This is the final post I'll make to this blog about my journey to India. What follows is the statement that will be used for our group's exhibit, as well as the forward for the group book. Enjoy!
Auspicious India
A curious term, auspicious. Meaning favored by good fortune; prosperous, opportune, favorable - perhaps not the first words that would come to mind to describe the country of India. But as our group of photographers discovered while traveling to this faraway land, India might just be the embodiment of all of those sentiments and more.
India's good fortune comes in the form of its people. In South India where we wandered and explored, the people were quite simply a joyful wonder. Beaming smiles, welcoming handshakes and charming signature head bobbles greeted us at every turn, graciously inviting us to have a glimpse into their fascinating world. It is a land of contrast, to be sure - the vast divide between the haves and the have nots; the staggering pace of modern life as it speeds alongside ancient traditions; the astounding political and human rights differences that persist regardless of forward-thinking, open-minded opinions - but at its core, the people are overwhelmingly happy. Seemingly unabashedly happy - and it's infectious to behold.
Perhaps this joy stems from the actual color of the place. In India, colors are not only symbolic, but they represent brightness and diversity as well. As such, vibrant, saturated color permeates every facet of life - furnishings, architecture, clothing, jewelry. "Why wear black when there are so many colors in the rainbow?" questioned one insightful Indian beauty - and she was right. There is no place for drabness in India - the vivid hues of everything from the ubiquitous flowers and elegant women's saris to the dazzling temples and the color-soaked market stalls - all lend a vitality that is overwhelmingly cinematic. It's Bollywood in real life.
If not the color, then maybe the people's joy comes from their deep-seated faith. Religion aside, God is in even the smallest details in India. "Our lives are constructed on value and meaning," an unknowing guru commented to our group, "and God is everywhere." You see it manifested in all they do - from the bindi's dotting women's foreheads ("A third eye that sees what your two eyes cannot, an opening to your inner soul"), to the importance placed on education ("Knowledge and education is like God - it will always do positive things for us"). Formal worship is revered - Hindu temples, Muslim mosques and Christian churches are all fundamental mainstays wherever you go - but even the simple act of sweeping an entryway is steeped in belief. "Brooms wipe out the negativity from your house," our guru advised.
Having the opportunity to witness such joy regardless of circumstance certainly made India an auspicious place for us to be, even if finding the root of all that happiness is elusive. But perhaps the esteemed leader and father of the Indian independence movement, Mahatma Ghandi, summed it up best when he said: "Where there is love there is life."
Auspicious India? Indeed.
