India Overview

Imagine a land one third the size of the United States. Populate it with three times the number of people. Add seventeen official languages, over 700 more regional dialects, at least seven major religions. Try to envision the world’s largest democracy, built on a caste system, working out the kinks for the past fifty-eight years of hard-won independence.

Now, see yourself standing on a dusty, refuse-strewn street corner under the hottest sun you’ve ever felt, watching masses of humans walk, drive, and ride by. The colors are astounding, the noise overwhelming, and the smells threaten to send you back to your guesthouse. Every transportation innovation known to man since Buddha is being used here…cow-cart, bicycle, bicycle-rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, moped, motorcycle, van, bus, truck, taxi…India phases nothing out. It’s difficult to even think through the cacophony. If you stand here long enough, several things will happen. You will be the recipient of a stunning smile from a child that brings tears to your eyes. You will be approached by a beggar in such appalling physical condition that your sense of helplessness makes you feel utterly numb. You will nearly be shoved out into traffic by-- you guessed it--a cow. Several men, speaking almost-English, will try to coax you into their rickshaws. You will see some of the most beautiful women you’ve ever seen; jasmine braided into their hair, gold jewelry adorning their necks, wrists, and faces, saris of brilliant greens, yellows, pinks, blues, purples, whites. They are never walking alone.

Now, see yourself sitting in a supremely comfortable beach chair gazing out at the Arabian Sea, eating the best breakfast in the world. (Literally: Keralan puttu was recently judged “Best Breakfast” at an international competition in Europe.) This is also some of the best coffee you’ve had in your life. The ocean is just a picturesque hike down a cliff away. Your waiter speaks with you at length about the state of education here. Literacy in his state is the highest in India, for men and women. Students from Indian universities are some of the best engineers, doctors, and computer scientists in the world. The economy is growing in leaps and bounds, the optimism is electric. He tells you that this is India’s golden period, that now “India is Shining”.

Now, you are walking through a shopping mall. You’ve just come off of a street lined with glass and steel buildings. A few blocks away, you’d watched a group of boys playing cricket in a manicured park. All around you walk men in business suits, women in salwar kameez. The streets are paved, there are street lights, and stop lights. This city is teetering on the edge of complete modernization. No one approaches you here. The street vendors and fruit markets are not in evidence. Everything is indoors.

Now, you are strolling down a grassy hillside, passing patches of wildflowers and families having picnics. The sky is so blue, the clouds are so fluffy. The air here is much thinner, clearer, and cleaner than you had hoped for. You are finally wearing the fleece jacket that you thought was taking up precious space needlessly in your backpack. You arrived here earlier today on an actual STEAM TRAIN. This town is crowded with tourists, most of them Indian. All of you are here for the cool air, the salubrious climate, and the sensation of space. There is peace here, just outside of town.

Not only does India offer each of these disparate experiences, she offers them to you in a tiny corner of her vast expanse. We didn’t even get to the wild elephants, or the holy rivers, or the temples, or the deserts…still also contained in just one tri-state area. With globalization and the ease of travel, the number of destinations that can offer a truly life-altering experience has dwindled. So many places in the world feel almost just like home with small, manageable differences. India is not at all like anywhere else. It will change how you view humankind, the world, and yourself. It is guaranteed that you will ride an emotional roller-coaster on a journey here. One minute, you will hate it; the bureaucracy, the filth, the heat, the inhumanity. But within hours, you’ll wish you never had to leave. Once you begin to love India, you’ll always want to return for more.

Southern India 14 day Journey at a Glance

Southern India 28 day Journey at a Glance

Northern India – Coming Soon!