Every summer, I am blessed to visit India where a whole new world awaits me with all its diverse sounds, sights, and aromas. Coming from a place where order is everything, visiting India is a breath of fresh air with the mind-boggling crowds, heartwarming people, and the buzz of activity everywhere.
I am always fascinated that even in the midst of all that chaos, there seems to be order. The ornate and grandiose temples, food bursting with different flavors, and the boundless spirit of the warm, welcoming people makes me fall in love with India. There is always an element of uncertainty and excitement in everything people do, but it all falls in place. You never know when two bulls will escape their tethers on the fields and decide to go and check out that cool-looking sports car on a busy road.
The kids enjoy their lives there even though they don’t have half the basic comforts that I enjoy, but they are still so positive and cheerful. In contrast to us riding in cars, children there ride in trains, buses, auto rickshaws, or even cycles. Schools can range from large and fancy boarding schools to a small group of children learning under the shade of a banyan tree. Even the simplest of schools source out diamonds of intelligence into the world.
India is a beautiful country and is steeped in culture, traditions, and history. It is also a land of divides. The rich are extremely rich, and the poor are very poor. There are few rich people, but so many poor people. The basics such as water, food, electricity, and transportation are still a struggle for the majority, but their hard work, innovative thinking, and positive attitude help them overcome all their challenges and puts them ahead of almost all countries in varied fields.
I enjoy my journey to my roots every summer. India changes my perspective on everything and makes all the things I complain about seem so silly and trivial. My experiences in India inspire me to make the most of my plentiful resources and also think about ways to help make the lives of the less privileged better. I feel blessed and grateful for everything that I have. My journey to my roots makes me dream of a Utopian world where everyone can have all the basic resources and make their dreams come true—the sky will be their limit.
Eshaan Mani is a sixth grader from Texas.