SUR DE INDIA

Ah, to India, a country that does not accept black and white photographs and whose colors remind us that the world is full of diversity and nuances. We invite the traveler to delve into what for many is the authentic, sacred and sensual India, the South India. bustling and colorful Bombay the paradisiacal beaches of Goa the channels of Kerala the perfumes of maison the colonial vestiges of posin cherry places where every moment, gesture or smile are put in relation to the sacred places where the traveler immersed in the sensual quality that is breathed is almost without realizing it participates in rituals and customs that permeate the evolution of daily life welcome to south

india

south

india

and mystical and sensual the history of india is that of the constant invasion of the various colonization is from the portuguese to English until its independence in 1947 and how the country has been fusing those influences into its own character.

Today, India is an immense country of more than 1,000 million people, the most populated after China and the largest democracy in the world. Divided into 29 states and six indigenous territories that make up a federal republic where 22 languages ​​and 2,000 dialects are spoken in India, tradition mysticism and modernity coexist here, it may happen that a traditional family encourages their daughter to succeed in Bollywood or that a rocket scientist Pray in the temple for the success of a space trip to the moon. Our trip will cover 5 of the 29 Indian states, starting with Bombay, a chaotic and charismatic economic capital of the country that preserves the monumentality of having been a British colony, following the coast towards the south, we will arrive. to the state of goa, an ancient portuguese enclave famous for its paradisiacal beaches, through the bowels of southern india, we will visit my series known for the production of sandalwood silk and incense.

Then, the state of kerala awaits us in the southwest with its labyrinth of canals that we will explore aboard a rice warehouse and the perilla reserve, an elephant refuge, going up the coast we will reach pondicherry in the state of tamil nadu where the french influence endures and mama lapura my fishing village where we will discover one of the largest bas-reliefs in the world everything surprises in india from the south a place to get lost and to return to a thousand times Bombay the megalopolis also called Mumbai is the capital of the state of Maharashtra in western India and the most important port in the country its name comes from the local goddess Mumbai is home With 16 million people and the economic center of India, tourists usually visit it in a hurry on the way to other places, but Bombay keeps treasures that are worth discovering, such as the neighborhoods of Con Lava and Fort with a strong English colonial influence.

There we will visit the door. From India, the Taj Mahal Hotel, the University of Bombay and the High Court, the Victoria Terminus Station and in the northern area, the well-known Joe's Beach, for you, the starting point of our visit to Bombay, pass through the India Gate in the Colaba neighborhood. which welcomes the traveler by the sea, this type of colonial triumphal arch is a symbol of the city. It was built to commemorate the visit of George the Fifth of England to the country in 1911. The sea breeze of Oman forces the constant rehabilitation of this monument and it is surprising to see how the most modern city in India uses bamboo scaffolding to wash the face of its buildings.

This is the first of the thousand surprises that will awaken our senses on this trip. Past the threshold of the Gate of India, we enter the Colaba neighborhood, one of the most bustling and lively in Bombay, here it is located overlooking the sea, another of its symbols, the Taj Mahal hotel was founded in 1903 by the Parsi industrialist Hangst and dates supposedly after he was denied entry to one of the hotels. Europeans of the city because he was a native. From then on, he promised to create the most luxurious building in Bombay in which anyone who wanted would have the full right to enter, but the wealth of the country is incubated in its great contradictions in the hive. of people from this neighborhood of Colaba who crowd until late at night in a market where the traveler can find the unimaginable, including of course Bollywood movies.

Bollywood is the name with which the film industry was baptized in the 70s. indie produced in Bombay with the intention of competing with North American Hollywood in contrast to Western cinema. Indie films are colorful, full of songs and dances, a popular phenomenon of enormous impact and massive reach. The University of Bombay was designed in the 19th century by gilbert scott also author of sen pancras station in london its stately appearance is reminiscent of a 15th century italian building and seems to have been deposited as if by magic in this indian megalopolis for the pride of its citizens on the periphery of what once It was the walled fort of Bombay, where the high court is located, another eerily and imposing building erected in black stone, just in front of the court, the Maidan Oval Park opens up, which was once a large bowling alley where English ladies went in their days.

Leisure is an important lung for the city in which young aspiring cricket players practice this national sport following the route through the bomb and colonial we arrive at Victoria Terminus station, one of the icons and main visual reference of the city, this impressive building that at first glance could be confused with a Victorian neo-Gothic cathedral, it was erected at the end of the 19th century as a symbol of the British empire in these lands. The statue that crowns the building represents progress and holds in its hands two of its hallmarks, a locomotive and a wheel and that coexist from their height with the rhythms and popular habits and the quiet wandering of animals through streets and markets.

