These two words are used to ‘sell India’ to the world on posters and in adverts of the Indian Tourist Board, and there is (perhaps) more here than meets the eye.
After all, which other country has a tombstone (albeit one with the size and splendor of the Taj Mahal) as its defining image. Often described as one of the ‘wonders of the modern world’, the marble structure is in reality a mausoleum, built in memory of one of the wives – Mumtaz Mahal – of the Mughal emperor Shan Jehan. Started in 1632, it took 21 years to build. It is worth remembering that as the Taj Mahal (literally, the ‘crown of palaces’) was nearing completion, Albion was embroiled in what is known as ‘The English Civil Wars’ leading to the execution of King Charles I in 1649. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Taj continues to attract millions of visitors; not to mention its popularity as the name for numerous Indian restaurants.
Another way in which India is incredible is that it is NOT a country at all; it is almost a continent! With a land mass roughly equivalent to Western Europe, over 20 official languages, and twice Europe’s population, the Indian peninsular is best seen as a Sub-continent and not as one nation. I am from India, or I am going to India, is as vague as someone proclaiming, I am from Europe, or I am going to Europe.
The old adage ‘whatever you say about India, the opposite is also true’ continues to hold, whether we are talking about poverty and wealth, climactic conditions, or a whole range of other characteristics. As a born and bred Indian (sic), I have to admit to the oft-levelled charge that we are not very good at organising things, or at keeping to schedules; but, then I am reminded that incredible India manages to ‘organise’ (?) what is usually described as the ‘largest gathering of humanity on earth’ at the Kumbh Mela every 12 years. Here, we are not talking about The Notting Hill Carneval, or even its big brother in Rio, but something on a much bigger scale. We are not even talking about the population of a large city, or even a medium-sized country, but something of the order of over 50 million human beings gathering in one place. How incredible India manages to do that is being researched by eminent scholars from Harvard. Watch this space for their findings! Incidentally, this year the Mela is taking place in Allahabad during January and February.
