PeopleVarious encounters
India has such a great array of peoples: Hindus, Muslems, Christians, Sikhs, dahlits, untouchables, Punjabis, Tamils, the burgeoning middle class. This section is rather loose, inasmuch as it is not defined by any particular criteria such as place, race, religion, caste, or social status. It simply recounts interesting encounters with people during my travels.
The following are the articles in this section.
» The commode seller of Cuttack
» The human mosquito of Srirangam
People
A River of Life
Read on...
Read the first article in the series, about India's roadside hawkers.
I stop to watch a man across the street, standing by the kerbside, hawking up phlegm. In every city I had visited I had seen men such as he, kneading their stomachs rhythmically and making harsh yet controlled noises in their throats as they clear their lung tracts of fluid. For many, it is a routine to start and end each and every day. I had never appreciated their efforts before, not quite understanding what was wrong with them. Were they ill? Some kind of disease? The answer is yes; but the illness is the city, and its contagion is inescapable.
Available for purchase now
Sheldon's account of his overland travels around India, A River of Life, is available for purchase now. Buy the e-book from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk, or the paperback from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk (also available in other countries, search Amazon for more information).
The first instalment, A River of Life, Book 1: Travels in the North, is available separately (e-book format only) via Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com. The second instalment, A River of Life, Book 2: A Tour of the South, is available via Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.
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Feel free to contact me, about the website, writing, academic English, life in China, or anything that takes your fancy. You can reach me at contact@sheldonchsmith.com
