Hello from Morocco to India through Anu and Ros

Anu and Ros’s account of India was impressive, including Ros's contrast of the “rigid” laws in UK and the lax ones in India. Perhaps what makes third world countries appealing to Western tourists is this kind of atmosphere which makes them oblivious of the stress of life in their countries regulated by the respect of time and the anxiety to do everything according to law. It’s true that in the West there is much more freedom than in other countries but there are also more rigorous laws. I once read that in Britain a driver was fined £1000 for throwing the tip of a cigarette out of his car window. There was also a story which may sound amusing. In UK there were two cops on duty. One fined another the other for parking in a place where he shouldn’t. In the West, there are too many fines even for small law-breaking. This is unimaginable in countries like in India.

I would like to republish some extracts of the two comments I sent to BBC WHYS on this link when Anu published her impressions at her arrival in India on November 13th, 2006.

In Morocco, it’s easy to find someone familiar with the names of Indian actors. But apart from Mahatma Ghandi, it’s rare to find someone familiar with the name of an Indian politician. So as you can see, the image a large section of people have of India is that presented them in movies.

In Marrakesh, there is a yearly international film festival. Among the guests are Indian actors and directors like Amitabh Bachchan. In 2004, he got a very popular welcome because Indian movie for many people in Morocco is a means for escape and to celebrate the beauty of Indian music, songs and dances.

As a student of English literature, I had the chance to read some literary work like “Passage to India” by Forster, short stories by Hector Hugh Munro (Saki), and other work by Rudyard Kipling featuring India when it was still under British colonialism.

India with its huge population still has a long way to go for material progress. But it has democracy as its biggest asset which must have contributed to its stability despite its sharp contradictions and big ethnic diversities. India has been a country of wonders from its monuments and landscape to the dominance of supernatural beliefs and magic in some circles.

It has a huge population as well as a huge human potential. One day the streets in Delhi and in other parts of the country will be neat as an indication that its economy is roaring, whose products are in shops and not on the streets.

Despite everything, India is great as Indians' love for peace makes them one of the great people on earth.

My view of India today remains in parallel with its social fabric. As long as there is the caste system embedded in Indian society despite democracy and nearly 60 years of independence, Indians will continue to live the sharp contrast . This can in part explain why some Indians resign to their fate and accept to live in an age similar to their distant ancestors because in their lifetime they almost have no chance to taste the fruit of India’s current economic boom.

Despite everything, Indian culture is full of wisdom that can enable one to reach reconciliation with oneself. This can benefit anyone in any corner of the world regardless of social status or material possessions. For that, India remains worth visiting at least for spiritual inspiration.

To all WHYS Team, have a nice time in India. I’m sure it will be one of the memorable for you as you will connect this country with the rest of the world through the opportunity you will give people to have their say about India, whether they are Indians or not. After all, we all live in the same world. We appreciate and criticise each other out of genuine concern for the welfare of humankind regardless of borders, race or religion.