India is basically an assault. The smell of millions of people dumping their garbage, deficating in the streets, cooking along the roadside, or apparently in Indira Ghandi Airport, as the image below attests to.
This sign says "No Smoking", "Do Not Spit", "No Drinking Alcohol", and finally, "No Cooking". This sign only needs to add "No Urinating" to entirely encompass Indian society. The thought that these four (plus one, five) functions would have to be contained on the same "Don't do it!" sign might shock some, but it is standard fare for India. Clearly the government plan that was all the rage 1.5 years ago when I was here to eliminate public urination did not succeed. People are peeing in all place, field, alleys, against walls, in the gutter, you name it. The smell mingles with the smell of curry cooking in pots on small roadside fires, fueled by burning cow dung patties. Mix in diesel fumes from about 1000 cars; just the ones in your immediate vicinity, add rain, mud, sewers running in the streets, burning trash and incense and you have it - the aroma that is India. Now I ain't saying this characterizes all of India, but it certainly captured the drive to work for me each morning.
The people are very nice.
Lesli
The curry sounds nice.
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