Last Time in Delhi, How Many Women you Noticed in a Sari?
Traveling alone, I attracted a small band of followers as soon as I arrived at the station. The first enlistees, two red-smocked, officially badged suitcase wallahs, boarded my train before it stopped moving. Completely unbidden, one grabbed my suitcase, the other my tote. To carry the bags, they balanced them on their turban-wrapped heads like wacky hats.Sounds familiar? Read on, this essay about travel to New Delhi is from Washington Post Travel Section.
I only had one wish after reading it, that the author would open her eyes wide and notice that in 2005 there are very few women in Delhi who wear sari. Sometimes, when I go to the malls it is ages after I see anyone in Sari. The sari power is now manifested in other guises.
posted by Mridula at 10:58 PM
12 Comments:
never been to delhi!
:)
one day....
"Fearing I might not be ready for Delhi, I took inspiration from what I'd learned of India's women. They suffer everything from virtual slave labor to dowry deaths -- the killing of a bride because her dowry was not large enough."
Man I had to snicker when I read that part, because we Westerners sometimes get it so wrong when traveling to other countries. Yes, dowry killings do happen, but this freelance writer gives the impression that the women of India are far more traditional and oppressed than what is probably accurate. Many Americans learn of foreign countries only through what they read in the Sunday Newspapers (who all do "Travel" sections), and unfortunately travel writers tend to romanticize other cultures and to splatter stereotypes all throughout the article to make everything seem more exotic than what it really is.
BTW I watched "Bride and Prejudice" over the weekend, and what a *colorful* movie!
Frankly speaking, I don't like if any foreign writer comments on poor people and poor condition of India and reason for this is because this happened becuase of foreigners (britishers, portugese and others). They took every piece of gold & other pricious items from India. Everybody must be aware that when one becomes rich he or she are making 10 or more people poor by condition. She is a travel writer and I think she was supposed to write about the places people can visit. Personal experiences are always different country to country and culture to culture. Even in USA if you go central part of country you will see it's not what we see in east and west coast. But what the heck, however it is they have to accept and they have to come back again and again because it's asian countries turn now. As far Indian women concern, I will say they are best in a lot.
I have never been to Delhi...
I don't remember seeing many sari in Delhi, but I'm sure I never saw any in muted colors! Who are these women?
I've not been to Delhi, but the text you quoted struck me as, well,ummm.... Xenophobic maybe? that's not quite it either, but it's close. It's different from my country/what I imagined so I have to point it out?
Yeah, I have to agree with the thoughts expressed in the above comments; I thought the article sounded pretty sterotypical and exaggerated.
I've never been to India, but I imagine a lot of the country is quite modern.
Oh, those travel writers! Some are good, some are, well, shit.
Poison :D
Crystal, thanks for your perspective. I somehow never got around to watching Bride and Prejudice.
Tarun, you should read Holy Cow by Sara Macdonald sometime! I will like to see your reactions to it. I thought this Post piece was mild.
Vanathi, but I thought all over urban India sari is becoming ceremonial dress.
Lily, I do not get the group you are refering to. In Rajasthan I know people generally wear bright colors.
Teri and JB, after reading Sara Macdonald's Holy Cow I thought this Post piece was most mild!
Muted colors are dull; I only ever saw lovely bright colors. I was wondering who the women were wearing muted colors; is there such a thing as a business sari, perhaps?
Mridula,
I am going to Jhansi for attending a marriage. i will be having one day extra to spare there. can you please recommend any place which i can visit over there. i have been there before also and seen ram raja temple and jhansi fort. TIA.
Lily, people do wear muted colors in Sarees and at the workplace too but business sari can be a new term :)
Nilesh, I have not been to Jhansi yet, only crossed it on various south bound trips. But here are two interesting links I can offer you. The India Mike link may generate more replies:
http://www.indiamike.com/india/showthread.php?t=20689
http://www.nivalink.com/amarmahal/
If you manage to see some interesting places, do give us a report. Sorry for not being of more help.
Hey Mrids,
I agree with Teri when she says she found the post Stereotyped and Typical of Travel Writers but don't we also realise the larger point she's made within the Post. The Vast dissimilarities within Our India.. What's our india Might not be the same for another person. i mean the difference in the trip she had till everything was well organised by her tour operator..to where she decided to slug it out on her own.. Our Country also has it's own "Tour operators"(Read:Men running the system) who make sure that some things run smoothly and and there our others who don't :0( .
Also, I bet you guys have caught the new ad campaign by the Tourism minsitry => "Atithi Devo Bhava" .. That's some message for all of us!!
Cheers,
para
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