Yesterday I took a short trip to India. "I beg your pardon?!" I almost hear you say. The fact is, Bucharest has just hosted the festival of Indian culture "Namaste India". "Namaste" is a form of greeting, basically meaning "I recognize the divinity within myself and salute the divinity within you". Therefore, that means that all of us are divinity in our essence, and that is a good thought to keep in mind at all times.
I must admit I never had the luck to travel to far-away lands, or at least not yet, but even this visit of a few hours gave me a good glimpse of India and Indian culture. Stands of colourful clothes, accessories and handmade objects, exotic foods and traditional teas, natural cosmetics brought straight from India, Hindi and Sanskrit language books, but also books on history, religion, yoga and meditation. Plus, we could not miss themed workshops, travel stories from people who experienced India, and of course, traditional music and dances.
Apart from yoga, which I have always been a huge fan of, with its benefits on the human mind and body, I was particularly curious about cuisine, motives in art and decoration, languages and dances. So many things I never knew before!
Did you know that.... ?
.... all the spices such as turmeric, cardamom or coriander, which give Indian foods and drinks those particular flavours, also have medical properties, healing and preventing health problems such as flu, articular problems, or sight problems.
... there are various traditional symbols of the Indian soul, commonly present in interior and clothing design, but also in urban design. They represent elements from both Buddhist and Hindu philosophy, but also creatures deemed sacred, such as the cow, the peacock, the elephant, the Bengali tiger or the sea-shell. These symbols are used as blessings, bringing luck, power, good health, fertility and beauty.
.... the Hindi language has more than 300 million mother tongue speakers. It originates from the ancient Sanskrit language, with a fair share of Arab and Persian influences.
.... the Indian rainbow comprises more colours than its occidental version, each colour has a specific meaning and these meanings are often expressed in poems and songs.
.... even movements in Indian dances have a deeper spiritual meaning, and very often they have the role of energizing the dancers, chasing away negative states of mind.
And these are just a few of the things I discovered! Hopefully, I will get the chance to go deeper into these topics over time. But one thing is sure: India is not just a country, it's a completely different universe, full of legends, symbols, traditions, and magic. All human senses experience something new. And if this the case on a smaller scale, you cannot help but wonder.... how will it be in the case of a proper trip to India?
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