India is the land of my birth and the book details my thoughts and emotions on my return at India's half century of Independence with which my age roughly coincided. My memories of India are vivid as up until March 1963 it was my home, therefore I write about modern India as well as recalling childhood memories.Where appropriate I detail the history of the place I am visiting, or give its specific background. For example I detail: Fatehpur Sikri; the Bishnoi - tribal inhabitants of Western Rajasthan; Deeg and the history of the Jat people; religious beliefs such as that surrounding the Kala Mati Rat Temple at Deshnok near Bikaner; detail on Madhya Pradesh; Calcutta's history; the Moghul rulers and their achievements and the impact and relics in and around Agra; most notably the Taj Majal. The fundamental essence that is India is its eternity and I attempt to describe it simply.
I talk of the flora and fauna and the seasons, food and shopping and socialising. As a couple we visited places on the well trodden tourist route and several that are not well known. We stayed with Indian friends and met with several others. Because of my past there were opportunities provided to do a few unusual things, such as visit the Indian Army on three occasions and participate in the celebrations of the festival of Holi.
We travelled independently having made the arrangements privately within India. We travelled by car, train and plane from Delhi through Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal and Calcutta with a brief two visits to Mumbai.
Photography is my art form [see the Galleries] and I took a full pictorial record of the first three week trip which encompassed all the above mentioned places, plus the return working trips when something was appropriate. There are shots of sunrises, sunsets, ancient buildings, palaces, temples, flora, fauna, local inhabitants, village life, middle class life, colourful and intriguing.
I speak Hindi/Urdu and this made my encounters more interesting. Throughout the book I have shown my love for India, but without glossing over some of the huge problems that assaulted the eye everywhere one goes. It is a beautiful fascinating country with warmth of hospitality particularly when the visitor is recognised as someone who is enjoying being there - not simply a curious demanding tourist doing the superficial tourist route.
There is gentle humour but I do not seek to demean or belittle those I encountered. In fact when I mention that I was born there the inevitable answer is "Well then you are Indian!". Quite often I was introduced as "Half Indian..." or "she was born here, she is one of us..." this was meant as a compliment and valued as such and provided opportunity to experience and write about modern-day India with all its complexities in greater depth.
India: The Peacock's Call - © Aline Dobbie, 2002
First published in 2002 by - Serendipity
First Floor - 37/39 Victoria road - Darlington - County Durham
ISBN 1-84394-010-8
Available from all good bookshops