By Katie Allie
These are my stories from the road and hard-won guidance from a thoughtful traveler. If I’m making you curious about getting lost and finding the good stuff in this great big world we all share, then I’m doing something right.
“This is indeed India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of a thousand nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of tradition, whose yesterdays bear date with the mouldering antiquities for the rest of the nations—the one sole country under the sun that is endowed with an imperishable interest for alien prince and alien peasant, for lettered and ignorant, wise and fool, rich and poor, bond and free, the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for the shows of all the rest of the globe combined.”
This is an excerpt from Mark Twain’s 1897 book “Following the Equator.” It was also how I was introduced to Rajeev Sikarwar, age 46, when he quoted the passage verbatim to me in a pre-dawn van ride en route to the Taj Mahal. Every single word of the passage is still true today, by the way, much the same as my friendship with Rajeev has remained true since my time in India.
I traveled independently through India for a month in 2012 with four girlfriends. We wandered aimlessly through mazes and secret alleys in New Delhi, ate with our hands, had adventures on overnight trains, were awestruck at the burning ghats in Varanasi, visited monasteries, road tripped through the Himalayas in Ladakh, took in ancient monuments in Agra, drove tuk-tuks in Jaipur and rode camels through the desert in Jaisalmer. India tested my senses, my nerve and my cultural awareness every minute of every day.
In the course of roughly 30 days, I saw fabulous poverty and splendor, mouldering antiquities, imperishable interest in us as foreigners, a thousand religions and two million gods—the likes of which I’ve never seen before or since in my life. There is no place like India. I met many guides along the way—
I suggest you get in touch with Prakash if you’re in Varanasi or Ramzan if you’re in Jaipur—but I chose to interview Rajeev, the eldest of the guides we had. He has stayed in touch in the years since our trip. If you are visiting Agra to see the Taj Mahal, please get in touch with him. He will bring her to life as no one else can, and his rates are more than reasonable.
It is my hope that your interest in India is piqued, but more importantly, I hope you will make an effort to talk to people—especially ones who may have a different vantage point on the world than you. We often have more in common than we may think and wonderfully different ways of looking at things. Here are some things I’ve learned from Rajeev.
How many languages do you speak?
Two—Hindi, my mother tongue, and English.
Tell me about your childhood and what it was like growing up in India.
I was born in a village in 1970 and have one elder brother and two sisters. Before my birth, my Father had already been to the United States in 1966 as an International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) delegate, organized by the 4-H club. So when I was born and gained consciousness, I was hearing tales from my Father about the United States, and I was enchanted. My Father talked about TV, computers, air-conditioned tractors, cars with automatic gears and garages that opened automatically when the vehicle approached them. He also brought a jigsaw puzzle home with him that I used to put together, since there were not many toys as India was in its infancy—China was not making toys at full throttle like today. Anyway, Indian economy was closed, and village economy was quite poor.
So the puzzle was the 50 U.S. states that every day I used to put together, and every day I’d begin with Texas, biggest of them all. My Father told me that America is sort of underneath us on the globe. I took it very seriously, so when I came back from my school I had a thick wooden stick about four feet high. In front of my home I would pour down some water and start thumping the ground. After 10 days, my Father saw this and laughed and told me it is not feasible to go to America this way, as Earth is too big and there is molten lava in the middle. I gave up and got engrossed in getting an education.
I remember how happy we used to be during the monsoon pour down, when paper boats were deployed in almost every puddle by all the boys and girls. In the night we used to wonder at the thousands of fireflies. I remember, having a tropical climate, that we used to grow almost everything in this peaceful village—climbing trees and picking those delicious mangoes and plums. Guavas were aplenty, and there were as many citrus fruits as one could eat. We used to get rose petals and mix some sugar into those, put them in a small glass bottle and put it in the bright sun. By evening, due to extreme heat inside those tiny glass bottles, the rose petals and sugar used to melt and make a very delicious nectar.
In 1978, my Father chose to move to Agra City for better education for us kids. I never disgraced my esteemed Parents. I completed higher education. I have a master’s degree in organic chemistry and a bachelor’s of law. I was always in the top of my class. Life kept on playing with me, and after a very dark period in my life due to joblessness or being in-between jobs, I finally found my life in tourism. I have been successfully guiding for the last 10 years.
Rajeev is pictured with the five of us as we toured Agra Fort in 120+ degree July heat. Photo by Sheena Segady.
What inspired you to pursue your line of work? How did growing up in India affect your choices?
What I am doing today is due to my fascination with the world and people. I was quite reserved in my life, but tourism has opened me up. I was a shy boy who has turned into a confident man, every day meeting with strangers that turn into good friends at the end of the day. I believe in the saying, “Be bold and courageous, because when you look back on your life, you will regret the things you did not do more than the ones you did.”
How have things changed for better or worse in India in the past five to 10 years?
I have found that India has prospered and is becoming an egalitarian society. Nothing has worsened. India is a rising economy that is rushing headlong into a great future. One good thing is that everything in our lives is touched with spirituality. India is a country of saints.
What is something you wish people knew or understood better about India?
India is the most misrepresented country in the world. It is quite peaceful. Guns are only with police and armed forces. People do not have guns here.
People do not fall sick if they drink bottled water and stay away from cold food. If you visit India, you will not only have an incredible experience, but also you will complain less about life. As Mark Twain said, “So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked.”
If someone was visiting India for the first time, where would you tell them to go?
When in India, make sure that you get to see the Taj Mahal; Agra Fort; Fatehpur Sikri, or Ghost city and tigers in the forests. Ride an elephant while going to see Amber Fort in Jaipur. Go to Varanasi, and immerse in the evening prayers at the Ganges River. There is just so much to see and so much to do in incredible India. The perfect day is looking at the colorful attire of folks and chaotic but funny traffic. In a city like Agra, life is also very stress free. There are so many attractions in Agra City that one day will not be sufficient to see these. Enjoy delicious Indian food. Go to an Indian village and see those innocent folks living the simple life and how happy they are. They have nothing, so they have nothing to lose.
Are there any special traditions in your country or hometown?
India is the oldest living civilization in the world. Traditions are aplenty in this country. The question is, where should I begin? Different beliefs and different lifestyles. After all, this is the land of “the Holy Cow.” Here you will find unity in diversity; beliefs and superstitions; respect for women, teachers and parents; mundane ceremonies; fasting; gestures of greetings and respect; holy bathing; arranged marriages; funeral traditions; hospitality; Henna and etiquette.
What do you like to do in your free time?
The job of guiding is taxing on the body and mind, as there is too much to walk and so much to talk about. So in my free time I like to relax and listen to music. I also like to collect coins and banknotes from various countries.
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is vegetarian food. I like kidney bean curry and tandoori chicken cooked in a clay oven with a dash of lemon. It is sheer heaven—much better than KFC.
What is your favorite TV show?
On TV I like to see Animal Planet, National Geographic, Hollywood movies and the news.
Have you ever been to the United States?
I have never been to the U.S. or any foreign country, as I cannot save enough due to a married life with two kids.
What do you aspire to be or do now and in the next few years?
Life happens. I do not know what I will be in five to 10 years. I think I can become a travel agent, given the expertise I have about tourism in India. If that can happen, I will be very happy.
About the Author
Katie Allie is a West Virginia native who holds degrees in English and elementary education. A teacher by trade, she spent years in a classroom before branching out as a travel consultant and writer. With five continents under her belt and an affinity for noodle soup, it should come as no surprise that she loves to write about food and talk adventure. She may be reached at hello@acrossthelinetravel.com, and you can read more about her adventures at www.wvexecutive.com/category/executive-exclusives.
