The knitting experience I wanted to find out how the intercultural collaboration and interaction “across the borders” works and feels: being in middle of tribal women, who are organized in some selfhelp groups, live in very limited infrastructural surroundings and who are busy with caring goats and providing the basics for their families. How…
Category: culture
Why I spent an hour with studying Indian job offers on a local newspaper
Reading newspapers abroad is always an interesting activity to get insights on how local people think and act. National and international events, news, comments should be presented in a similar way all over the world – as it happened and that’s it – , but by doing so it becomes a hundred thousand different realities….
Protection and safety- a huge market niche in India
Adults of all ages and school children en masse walk along the streets without any sidewalk area. On the national highway there are Rikshas, and overloaded tractors in the middle of the roads. Cows and goats cross. Gaps and bumpy parts – no problem for the cyclists. Guard rails? In the big cities you find…
India is a picture book for understanding life
More than 100 days of “experiencing India” have passed. But still – here in India there is so much to discover, every day, again and again. All over the country. Just as if it were the first time I get not tired to observe while travelling, simply watching: people and things that exist and…
Coming back to India – Old problems, but new fascination
I’m back again. Back in India, back to Tamil Nadu. The ‘Indian feeling’ has re-started already on my way from Dubai to Chennai. Indian people, Indian respect, Induan friendliness and curiosity…An Indian business man sits besides and it takes just a few minutes to involve the people sitting around in some good, funny and interesting…
Indian handicrafts in Chennai: stuff dreams are made from and a missed opportunity
When you stay in Chennai, you may hear of DakshinaChitra, an “open air” museum in Tamil Nadu dedicated to South Indian heritage and culture. It is located 25 kilometers to the south of Chennai. The museum was opened in 1996 and is being managed by the Madras Craft foundation. Without doubt – it is worth…
Back from India – issues with ‘development’
Coming back to my home town in Germany after seven weeks in India was not really characterized by a “big shock”. Although many friends have asked exactly that question during the last days: “Isn’t it a big difference and somehow strange to come back to a completely different, developed and modern world?” It is cold,…
7weeks in India – What’s your good name, M’am?
Wherever I have been in India during the last weeks – in huge cities, smaller towns or tribal areas – I found them everywhere: Curiosity and the Indian way of fun. “What’s your good name, Mam?” – A short smile, a kind eye-contact … and you can be sure that you are asked several times…
7weeks in India- Mandawa: Hawelis, kites and clever sales
Before leaving for Mumbai I spend one day in Mandawa, a small town in Rajasthan, ca 260 km away from Delhi and completely different from the South of India. The landscape is rigid, a lot of dust and sand. People look different here, other plants, other customs. There are a lot of children playing with…
7weeks in India – a guide, a priest, a function and Yogathon
It is Saturday. I have travelled to Delhi. As most of the visitors in the Indian capital I have booked a guide to see some of the most important monuments and places. I will stay here just one, two days … Like mostly in India, booking a tour means getting a guide, a driver and…