What makes India incredible? Is it the magnificent tigers, the palaces, the ancient temples, the unforgettable landscapes? A returning NRI discovers India’s true beauty lies somewhere else. Join Kriti Mukherjee on a ride through traffic clogged streets and uncaring mobs on a voyage of discovery.
Why India is Really Incredible…
My house in India is in Gurgaon, Haryana.
There I have said it. So far I followed suit of many Gurgaon-ans who would confidently tweak the facts a little bit and profess living in Delhi. Although, Gurgaon is a city in its own right and has innumerable eateries, watering holes and entertainment that Delhi cannot boast of; the latter is of course the capital of this incredible country and possesses a kind of old charm that the former can never dream of. I’ll come to that another day but today I am here to tell you of an incredible experience I had in New Delhi.
Even though the two places in question are in two different states altogether they are separated only by 18.6 miles, a toll bridge, a highway with a zillion cars honking, and a sudden change of smell. I was in one of those zillion cars on a certain day, heading to Delhi for a meeting.
Being an NRI, I was inexperienced about the time it takes to get through 18 miles on this highway in peak time, I had left the house way later than I should have. Ten minutes of being on the road had put me on my nerve’s end and I was beginning to fret about everything around me. The heat, the humidity, the traffic, the traffic and the traffic…
My mood had taken its toll on me, and as is usually the case, I had found a punch bag to be rude with – my driver, Chander. All he ever did to soothe my anxiety is giggle a little and mutter “Didi, idhar aisahi hota hain. Aapko aur jaldi nikalna tha.” (Weakly translated in my head to – “this is how we roll here. You should have left home earlier!”). This led to a very ugly sight indeed – smoke from my ears, flared nostrils, deep red eyes, a throbbing head and gritted teeth. I tucked my tongue closer to my throat to avoid screaming. The weak excuses I made on the phone were now annoying even to me! I shut my eyes and kept silent for the rest of my trip and waited my fate.
Costa Coffee & the Real Incredible India
When I finally got to Green Park Market in Delhi where we were supposed to meet at a café called Costa Coffee, I was ready to explode! I walked in in a huff and even before I spotted my party, I called out to the waiters to get me an iced coffee. Imagine my predicament when they completely ignored my request and walked around doing their stuff. I called out again but to no avail. By this time I had concluded that I was a very bad person and God had chosen today to point that out to me.
I was not going to give in though! Even my vocal chords seconded that thought and hollered a momentous EXCUSE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! All the patrons of the restaurant looked at me, shocked at my bad behavior. I had all the customers’ attention but none of the waiters.
None of them had even noticed me coming in since they mostly stood with their backs towards me. I zeroed in on one waiter this time, a good looking young boy and called out – Nothing!!! He just strolled over to his station, finally turned around to face me and lifted his eyes to meet mine. And then he smiled the brightest smile I have ever seen.
What was this, a practical joke? He came over to me and nodded questioningly – smile intact. I was so taken by his freshness and his act of not noticing me that I decided to play by his rules. I started – ‘I have been standing there and calling out to you like a ……..’
He listened patiently and then made the gesture that doomed me forever! I would never be able to lift my head high and walk again. He took his hand to his lips and then ear and made a sign to say deaf and mute.
In a country where all else is on the verge of falling apart what do you do but fall in love with it again when you realize that a big chain like Costa Coffee only hires physically challenged people to serve its customers. This company does its bit in helping even though it may run the risk of a few raised eyebrows, loss of business from impatient customers and shame – oh the shame – on customers like me! All the waiters there were deaf and mute, but all were proficient in lip reading, sign language and impeccable service with genuine happy smiles.
Incredible India – it Really Is.
It’s so incredible that in a mere two hours your furrowed brows can be ironed out clean, you may want to belong instead of running away, you may feel small from feeling all uppity – and most of all you can feel a whole lot of shame mixed with gallons of pride.
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49 Comments
@Lavina – yes it’s like the dessert after a full course meal. Thank you!
@Debra – LOL did I? So so glad you liked it!
@Swati – tons and tons of lotuses – what a way to put it. I guess a lotus needs its dirt – great thought there.
@Savira- yes, India does have a way of doing things like that. It really awakens something inside that we didn’t know existed! Thank you for letting my article squeeze into your travels : )
@Mitr – then you know me well : ) Thank you for your wonderful comment!
