Thailand to India

We flew from Bangkok Thailand to Bangalore India last night.  Even on the airplane I could feel the difference in cultures, as the flight attendants and most of the passengers were obviously Indian.  It’s a little hard to describe, but I’ll try.

Riding an elephant - Karen village near Chiang Rai

 

In Thailand, most people were quite sweet and polite, smiling, eager to please, gentle.  However, almost none spoke English, even in tourist areas and restaurants, tour bus companies, taxi drivers and so on.  I could not imagine being a Thai person employed in a tourist-oriented job, and not even attempting to learn a little English, French, German and the languages of my customers.  But in most parts of Thailand, there was little or no English spoken or written. In the temples there were lots of signs filled with information, all in Thai, and almost none in English.  So it was difficult to go deeper in understanding the culture and traditions of the Thai people.

Red Jahu Village near Chiang Rai

Things generally work in Thailand.  The roads are good, the power stays on, Internet is everywhere, the food is wonderful even in the cheapest local restaurants, and people seem to be happy and reasonably well off.  We don’t see a lot of begging, people living on the street, or abject poverty.  The food is safe to eat, even on the street, and restaurants always provide bottled water.  Beer, wine and liquor are readily available and quite cheap by North American standards.  I will say that things in Thailand are more expensive than in most places in India.  Still a lot cheaper than North America, but more expensive than what we are used to in India, Mexico, Guatemala and so on.

The Grand Palace - Bangkok

There is an orderliness about the Thai people.  They seem eager to please, welcoming and smiling from the various shops, restaurants and massage parlours.  To me, the smile seems slightly forced at times, and I wonder what some Thai people say when our backs are turned.  I did see one storekeeper sneer after some Israeli tourists left without buying anything, so it made me think about the level of sincerity of the Thai friendliness.  This quality made me somewhat uncomfortable, as there seemed to be a falseness with our interactions, and a sense of doubt crept in that perhaps it was more about our money than our being there.  Still, my main impression of Thai people was positive.

Buddha's birthday - Temple in Bangkok

There is also a shrill quality to the Thai interactions.  The voices are often quite loud, and have a sing-song quality.  The women often have strident voices, they speak with authority and seem to be strong and independent.  Unlike India, the women are everywhere on the streets, in the shops and restaurants, and the younger ones flash lots of skin and are not shy to show their beauty.  And of course, Thailand is legendary for the sex trade, and I saw hundreds of “farang” (white foreigners) men walking with younger Thai women, and it seemed clear to me that the women were paid for their company.  We passed many “hostess bars” with skimpily-dressed women dancing and beckoning men to join them.  We also saw many “lady-boys” similarly engaged.  This is all done in the open, and with little criticism by the Thai people or authorities.

The streets of Bangkok

When we landed in Bangalore, the words that immediately came to mind were: ramshackle, topsy-turvy, messy, crazy, dirty, noisy, lots of horns honking, people in a hurry to get places, even pushing to get off the plane even before the doors were open.  People are friendly, smiling, and they are a little bruising and rude as well.  English is spoken and seen everywhere.  (That’s a relief!)  Of course, India is familiar to me, it’s my third visit in the past four years, so I am comfortable within the craziness.  I can see how it could be overwhelming for others, and how being in Thailand could be easier for many western “farangs.”  For me, I love having the experience of both countries, and am amazed at how different they are, though they are close physically (our direct flight lasted 3 ½ hours).

This morning I accompanied Henry on his motorbike to the nearby village to pick up idly, a breakfast cake common in South India, made from rice and mung bean flour accompanied by a spicy chutney, and bring it back to the Gurukula for breakfast for everyone.  As I stood outside the stall, people smiled their welcome to me.  There was nothing in it for them, they were genuinely happy to see a westerner visiting their little village.  They are proud of their home, and appreciate our visiting.

There is more of a traditional life here in India.  Spiritual life is a daily living experience for most people and it is open and shared.  Of course, on the one hand, the old traditions include some practices that I find abhorrent, especially when it comes to the treatment and attitude towards women.  And on the other hand, western influence is growing, and in many places, for better or worse, the Indian traditions are being watered down.  Consumerism grows, the young generation is breaking free of the old ways, spiritual practices are waning for many, and people are experiencing individual freedom (in some places) more than ever.  This is a mixed blessing and curse.

I realize that I am comparing an elephant to a mouse (sort of like comparing US and Canada).  Though there are similarities and though they are geographically close, we must remember that Thailand is a nation of 66 million people or so, living in a monarchy and nominal democracy that has never been conquered or colonized by European or North American empires.  India is a vast sub-continent of over a billion people, with more than 20 major language and cultural groups loosely banded together in a very messy democracy, and this only for the past 70 years or so.  In other words, though it is an ancient culture or group of cultures, it is a very young country.  Before that, it was colonized by England and other European countries, and the influence of the British Raj in particular is clearly evident today.

We feel completely welcome here, as if we are coming home.  I suppose if we visit Thailand again and know what to expect, we may find it more easy and comfortable.  But India does feel more like home to me.

Now we are settling in to the Gurukula, being with our dear friends who live here, and trying to help get ready for Guru Pooja next week.  Happy to be here!