Author: Sarah Macdonald
Publisher: Bantam
Pages: 304 pages
Price: INR 259I did not expect a William Dalyrmply research writing stuff about India when I picked up Sarah’s Holy Cow from the shelves of library at work. That’s exactly what I got out of that book. Funny in parts and sarcastic mostly, Sarah’s honest impressions about India during her period of stay promise enough and more amusement.
Backpacking from Australia to India right after her studies – perhaps after being lured by the tales of adventure India promises or being told to promise – Sarah’s experiences were less than pleasing. Soon after and before even ending the backpacking journey, she decided to ‘give the country the finger’ and took off to Australia not giving a damn to the palmist who predicted that she would be back in India soon for the love of her life.
Back she did and exactly for the love of her life quitting her job in Australia. After landing in India and starting her life with her boyfriend who has a job that had him away from her almost all the time, Sarah started exploring India mostly to beat the boredom. In the process, she encountered the mysticism and vibrancy of Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, and even Christianity – the religion that has adapted quite a many rituals from Hinduism while being practiced in India.
Sarah’s writing is simple and the impression that leaves is more than just candor. However, she did not get the facts right in few places – especially when she writes that Hindu temples are open to people of all caste and creed, after being denied entry into a Parsi festival. There are temples, especially in South India, that deny entry to non-hindus and put up a glaring signboard stating ‘no admission for non-hindus’. And it’s not easy to forget the controversy that swept the country when the then President Abdul Kalaam was denied entry into the Guruvayur temple, in Kerala.
Although Sarah’s book displays her fondness towards the country, it’s bitchy in most parts. India is dirty - well mostly - the roads are bad and potholed, bureaucrats who run the system are corrupt, summers are extreme, beggars swarm every tourist attraction, and the spiritual system is driven by sanyasis and sanyasins – holy men. Well yes, there’s no denial to these facts even though it sounds bitchy.
Know what Sarah? India is developing. It has been, it is, and sadly it will always be – no matter how many decades pass by. Now that’s the saddest reality of all.
Backpacking from Australia to India right after her studies – perhaps after being lured by the tales of adventure India promises or being told to promise – Sarah’s experiences were less than pleasing. Soon after and before even ending the backpacking journey, she decided to ‘give the country the finger’ and took off to Australia not giving a damn to the palmist who predicted that she would be back in India soon for the love of her life.
Back she did and exactly for the love of her life quitting her job in Australia. After landing in India and starting her life with her boyfriend who has a job that had him away from her almost all the time, Sarah started exploring India mostly to beat the boredom. In the process, she encountered the mysticism and vibrancy of Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, and even Christianity – the religion that has adapted quite a many rituals from Hinduism while being practiced in India.
Sarah’s writing is simple and the impression that leaves is more than just candor. However, she did not get the facts right in few places – especially when she writes that Hindu temples are open to people of all caste and creed, after being denied entry into a Parsi festival. There are temples, especially in South India, that deny entry to non-hindus and put up a glaring signboard stating ‘no admission for non-hindus’. And it’s not easy to forget the controversy that swept the country when the then President Abdul Kalaam was denied entry into the Guruvayur temple, in Kerala.
Although Sarah’s book displays her fondness towards the country, it’s bitchy in most parts. India is dirty - well mostly - the roads are bad and potholed, bureaucrats who run the system are corrupt, summers are extreme, beggars swarm every tourist attraction, and the spiritual system is driven by sanyasis and sanyasins – holy men. Well yes, there’s no denial to these facts even though it sounds bitchy.
Know what Sarah? India is developing. It has been, it is, and sadly it will always be – no matter how many decades pass by. Now that’s the saddest reality of all.