What can i add Kriti – except that I thoroughly enjoyed it too. India is a place full of daily stresses – but sweet surprise-endings too!
Kriti, you had me freaking out right along with you in that car, in that jumble of traffic. I shut my eyes too!
“By this time I had concluded that I was a very bad person and God had chosen today to point that out to me.” Haven’t we all felt the same? This is an excellent, well-written article on India. Thank you for the enjoyable read. I almost felt like I was there.
A whole lot of shame mixed with gallons of pride….what a perfect way to describe living in India….Ma used to say that a lotus only blooms in dirt!! There are so many lotuses around us in the midst of this chaos called India, huh? Loved it!
India amazes me. Each day brings new challenges and inspiring experiences. Having lived outside my whole life except for this year… India to me is a country that humbled me, inspired me, allowed my inner spirit to grow…
Hey mitr, sorry for the late response but I was out for a few days and didn’t want to comment via a borrowed laptop or pc. Loved your post and especially the part about flared nostrils and red eyes, but I also know that you are a softie inside. Your writing made a lot of us think and showed us a soft, sentimental side of our Bharat Mahan. Thanks for the beautiful article…
@Adriene – Thank you for your comment and understanding my predicament! We really do a lot of taking for granted.
@Prithwijit – how beautifully expressed and so true! Thank you very much for your thoughts.
@Yoshay – Wow now one in Kathmandu as well ha? Bakery Cafe – I love these guys Yoshay! They make lives so much simpler for people. They are like the answer to so many prayers. Pret in New York also employs the physically challenged I think. My delivery man always used to be in one of those mobile chairs. Like I said – love these guys!
Thanks for coming by and leaving such a lovely comment for me.
Incredible story, Kriti. It really shows how much we take for granted about the people around us. I would have made the same assumptions.
India is a country that never ceases to amaze. You get into a crowded bus, and who knows what you might experience.
Looking out of those windows shows you a plethora of life and its possibilities. No matter where we go, the human mind and the will to live will always create new possibilities.
Thanks for another poignant example of that thought. 🙂
A lot of things have been escaping me lately and your wonderfully written article was one of them. Apologies for the delay dear friend but I’ve still got wheels attached to the soles of my feet and my back is still bent at a 45 degree angle from unpacking from countless boxes but I am lucky I must say coz I managed to catch your post in the news feed and I simply couldn’t resist.
Cafe Costa reminds me of Bakery Cafe, a chain of cafe-cum-restaurants in Kathmandu that has been employing people who have hearing and speech deficiency for as long as I can remember. I was a regular in one of the chains coz they made amazing dosas and vadas. By the end of 3 years I became quite good at my version of sign language 😉 But really, it humbles me greatly to realize the presence of such kindred souls who would actually think of giving the physically challenged a chance. I really enjoyed going through your article and I could see you puffing out anger-fumes from your nose and your eyes going all red but then I could also see you glowing in the recognition of the incredibility of India.
@Alejandro – well I gotta compliment my country : ))) Thanks a ton!
Incredible you Kriti for writing so magnificently
A
@Rimly – No problem Rims! I will keep letting you know all such things that amaze me! I know you will be amazed too : ))
@Alpana – Oh la la I am really looking forward to that : 0
@Dawn – thank you very much! I was a little hesitant about telling the truth but I thought readers like you would understand anyway : ). Thank you so very much! I love that you loved my story.
@David – yes very delicious indeed. And the service was so fantastic and the smiles never went away! I was mesmerized! thanks a ton for your comment!
@Padmavini – Yes far far far away from desirable! So glad you like my writing! Thank you for the lovely comment!
@Hemant – so glad you liked my portrayal – well actually a factual presentation : ) Thank you so much for your comment.
@Melissa – What a thoughful comment! I just love what you wrote. It echoes my thoughts in so many ways. Traffic really is the norm. Thank you very very much for commenting!
@Sheril – Not much and a whole lot at the same time. Maybe I will write something on that one day. Thank you very much for the comment and the idea
@Desiree – thank you so much for your lovely comment and for coming by! All that you have said and many more great things really are an intrinsic part of India. You really should come visit and yes Costa Coffee : ))) Ping me when you get here and I can show you …
@Tapas – that undercurrent really is strong! I am a very proud Indian too.
