Very comprehensive!
It's interesting to me there are no sites in India listed. First of all, India is a veritable treasure trove of archaeological wonder from one end of the country to the other; and two, many of these priceless sites are not well managed at all. You can virtually crawl all over the Konark Sun Temple and the Ellora and Ajanta Caves, which are mind blowing places. One of the only really well protected sites in India is the Taj Mahal, and for it they have gone the extra distance. They created a zone around it where no industry or even car fumes are allowed. You have to walk, ride a camel or hire a cycle rickshaw to get to it. Inside, you have to wear little cotton booties over your shoes and there are guards everywhere policing the crowds. And the entrance fee for foreigners is many times the price for Indians, netting out at about $15, which is steep in India, So it shows what can be done.
But to Mike Sowden's point, the Taj Mahal is still in use -- well, not the tomb itself of course, but the mosque beside it is still a working mosque and the site is closed every Friday so that worshippers can attend in peace. I'm sure there have been countless of rich, angry tourists who show up in Agra on Friday and only have one day to see the "world's most beautiful building." But it doesn't matter. Sometimes in India, values like spirituality, religion and family really do trump money.
I notice that the western media is very ready to be cynical about India, about the overt spirituality, about the traditional culture, the rate of progress. Certainly when anything negative happens there, the media is all over it. And yes, I understand there are many con-men, charlatans, ersatz god-men and hippies in India whose interests are far more worldly than spiritual; and there have been some terrible crimes. But as someone who writes earnestly about the good, and true and beautiful I find in India, I wonder. Am I sensing an anti-India bias? A general disbelief in anything perceived as spiritual? Or is just that the media likes black-and-white ... rather than shades of colour and nuance and contradiction ... for if India is anything, it is the home of extreme contradiction. What do you think? http://breathedreamgo.com/2012/07/the-dust-of-india/
Sorry for being absent to a discussion I started, and thanks so much for all the thoughtful comments. Nice to reconnect with you Gregory!
Matthew asked about Canada and I am sorry to say that Canada might even be worse than the USA in terms of its coverage of India. In fact, it is, in part, the Canadian media that promoted this query. I have come to believe that there is a deliberate anti-India bias in the Canadian media. I can only imagine how the million+ Indo-Canadians feel -- virtually every article that makes headlines is negative in the extreme.
These days of course the rapes in India story is getting a huge amount of coverage. Awhile ago I went to a panel on South Asian representation in the media, and someone said it as if they "insist" upon this story. Yes, it is true there are ongoing horrific stories of rape coming from India, but there are even worse problems elsewhere, like Kenya. But there's something about Indians and rape that grab the western media attention.
This is a big topic, don't have time to address it now, but someday I would like to write about the negative and stereotypical media coverage of India. I just hope the alternative media doesn't fall into the same trap. It's so easy to be cynical about the spirituality of India, so easy to concentrate on the horror stories. I hope to offer a different perspective.
Just published a new blog about how the world is watching Indian women: http://breathedreamgo.com/2014/06/world-watching-indian-women/
My question is on a similar theme to Hannah Lobb's: isn't adventure largely attitude? Isn't it about how you perceive the world? To my 1 year old nephew Calvin, EVERYTHING is an adventure, from tasting mango for the first time to watching a train go by.
To that end, I want to share this great quote I read recently: "If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you probably won't consider any possibilities that are annoying and miserable. But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you know will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down ... This I submit is the freedom of a real education, of learning how to be well-adjusted. You get to consciously decide what has meaning and what doesn't. You get to decide what to worship." David Foster Wallace address to students at Kenyon College in Ohio.
Sorry I missed the discussion, it's Canada Day here ... but just wanted to say thank you to Al, and also was interested in finding out more about his walk across South India.
Really enjoying this discussion everyone. At the very least, I think it is raising awareness, and consciousness, of these kinds of unethical tourism practises. I know it has me thinking about my approach, editorial mandate, purpose, etc., on my blog. Culturally responsible / respectful tourism is a very important value to me, and I hope it informs my writing -- that's my intention. Sometimes, a western idea of what's ethical comes face-to-face with a cultural tradition in another part of the world, and it's tricky. What I try and do is see it from as many sides as I can. I also think practising what I call "cultural imperialism" is just as nasty as riding captive dolphins. It's a fine line.
PS I should add, that I define "cultural imperialism" as taking the stance that the west is de facto superior.
Haha, fun article -- and very true. There are travel bloggers who write mostly about themselves (or make videos etc) and those who are mostly interested in the destination. I think the difference is story. A writer/videographer with a sense of story will direct your interest. So, instead of "Look at me, I'm at the Taj Mahal!" they will say, "The Taj Mahal is widely considered the world's most beautiful building, which is remarkable when you consider that it's a tomb."
