Wandering and Villages

Theon · Dec 5th, 2004, 01:39

I will be going solo to India in January for 3.5 months and have no set plan. This is my first big trip and my first time in India.

However, I can't overcome the feeling that I will have nothing to do a lot of the time. Can you experienced travellers give me some general guidelines on productive wandering?

Also, I would like to visit smaller places in India (villages), which I presume do not have the infrastructure for tourism. I know many people here have experience in visiting villages. Can some of you village lovers give me some general guidelines on village travel?

Thank you in Advance.

phreako1 · Dec 5th, 2004, 02:31

I' d say you get more out of a village visit if you have an english speaking person with you who's from the place. maybe get yourself invited by a villager who is working in a town/city and who is going back for a visit.
if you want a deeper understanding of the often complex social structures of a village you could arrange to visit a rural development ngo or something. Quite alot of em have visitor facilities.

If you really want to stay in a village be aware that there'll probably be no toilets and the food can be a little hard to digest...

If you just wanna know what a village looks like, take a stroll around but be prepared to be in the center of attention, sometimes it is quite a big thing to have an 'inglish' walking around.

Anyway with a respectful attitude and a smile you'll get a long way, but if i were you i wouldn't go strolling around in the bihar countryside or some remoter areas in UP and AP after dawn.

anyway enjoy
tms

wonderwomanusa · Dec 5th, 2004, 05:36

Don't worry -- you'll have plenty to do!

Look at your guidebook again -- why are you going to the places you've chosen as "destinations"? Any one of them should have enough to keep you busy for two days.

Don't overlook serendipity. If you're within a day's bus or train from another place that "sounds good," go there.

You will meet some lovely hospitable Indian folks who will surely invite you home with them. You'll be the center of attraction -- but you'll probably enjoy being shown off as "our Canadian visitor."

Take postcards of your own home town, and family photos with you; it's a good way to entertain your train companions!

SHIMLA · Dec 5th, 2004, 06:50

Visit the vineyards at villages near Nashik, Maharashtra, for some grape-hunting!! Jan. and Feb. are the ideal months for this.

Nashik is approx. 185 kms. from Mumbai, by road.

vishant · Dec 5th, 2004, 06:54

How do i start a new thread...???

SHIMLA · Dec 5th, 2004, 07:28

vishant,

On the home page you click on "Forums", select the appropriate forum and click on the "New Thread" tab which you'll see on the top left, just above the selected forum.

gluedtoweb · Dec 5th, 2004, 12:28

Couple of ways
Phreako1 said it right.
Kerala villages are good.
Also Villages near southern AP, Western Karnataka, Western Tamilanadu are nice, clean air, some facilities and access to moderately better townships.
Cheers

Theon · Dec 6th, 2004, 12:15

phreako1, WWU, Shimla, gluedtoweb, thanks for the reassurance and tips.

Bihar and UP are the places where I'd most like to visit villages! So basically I should try to meet some village folks outside of the city, or get in contact with an NGO. Has anyone just shown up at a village?

phreako1 · Dec 6th, 2004, 23:15

sure, you can just turn up in a village...the more connected villages willbe more used to people turning up than the tiny remote ones...but what would be the point in that? going back to your initial point that you feel you might have nothing to do...what exactly do you want to do in 'a village'? It seems you have a certain expectation...

Merchant · Dec 7th, 2004, 00:30

"Village" is a pretty flexible concept in India. You won't necessarily find a circle of quaint huts in the middle of some rice paddies and coconut palms in the middle of nowhere after a several-hour bus ride.

A village might just be a collection of houses and a few stalls on the side of the road, with some cows and chickens out back. It might also be located smack in the middle of a city and be called, unfortunately, a slum.

A village in India is just a community, wherever it happens to reside--but mostly outside the cities.

This is all to say, if you just wander anywhere in India, you will find a village of some sort, whose residents will welcome you openly.

Quote:

the food can be a little hard to digest...

