Which aspect of India attracts you most and why?

prince_anurag · May 1st, 2003, 14:31

Which aspect of India attracts you most and why?

1. Fairs & Festivals
2. Fine Arts & Crafts
3. Yoga & Meditation
4. Indian Wildlife
5. Forts, Palaces & Museums
6. Tribal Areas
7. Indian Villages
8. Bazars in narrow lanes of any city
9. Ancient Temples
10. Camel Safari on Indian Desert

I want to add more options, but only ten are allowed. However, everybody is welcome to share their interests/ fascinations, which keep on binding them with India eternally!!!

maree · May 1st, 2003, 16:24

Can you vote for more than one thing?

prince_anurag · May 1st, 2003, 17:01

Yes Maree! You can vote for more than one option!!!

rab · May 2nd, 2003, 00:46

I love the railways, the sense of journeying, meeting people, the solace from the hustle and bustle, the crowds too, the spaces, the peace, the clean air, the fumes too, the steam rising from the railway engines of Nilgiri, the quiet waters of the great rivers and the harbours of Mumbai, the animals and the dirt, the pristine smiles, the cheeky scams, the aroma of incense, the feral cats, the languages, good humour, the sense of humility I feel when I am in this lovely country.

All I could put was "temples".

I am sorry prince anurag, but you are right about the ten options -there are not enough choices to express what attracts people about India!

A good try though with your categories!

rab

Tomi · May 2nd, 2003, 10:44

I hate to be difficult, but here's another poll I can't find the answer I would give: just watching life unfold in front of me, observing people and their ways. That includes bazaars, festivals, and crafts, and the human aspect of temples, but even if I were deprived of any one of these I would still be fascinated by India. Rab captures some of that in his post, and makes me want to go back soon...

prince_anurag · May 2nd, 2003, 13:41

Rab! I liked poetic way of your expression- excellent!

Tomi! I understand that it is really difficult to poll on such subjects. However this kind of poll provides a plateform to share the inner feelings towards India with other Forum members & guests. I'm happy to know that Rab's poetic way could inspire you to go back to the glorious land- India.

-m2- · May 2nd, 2003, 22:57

another difficult poll for me, too. There is something just about the mental freedom you feel travelling; the hustle and bustle, the colours, unusual and unexpected sights, the people you meet (other travellers as well as local) -- and India provides such a rich mix of experiences that it is truly a special place to visit. I chose 4, 5, and 8 but the option I really missed was 'beaches'. I know it sounds crazy that with all India has to offer, the beaches and ambience of Goa and Kerala are such a draw to me, but at this point in my life, that's what keeps me coming back now -- an absolutely wonderful way to avoid a Canadian winter.

vinayverma · May 3rd, 2003, 01:27

People and culture......there is so much of life here in everything....
and being an Indian I love many things which are beyond any touristy thingy

Midnite Toker · May 4th, 2003, 00:31

My god - doesn't anybody go to India like me for the food? It was an option I expected, but then it seems I'm the only one who missed it.

Like many others, I'm not really able to answer this poll. Some things I go for include the ability to be the slightly cracked person I am without drawing cluck clucks from disapproving mothers with children; the aforementioned grub (thalis - just lower me headfirst into a giant one for three months and I'll eat my way out, naan, channa masala, places that do just rajma and chappatis but perfected to an art, alu paratha and creamy curd...); kids playing with creative toys made out of old lumber or bent wire; the joys of riding a bicycle on back roads where two wheels are still good; the ability to meet other travellers in a situation where neither of us has our cultural bubblesuit on; the excellent charas; markets where getting the Saturday shopping as quickly as possible isn't yet the aim of it all; the mountains; the fake holy men and the roaming minstrels; travelling on trains; the relative cheapness of it all.

Watson · May 4th, 2003, 01:33

All of you said it! For me India was a spontanious journey the first time. A good friend who just came back brought the LP for us and well after reading through it we decided - why not? India is something you can read about and research but it only really hits you when you experience it. Either you love it or hate it and all I can say is that I'll always go back because I love it.

steven_ber · May 4th, 2003, 06:08

Everything above rings bells for me, just a few things to add:

I have not travelled much, but i have never been to a place where i can just sit down and 'people watch' for hours, or where i feel so safe, so wanted, where people are interested in ME.

I have never been to a place that is so thought provoking, where you feel you have to ask questions, mostly about yourself, a place that can touch you, hurt you, humour you, annoy you, humble you, affect you in such a way as to change your life for ever.

The friendship, the trust, the warmth, the hospitality offered in India cannot be explained, only experienced, and only fully realised upon returning home.

A place where you can board a train in a dusty town and climb through beautifull hills and valleys, and yet only a few hours ago you could have been on a beach, having a swim and a beer.