The sacred cow in the headline, Ron, was meant to be a play on words, working with the sub head about "not putting your foot in it." It refers to having some cultural awareness so that you don't inadvertently insult another culture's sacred images, ideas, traditions, or demean the people of another culture through racism, stereotypes or tired cliches. Does this make sense? It's about becoming more aware of the "other," developing a broader perspective, and seeing beyond the cliches.
Thanks so much Matthew, it is truly a wonderful thing when someone "gets" you and seems to understand exactly what you are trying to convey. I am so grateful.
The reason I wrote this is because it seems to me that in the dialogue around responsible travel, protecting the environment and animal welfare very often take centre stage. The idea of demonstrating cultural respect through your actions, as well as your craft (writing, photography, video, etc) never seems to get much air time. Yet I feel it is critically important. It is through respect and understand that we travel writers/photographers can help make the world a better place. We can engender understanding and help erase fear. We can also begin to provide a counterbalance to a very long tradition of colonialism, invasion and irresponsible tourism.
The sacred cow in the headline, Ron, was meant to be a play on words, working with the sub head about "not putting your foot in it." It refers to having some cultural awareness so that you don't inadvertently insult another culture's sacred images, ideas, traditions, or demean the people of another culture through racism, stereotypes or tired cliches. Does this make sense? It's about becoming more aware of the "other," developing a broader perspective, and seeing beyond the cliches.
I also loved this article, and especially his knowledge of the history of travel writing and his mentioning some of the greats, like Bruce Chatwin (wish he had mentioned some women though ...).
I've only been on one group press trip, after TBEX in Ireland, and I haven't written a word about it. I have no idea what to say, I felt no inspiration as I wasn't allowed to follow my interests or be alone with my thoughts and feelings. For many years I have wanted to visit Yeats' grave .... but I never imagined I would be surrounded by 20 other people clicking photos and taking notes. I doubt I will go on very many more press trips of that ilk, if any.
I think there is a difference between travel/exploration and tourism. Not in a snobby way, but in the way he alludes to in this article. Some people are interested in cultural difference and adventure. Others want to have a vacation and be relieved of stress. I don't see anything wrong with this, it's just two different groups of people with two different agendas and objectives.
Personally, I would rather go off by myself on an adventure and write a travel story about it. The problem is, it's not very practical. Press trips and the travel media are set up to make an expensive undertaking at least somewhat affordable by underwriting trips and promoting tourism. More's the pity.
@hitriddle Hi Matthew, Yes, I am going to post a blog about this webinar with a link to the YouTube video, cheers.
@hitriddle Here's the complete webinar: https://youtu.be/6PVX3nsfzzU
@hitriddle Hi Matthew, I wrote a very long blog post to go with the webinar. I am going to upload it separately but here it is: http://breathedreamgo.com/2015/06/how-to-travel-safely-in-india-webinar/
This is why culturally respectful travel awareness is needed!
There are several different issues regarding representation and diversity in travel writing. This essay hits the one that interests me, point blank. Sometimes referred to as the #onestory. Unfortunately, travel writing and blogging about India abounds with lazy, cliched, attention-seeking and click-bait articles about India: the heat, the dust, the crowds, the chaos, the poverty, the sexual harassment. Obviously, India -- like every other country -- is much more complex and multi-layered, there are many more stories to be told. It takes some time, patience and open-mindedness to tell a nuanced story. And a desire to be fair and accurate -- rather than viral.
This essay explains perfectly why I wrote this: http://breathedreamgo.com/2014/08/avoiding-sacred-cows-travel-writing/
This article by Wade Davis is in somewhat the same spirit. He says: "As an anthropologist, I am often asked how one breaks down the barriers between people and an outsider living as their guest. Not bravado, I always reply, but rather the same qualities that would make a visitor welcome in your own home: Respect, good manners, self-deprecating humour, a willingness to eat what’s put before you."
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/travel-is-a-privilege-not-a-right/article24922925/
Really enjoyed this article, the author cites two of my favorite writers - Dervla Murphy and Freya Stark. It's definitely worthwhile becoming more consciously aware of yourself as an outsider and traveller as you write and travel, and bring some awareness to your role, perspective and impact. I see this as an evolution and try not to be too judgmental about writers as they go through it. I also don't see anything inherently wrong with the vantage point of the seeker who is on a journey of self discovery as they travel. This is a time-honoured tradition and can help raise awareness of self. In our culture the emphasis is much more in the exterior rather than interior world, so having an interior sojourn is a great opportunity for reflection. This is why I spend time in an ashram every year. It's a place to travel inward.
However a person, of any gender, decides to travel and write is up to them. My preference is for writers who take the time to transcend their otherness, get to know the people and the culture and write with sensitivity and respect rather than judgement.
You're welcome -- and I agree Matthew, I wasn't happy that I had to write it.