Depends. There's nothing inherently wrong with farm- and garden-fresh food. The several days I spent in a village on the Andhra/Tamil border a few years ago, I have never felt better in my life.

cyberhippie · Dec 7th, 2004, 01:41

I'm confident in saying; that as a newcomer to the shores of India you'll never find yourself with "nothing to do!!!" India is a wonderful place to see first hand a thousand years and more of historical multiculturalism,The Taj, Konark Sun Temple, The caves at Betkal, The Toy Train at Darjeeling, India Gate, Gandhi's last residence in Delhi, Bhuddist Temples at Sanchi, the temples of Madurai, Hampi, The forts on the Malavan coast, Rajput forts , Step Wells, Mughal architecture,the list is endless.
The national parks will keep the amatuer wildlife enthousiast more than happy from tigers to Rhinos, Hornbill to Bustards, Lizard to Crocodile.
The food is as tasty as it is varied, and a science in itself.
The costumes will keep you clicking away, gay and brightly coloured they seem to celebrate life itself and the people are wonderfully hospitable!!!
But what you'll find everywhere is something you've never seen before, be it the cows wandering freely, or the trucks so laden that they defy gravity and engineering, a whole family on a Vespa scooter, monkeys leaping across a narrow city street, Sadhus contorting themselves into barely feasible positions, gangs of western hippys, who look like they think Jim Morrison is still alive, the ubiquitous ragtime marriage bands, Indian wiring, whole businesses carried on someone's head, mountain porters carrying a object that dwarf's them on a head sling, the traffic, the beautiful kids, double jointed street acrobats, snake charmers, fortune tellers with a bear in tow, people asleep in the most unlikely of places, transvestites with cash notes as jewelry, begging elephants, minor goverment officials with flashing light motorised cavalcades, pilgrims on the defining quest, tribals, with strange jewelry, faintly satanic Dravidians, packaging India style ...................
This and so much more is India, coupled with all the stuff we read about and want to see. Suffice to say you won't often be bored!!

Happy Traveling

seventies'hippy · Dec 7th, 2004, 01:59

Well said cyberhippie,
Very discriptive,,,,,,,,,,,

edwardseco · Dec 7th, 2004, 03:58

My problem with this is in the infrastructure. Most villages have at best very little, maybe a tea shop and a dry goods stall. Its better closer to cities but not nearly as friendly. Arranging for meals can mean mooching off the villagers and I have ethical issues for such casual purposes. Finding a roof to stay under is also interesting in what is often a crowded environment. Just my 2 cents from a year wandering from village to village in Maharashtra..

Merchant · Dec 7th, 2004, 20:50

Quote:

Finding a roof to stay under

Don't you mean finding a roof to stay on?

Theon · Dec 9th, 2004, 23:48

Thanks again everyone. I have a new candidate for favorite god: Indiamike.com!

edwardseco, in your extensive experience, what did you find was the best way to go about visiting villages while avoiding causing problems for them?

Dec 5th, 2004, 01:39	#1
Theon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 146	Wandering and Villages I will be going solo to India in January for 3.5 months and have no set plan. This is my first big trip and my first time in India. However, I can't overcome the feeling that I will have nothing to do a lot of the time. Can you experienced travellers give me some general guidelines on productive wandering? Also, I would like to visit smaller places in India (villages), which I presume do not have the infrastructure for tourism. I know many people here have experience in visiting villages. Can some of you village lovers give me some general guidelines on village travel? Thank you in Advance.

Dec 5th, 2004, 06:50	#4
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,125	Visit the vineyards at villages near Nashik, Maharashtra, for some grape-hunting!! Jan. and Feb. are the ideal months for this. Nashik is approx. 185 kms. from Mumbai, by road. __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

Dec 5th, 2004, 06:54	#5
vishant Wandering spirit Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Everywhere i can be Posts: 59	Problem...!!! How do i start a new thread...???

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Dec 5th, 2004, 02:31	#2
phreako1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: mekalapalli AP Posts: 126	I' d say you get more out of a village visit if you have an english speaking person with you who's from the place. maybe get yourself invited by a villager who is working in a town/city and who is going back for a visit. if you want a deeper understanding of the often complex social structures of a village you could arrange to visit a rural development ngo or something. Quite alot of em have visitor facilities. If you really want to stay in a village be aware that there'll probably be no toilets and the food can be a little hard to digest... If you just wanna know what a village looks like, take a stroll around but be prepared to be in the center of attention, sometimes it is quite a big thing to have an 'inglish' walking around. Anyway with a respectful attitude and a smile you'll get a long way, but if i were you i wouldn't go strolling around in the bihar countryside or some remoter areas in UP and AP after dawn. anyway enjoy tms

Dec 5th, 2004, 05:36	#3
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,468	Don't worry -- you'll have plenty to do! Look at your guidebook again -- why are you going to the places you've chosen as "destinations"? Any one of them should have enough to keep you busy for two days. Don't overlook serendipity. If you're within a day's bus or train from another place that "sounds good," go there. You will meet some lovely hospitable Indian folks who will surely invite you home with them. You'll be the center of attraction -- but you'll probably enjoy being shown off as "our Canadian visitor." Take postcards of your own home town, and family photos with you; it's a good way to entertain your train companions!

