cousin Anshuman, employees Kapil and Giri) picked me up at 6:30 am for the 4-hour drive into Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Everywhere he goes Mukesh has family and friends. Shopkeepers greet him with open arms and he still has many connections in Agara from his school days in that city. We were treated royally wherever we went. A tip from his cousin helped us plan out our day--better to go first to the Agara Fort, the seat of Hindustan government for hundreds of years, and to end our day at the Taj Mahal, when the lines would be smaller.
Here you see Mukesh and our young guide heading into the Agara Fort (1565–74) . Built by the Muslim emporer Akbar in the Mughal style of Islamic architecture, this great fortress is built of red sandstone and is surrounded by a deep moat that was once filled with snakes and alligators, as well as a drawbridge that hinges closed to deny entrance to enemies.

Inside is a royal compound, complete with a women's palace for the emporer's wives. They were not allowed outside of the palace and were virtually prisioners in their own homes. Not only did each of the three wives have to share the emporer with each other, but also with his harem of girlfriends. The Muslim religion is extremely oppressive to women. But the architecture and vistas of the fort are breathtaking and the views from the upper stories afford a glimpse of the luminous TajMahal shimmering in the distance.

Seeing the TajMahal up close was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The craftsmanship is superb--completed by hand over a span of 22 years and featuring carved panels of shimmering white Indian marble, inlaid with intricate lapidary designs studded with semi-precious stones.
Built by the Mughal emporer Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, this palatial monument is actually a mausoleum that houses the tombs of the emporer and his queen.

After a tour of the Taj and its gardens, we stopped for a vegetarian lunch, with warm garlic nann, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes drizzled with fresh lime, and three steaming bowls of mixed vegetables, including the best tofu I have ever eaten in my life. Though it took another 4+ hours to get home, it was worth the drive. There is nothing to compare with seeing India through the eyes of its Indian residents.

One country, two lifestyles: North v. South

March 13, 2008
Each day I have been eating lunch with my Indian colleagues and learning more about this vast country. There are regional differences between North India and South India that remind me of the rivalry between U of M and Ohio state. Indians in the south are predominantly Hindus; in the north, the Muslims are prevalent. This influences the way that women dress. In the south, almost all of the women wear saris but do not wear veils, whereas in the north, the women more often cover their heads, which I have learned is the result of thousands of years of Muslim dominance.

The foods are different, too. Rice and vegetarian fare dominate the table in the south. At lunch yesterday, we had an aromatic vegetarian spread with four varieties of fragrant rice, creamed spinach, breaded cauliflour, raw vegetables, and half a dozen containers of spicy, colorful food that tasted delicious, even though I could not identify what I was eating. In the north, wheat is the staple grain and more people eat meat, prepared from recipes inspired from the Mughlai cuisine. Northern Indians like their curries deep fried and I've been told that heart disease, diabetes, etc. is more prevalent in the Northn than in the South because of diet.

Even the names are different. Southern Indian boys traditionally take their father's last name as their first name and then represent their last name by a simple initial: Venkatasbramanian R, Sreedharun M.G., and Krishnamoorthy T. are just a few examples of South Indians I have met who use this convention. But in the North, the family names remain intact and are handed down from generation to generation.

Prevalent among everyone I've talked to is a zen-like acceptance of life's mysteries. I don't know how to put it except to quote Sreedharun, who when we discussing the Hindu/Muslim conflict shrugged his shoulders, and told me "It doesn't matter." Indians accept the existence of conflict but don't let it interfere with their daily lives.

Stranger in a strange land

I am happy to have connections in India. Without someone to help navigate the traffic, the customs, and the mysterious cultural codes, I would be lost. But I have colleagues looking out for me and that makes all the difference. At the airport, I was met by a hotel driver, who waited three hours for me. In fact, so far, every place I have gone, there has been a driver to deliver me. And every buffet line I have entered, I have had a guide to navigate me through the curries and yogurts.

Most foods are uncommonly cheap--and delicious. But other items are clearly luxuries. Tonight I ordered room service for dinner and paid $3 for a Ceasar salad, but over $25 for a glass of wine. I never dreamed. Tomorrow night I will drink beer from the mini bar.

Perhaps the biggest revelation has been the India software development shop. Photon currently runs two shops in the southern city of Chenai, India, and their setup would make Henry For proud. The setup reminds me of a classic assembly line. Dozens of workers at their stations, ready to input the materials delivered to them. In our case, those deliverables are produc specs and requirements.
I am a stranger in a strange land.

Who would have thought this could happen to me?
Sunday, March 9, 2008

I am going to India. In fact, I am sitting in Detroit's McNamara Terminal with about an hour to spare before I board my plane for Chennai.

My employer, Cengage/Gale, is sending me to meet our offshore vendors and oversee operations from the India offices. I will spend four days in the south at Photon in Chennai, two days sightseeing in Delhi, and round the trip out with two days at our QA offices in Noida, to the north.

I secreted the adventure into my life by believing that it would happen and acting as if it were a fait accompli. Yes, it is a business trip, but also a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to travel halfway round the world alone and experience a culture that is sure to feel both strange and familiar.

I'm on my way.