I’ve been in Hyderabad India for a week and a half now on a work assignment from the company at which I’m “officially” employed. Fortunately, while I’m spending a good chunck of the time here actually working on said assignment, I’ve also been lucky enough to find some time for personal growth, learning and enjoying the experience. India is a place where amazing things are literally a dime a dozen and in many cases, to a Canadian like me, some of the most incredible sites are virtually free.
There are lots of people here. Lots of people. Metro Hyderabad has a population of over 6 million and it’s only the 6th largest city in India. Andhra Pradesh state (of which Hyderabad is the capital) has over 76 million in total! It would be like sticking more than twice the population of Canada in Southern Ontario. Fortunately, the vast majority of the people (in Hyderabad at least) are incredibly friendly. I have yet to feel intimidated. I have yet to feel unwelcome. The other day while taking a tour of a couple of sites, at one point I thought I was asked to take a picture of a group of people. In fact, I was asked to be in a picture with the group. I’m assuming that they mistook me for Brad Pitt.
Along with the large number of people is an insane traffic system. Very losely calling it a system here. Cars, bikes, motorcycles, pedestrians, three wheeled taxis all cutting each other off, all jostling for a better position, honking horns and waving arms abound; it’s like an insane game of Mario Kart. But I have yet to see a single accident.
A few Canadian dollars go a long way. What would get you a standard room in the Holiday Inn downtown Toronto buys you absolute luxury here. The club room at the Taj Krishna comes complete with a buttler, laundry service and invitations to free cocktail parties (strong martinis… with an extra olive if you ask nice). Fantastic food at a fraction of the price and although entrance fees to the tourist sites costs substantially more for foreigners, it’s still barely the cost of a Tim Hortons coffee.
Of course, with all the good comes some not so good. The pollution here is surreal. Walking around outside for any length of time is likely not good for one’s health. With all the vehicles (mostly two stroke deisel), the environment seriously takes a beating from emissions.
And there’s a huge gap between the wealthy and the poor. I’ve been told that there is no middle class here. You either have servants or you are one or could only hope to be. The contrast is dizzying. BMW’s with tinted windows driving beside a man in ragged clothes on a rusty bicycle and a family of four on a single dirt bike; a grand shopping mall in between stores barely standing. In the gardens at the Taj, it’s paradise and we’re spoiled rotten. 100 meters from there, people struggling; pure desperation.
But in paradox, the less people have, the more they want to be friendly and give. I’ve been humbled many times throughout the trip.
All in all, India is an amazing and wonderful place. The history, the culture, the people… every day brings something new and unreal. Being here for a couple of weeks for work has made me want to come back and see more. I’ve only been in one city – can only imagine what the rest of the country has to show.