If there is another country that can offer so much, let me know, only give me another 20 years to see the rest of India first.

prince_anurag · May 5th, 2003, 16:22

Steve, I’m really thrilled seeing your enthusiasm & love for India.

BrownEyedGuy · May 16th, 2003, 04:30

Wow,what you're brought up in definitely influences what you'll like. Having lived recently in India for a year,I shudder at the narrow lanes,the pollution,the HEAT and stifling humidity and the noise.
But that may be because I lived in arid Tamil Nadu. There is one thing about India that I love-and that's the animals. I love the food too,although there aren't really many convenience foods available and it sometimes get monotonous. India is great if you're laidback yourself but not otherwise.

pquekel · May 16th, 2003, 16:03

To me, middle aged Dutchman, travelling alone, India was (among so much more, oh yes!!) a time machine in total disorder and coming from the over organised Netherlands I loved it! Runnng along an endless train in Madurai, trying to find my coach, sweating under a to heavy backpack, helped by a young priest of some creed who hardly could, dared or wanted to touch a non-believer, but nevertheless gave me a hand with that pack, a fellow passenger reassured me, telling: "The train will not leave without you "... and that is what Maha Baratha, Amma India became to me in the end, a train that will not leave without us, in all its splendour and misery, its chilling social and political incompetences and its amazing hearth warming magnanimity...oh, how dó I look forward to get on that train again, for the third time, coming July and August, starting in Bangalore...

Jorge Reverter · Sep 23rd, 2005, 22:33

I have voted for " Tribal Areas " because I've spent my best journey in India in tribal areas in Orissa. Nevertheless cannot think about India without bazaars, temples (ancient temples), monuments, villages and so on..

View Poll Results: Which aspect of India attracts you most and why?
Fairs & Festivals	21	20.19%
Fine Arts & Crafts	19	18.27%
Yoga & Meditation	13	12.50%
Indian Wildlife	17	16.35%
Forts, Palaces & Museums	23	22.12%
Tribal Areas	13	12.50%
Indian Villages	38	36.54%
Bazars in narrow lanes of any city	55	52.88%
Ancient Temples	33	31.73%
Camel Safari on Indian Desert	9	8.65%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 104. You may not vote on this poll

May 1st, 2003, 14:31	#1
prince_anurag Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: India Posts: 50	Which aspect of India attracts you most and why? Which aspect of India attracts you most and why? 1. Fairs & Festivals 2. Fine Arts & Crafts 3. Yoga & Meditation 4. Indian Wildlife 5. Forts, Palaces & Museums 6. Tribal Areas 7. Indian Villages 8. Bazars in narrow lanes of any city 9. Ancient Temples 10. Camel Safari on Indian Desert I want to add more options, but only ten are allowed. However, everybody is welcome to share their interests/ fascinations, which keep on binding them with India eternally!!!

May 2nd, 2003, 00:46	#4
rab Honorary Mod Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: McLaren Vale, South Australia Posts: 1,214	I love the railways, the sense of journeying, meeting people, the solace from the hustle and bustle, the crowds too, the spaces, the peace, the clean air, the fumes too, the steam rising from the railway engines of Nilgiri, the quiet waters of the great rivers and the harbours of Mumbai, the animals and the dirt, the pristine smiles, the cheeky scams, the aroma of incense, the feral cats, the languages, good humour, the sense of humility I feel when I am in this lovely country. All I could put was "temples". I am sorry prince anurag, but you are right about the ten options -there are not enough choices to express what attracts people about India! A good try though with your categories! rab __________________ IndiaMike Mod Team (The Honorary One)

May 3rd, 2003, 01:27	#8
vinayverma Maha Infrequent Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 1,286	People and culture......there is so much of life here in everything.... and being an Indian I love many things which are beyond any touristy thingy __________________ If Life is a journey....travel on...and on..on..on.....

May 4th, 2003, 00:31	#9
Midnite Toker absconding member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 474	The food! My god - doesn't anybody go to India like me for the food? It was an option I expected, but then it seems I'm the only one who missed it. Like many others, I'm not really able to answer this poll. Some things I go for include the ability to be the slightly cracked person I am without drawing cluck clucks from disapproving mothers with children; the aforementioned grub (thalis - just lower me headfirst into a giant one for three months and I'll eat my way out, naan, channa masala, places that do just rajma and chappatis but perfected to an art, alu paratha and creamy curd...); kids playing with creative toys made out of old lumber or bent wire; the joys of riding a bicycle on back roads where two wheels are still good; the ability to meet other travellers in a situation where neither of us has our cultural bubblesuit on; the excellent charas; markets where getting the Saturday shopping as quickly as possible isn't yet the aim of it all; the mountains; the fake holy men and the roaming minstrels; travelling on trains; the relative cheapness of it all. __________________ travel tips, blog, downloads, panorama photos, online security, tokes: the tokezone

May 1st, 2003, 16:24	#2
maree Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: New Zealander in Bangkok Posts: 850	Can you vote for more than one thing?

