No place like India
New Delhi, India 12/2008
New Delhi, India 12/2008
Ludhiana, Punjab 12/2008
Ludhiana, Punjab 12/2008
Ludhiana, Punjab 12/2008
Ludhiana, Punjab 12/2008
Ludhiana, Punjab 12/2008
Golden Temple, Amritsar Punjab 12/2008
Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab – 12/2008 (My First Trip to India)
I can still remember the way the air smelled—thick, warm, and unfamiliar. Stepping off the plane felt like landing on another planet. The December fog was heavy, turning our drive to Ludhiana, Punjab into an 18-hour journey. Our driver, Pupender, had stocked the car with Indian candies, a small gesture of hospitality that felt both foreign and comforting.
Every time we stopped, I’d glance out the window to see little hands and curious faces pressed against the glass. My heart ached with confusion. I didn’t fully understand what I was feeling, but I cried silently for much of that drive. It was the first time I experienced such raw humanity, and it cracked something open in me.
When we finally arrived at the unassuming home, we were greeted by five or six people, all jumping up and down with joy, showering us with flower petals, throwing rupee notes in celebration, and offering more sweets. I was delirious with exhaustion and awe, but something in me woke up as I stepped inside. The house was modest, but the moment felt rich and golden. It was as if I had walked into a palace.
They gave me my own room, and though the bed was hard as a rock, I slept better than I ever had. I woke to the scent of fresh chai, grinning ear to ear, already falling in love with this place.
Outside, the energy was intense. My senses were overwhelmed—sounds, smells, colors, movement everywhere. My body felt on edge. But then I walked past a small altar in the street and saw a man drop to his knees in reverence. In that moment, I pressed pause. I realized I couldn’t experience India through judgment or resistance. I had to surrender. To stop trying to understand everything and simply be.
That shift cracked the world open. I saw beauty everywhere. I felt the spiritual energy buzzing beneath the chaos. And most profoundly, I began to notice my own state of beingness—a word that still carries weight for me. I fell in love with my own essence, in its raw, uncovered form.
India taught me how to see. How to pay attention. That nothing is guaranteed—not tomorrow, not even the next breath. Every time I step outside, I’m taking a risk. But India showed me that the risk is worth it. Life is worth it.
I learned to be grateful. To nourish what’s good, because whatever we feed—grows. I’ve returned to India again and again. To eat with my hands. To walk barefoot through temples. To be adorned in henna and jewels. To practice yoga. To pray. To be.
There is no place on Earth like India. And I will always be thankful for the way it changed me.
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Kolkata, West Bengal 12/2012
Jaipur, Rajasthan 12/2015
Jaipur, Rajasthan 12/2015
Jaipur, Rajasthan 12/2015
Galtaji Temple, Rajasthan 12/2015
Jaipur, Rajasthan 12/2015
Jaipur, Rajasthan 2015