Perhaps more than once the traveler wonders how it is possible that despite the bustle and pollution, Indians wear saris and shirts so shiny, the dow viga or lakshmi mesh laundry in the north of the city is the answer. Every day, some 5,000 men come to soak and soap thousands of kilos of clothes that arrive from all parts of Bombay. This curious textile abuse is carried out under a ritual. in which the clothes dance to the rhythm of each of the shakes as if it were a sacred ceremony. The unforgettable image of Sunday is hidden behind the waterfall of colors that, lying and wet, wave in the sun, the same sun that on the shores of the Arabian Sea.

Take a bath in one of the most popular places in Bombay, Joe's Beach. For you, a new day begins on this beach north of the city where its inhabitants gather to chat, sitting on the sand, taking a bath, laughing and being an active part of a metropolis that It could have been from many places but it only belongs to one, India. The journey continues. It is time to leave Bombay on the way to Goa. From Bombay we begin our route towards the southernmost India. There, the paradisiacal beaches of the state of Goa, the smallest in India, await us. a region where leisure and the calm of the sea welcome the visitor with a striking mix of east and west located between the mountains of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea wow is an ancient Portuguese enclave in 1498 Vasco de Gama became the first European that established the maritime route with India, the Portuguese arrived with the intention of founding a colony and taking control of the spice trade.

They would remain throughout the state architectural and cultural reminiscences that still last for cats, first stop on our route because it is a clear example of how over the years nature and fun coexist without problems although not and extensive the beaches of vaga thor dotted with palm trees form one of the most beautiful coastal areas in the country, entering the north of goa to the mouth of the mando vy river we find the current capital of the state the city of panahi here the neighborhoods of sao tome mountains and al tiñó are an example of how the portuguese tradition has been able to combine pse with indian magic and spirituality and this through a simple motif Blue for the Portuguese, this color has always symbolized their close relationship with the sea with the discoverers and the new world and here is that imprint that remains there on facades and corners as if enthralled by a color inseparable from the daily life of its citizens.

A walk through bread leads us slowly and inevitably towards its best-known building, the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, located in the main square of Panahi. The church was consecrated by the Portuguese colonizers in 1541. This city was precisely the first port on the journey. from Lisbon and in the church of the immaculate conception the sailors made wishes for a safe return just nine kilometers to the east of the valley is the old or ancient capital of the state its temples and its now dilapidated grandeur had once competed directly with the city itself ancient and stately Lisbon but of that there remains only a magical pale reflection and covered with a fine layer of dust that the traveler discovers step by step the influence of the missions was such that the old goave sees directly from the sources of Catholicism and thus does not show its symbology on walls, mosaics and rituals of its inhabitants, but traveling through southern India reminds us again and again that its inhabitants coexist peacefully with other religious manifestations since, according to what they say, there are as many Hinduism as there are Hindus in India and that makes this society in a conglomerate of customs and interpretations of faith and varied and often picturesque ways of living descending on our journey by go we arrived at the most popular and idyllic urbanized beach ballet it is a large paradisiacal house of white sand flanked by palm trees and small bungalows for travelers and while tourists play in the sand or sunbathe without worries the calm sacred cows of India watch the tide rise while they gather to put in their mouths our path continues next stop my sun the city of mysore is located in the southeast of the state of karnataka, it is named in honor of mais aura, the demon in the shape of a buffalo that the goddess durga defeated in combat. emitters from beginning to end, a sensual, charismatic city full of stories, some travelers claim that it is located or that There they thought they found the essence of India, one of the manufacturing of incense.

This city gives off very special and intoxicating aromas. The use of sandalwood is well known here, which beyond a spiritual service, Ayurveda medicine also uses as a curious cure for emptiness. From this magical city we will visit the royal palace, the Baralla market and the spiritual Mount Cha Mundi. When the traveler arrives in Mysore, his first vision is that of the imposing royal palace, also known as both lives, a mixture of Indo-Saracenic architecture with Western influences has been and It remains the residence of the Vo dynasty, one of the longest-lived in South India, issuing kingdom from the 14th century until independence in 1947 and still growing today to its heirs as elected governors at nightfall with the illumination of everything. the complex the traveler feels guided by a large stone lighthouse that will accompany him on his path through my sun this small daily miracle communicates directly with the most southern Indian spirituality very close to the royal palace is one of the most colorful and photographed markets in all india el de baralla the activity here is incessant since the first lights of dawn appear when the fresh fruit and vegetables arrive at their small stalls.