Dec 5th, 2004, 07:28	#6
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,125	vishant, On the home page you click on "Forums", select the appropriate forum and click on the "New Thread" tab which you'll see on the top left, just above the selected forum.

Dec 5th, 2004, 12:28	#7
gluedtoweb Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: California USA Posts: 56	Couple of ways Phreako1 said it right. Kerala villages are good. Also Villages near southern AP, Western Karnataka, Western Tamilanadu are nice, clean air, some facilities and access to moderately better townships. Cheers

Dec 6th, 2004, 12:15	#8
Theon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 146	phreako1, WWU, Shimla, gluedtoweb, thanks for the reassurance and tips. Bihar and UP are the places where I'd most like to visit villages! So basically I should try to meet some village folks outside of the city, or get in contact with an NGO. Has anyone just shown up at a village?

Dec 6th, 2004, 23:15	#9
phreako1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: mekalapalli AP Posts: 126	sure, you can just turn up in a village...the more connected villages willbe more used to people turning up than the tiny remote ones...but what would be the point in that? going back to your initial point that you feel you might have nothing to do...what exactly do you want to do in 'a village'? It seems you have a certain expectation...

Dec 7th, 2004, 01:41	#11
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,012	I'm confident in saying; that as a newcomer to the shores of India you'll never find yourself with "nothing to do!!!" India is a wonderful place to see first hand a thousand years and more of historical multiculturalism,The Taj, Konark Sun Temple, The caves at Betkal, The Toy Train at Darjeeling, India Gate, Gandhi's last residence in Delhi, Bhuddist Temples at Sanchi, the temples of Madurai, Hampi, The forts on the Malavan coast, Rajput forts , Step Wells, Mughal architecture,the list is endless. The national parks will keep the amatuer wildlife enthousiast more than happy from tigers to Rhinos, Hornbill to Bustards, Lizard to Crocodile. The food is as tasty as it is varied, and a science in itself. The costumes will keep you clicking away, gay and brightly coloured they seem to celebrate life itself and the people are wonderfully hospitable!!! But what you'll find everywhere is something you've never seen before, be it the cows wandering freely, or the trucks so laden that they defy gravity and engineering, a whole family on a Vespa scooter, monkeys leaping across a narrow city street, Sadhus contorting themselves into barely feasible positions, gangs of western hippys, who look like they think Jim Morrison is still alive, the ubiquitous ragtime marriage bands, Indian wiring, whole businesses carried on someone's head, mountain porters carrying a object that dwarf's them on a head sling, the traffic, the beautiful kids, double jointed street acrobats, snake charmers, fortune tellers with a bear in tow, people asleep in the most unlikely of places, transvestites with cash notes as jewelry, begging elephants, minor goverment officials with flashing light motorised cavalcades, pilgrims on the defining quest, tribals, with strange jewelry, faintly satanic Dravidians, packaging India style ................... This and so much more is India, coupled with all the stuff we read about and want to see. Suffice to say you won't often be bored!! Happy Traveling

Dec 7th, 2004, 01:59	#12
seventies'hippy Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: UK Posts: 2,127	Well said cyberhippie, Very discriptive,,,,,,,,,,,

Dec 7th, 2004, 03:58	#13
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,911	My problem with this is in the infrastructure. Most villages have at best very little, maybe a tea shop and a dry goods stall. Its better closer to cities but not nearly as friendly. Arranging for meals can mean mooching off the villagers and I have ethical issues for such casual purposes. Finding a roof to stay under is also interesting in what is often a crowded environment. Just my 2 cents from a year wandering from village to village in Maharashtra..

Dec 9th, 2004, 23:48	#15
Theon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 146	Thanks again everyone. I have a new candidate for favorite god: Indiamike.com! edwardseco, in your extensive experience, what did you find was the best way to go about visiting villages while avoiding causing problems for them?

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