January 20, 2025
What India has Taught me about Community
I used to get mad at my dad for talking to strangers, asking for directions, smiling or saying hello. People do not want to be bothered, or rather- new people are dangerous and unfamiliar. Strangers will only try to hurt you or take from you in some way. In Seattle, we isolate ourselves like clockwork; individualism is a sign of the times. The message resounding in the media we consume scripts our daily thoughts and actions. You shouldn’t rely on others to get through your problems. You don’t owe anyone anything. You have to get through this on your own.
I picked up a book my first week in Bangalore at Blossom Books on MG Road, all about love by Bell Hooks. “We cannot embrace the stranger with love for we fear the stranger.” she writes.
My time in India thus far has contradicted my learned understanding of this fear I assumed all humans shared. The presence of myself, an unfamiliar stranger- has not been met with violence or scorn, but rather unwavering kindness and generosity.
On our first day, we went on a treasure hunt with the students of BMS College, and were required to ask locals for directions surrounding various cryptic clues. I was horrified at the task at hand. To me, the thought of disrupting someone’s daily work or leisure with my own blunderings seemed fundamentally impolite. Further- the risk of being tricked or coerced into a dangerous situation was ever looming.
My understanding of this type of communication began to change, as the locals bent over backwards, using hand signals and a mixture of English and Kannada to help us find our way. Ruthu- one of the BMS students, taught me two words in Kannada, “Aka” and “Ana”, meaning brother and sister. She used these words with everyone she talked to, strangers and friends. When speaking in English- she called older adults “uncle” or “auntie”. During the Lohri holiday celebration at the local Rotary Club, my fumbling attempts at traditional dances were praised and celebrated by the local members. They shared their joy by dancing and eating together, and welcoming us into this tight circle with open arms. They thanked us for participating and beamed at our efforts to immerse ourselves in their culture.
This weekend, on our trip to Mysore’s rural area: we visited a bird sanctuary in a small village, where we learned about the people’s communal efforts to conserve and nurture fallen baby pelicans from their nests. They set up nets under the trees and worked together to nurse the rejected chicks back to health, showing respect and care for whom they called their upstairs neighbors.
The people I have met in India have introduced to me the power of healthy interdependence, the cultivation of love through community, and the celebration of togetherness. This involves understanding the importance of giving and sharing, as well as the need for relationships and support systems in the growth of oneself.
The strength of one can be maximized most efficiently in numbers. In the individualistic framework, we are severed from the whole and therefore we are weakened in power, strength, and love. It seems much more useful, at least to me, to think of myself as a part of something greater. Humans owe ourselves to each other in community- to bring forth knowledge, love, and respect, and to fall back on in times of need.
By,
Olive