It is in this type of spaces where the visitor can come to understand the functioning of this apparently chaotic society and tumultuous the south of india is even more than the rest of the country a school of mysticism spirituality is manifested everywhere from the way of behaving, speaking or even eating of the indians to the most multitudinous and spectacular religious gatherings is the case of the mount cha mundi the spiritual viewpoint of emitters more than a thousand steps separate the traveler from an entire complex of hindu temples consecrated to the goddess durga halfway there is the impressive five-meter-high statue that represents nandi the serving bull Mounted to the god Shiva and symbolizes fertility, step by step, the emitters open in a friendly and affordable way to the traveler who finds in its tranquility a place of rest on the road and in its people a treasure that will be taken to the new destinations of the journey.

The next is that following the route through southern India we arrived at the state of Kerala, a tongue of land that dips its feet in the waters of the Arabian Sea and is limited to the east by the mountain range of the Western Ghats. Here they await us. its aquifer canals the city of a la pizza the nature reserve of periyar and the small cum and the cradle of ayurveda medicine the name that was the in the malayalam language means place of coconuts apparently the coconut was not native to india but rather It was introduced by the former caste abbots from neighboring Sri Lanka who were in charge of cultivating it and promoting its development in which nothing we enter into the universe of this place of coconuts the back waters the English word that literally means behind the waters serves to name more than 2,000 kilometers of inland canals formed by small lagoons, a kind of Indian Venice that the traveler can discover aboard one of the traditional rice boats or that you balam that sail through its waters.

Here the local economy is based on rice fishing. and the coconut a calm self-sufficiency that shows itself in everyday reality we head to the main city inside the labyrinthof evacuees in the interior of the city, the coconut is omnipresent. Entering Kerala means having a pleasant smell of coconut oil impregnated on your clothes and body that numbs and fascinates. In addition to being a staple food in the area, the coconut is also an offering in the temples according to local mythology the coconut tree is a celestial tree that grants wishes, so everything that surrounds this fruit becomes directly part of a unique spirituality the coconut ladles the roofs of the boats made with palm leaves street stalls packed with coconut and even banana chips with coconut oil are part of a sacred ritual.

If you ever ask an Indian how many gods Hinduism worships, he will answer hundreds of thousands and it is that we would need two lives to understand the complexity of these sacred figures in the In South India, very specific gods are worshiped. Those who are closest here in Kerala are represented in the temple of the goddess Kali. This goddess is often considered a violent and gloomy being, a symbol of darkness. She is associated with the god Shiva and is the patron saint of The city of Calcutta, Chivas is one of the main gods of the country.

He is the lord of dance and has the power of destruction. However, he preserves and maintains stability in the world. The eighth reincarnation of Chivas Krishna is a symbol of love, pleasure and music and Ghanaian is the god of southern India par excellence. He is worshiped by 80 percent of the population. He is represented with a human body and elephant head and symbolizes wisdom and prudence. We continue the path entering the Perilla nature reserve located in The western gaks on the border with tamil nadu cover an area of ​​777 square kilometers and have a large artificial lake created by the British in 1895, inhabited among other animals by a thousand elephants that calmly walk through the reserve while being adored by tourists and locals and Mahatma Gandhi once said a country a civilization can be judged by the way it treats its animals and in southern India the elephant has a status that borders on the sacred not the small town of which mili is the gateway to this natural park, home of the revered William, and its streets are made up of simple craft and clothing businesses as well as private houses converted into hotels, but another of the main attractions of this area are the Ayurveda medicine centers, the word meaning science of life. and has more than 2000 years of history, the majority of travelers go to these centers to treat muscle problems or headaches and without hardly realizing it, they become part of this ancient ritual, a pleasure for the senses that is worth experiencing our trip, which was the It has shown us along the way that it has its own and genuine spirit.

The traveler immerses himself in its waters, knows its people and even participates in their communion in the sacred with the simple act of eating banana chips with coconut oil and this mode begins its journey towards the south again we head towards the east coast in the state of tamil nadu and there we find the vestiges of a society that drinks from the sources of its French colonizers but does not forget its origins we are in pondicherry the charm of The city perfectly mixes the European environment and architecture with the more typically Indian soul. This former French colony was established in the 18th century as a commercial enclave and it was not until the mid-1950s that the dominion of these lands was returned to the Indians.