@Jim – thank you so much for your comment! It really is great to know that you have been part of such a worthwhile cause. I am myself on the lookout to see where I can contribute. You really think they were teasing? But even if they were, it doesn’t take anything away from the cafe : ))) hats off to them.
@Joe – thank you for the lovely comment! I am actually pretty used to it but some of the new things you mention are really great! I am Indian to the core but 7 years of being away changed so much in me and my country. I am being “re-broken in” : )))
@Jim – high five to that
I never knew that! I must keep that in mind. Kriti, thank you for illuminating us.
Welcome Kriti…things can be worse,wait for the wedding season to begin in Delhi….but it’s HOME…right…u will be fine..loved your post…and yes…INCREDIBLE INDIA….
Kriti, you have the most beautiful, brave heart! Not many of us would be so willing to admit to less than pretty behavior on such a day full of annoyances, setbacks and snags. Not only were you sincere in painting this picture of your beloved home, you also were sincere in depicting yourself as a what I call a beautifully flawed human being. I laughed and nodded as I read your story, as we’ve all had frustrating days like that, and we’ve all displayed churlish behavior on occasion. Then you bloomed my heart with the beauty of that young man’s smile and made my day brighter. WONDERFUL article, dear one!
~ Dawn
Interesting story!! It brought out many emotions in me including inspiration and pride in mankind as the cafe employed the disabled to serve customers. That’s very unusual indeed and in the end I’m sure you were served a delicious iced coffee 🙂
Hello Kriti
Refreshingly honest. It takes some courage to admit to one’s behaviour if it has been ummm…let’s just say, far from desirable 🙂
With reference to the writing, I love how easily your words flow into each other. Look forward to more of your posts.
Hello Kriti,
You are doing really very appreciated and nice work..though I am also an Indian…but your way of presentation is very interesting…I liked it because I like to read articles about places, cultures and also like to see the originality of places in these articles.
Best wishes.
Hemant
My mom would often ask me why I choose India over a thousand other countries I could visit. I learned about India through one special friend and his absence didn’t change the way I view it, ‘anzi’ (On the contrary), I have come to love it more because of the people there.
Perhaps Kriti, I would’ve reacted the same way if I’ve been treated like that. Having experienced the comforts of a first world country a few years back, I felt kind of strange going back to my own but I missed seeing children in our streets…I missed the traffic actually… I missed everything here…
About the traffic, it’s a ‘norm’ in my country— a part of the system. It’s something we all grew up with.
hmmm… I liked the experience you had—you’re very sincere… and yes, I do agree, India is incredible!
It’s an interesting post! So what’s the difference between India and the place which u stayed before in US?
What a fabulous post. India is such a romantic, mysterious country even as it crumbles and has provided the background for so many great literary works. I always wanted to visit there. You gave me such a great taste of it. And Costa Coffee? Hats off to them.
An incredible story on incredible India indeed. Like you, Kriti, I am also very proud of my country. A strong undercurrent of love for humanity in every corner makes life interesting in spite of chaos at times.
For many years I worked with the disabled. I was the director of a program that trained people and found employment for them. We were pretty successful and through 18 years helped many people with disabilities find and keep employed. I was constantly amazed at how much the people could learn and how great they were to work with.
I was also amazed that some people were so put off by disabled people that they would not even give them a chance to succeed. To have a company like this would have been heaven-sent. BY the way, anyone who has worked with the disabled will tell you that they have had similar stories – so don’t feel to bad. They even might have known that you were yelling and were having fun with you! They’re disabled but not above teasing lol
Hi Kriti – Glad to see you are being broken in to India’s way of activity. I was there in January and it quite drove me up the wall with the way things had changed. Some for the better but mostly the old ways in all sort of activity. Don’t worry – if you have a little patience you will get used to it.
And I am glad you are keeping up with your writing. You write well and make it interesting. Keep it up.
Regards from Joe.
You said it Kriti- ” Incredible India!”
Totally agree!
Just loved it..So touched. India surprises you when you least expect it..
@Monica – thank you very much!
@Eva – thank you darling! Much encouraged : )
Wow…interesting experience…thanks for sharing…
Greeted by silence in the midst of chaos. Loved this experience, Kriti.