Perspectives on India

When I returned from India in 2011, I wrote: “This was one of the most amazing trips of my life. India, to my mind, is not just another country but a realm between reality (at times shockingly harsh) and fantasy (we did, after all, stay in palaces still inhabited by maharajahs and ride on royal horses and painted elephants). India is massive and has massive contrasts—beauty and brutality, poverty and pageantry—that force a traveler’s senses into overdrive. And yet a deep spirituality also pervades daily life, making a trip personal, emotional and meaningful.” Few countries in the world stimulate the five senses in such a vibrant way as does India. The riot of sounds, the richness of traditions, the vivid colors, and the complexity of languages and religions add to the intoxicating mix of culture, chaos and beauty.

Here, we celebrate the highlights of India through different perspectives, from the pink-hued city of Jaipur and the magnificent palaces of Rajasthan to the historic sites of Old Delhi and the timeless, stupendous beauty of the Taj Mahal. We hope it will inspire you to plan a first—or fifth—trip to this unique destination, which demands return visits. Fiona Caufield, the author of the wonderful book series Love India (see her 2013 interview), agrees: “India takes time. You can fall in lust in a flurry but true love takes time.”

The Indagare Travel team specializes in planning journeys to India. Contact our Bookings Team for help with a customized itinerary.

India... Through Images

India... Through Words

"We travel to feel, to see, to understand, to explore, to connect, to confront the unfamiliar, to seek grace, to break free from our assumptions about the world, and to rediscover our true selves without the distracting trappings of our daily lives. So many destinations are familiar enough that we really have to work to seek out these moments of clarity. Over ten days in India, I found that almost every minute of every day forced me down all of these paths, to a degree that was intense, unexpected and thrilling. Along the way, we experienced constant swings between emotional extremes: from heartbreaking squalor to fairy-tale splendor, from mad chaos to spiritual serenity."

Read Indagare COO Eliza Harris's Just Back From... India.

India... Through Our Community

"So much of what I do is inspired by what I’ve seen and where I’ve traveled. While I can learn a lot about the world through museums and archives, there’s nothing quite like being in the place and seeing the local workshops and workrooms."

Indagare spoke to designer and India expert Lisa Fine about what travel means to her. Read her Q&A and about her Insider Trip to India.

India... Through Giving

To the thousands of kids growing up in India’s slums, Akanksha—a charity whose logo is appropriately that of a rising sun—is the brightest hope in their lives. Started 20 years ago by an 18-year-old college student, Akanksha offers a reprieve from Indian kids’ daily hardships by providing schooling and extracurricular activities. It all began in a Mumbai church basement, where volunteers taught art, English, values and self-esteem to young children who came in from the city’s slums. As the Akanksha children got older, the organization flourished; to date, Akanksha has educated over 6,000 kids in 40 extracurricular centers and 13 schools.

For most of India’s slum children, the Akanksha program is the surest path towards a real future and breaking the cycle of poverty. Everyone involved in the organization—from the volunteers and teachers to the students and alumni—live and work by Ghandi’s famous saying: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

In Delhi, the non-profit Salaam Baalak Trust has been named one of the most effective NGOs in India. Founded in 1988 by Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, the organization has five shelters, where children live and study in a safe space, and 19 contact points where kids can come in for medical care, counseling, education and recreation. The trust began with three employees and 25 children; today its staff of 140 assists 6,000 children and offers educational tours with members of the organization.

I had the opportunity to walk the streets of Delhi with 23-year-old Noor, a runaway who is now pursuing a higher degree thanks to the Salaam Baalak Trust. Read more from my tour with Noor and learn about the trust at salaambaalaktrust.com.

India... Through Travel