Growing up, I never felt a sense of pride in being Indian. Like many of my peers, I was fascinated by the West, especially America.
That fascination was undoubtedly shaped by the media I consumed-- Hollywood movies, American TV shows, and also listening to the stories of my cousins living in America. I would sometimes wonder what if I had grown up in the US?
But by the time I graduated from school my fascination towards America faded and travelling to Europe became the biggest dream of my adult life. I couldn’t envision a future for me in India and I imagined settling somewhere in Europe.
A decade later, I finally fulfilled my dream to visit Europe and spent a month travelling across the continent. A few weeks into my trip, I remember watching a Hindi movie one night in my backpacker hostel. It stirred strong emotions within me and made me realise how much I missed India and the warmth of the people there.
By the end of my Euro trip, I was surprised by what I had discovered: India is where my heart belongs, and there is no other country I’d rather settle in.
As Indians, we tend to undervalue our own country and focus on the negatives. Our colonial hangover and consumption of western media has programmed us with the belief that almost anything Western is superior. We’re not well educated in our schools about the magnificence of our land-- its spiritual wisdom, rich culture, stunning landscapes, its soulful music and literature. Ironically, people from the West come to India to embrace the best of our culture, such as yoga and meditation, whereas we often adopt the worst of theirs, like mindless materialism.
As I’ve grown older, my perspective has changed drastically from that of the young boy who once overlooked India and was awestruck by the West.
When I was in college I started getting deeply into spirituality and meditation. India has been home to great spiritual masters for millennia, from Gautama Buddha to Paramahansa Yogananda, whose teachings (Vipassana) and writings (The Autobiography of a Yogi) have profoundly influenced my life.
Over the years, I’ve also come to appreciate Indian classical music. I love the sound of Indian instruments like sarod, tabla, sitar, bansuri and I’m a big fan of Konnakol, a rhythmic Carnatic musical language. Listening to certain classical music pieces feels like a divine experience, touching me so deeply that it makes me cry.
When I was 22, I took a three-month solo trip across India. I experienced first-hand the incredible beauty and depth of my own country — culturally, geographically and spiritually. I travelled across remote villages, slept overnight in bus stops, trekked in the Himalayas, joined local festivals and experienced the kindness of strangers. In parts of northern India, I felt like a foreigner in my own country amazed at how different it was from my home state of Kerala.
During my trip I discovered there was so much I didn’t know about India and I wished someone had told me about all of this earlier. For instance, northern India is filled with incredibly beautiful towns and trekking destinations, yet many of us, especially in the south, are unaware of them.
I wonder if one reason why so many young people in India are migrating and settling abroad is that they have never truly known or experienced the beauty of our land.
Looking back, I remember my father’s words. Every time I asked him about taking a trip abroad as a family, he’d reply, “First, see India.” Hearing his response used to frustrate me. Back then, I would wonder what’s so great to see in India?
But thankfully, I did follow his advice and explored India and it has been nothing short of life-changing.
