1+1=11

In Hindi we say 1+1=11. It means that when people keep together, they are much stronger than just being alone. Travelling through India and living here, I often see 1+1=11 in action. Have you ever seen a Tata Sumo with 25 people packed all tightly inside - one family doing a yatra together or just on their way somewhere? Being in India of course means being exposed to crowds too. People sometimes ask me if I feel lonely here. How could I? Living in India means that India lives with you too, whether you like it or not! Loud crowd is everywhere. Just see what a travelling Indian family consist of: a bunch of ladies (the seniors of the family plus the younger generation) - the real bosses of the group. Of course they all come with gingly ankle bells and bangles (how can life go on withouth these?). Then bunch of men - all loud and happy. They only become little bit more silent when they finally sit down to eat. And a bunch of kids in squeeky shoes - skueek, skueek - don't I love this sound? How cute.

In India basis of human life is rista (relation= family) and kartavya (duty). Now, where do I fit here? Single videshi (foreigner) who roams around India in pursuit of advancement in Krsna consciousness, study and widening career prospects. Oh, where to put me? I have no other 24 members of my family that I could stick in Tata Sumo to travel with me. Perhaps I am not so good in keeping up my duties. Possibly I even don't understand what they are. So I am a social misfit in the indian society. Yet, I live in this society as a happy, viseshi misfit. Why not? This society of a population of 1,129,866,154 is happy to live with me. Why not? 1+1=11. United we stand, divided we fall!