May 1st, 2003, 17:01	#3
prince_anurag Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: India Posts: 50	Yes Maree! You can vote for more than one option!!!

May 2nd, 2003, 10:44	#5
Tomi Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Cambridge, MA, USA Posts: 449	I hate to be difficult, but here's another poll I can't find the answer I would give: just watching life unfold in front of me, observing people and their ways. That includes bazaars, festivals, and crafts, and the human aspect of temples, but even if I were deprived of any one of these I would still be fascinated by India. Rab captures some of that in his post, and makes me want to go back soon...

May 2nd, 2003, 13:41	#6
prince_anurag Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: India Posts: 50	Rab! I liked poetic way of your expression- excellent! Tomi! I understand that it is really difficult to poll on such subjects. However this kind of poll provides a plateform to share the inner feelings towards India with other Forum members & guests. I'm happy to know that Rab's poetic way could inspire you to go back to the glorious land- India.

May 2nd, 2003, 22:57	#7
-m2- . Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: . Posts: 1,578	another difficult poll for me, too. There is something just about the mental freedom you feel travelling; the hustle and bustle, the colours, unusual and unexpected sights, the people you meet (other travellers as well as local) -- and India provides such a rich mix of experiences that it is truly a special place to visit. I chose 4, 5, and 8 but the option I really missed was 'beaches'. I know it sounds crazy that with all India has to offer, the beaches and ambience of Goa and Kerala are such a draw to me, but at this point in my life, that's what keeps me coming back now -- an absolutely wonderful way to avoid a Canadian winter.

May 4th, 2003, 01:33	#10
Watson You look, No Problem! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 229	All of you said it! For me India was a spontanious journey the first time. A good friend who just came back brought the LP for us and well after reading through it we decided - why not? India is something you can read about and research but it only really hits you when you experience it. Either you love it or hate it and all I can say is that I'll always go back because I love it.

May 4th, 2003, 06:08	#11
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,928	Everything above rings bells for me, just a few things to add: I have not travelled much, but i have never been to a place where i can just sit down and 'people watch' for hours, or where i feel so safe, so wanted, where people are interested in ME. I have never been to a place that is so thought provoking, where you feel you have to ask questions, mostly about yourself, a place that can touch you, hurt you, humour you, annoy you, humble you, affect you in such a way as to change your life for ever. The friendship, the trust, the warmth, the hospitality offered in India cannot be explained, only experienced, and only fully realised upon returning home. A place where you can board a train in a dusty town and climb through beautifull hills and valleys, and yet only a few hours ago you could have been on a beach, having a swim and a beer. If there is another country that can offer so much, let me know, only give me another 20 years to see the rest of India first. __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

May 5th, 2003, 16:22	#12
prince_anurag Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: India Posts: 50	Steve, I’m really thrilled seeing your enthusiasm & love for India.

May 16th, 2003, 04:30	#13
BrownEyedGuy Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 6	Wow,what you're brought up in definitely influences what you'll like. Having lived recently in India for a year,I shudder at the narrow lanes,the pollution,the HEAT and stifling humidity and the noise. But that may be because I lived in arid Tamil Nadu. There is one thing about India that I love-and that's the animals. I love the food too,although there aren't really many convenience foods available and it sometimes get monotonous. India is great if you're laidback yourself but not otherwise.

May 16th, 2003, 16:03	#14
pquekel Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands/Eindhoven Posts: 158	To me, middle aged Dutchman, travelling alone, India was (among so much more, oh yes!!) a time machine in total disorder and coming from the over organised Netherlands I loved it! Runnng along an endless train in Madurai, trying to find my coach, sweating under a to heavy backpack, helped by a young priest of some creed who hardly could, dared or wanted to touch a non-believer, but nevertheless gave me a hand with that pack, a fellow passenger reassured me, telling: "The train will not leave without you "... and that is what Maha Baratha, Amma India became to me in the end, a train that will not leave without us, in all its splendour and misery, its chilling social and political incompetences and its amazing hearth warming magnanimity...oh, how dó I look forward to get on that train again, for the third time, coming July and August, starting in Bangalore...

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Sep 23rd, 2005, 22:33	#15
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,110	I have voted for " Tribal Areas " because I've spent my best journey in India in tribal areas in Orissa. Nevertheless cannot think about India without bazaars, temples (ancient temples), monuments, villages and so on..

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