Bangalore, India can never be described authentically without being called the land of sensory overload. As soon as one steps off the plane the often contradicting sights, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells of India hit the visitor. This blog will be an overview of many of them that I have experienced in just my first week in the country.
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| Cave Temple in one of the oldest sections of Bangalore, India |
practitioners is another sight that becomes overwhelming to the visitor. Especially overwhelming is the space available inside the temple. Because in Hinduism prayers to the gods come in the form of circling idols the Cave Temple has the practitioner circle around in a narrow, cramped cave that brings the visitor to their knees in order to circumvent the idols.
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| Dairy cow grazing on trash near a road in Central Bangalore |
Perhaps the biggest shock to the senses comes in the form of the stark stank of the trash found all over the city. India has only a contemporary history of trash because for much of its history it did not have any concept of use and throw items. Now that Indians have more expendable money than ever, people have begun to buy use and throw items creating a trash problem that has never existed within the subcontinent resulting in piles of trash. It is not uncommon to see women in auto rickshaws covering their noses with sari's in order to keep the smell away from their nostrils. For the male visitor there is no escape from the horrid smell of the city which provides the dairy cows nutrition as they graze the now developed city.
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| Stray dog |
Perhaps the cutest addition to the city is the number of wild dogs seen roaming the parks, streets, and walkways of Bangalore. Providing a soft touch in a concrete paradise petting and playing with the dogs -- although unadvisable -- are a great way to drop the stress of a long day.
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| Some 'light' traffic seen in Bangalore |
Waking up early in Bangalore is never a problem thanks to the chorus of honking heard everywhere in the city. Plagued with ferocious traffic, with one car accident per minute occurring in India, honking is a means of survival for cars which often stop only inches away from each other. That is to say honking is a method of alerting other drivers of your presence on the road. Honking, described as the general ambiance of the city, is a cruel reminder of the perils a country faces when it comes to rapid urbanization.
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| Traditional southern Indian cuisine on the traditional banana leaf plate |
Perhaps the most delicious and my most favorite part of India is all of the amazing food. While in the United States it is common to eat a single course meal, meals in India are always at least two courses (the first with what the second with rice). Also, many curries and gravies are provided as things to eat with the rice and wheat. Further, another cool part about India is being able to eat with your fingers. Eating with your fingers lets you use more senses in a mean (you smell the food, taste the food, feel the food, and see the food).
I totally understand the trash problem you're talking about- here in Queretaro, the streets are very clean, but there are a number of industrial companies in the city that get rid of their waste by means of a waterway system. This mini-river (I'm told in the rainy season in the fall it's much larger) runs through my campus right by house, and some days it's pretty stinky! I grew up on a dairy farm, so I'm used to the smell of manure, and I try to tell myself that this smell is the same- it's just part of the experience. Other delicious smells, like street tacos or the flowers blooming on the street definitely make up the difference!
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