Little India in New Jersey, USA

Missing India led me to Little India in New Jersey, searching for a meal, action, and a little bit of the discomfort felt in traveling. The little stretch of town itself is a hodge-podge of cars and restaurants and jewelry shops and stores selling knick-knacks and illegal Bollywood CDs and DVDs. I instantly felt like I was back in the land of the East listening to the blaring horns, wailing bhajans, and multitude of incomprehensible languages. The women were all decked in brightly dyed sarees and salwar kameezes stitched with sequined embroidery, and the men spit out great gobs of red paan soaked saliva, dying the sidewalks with the familiar bloody splotches. I walked passed shops selling sparkling expensively intricate gold jewelry, and perused a few selling old holy books in Hindi and shiny brass dancing Gods and Goddesses. A little food court appeared to be a main attraction, packed with shouting men running all over the place, devouring chai and Indian snacks. I ordered a sugarcane juice with lemon and ginger and uncomfortably waited amongst the men. Even a honky hippie couple entered the establishment, barefoot, dreaded, and cloaked in tie-dye scarves and baggy corduroys.

I think America is awesome because of our diversity. There are little pockets of people from every country of the world adding to our stew pot.

When I was in India I hated it. I hated all the crowds of staring people and all the commotion and all the pollution. Maybe it was just Bangalore, where it feels like everyone is desperately trying to hide the fact that they are Indian. The place feels robbed of its culture, like all the crap of India resides there without the colorful charm and spice that defines the rest of India.

I also think I went there at the wrong time in my life, to the wrong place, and with the wrong people; definitely the wrong people. When I traveled alone in India, in Rajasthan I loved it, but I hated my time spent in Bangalore, feeling suffocated. As soon as I left India I regretted it. I missed it dearly. I knew I had not unlocked the secrets or nearly explored all of the back alleys or met all of the colorful smiles that the country has to offer. I have always felt a yearning to return, under better circumstances.

For a few short hours I enjoyed this reminiscence of India and envied my sisterfriend who arrived in Dharamshala today.