Images of India – On a hot summer day
Of late Ive been driving into rural India more often than once. Almost every trip has taken me into this rustic world where villages and small towns seem to beckon me. This has probably been so over the last six months and probably barring Chennai and Hyderabad, I havent been to a city . I just returned from a weekend trip only to become a casualty to Bangalore’s pollution, heat and dust. Maybe thats why Im advocating a holiday to a pollution free world
In a way, I seem to be more inclined towards villages than small towns. I believe rural tourism has great potential – not just portraying the stereotypes or “real India” as the guide books say, but a connect back to the simpler,more basic way of life . What do you think ?
yes plenty of potential!
It is a gold mine waiting to be tapped!!
you are so lucky Lakshmi!!! As for us… we need to get on a flight to get anywhere.. and then worry about where to stay.. and what to do… 🙁
I agree with you completely. There is something raw and organic about taking a trip to the country side and staying in a small village and just getting to know the locals. I find it more fulfilling and interesting. Makes for a better article / post as well.
I just came back from Israel and one of the highlights came from a visit to the village of Pekee’in (not in most guidebooks) and lunch at a private home of a local Druze.
Jen at Folie a Deux
Yes this awaits you. I learn that in Punjab and Haryana, rural tourism has caught up.
What an image….the color of the grasses, earth, textiles….all the beautiful sand
Reminds me of some ‘summer vacations’ during school days when I used to visit some of the relatives in villages. It sounds fun for a while – until you’ve to walk down the dusty roads in noon sun.
Nevertheless, village tourism is yet to take off in India but people have been talking about it since a long time eyeing its potential. Not much seems to have been done though – the only bottleneck is infra.
Small towns and communities have always drawn me. The bonds of humanity seem tighter there, and I think that there will be some truly amazing moments to be captured.
Excellent picture. I completely agree with you. We all have to take a step back and simplify our lives.
Simple pleasures like coffee from fresh milk, pongal made from a smoked furnace(can’t think of the correct word), breathing fresh air….have become things of the past.
ha ya,they are quite simple 🙂
Visiting villages is vivid! The picture reminds me the days climbing on the hay aggregation and playing on the substance. I wish the villages are saved from pollutions forever.
Lovely image.
Secondly. The trouble with India is tourism infrastructure. Simple things like water, toilets, a clean bed and loo. Forget people, the people don’t have it.
Lovely image!
Villages, well, they are very nice – but just for a short visit. I am a city boy, I need noise, crowd and people running around ignoring others. 🙂
Rural India is a nice holiday choice, once in a while, I’d restrict it to may be twice a year. Once you are used to the so called luxurious life, do you really think we can survive its vicious grip ?
Hi Lakshmi!
Must confess that I’m more urban than rural, but sometimes it’s interesting enjoying the countryside… 😉
Your images odf India are excellent!
My India 2008 is coming to its end at Blogtrotter. I know you’re getting a bit tired, but there are still some marvels to come ;). Look forward to reading your comments! Enjoy and have a great weekend!
So true, Lakshmi and I am glad u r doing so much through your blog.
have you ever thought of living in a village?
Sometimes I do, and eventually hope to move on. And then sometimes I find the question of ‘where to live’ getting complicated in my mind..
🙂
Definitely it has tremendous potential. I know I would love it – I have only driven through villages, and have never stopped and spent any time in one. And if the tourism can help the villages without compromising their way of live, so much the better.
I love your country Lakshmi.
I think this is a very evocative and lovely shot of that simple life you are talking about…
i agree, but there are some basic necessities that you would have to get to these rural ‘towns’ electricity, water, transport being some of them
Yes, and it becomes more attractive when combined with home stays.
Great post…shall be back…this is very enjoyable and I love to read everything about India…everyday real life things.
Thanks for sharing
Yes, I do 100% agree with your points.
I read an article recently of a village in Punjab, I think, that takes in visitors from abroad for home stays with families, to give them the full rural experience, including the chores like grazing animals, tending to crops etc. It was interesting.
Ya..its always nice to be in villages… As i sit here, in from of my comp…may be working, i can think of some villages i have visited in the past and how nice the day would be moving on there, as compared to my own. 🙂 They are more with nature all day, than us inside an AC room. 🙁
I think so too! Especially since the new urban generation (our children) may have never had the experience of living in one.
The rural areas have a charm of their own.
That looks like one warm landscape!
I agree with you, visiting the small villages is great, you really get back to basics and see just how the people really live. While on my bus tour of India we often demanded the bus stop at tiny villages where we could buy fruit and just visit the local people, we were sometimes the first tourists that had ever stopped to visit.
I think i saw that place, there should b temple close by. I remember an ashram near by tooo…..
Thanks everybody for some wonderful comments..I will come back and reply personally to all of you