Through its streets we find behind every corner a powerful intention to imitate the symbols of France. The church of No Tran de Sants, Our Lady of the Angels is a curious colonial version of the popular Notre Dame de Paris. It was built in 1858 and the luster of the stone limestone from the interior was achieved in its day by adding eggshells to the plaster on the west side of the city next to the bay of bengal is the French quarter with a grid structure and a tranquility almost unheard of in this country here there are plenty of places with air Mediterranean that welcome the more than 14,000 French people who live in the city as at home and where the traveler can experience first-hand the explosion of flavors of the most sensual India the gastronomy especially here in the south the spiciness is added to the meals In large quantities, rice presides over menus throughout the country.

A good choice is to accompany it with the traditional spicy and juicy chicken tikka, which can also be completed with a pot of stewed eggplants in sauce. Nan is another basic element of Indian cuisine. of a bread cake sometimes cooked with cheese that enriches all the dishes and for dessert the traveler can surprise his senses with the well-known in the xi a simple and delicious smoothie of sweetened yogurt in the bowels of the French quarter is one of the best known meditation centers in south india the sri aurobindo ashram was founded in 1926 by the politician and philosopher sri aurobindo and his spiritual companion a French woman nicknamed the mother currently the center organizes cultural and educational activities the west promenade ri houses One of the most representative jewels of the city, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi visits it practically every day and climbs its pedestal to take photos with the Indian leader despite the Mediterranean air of its streets and the aroma of freshly baked baguette in Pondicherry. of being an Indian city with its regions, its rituals, its bustle in the streets and its ability to absorb and reinterpret external influences in its own way, the road ahead does not book one last appointment, mom works, the final stage of the journey is located within the state of tamil nadu in perhaps the most lively and charming enclave of south india rural mother and him here we will know the penance of fasting to one of the largest reliefs in the world the sculptures of the five straight ones and the imperishable temple of the shore labor mother It is a small town of fishermen and sculptors who keep in their historic center one of the most appreciated treasures in all of India, the penance of fasting.

This stone bas-relief is one of the largest in the world, 31 meters long and 9 meters high. The main relief shows the god Shiva standing with Arjuna, a hero in the service of Christ whose penance consists of maintaining balance before the attentive gaze of his watcher. The immense rock is also formed by the reliefs of impressive elephants, an animal highly venerated in this country. No, and as the delicate balance of fasting, a clean, round rock remains firm on a hill, defying the laws of physics, it is called Cristian's butter ball and is located a few meters from the great rif, far from sliding down the hill. its shadow to the visitor and lazy wings goats of the place the dynasty of the that way goes very popular in southern india left in this small town of mama lapura one of the most beautiful examples of its reign the five rats were discovered two hundred years ago by the British and were buried under the sand of a sea that rocks its waves just 300 meters away.

It means flesh and it is the shape that these monolithic sculptural figures have. It is a set of temples that owe their name to the victors. From the Mahabarata, the great mythological epic of India, crowning the enclosure is the figure of a life-size elephant that is said to be the most perfect sculptural representation of this animal in all of India. If there is something that could not be taken or buried under its fine sand It is the so-called shore temple that daily defies wind and storms in the Gulf of Reign. It is one of the most beautiful places in Mama la Pura and was built at the beginning of the 8th century.

The two main capitals contain sanctuaries dedicated to the god Shiva who sees As slowly and progressively the structure of this small temple erodes to the rhythm of the coming and going of the tides, no one has the sea in southern India. This has always been a desert of greenish dunes full of life. The fishermen leave their nets and push their boats to daily to delve into it while they entrust themselves to the gods to overcome their fears the traditional fishing boats challenge the great blue with a deep look painted on the bow that could be said to transform them into creatures from another world this is the final point of our trip through the mystical and sensual south india we leave mom labor with the sensation of carrying us impregnated in our interior and in the senses something intangible that goes beyond the mystical universe of this country the colors of Bombay and the paradise of Goa and its tropical beaches the fragrance of the sandalwood of mysore the kingdom of coconuts in its labyrinthine canals in kerala the natural park of periyar and its elephant reserve the mediterranean softness of pondicherry the captivating beauty of mama laburan south india captivates fascinates and makes the traveler participate in a everyday sensuality and spirituality that are perceived behind mountains and landscapes dusty towns motley markets looks ways of walking living eating and even under the trunk of a smiling elephant